Bus Books

Red All Over
by David Maxey

Red All Over is a personal view of the current London bus scene, but with a strong 'review' element to highlight the major changes that happened in 2011 - not least the replacement of the last seven bendybus routes with double-deck types. All of those are covered in detail, alongside sections devoted to subjects like hybrids, single-deckers, refurbs and special paint jobs, to name but a few.

The book rounds off with an extensive section devoted to the New Bus for London launched on December 16th, a preview of the more interesting changes scheduled for 2012 . . . and the last-gasp arrivals which managed to sneak into the capital before New Year's Eve.

Could it be more complete? Not much.

More than 200 stunning photographs,
20,000 words,
extended captions and summary tables,
120 pages A4, full colour throughout.

£16.95 (UK Post Free)

QUALITY BUS BOOKS

MORE PAGES, MORE PHOTOS, MORE INFORMATION

Red All Over 2 is the review of the London bus scene in 2012. The introduction of the NBfL and the disruption caused by the Olympics obviously feature in detail. Alongside sections devoted to subjects like route changes, the decline of the ALX200, the Euro-6 and the stop/start Enviro 400s, the Northumberland Park sale, the Farnborough Air Show shuttles, hybrids, and vinyl variations, to name but a few.

The book rounds off with a preview of the more interesting changes scheduled for 2013 . . .

We have had to add extra pages to fit everything in.

Could it be more complete? Not much.

More than 230 stunning photographs,
30,000 words,
extended captions and summary tables,
128 high quality 135gsm gloss paper pages with a 250gsm gloss laminated cover,
full colour throughout.

RED ALL OVER 3
London Bus Review 2013

Red All Over 3 is the review of the London bus scene in 2013. The continued introduction of the NBfL obviously feature in detail. Alongside sections devoted to subjects like route changes, the sale of First Group, the return of Spirit of London, the Wimbledon shuttles, hybrids & electrics, and vinyl variations, to name but a few. The book rounds off with a preview of the more interesting changes scheduled for 2014 . . .

Full Contents: What Happened Next, All Change – January/February, Double Vision, Single-Deckers – Part One, All Change – March/April, Renewed Spirit, Hybrids Update, Vinyl Variations, Rail Replacements, All Change – May/June, Single-Deckers – Part Two, NBfL Conversion 1 - Route 24, The Sale of First London, Anyone for Tennis?, All Change – July/August,Quite Interesting, Route 76 Running Day, WDL1: Red All Over, NBfL Conversion 2 - Route 11, All Change – September/October, Euro-6 Again, NBfL Conversion 3 - Route 9, A Shower of Poppies, All Change – November/December, Rain, Where’s the Stairs?, NBfL Conversion 4 - Route 390, New Vehicle Deliveries 2013, Type Changes Pending & Contract Extensions.

Could it be more complete? Not much.

More than 230 stunning photographs, 30,000 words, extended captions and summary tables, 120 high quality 135gsm gloss paper pages with a 250gsm gloss laminated cover, full colour throughout.

£16.95 post free ( UK Only)

LONDON’S HERITAGE
2014 A Remarkable Year

London’s Heritage - 2014 A Remarkable Year records a truly superb series of events that involved the classic London bus during last year.

TfL’s ‘Year of The Bus’ spawned lots of open-days and the memorable cavalcade and Regent Street gathering. The Routemaster celebrated 60 years with a superb event held at Finsbury Park. The RT reached 75, the main celebration took place in April with a gathering at Ash Grove garage, and a running day on route 22, then the following day a second gathering took place at the London Bus Museum. A second running day was held on route 11 later in the year. The B-Type bus was restored initially in original red and then in time for remembrance services and a trip to Belgium it was converted into the ’Battle Bus’. Other events featured include, the Strikes, the end of 9H, Showbus, the Isle of Wight rally, the Hornchurch running day, the launch of CRL4 and the Earls Court Routemaster day, RMs at Imber and the Ensign running day.

More than 230 photographs - Extended captions and summary tables,
120 high quality 150gsm gloss paper pages with a 300gsm gloss laminated cover,
Full colour throughout.

£16.95 post free ( UK Only)

THE LONDON FLEET LIST
2016 Edition
Information correct up to 17th August 2016

Our new and fully updated, The London Fleet List is our companion to The London Bus Guide. This very handy A6 sized pocket book gives details of every bus that is used on TfL’s routes.
The book is crammed with information and is split into two-parts. The buses renumbered recently by Arriva and RATP Dev London are listed with their new and old numbers.

The first looks at the buses by type and features running number, registration, garage, operator and year built.

the second lists the buses in numerical order by operator and lists running number, garage and type for an easy cross reference to the first section.

A total of 9,000+ buses are listed and this book is a must for all serious London bus enthusiasts.

£9.95 post free (UK) See drop down price list for non-UK prices

Handy A6 size

242 pages

CAMPAIGN
London’s Advertising Buses 1969 - 2016

Today, if you visit central London it won’t be long before you see a bus in an all-over advertising livery. The bus of choice to be used as a moving billboard is the New Routemaster. However, such a large quantity of ‘ad-buses’ running around is a fairly recent development. Since the first one appeared in 1969, there has been periods when they were banned and when they weren’t and the numbers running were limited. We feature many of them

This book charts the history of the ‘ad-buses’ with numerous photos and listings of what has carried what. Since 2012 there has been a real boom in all-over adverts on buses so there are plenty of photos from this period as well. In addition, we have included a table listing all 1000+ buses that have carried all-over ads and what campaigns they were used for.

£18.95 post free (UK) See drop down price list for non-UK prices

A4 size
140 pages 300gsm Laminated Cover
330+ photos
20,000 Words
Extended Captions
Tables

RED ALL OVER
The London Bus Review of 2016

2016 was another intensely busy year for TfL’s bus operation, with 125 new contracts awarded and almost a thousand new vehicles entering servce. There were fewer New Routemasters this year but a significant number of Gemini 3s and the first of many MCV EvoSetis, all built on the Volvo hybrid chassis.

Volvo’s much-sought-after B5LH merits its own survey in this edition as London deliveries pass the 850 mark. There are also features on the conversion of Red Arrow routes 507/521 to full electric operation, the Gospel Oak-Barking rail by bus’ replacements and the Farnborough Air Show shuttles, alongside regular inclusions like Vinyl Variations and Quite Interesting.

As before, contract changes and renewals are presented in two-month chunks, with some rather nice photographs, and the extended captions have been extended even further than in previous editions (keep this up and it will soon be a proper book). As if all that weren’t enough, the copious use of tables provides extra background detail.

What more could you want?

Red All Over 6 - The London Bus Review of 2016 It’s all there.

£17.95 post free (UK) See drop down price list for non-UK prices

A4 Softback
132 pages
Over 250 photos
Tables
30,000 Words
Extended Captions

THE LONDON BUS GUIDE
Fully Revised & Updated 3rd Edition (2013)

£15.95 post free ( UK Only)

THE LONDON BUS GUIDE
Fully Revised & Updated
4th Edition (2014)

£15.95 post free ( UK Only)

THE LONDON BUS GUIDE
Fully Revised & Updated 2015 Edition

£15.95 post free ( UK Only)

THE LONDON FLEET LIST
2015 Edition
Information correct up to 11th April 2015

£9.95 post free ( UK Only)

RED ALL OVER
THE LONDON BUS REVIEW OF 2014

Red All Over - The London Bus Review of 2014 does what it says on the cover. The pattern of the previous year repeated itself in 2014 with a lower level of new vehicle activity because so many routes were extended by two years or renewed with existing vehicles.

Even so, other factors helped to maintain a high level of interest, not least the rather splendid Year of the Bus celebration which treated us to so many added extras. The arrival of a further 233 New Routemasters allowed the conversion of six more central London routes, including the mighty 38, and all this conspired to make ‘memorable’ the most suitable adjective to describe the year.

On the non-LT front, there were significant deliveries of the revamped Gemini 3 model alongside batches of Enviro400s, all fitted with upgraded engines meeting the Euro 6 emissions standard. They were all hybrids too, making diesel-electric transmission practically the standard for double-deck vehicles in the capital. So, while numbers may have been down, 2014 will be remembered in future years for that significant change, and for extended running with the first fully-electric buses.

Could it be more complete? Not much.

More than 250 photographs, 25,000 words, extended captions and summary tables, 120 high quality 150gsm gloss paper pages with a 300gsm gloss laminated cover, full colour throughout.

£16.95 post free ( UK Only)

SOLD OUT
London’s Buses in the 21st Century

by Peter Horrex

London’s Buses in the 21st Century looks at the capital’s bus scene since 2000. Over 260 photographs illustrate a fascinating period from the Routemaster to the Borismaster, from step entrance buses to low-floor designs and the change from a multi-coloured bunch of operators to a service now run by the all-red big players. This book is full of nostalgia, it is a must for anyone who is interested in the London bus scene.

The book is split into the following chapters: Routemasters; The 73; Pottering About; Lost Liveries; Edmonton Green; After Dark; Bridges; I-Bus; E400s; The 185 Goes Bust; Step Entrance Farewell; Route March; Snow; Darting Around; Double Deckers; Marble Arch; Golden Jubilee; Single Deckers; London’s Olympians; ‘38’ Changes; Training; Sightseeing; Help; Metrobuses; Hill Climbing and The Irish Connection.

More than 260 photographs, informative captions, 120 high quality 135gsm gloss paper pages with a 250gsm gloss laminated cover, full colour throughout.

LONDON BUSES in the 1990s

London’s Buses in the 1990’s, looks back at the Capital’s bus scene between 1990 and 1999. Over 200 photographs illustrate a fascinating period which saw privatisation occur in London. There were numerous types of buses running in a wide variety of liveries. This book will bring instant nostalgia to those who witnessed this period of change.

Featuring the following chapters: Leyland Nationals; East London; Route March; Walthamstow; South London; Pairs; Grey-Green; Suburbia; Mini-Buses; London General; After Dark; Daimler Fleetline; London Northern; Bridges; Bristols; Oxford Street; Metrobuses; Single Deckers; Stagecoach; Leyland Titans; Snow; Double Deckers; MTL and Routemasters

More than 200 stunning photographs, extended captions, 100 high quality 135gsm gloss paper pages with a 250gsm gloss laminated cover, full colour throughout.

LONDON’S WORKING HERITAGE

Londons Working Heritage takes a fascinating look at how the Capital’s former buses are still earning money today. The chapter headings are:

The Heritage Routes - TfLs Routemaster operated heritage routes, 9H & 15H.
Advertising & Corporate Capers - All over advert RMs.
The Epping & Ongar Railway - The bus service feeding into the railway, with RTs and RFs.
Company Business - Buses that have been hired for corporate use, including the Tiger Cub.
Sightseeing - London’s sightseeing trips with RTs and RMs.
Edinburgh - Mac Tours plus other RMs on private hire work.
London TfL Operators - Most of the operator running TfL routes still have Routemasters for hire.
Weddings - One of the biggest uses of heritage buses is on weddings, RLH’s , RFs alongside RMs.
A Secret Reserve - Very useful when the tubes go on strike.
For The Enthusiast - From dedicated bus tours to running days, a good variety of buses featured.
Canada - A surprising number of Routemaster are still active in Canada.
Private Hire- From days out to birthdays.
Other Uses - A fascinating section, with some very unusual uses for surviving double-deckers. Includes some very rare shots of two RMs on the forecourt at Buckingham Palace

More than 220 stunning photographs, extended captions, 112 high quality 135gsm gloss paper pages with a 250gsm gloss laminated cover, full colour throughout.

£16.95 post free ( UK Only)

EASTERN COUNTIES
From National Bus to First Group

Eastern Counties - From National Bus to First Group is a pictorial journey through the years as East Anglia’s biggest operator experienced numerous changes. New owners came and went, the operating area decreased and the evolving bus fleet provided much interest.

The following sections feature within the book: Bristol VRs; Shotley; After Dark; Volvo B6s; The X1; Dennis Darts; Felixstowe; Minibuses; Bristol LHs; Ex-London; Ipswich Town Services; Dennis Javelins; Bristol Lodekkas; Bury St Edmunds; Rural; Training; Scanias; Second-hand; Ipswich to Mistley; Dennis Lances; Coaches; National Greenways; Olympians; Open Top; Leyland Nationals; Moving People; Superoute 66; Ipswich Garage; Snow; Volvo B7s; Withdrawn; Norwich; The Many Liveries of VR287; All Over Adverts; Bristol REs.

More than 220 stunning photographs, extended captions, 104 high quality 150gsm gloss paper pages with a 300gsm gloss laminated cover, full colour throughout.

£16.95 post free ( UK Only)

The Pride of Bucks
A history of the Amersham & District Motor Bus Company

Published by Hawkes Publishing, this 80 page softback covers the history of A&DMBS from inception in 1919 to the end in 1933. Written by Neil Hammond it includes lots of previously unpublished photos and is a fascinating read.

£14.99 post free (UK Only)

LONDON BUS CLUB MEMBERS - CLICK HERE TO ORDER

LIMITED COPIES AVAILABLE
Roadside with
THE RF

Our ‘Roadside Series’ features the various bus types that have, or continue to operate in London. One thing ‘The Roadside’ series isn’t, is a definitive history, that’s been done!

Instead we give an overview of the day to day operations with photos that also bring back memories of life when the buses were operating. It might be through the milkman delivering his bottles or a store/pub that no longer exists, but it is memories, nostalgia, a time to float back to the days of your youth, the ‘Good Old Days’.

The second volume features the RFs during the ‘60s & ‘70s. Jim Blake has created a collection of over 300 photographs which perfectly hit the remit for the series. The buses are fascinating but there is plenty of other interest in most of the photos, look beyond the bus! In addition, each is captioned with a wealth of historical information.

Each section has a theme and Jim uses them to takes us on a remarkable tour through London during the days of the diminutive RF. The sections are - RFs at Home; Express & Limited Stop; Over & Under; Not in Service; Borderlands; Bus Stations; Extremities; Interchange; Kingston - Home of the RF; South-Western Low Bridges; Rural Rides; Original Green Line RFs; Modernised Green Line; Downgraded Green Line; Changed Identities; RFs for RTs; RFs to the Rescue; Private Hire; Rainy Day RFs; Outer North-East London; Down South; Cross London; Inner Surburbia; Outer Surburbia; Sunday Service; Oddities; Railway Emergency Service; Colour Change; Overhaul; The New Order; Life Extended; Afterlife; Downfall and RF Variants.

£24.95 post free ( UK Only)

A4 Sewn Bound Hardback
124 pages
302 Photos (293 b/w & 9 col)
Informative & Interesting captions

RELEASE DATE: 20th November

Hardback cover and thread bound
132 Pages - 150 gsm gloss
341 Photos (252 b/w & 89 col)
Informative & Interesting Captions
£24.95 post free

THE LATEST IN OUR HARDBACK ‘ROADSIDE SERIES’
Roadside with
THE RM

Our ‘Roadside Series’ features the various bus types that have, or continue to operate in London. One thing ‘’The Roadside‘ series isn’t, is a definitive history, that’s been done!

Instead we give an overview of the day to day operations with photos that also bring back memories of life when the buses were operating. It might be through the milkman delivering his bottles or a store/pub that no longer exists, but it is memories, nostalgia, a time to float back to the days of your youth, the ‘Good Old Days’

The third volume features the RMs from the ‘60s through to the Noughties. Jim Blake has created a collection of over 300 photographs which perfectly hit the remit for the series. The buses are fascinating but there is plenty of other interest in most of the photos, look beyond the bus! In addition, each is captioned with a wealth of historical information.

Each section has a theme and Jim uses them to takes us on a remarkable tour through London during the days of the mighty RM.

The sections are: PROTOTYPES; BUSES FOR TROLLEYBUSES; ROUTEMASTERS FOR RTs; DOCKLANDS; IN SURBURBIA; PUBS AND ROUTEMASTERS; OVER AND UNDER BRIDGES; HILLS AND ROUTEMASTERS; RMs IN THE RAIN; ... AND THE ICE AND SNOW; SUNDAY SERVICES; ALWAYS ON SATURDAY; INTERCHANGE; OUT IN THE STICKS; THE ODD SPOT; OVERHAUL; ALL-OVER ADVERTISMENTS; MATCHING NUMBERS; ROYAL ROUTEMASTERS; OTHER SPECIAL LIVERIES; RM ODDITIES; SHORT-LIVED RM WORKINGS; FIRES AND MISHAPS; RETURN OF THE RM - 1; SEE THE SIGHTS BY RM!; NEW ROUTES FOR OLD RMs; RETURN OF THE RM - 2; LAST RITES and END OF THE ROAD.

SORRY - SOLD OUT

Softback Cover
128 Pages - 170 gsm gloss
Over 250 colour photos
30,000 words
Extended captions
Informative Tables

£18.95 post free - (LBC Members £17.95)

RED ALL OVER 7
The London Bus Review of 2017

2017 was once again a very busy year for TfL's bus operation. The run-down of the New Routemaster programme continued including the full conversion of the East London Transit routes to the type and a second complete batch for route 137. The year ended with route 267 getting the final batch.

Meanwhile, Wright’s other double decker – the Gemini 3 on the Volvo B5 hybrid chassis – swept all before it, just as it had in 2016. Although ADL continued at full stretch to meet orders from domestic and overseas operators, London interest in its upgraded MMC continued to lag behind the rival double-decker.

Conversely, the single-deck MMC was proving to be as all-conquering as the classic Enviro200 that preceded it.

The core trend for cleaner buses continued at breakneck pace and the majority of central London routes are now worked by hybrid or so-called zero-emissions vehicles. The establishment of clean air corridors through suburban High Streets prompted much realignment of vehicle allocations on routes serving those areas. However, after the final conversion of the Red Arrow route, electric traction innovation was surprisingly sparse until the end of the year.

Jim Blake’s
ABC OF LONDON

ABC OF LONDON is a major collection of photographs featuring many of the suffix routes operated by London Transport, the Country Area and London Country during the 1960s to the 1990s. These routes denoted either a variation from the usual line of route of the ‘parent’ route - for example a different routeing or terminus on a Sunday from that used during the week - or perhaps a truncation or extension of the main route

They cover a time period of over twenty-five years and illustrate not only the familiar standard London Transport vehicles of the RT, RF and RM families, but also the minority GS and RLH classes of the LT years and many of the new one-man-operated vehicles of the final LT era.

.

Softback Cover
124 Pages - 170 gsm gloss
Over 320 photos
20,000 words
Extended captions

£18.95 post free - (LBC Members £17.95)

THE LONDON BUS GUIDE
2018 Edition
SORRY NOW SOLD OUT

Copies still available at

Ian Allan Waterloo - Tel: 0207 401 2100
London Transport Museum - Tel: 0207 379 6344
Ian Allan Birmingham - Tel: 0121 643 2496
MDS Book Sales: - 01457 861508

RELEASE DATE: 3rd April 2018

A5 size ~ 196 Full colour pages
250gsm Laminated Cover ~ 200+ NEW photos
£19.95 p&p free
(LBC Members - £18.95).

SORRY - SOLD OUT

ROADSIDE WITH THE RML

Our Roadside Series features the various bus types that have, or continue to operate in London. One thing The Roadside series isnt, is a definitive history, that’ss been done! Instead we give an overview of the day to day operations with photos that also bring back memories of life when the buses were operating. It might be through the milkman delivering his bottles or a store/pub that no longer exists, but it is memories, nostalgia, a time to float back to the days of your youth, the Good Old Days

The fourth volume features the RMLs from the â€˜60s through to the Noughties. Jim Blake has created a collection of over 300 photographs which perfectly hit the remit for the series. The buses are fascinating but there is plenty of other interest in most of the photos, look beyond the bus! In addition, each is captioned with a wealth of historical info.

Each section has a theme and Jim uses them to takes us on a remarkable tour through London during the days of the mighty RM.

The sections are -Pilot Batch, Country Cousins, RML Versus XA, Eastenders, City and South London, West Enders, Last Orders Please!, Pubs, Forgotten and Obscure Routes, Weekenders, Sunday Service, Places of Worship, London Country, The One That Got Away!, Accidents, Mishaps and Disasters, Special Liveries, Seventies Service Changes, Country Cousins Come To Town, Over and Under, The ’80s - From Triumph to Near Tragedy, RML Decline - The Late ‘80s & Early ‘90s, RML Resurrection, The Odd Spot, Strange Visitors, RML Oddities, Overhaul and Last Survivors.

RELEASE DATE: 14th April 2018

Hardback cover and thread bound
132 Pages - 150 gsm gloss
341 Photos (252 b/w & 89 col)
Informative & Interesting Captions
£24.95 post free
(LBC Members £23.95)

Behind The Scenes With East London
1990 - 2018

Behind The Scenes With East London goes into the garages of the entity that was London Buses - East London and then the companies that took over, firstly Stagecoach East London then the Australian’s who named the company East London Bus Group before selling the whole concern back to Stagecoach London.

Throughout the book you will see the bus types operated since 1990 through to today plus some very rare visitors to the various garages.

RELEASE DATE: 7th May 2018

A4 size ~ 124 Full colour pages
250gsm Laminated Cover ~ 250 colour photos
£18.95 p&p free
(LBC Members - £17.95).

London’s Bus Stations
1962 - 2018

What exactly constitutes a ‘bus station’? The layman will often wrongly refer to a bus garage (or is it depot?) as a ‘bus station’, but then of course some London Transport garages did have bus stations adjoining them; for that matter Hounslow still does. Others will wrongly refer to a bus terminus, for instance, Manor House, as a ‘bus station whereas it is merely a terminus where some buses stand in a main road for a few minutes before returning whence they came.

The history of London’s bus termini is a long and complex one. In the early days, buses often terminated at pubs, using their forecourts as their stand. The classic example of this is The Royal Forest Hotel at Chingford, which in common with many other such termini, was also at the outer extremity of a number of long routes. But such termini are not ‘bus stations’, no more so than the large number of termini where buses stand in side streets at the end of their journeys. Termini are also often the garages (or depots in the days of trams and trolleybuses) at which buses are based, whilst many others are either main line or Underground railway stations. Surprisingly few of these in the London area have bus stations adjoining them, bearing in mind that they are important interchange points, or ‘transport hubs’ in today’s parlance. Victoria and London Bridge main line termini have had bus stations for many years, but most other such examples - for instance Euston, Liverpool Street and Walthamstow Central - have only been provided with bus stations in relatively recent years. In addition to bus stations as such, Jim has also included some important terminal points where buses have had, or still have, dedicated parking areas. Over the years, such places - for example Waltham Cross - have evolved into fully-fledged bus stations anyway.

For this book, Jim has again delved into his photographic archives to provide pictures of most bus stations that London Transport and its successor operators’ buses and coaches served over the past fifty years or so.

RELEASE DATE: 17th June 2018

A4 size ~ 124 Full colour pages
250gsm Laminated Cover ~ 300 photos
£18.95 p&p free
(LBC Members - £17.95).

Reading Buses Today

Within this book we feature all aspects of Reading Buses’ operation:

The branded Reading routes
The Community Links Services
Park & Ride
Reading Depot
Newbury Depot
The Vodafone services
Kennections
Thames Valley service
Green Line

Pretty much everything the company does and of course all their ‘celebrity buses also feature. If you like Reading Buses this book is an absolute must for your collection.

RELEASE DATE: 26th June 2018

21cm x 21cm size ~ 100 Full colour pages
250gsm Laminated Cover ~ Approx 150 photos
£13.95 p&p free
(LBC Members - £12.95).

The Development of
Stevenage New Town Bus Routes
The London Transport Years 1949 - 1969

Prior to the birth of Stevenage New Town in 1949, Stevenage was a modest market town served by four through bus routes and one Green Line Coach route, all of which were provided by London Transport. The bus routes were 303, 303A, 384 and 390, the Green Line Coach Route being the 716. As the town grew so did the bus service. Chris Wills explains what happened.

The book is spit into the following chapters: Introduction; The 1950s; The 1960s; Bus Routes Operating at the end of 1969; Fare Charts; 1970 The end of an era; The Vehicles; Appendices - RT Allocation.

RELEASE DATE: 18th July 2018

21cm x 21cm size ~ 96 pages
250gsm Laminated Cover ~ Approx 75 photos
£13.95 p&p free
(LBC Members - £12.95).

First Essex
Bus Guide

Within the pages of the First Essex Bus Guide, you will find information to enhance your trips to Essex. There are sections on:

Bus Types used,
Routes Operated,
The Garages and their allocations
A Fleet List.

This book has been released just before the closure of Clacton depot on 28th July 2018. And includes details of how that changes the First Essex operations.