Quite what the fare was from London to Japan is anybody’s guess, but a day-saver definitely wouldn’t have done it. And yet despite the cost, along with the undoubted difficulties, this bus, once bound for Victoria, is now no longer in use in Nasu.
A decidedly sorry sight for such a stately double-decker, with its previous destinations and prestigious past still proudly,
if somewhat sadly, proclaimed.
However, the past aside, in its new home it was rather half-heartedly turned into a restaurant of sorts, at least on the lower deck.
Whereas upstairs still seems totally untouched, so it may have briefly returned to the past and once again been a sanctuary for those after ciggie.
But either way, not many tickets must have been taken, along with capacity never being much of a concern.
And yet with the driver’s cabin still pretty much complete, maybe, just maybe, one more destination is still doable.
Bunny says
You didn’t get a whiff of the Doctor, did you? Who?
Lee says
Nah, no sign of the Doctor, or indeed the Master(-san)…
C says
Great as always! i really like these pictures. especially since i used to live in nishi-nasuno myself some 8 years back! what a find! this is off topic, but i wanted to also say that your pooch drinking water picture was absolutely wonderful. i thought it captures the essence of that part of Tokyo, Cheers!
-C
Lee says
Thank you very much!
Blimey, small world eh? Only spent a few days there, but I imagine it’d be a nice place to live. It certainly made a very nice change to Tokyo.
Lisa says
Love the site! The photographs and subjects are fantastic! This one surprised me and made me smile 🙂 It was the last thing I would have expected to see when I came by.. Thank you!
Lee says
Thanks Lisa! Very kind of you to say so.
I can honestly say it surprised me too. Really not what I was expecting to see!
Marsha says
Take me to Victoria. Hahahaha. It’s the 38 for me now.
(By the way, have you heard of the new double-deckers Boris ordered…?)
Lee says
You’d probably be a bit late for work if you left from here, although there’s a good chance you’d at least set off on time!
No, not heard about that. Are they to replace the infamous bendy buses?
Peta says
I used to visit Nasu every year with my Japanese “family”. I remember seeing this one and wanting to photograph it, but didn’t want to inconvenience the driver by making him stop off on the highway! I’m glad to see someone has captured it. You have done a better job then I ever would have 🙂
Lee says
Thanks Peta!
I was lucky enough to spot it on the way to the Sapporo brewery, but couldn’t stop ‘cos of traffic. Once I’d got my Pilsner though, we went straight back!
Peta says
Good man! Glad to see your priorities were in order 🙂
Tim says
Sell it on eBay – “collect only”. You’ll find a buyer, I’m sure. 😀
Brian says
super pictures, am a Londoner, and just restoring an AEC version. I f i had the money I would bring her home, just like Ensign bus company in Purfleet have done with lots of others. By the way, bendi-buses are history! Borismasters are the way forward.
Simon says
I live in Japan and I want to buy a red London double decker to restore. Does anyone know how I can contact the owner of this one or any others.
Thanks.
David Flett says
This bus was originally London Transport RTL800 – it had a ‘Leyland Titan PD2’ chassis and was new in 1950. The majority of buses of this type had a different chassis. The Leyland ones were withdrawn early as being non-standard. All had gone by 1968. However some were sold to other operators elsewhere in Britain, or even abroad. This one was bought by Harper Brothers of Heath Hayes, north of Birmingham. I actually rode on it in 1974: -https://www.flickr.com/photos/9003948@N05/16127803702/
So clearly someone has repainted it into London Transport livery at some stage. People abroad always expect double-deckers to be red!