The Big Red Bargain

With its sleek curves, blazing red paint and open-backed platform, London's Routemaster bus has earned a place alongside Big Ben and Buckingham Palace as a British icon. Sadly, after nearly a half-century of loyal service since they first hit the roads in 1956, these old-fashioned double deckers are being phased out in favor of newer models that are more accessible to the elderly and disabled and don't require a bus conductor to check tickets. By 2006, there won't be a single Routemaster left on the capital's roads.

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But London's loss could be your gain. The Ensignbus...

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