The present operator, First Capital, runs it from a base at Rainham that can't actually accommodate artics. You'd think that would be a good thing, but instead they either lost it on tender or didn't bid to retain the route at all (TfL does not see fit to inform the public of who actually bid for the routes when it publishes the results). Thus, the 25 will go back to its former operator Stagecoach East London, whose modern base at Stratford has the pit space for bendies. This will make forty Tridents spare (yes, forty - despite increase after increase in the now stalled days of reckless spending, still the 25 remained full to bursting), and from just one week after the 25's conversion on 26th July, they will remove the Routemasters from the 7.

The 7's current contract does not even run out till 24th June 2005, but they just can't wait. This will be First's final Routemaster-operated route and make it the second London firm to lose its heritage types entirely, vaulting into second place behind Stagecoach (whose 8 is lost on 5th June). Westbourne Park garage, who have been operating RMs and RMLs on the 7 since 1981 when it took over that service from Middle Row garage, always looked after their Routemasters, and their loss will bring further drabness to a London scene which is rapidly diminishing in interest.

On 21st March 2002 RML 2309 (CUV 309C) heads down the Edgware Road on its way to Marble Arch. It was photographed from open-top RMC 1510, which was also in service from Westbourne Park on that day and which I hope will figure in the final days.