The organisers of the final Last Day are keeping their cards close to their chest, because I can predict straight away that it's going to be mayhem down on the ground, but what I do know is that:

• The VLAs for the 159 are starting to be taken into stock, but will not be deployed until the conversion day, leaving the 159 with a fully Routemaster runout up till then.
• The Last Day of Last Days will be carried out in two stages - on Thursday 8th December there will be a running day featuring the usual turnout of favourites, and on the last day, Friday 9th December, the changeover from RM/RML to VLA OPO will be carried out during the morning, much as the conversion of the 62 from RT to RM was twenty-six years ago. The last bus will leave Marble Arch around noon, accompanied by duplicates, to arrive at Brixton garage at one-ish. This is being done, according to officials, to forestall any traffic difficulties around Brixton garage, which is on a racetrack of a main road (although it will probably be far more full at 2 pm than at midnight, due to the number of early departures for the weekend that like to try and beat the traffic).

Here's a few suggestions for the last day, from someone who's seen a fair few of them;

• The last run is going to need a lot more duplicates than three, which is what I've seen proposed so far. Triple that and you still won't get everybody on board. As I've said, it's going to be mad down there (and if you want a report on it from the likes of me, you'll forgive me elbowing, punching or kicking you out of the way so I can get on the last bus!!)
• I'd like the last bus to be RML 892, duplicated by RM 1124. The former because it's the oldest surviving RML and because the 159 is nominally an RML-operated route; and RM 1124 because it's the last original, non-buyback RM, re-registration and two engine changes notwithstanding. I choose these two because they're everyday representatives of the normal fleet allocated to the 159 at Brixton, and not incomers or private hire specials, as have taken the limelight on some other routes.
• Kindly don't nick anything - there were some ugly stories of individuals making off with various artefacts from Clapton garage after the 38's last day, and that was out of line especially after the hospitality shown. We'll be able to tell when you try and sell them on Ebay, so give them back!
• Cancel the conversion altogether. There's still time to save face.

Here's a record shot of one of what may be the last two transfers in Routemaster history - RM 1145 (LDS 402A, ex 145 CLT) and RM 1312 escaped the noose at Clapton for another six weeks in service. Although they're up-to-the-minute refurbished examples, their future is uncertain (how about activating four more heritage routes and using them on those?). I made sure to capture the bus with Big Ben in sight, lest the cowardly politics of today warrant the pulling down of that as well.