Back to the future: Vintage London bus rides in Muswell Hill

Passengers were surprised by the historic 43 and 212 buses yesterday - Sunday, November 7 - to mark 30 years since Muswell Hill's bus garage closed.

The event - organised by the London Bus Museum - was due to take place last year before being postponed because of lockdown.

A conductor on one of the vintage wagons, Mike McDermott, said everyone enjoyed the day.

The RM 1804 and RM 2208 passed each other on Colney Hatch Lane (Image: Mike McDermott)

"We're keeping London's transport history alive," Mike told the Ham&High.

"We're all volunteers, doing this out of the kindness of our hearts, and it was great to hear people's memories of riding on the buses when they were younger.

"Many kids have never been on a real London bus before, and have never met a real bus conductor. People were really fascinated and enjoyed the journey."

His free service took passengers between Archway and Friern Barnet via Muswell Hill, with riders urged to donate to the Royal British Legion's Poppy Appeal.

Passengers enjoyed free rides on vintage London buses (Image: Mike McDermott)

Mike, a bus conductor since the 1990s and guide at the London Transport Museum, added: "Thankfully we have days like yesterday to teach younger generations about London buses."

The RM 2208 bus sat at the entrance to Finchley bus garage (Image: Mike McDermott)

Vintage London buses drove around north London on Sunday (November 7) (Image: Mike McDermott)

The London Bus Museum organised free rides on vintage buses (Image: Mike McDermott)

Passengers enjoyed rides on vintage buses in aid of the armed forces (Image: Mike McDermott)