Yes many thanks to Chris for running the forum for so long and also to the new administrators for keeping it going.

My bus number (if any): RML 2747

Very Good News and a big thank you to the retiring Gentleman who has done a lot of people a lot of favours in maintaining and stewarding this site. Always a pleasure to read, watch and learn.

A well earned retirement and best wishes to those who have taken it on.

J N

All credit to Chris for initiating such a useful forum that has been of great use to many Routemaster owners.
Hopefully it will continue to do so for many years to come.

The Forum has been secured for the next year only.
During that time consideration will be given to migrating it to a Facebook Group for RM owners along the lines of the RT one.

LondonBus France, Routemaster Restoration, Roy Gould (Marshhopper) and Tim Barrington, have funded the Forum for this coming year, please consider them when looking for parts and services.

The Forum will continue as per normal except nicknames will not be accepted on posts, so just post your name or company please.

My bus number (if any): RTL 960, RM 1585, RML 2667 and several RTs

This forum is open to all without having to join any kind of group. I have no interest in Facebook so migration will be very much non-inclusive for me and any others that also do not use Facebook. Is that wise?

My bus number (if any): M1001, RML2276, T806

I must admit I’m not on Facebook and wouldn’t contemplate joining, I had enough of the entire workshop staff all looking at Facebook on their phones during the tea break at the same stuff, the art of conversation being so out of fashion now, also the search facility for past posts possibly wouldn’t be carried over ? I would be happy to contribute to keeping the forum going when the renewal comes up.

My bus number (if any): RML 2747

It was actually Chris Dobbing who suggested the Facebook route. Many information Forums have closed down now or are defunct (eg AEC Society Forum) and have moved to Facebook.

In a Facebook Group, there is a search facility, and storage for fact files, photos etc.

Different people use Facebook for different things, you can just sign up to look at an RM group if you want, but there are lots of bus interest groups out there too.

My bus number (if any): RTL 960, RM 1585, RML 2667 and several RTs

I don't use facebook and I have no intention of ever doing so inspite of it possibly being beneficial in a business sense. The whole idea of the thing makes me want to throw up. It is a host for nosey parkers and assenine comments and another source from which to be bombarded with adverts for **** I don't want, have no interest in and never will have. Meanwhile someone is collecting information about me and Selling it.

I too don`t do Facebook and having resisted it all these years I`m not expecting to have a change of mind.
I would prefer the forum to continue as it has and would be happy to take a turn in contributing to the financial upkeep so that the ongoing burden isn`t placed on just a few people.

I dislike Facebook and do not use it for all of the reasons given above and for even more sinister reasons that I am frightened to comment on in public. When discussing the future of the forum in emails with Brian I mentioned that the postings and viewings on ROOF had declined over the years and wondered if this was because of Facebook.

I hope ROOF continues as a forum or similar format.

I won't be able to view or contribute to it if it moves to what is inaccurately referred to as social media.

My bus number (if any): RM 238

I have no issues with Facebook and converse a lot with many members of this Forum on there, there are a lot of owners with their own pages as we do for LondonBus

Facebook is great for keeping in contact with friends, family, being abroad it does help me stay in touch ...I also have an Aldenham Works Group on there for those who worked there to keep in touch with each other, as we are scattered worldwide now, so it's really not that bad Roy!

There are no French information Forums now, all are Facebook groups, you can appeal to a wider audience and post helpful diagrams and pictures.

I take Chris's point about information harvesting, but Bravenet, NatWest HSBC and Credit Agricole all know what I had for breakfast :) I think, I control what I see and who I talk to... Although you cannot cut all advertising out, you don't have to look at it..



Whilst there is no intention of closing down ROOF I am reminded of an RT Forum, it used to give lots of info, but would not allow pictures to be posted to assist members "as some members only had dial up".

My bus number (if any): RTL 960, RM 1585, RML 2667 and several RTs

Have to say I too dislike Facebook and some other forms of social media. The amount of trouble it has generated for my children and some of their friends let alone some of my employees along with the distractions is in my own view a rather poisonous thing and even though it does have some advantages from a work perspective, the minuses outweigh the pluses.

I don't think this is an age thing, my kids are now ditching it as they start to realise how much it has been controlling them both in how they think and how they live.

I'm glad that they have at least discovered this themselves without being nagged at by elders.

But this site online as it is is fine and would rather it stay that way even if it means migrating to another cheaper version.

JN

Firstly there is no intention on my part to pull the rug on this Forum.
I don't know anything about the usage of the other channel or if it is still going.

But it seems some members perception of social media is from observation rather than experience.

For example Facebook. You use it as you want to!

I belong to a few bus related groups, one for RTs has over 3000 members across the world, there is also at least two big groups for Routemasters where people can chat to fellow enthusiasts and post pictures from LT days and events.

For bus related problems there is an RT owners group where we can post pictures to show problems and discuss issues.
I run an Aldenham Works Group where former colleagues can post their news and keep in touch from all over the World

Facebook also gives me the means to chat to other bus owners like Rob Duker, Tim Barrington, David Lee, Chris Kilby and Roy Gould.
I can also keep in touch with friends and family in the UK.

That is is how I use it and find it invaluable, it doesn't have to control or rule your life.

My bus number (if any): RTL 960, RM 1585, RML 2667 and several RTs