File:Preserved Routemaster bus RM980 (USK 625), Parliament Square, 9 December 2005.jpg

English: Preserved Routemaster bus RM980 (reg. USK 625) pictured in Parliament Square, London, on 9 December 2005. It is heading clockwise around the north east corner of the square, in the small curved slip road from Great George Street to St Margret Street (see the wider shot for more location detail). While the bus looks like it is still in London service, it is infact a preserved bus, having been sold by its last operator East London into preservation two years previously in 2003, when the East London operated London Buses route 15 had its Routemaster's replaced with modern buses (RM980 being one of those replaced). 9 December 2005 was a special running day in London though, with this and other preserved buses running as private vehicles (ie not in passenger service), to mark the last day of non-heritage Routemaster operation in London, on the last ordinary Routemaster route, London Buses route 159. While it carries no passengers, it makes a convincing scene of still being in London service, with it's route blinds set for route 15, and still wearing East London's livery (including 'Stagecoach in London' fleetname, Uxbridge (U) garage code, and East London Bus & Coach Company Ltd legal lettering). Adding to the confusion is that the East London Routemaster operated London Buses heritage route 15 had begun operating a month before, but it does not run as far south as Parliament Square (and the ordinary route 15 does not pass through the square either).