New interactive electric bus parks up at London Transport Museum in time for Christmas

Families visiting the award-winning London Transport Museum in Covent Garden can climb aboard and ‘drive’ a fantastic new interactive electric bus display to discover the story of eco-friendly travel in the capital.

 

The Wrightbus Electroliner display – provided by Transport UK London Bus – is based on an electric vehicle bus type which has been part of the fleet of buses operating on the capital’s bus routes since 2023. The new display shows the front of this bus type and includes an interactive driver cab and passenger space.

 

Museum visitors will be in for a treat as they board an example of Britain’s public transport electric vehicle (EV) technology. They will be able to explore the front section of a Wrightbus Electroliner, discover what it is like to drive a modern EV London bus and experience the latest innovations that make travelling on an EV bus more comfortable, convenient and safe.

 

• Visitors can experience the view from the driver’s cab in an all-electric vehicle! This state-of-the-art bus front is full of innovative technology, and video screens make checking the mirrors easy.
• The latest high-resolution digital screens from Navaho share route information in colour to visitors.
• The all-digital bus blind supplied by Hanover Displays makes it easy to read the destination.
• Visitors can ’turn on’ the Zenobē electric charger to ensure the batteries are fully charged.

 

RGI Bus and Coach Refurbishment provided specialist support in developing the vehicle. The team have transformed it for visitors, fitting out the panels, flooring, and finally, painting the vehicle in its iconic London red, ready for its future life in the Museum.

 

The bus display will join the group of vehicles that families can explore at the Museum, and which make up its extensive transport history displays – from the iconic Routemaster bus, to a steam locomotive from the early years of the world’s first Underground railway.

 

The Wrightbus Electroliner is a zero-emission double-deck bus manufactured in Britain, with a range of up to 200 miles and fast charging capability. Transport UK London Bus (TUKLB) has mobilised over 100 Wrightbus Electroliners onto London bus routes since 2023. Each bus has been designed with customer comfort in mind, with comfortable interiors and skylights on the top deck. More importantly, these zero-emission buses are making London’s streets cleaner and greener, improving air quality and reducing carbon emissions.

 

Transport UK London Bus operates over 60 routes on behalf of Transport for London (TfL), employing over 3000 people. Over 30% of the TUKLB fleet is fully EV.

 

Electric vehicles are changing the face of bus travel in London and actively supporting the Mayor of London’s vision for a zero-emission future. Transport UK London Bus is excited to share this vital message with the thousands of visitors to London Transport Museum.

 

During a visit to London Transport Museum families can also:

• See historic Underground trains – including a steam locomotive that ran on the world’s first underground railway – as well as original designs of the now iconic Tube map and London Underground logo.
• Play train driver on an Elizabeth line simulator.
• Explore the All Aboard family play zone where young visitors can play conductor on a bus, repair a mini Tube train with toy spanners, and work in the ‘Lost Property Office’.
• Grab a bite to eat at the Museum’s café bar, while enjoying views over Covent Garden Piazza.

 

Ticket information
Kids go free! Adult tickets include free return entry for a whole year. Book online www.ltmuseum.co.uk

 

Christmas at the Museum

The interactive display has been installed in time for the festive period, where the Museum will be running a special programme of family activities as well as the chance to meet Santa Claus. More details online www.ltmuseum.co.uk/whats-on/families/christmas-museum-2024

 

About London Transport Museum

• London Transport Museum’s purpose is to ignite curiosity to shape the future. The Museum is situated in the heart of Covent Garden and filled with stunning exhibits; the Museum explores the powerful link between transport and the growth of modern London, culture and society since 1800. Historic vehicles, world-famous posters and the very best objects from the Museum’s extraordinary collection are brought together to tell the story of London’s development and the part transport played in defining the unique identity of the city. In 2022 the Museum was named Visitor Attraction of the Year at the London Tourism Awards.
• The Museum is a charity and the world’s leading museum of urban transport and a place for everyone to come to understand and enjoy the story of London’s journey. No other capital city is defined and shaped so much by its transport as London. Yet the scale of influence of transport can be invisible to those who use it every day. The Museum’s collections, together with its lively events and learning programme are a window into the past, present and future of how transport keeps London moving, working and growing, and makes life in our city better. The Museum’s charity number is 1123122
• London Transport Museum is supported by public funding from Arts Council England

 

Tickets for London Transport Museum

• Museum open daily from 10:00-18:00
• Adult tickets allow free return day-time entry for a whole year – kids go free!
• £1 tickets are available to visitors in receipt of Universal Credit and Pension Credit

Travel to London Transport Museum

• Address: Covent Garden Piazza, WC2E 7BB
• Walking: Use TfL’s walking guides to help you plan your journey.
• The nearest stations to London Transport Museum are:

• Underground: Covent Garden, Leicester Square, Charing Cross, Embankment, Holborn
• National Rail: Charing Cross and Waterloo
• Boat: Embankment or Westminster pier
• Bus: Strand or Aldwych

• The latest service information will be available online and through TfL travel tools including the TfL Go app, which enables customers to access live updates and train times for every station as well as the quieter times to travel.

www.ltmuseum.co.uk

 

About Transport UK London Bus

Transport UK London Bus is part of Transport UK and operates over 60 bus routes in the capital on behalf of Transport for London (TfL), plus rail replacement and event services across the UK.

 

The business operates 10.8% of London’s bus network, running over 850 vehicles and employing over 3000 staff across six depots in Central, South, and West London. Transport UK London Bus is a pioneer in EV public transport, with all its depots now electrified and operating 250 zero-emission, fully electric buses in London, covering around a third of its fleet.

 

About the Wrightbus Electroliner display

The bus section and interactive elements included are all current technology found on Transport UK London Bus Electronliners in service in London. The Museum’s new Electroliner exhibit has been specially engineered and fitted out by RGI Bus and Coach Refurbishment to fit the Museum’s unique space and allow access to visitors to explore and learn about this cutting-edge EV vehicle.

 

Wrightbus provided the bus chassis and bodywork for the base vehicle. They supported the build process by supplying further parts to develop this truly interactive and engaging display.

 

Several other suppliers supported the project. Hanover Displays provided the destination display at the front and side of the vehicle, Journeo provided the driver Camera Monitoring System, and Navaho provided the next stop display and general information screen inside the bus. Lazzerini provided the seating fitted inside the bus, AG Marketing provided the internal displays, and Zenobē donated an EV charger.