If you go down to London Town, you’re
sure of a big surprise. For there’s black cabs, red buses,
Beefeaters, the Queen, and, among it all, something you never thought
you’d see.
It appears like a thief in the night,
an old Routemaster bus painted from top to tail in black. A small
crowd has already gathered to await its arrival and the aptly named
Necrobus doesn’t disappoint. Decked out in red seating, velvet
curtains, and little gooseneck lamps, it definitely fits for what’s
about to come.
Once your tickets have been checked,
you’re ushered aboard, creeping up the curving back staircase to
the sounds of haunting orchestral music. Despite its very 19th
Century look, the Necrobus also houses some very cool mod-cons,
including TV’s, cameras, and a wireless microphone system (so that
you don’t miss any of the… action). You’re introduced to your
very well spoken conductor who runs through the rules, including that
“Foot Cam” is a necessary part of the CCTV system. I’ll let you
be the judge of that.
Anyway, on with the tour. There
possibly can't be anything nicer than been whisked around London in a
pimped out, black 1960's Routemaster while listening to tales of
executions, plagues, and fires.
Or can there?
Well, this is a twist on your
traditional bus tour. (Obviously. Otherwise you wouldn't be riding
around London on a pimped out, black 1960's Routemaster) Keep your
eyes on the TV screens because all will be revealed in the form of Mr
Hinged, the Health and Safety guy (or 'elf n' safety if you want to
be like that). It's up to him whether the Necrobus runs and, well, it
appears to be running without a license.
So it's up to our good conductor, and
one or two of the more burly male passengers who got roped in whether
they wanted to or not, to make sure that the bus sticks to its route.
I won't give too much away but let's just say that Mr Hinged's
nickname is apparently “Unhinged”. Yeah, just sayin'.
But anyway, I'm not going to give too
much away because otherwise you'll just read this and not bother
going and taking the tour.
The tour does have some slight
interactive elements and the guides have great comedy timing. While
the tour is suitable for those under 13, the website does state that
it's not suitable for very young children. Despite that, there's
plenty of humour that'll keep the adults giggling and the kids
wondering what the heck their elders are laughing at. Yes, it is
spooky and there are a couple of points that may make you jump.
There's plenty of history and, well, you get to ride around London in
a pimped out, black 1960's Routemaster while having a good laugh.
Truth be told, I haven't laughed as hard as I did on this tour for a
very long time. You also get the chance to see London at night and,
for that, I'd recommend sitting on the top deck of the bus. So if
you're bored of Mr Johnson's new red buses, go and catch this one at
Northumberland Ave for a truly different view of London.
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