[0-9]
3
A 2006 ad for mobile 'phone network 3 features this triple decker bus (shame we don't see the front):
118 118
Stupid campaign for this telephone directory enquiries service included in summer 2004 an ad shot driving through the streets of London. Several buses are glimpsed, including a Routemaster and a London United Alexander-bodied VA-class Volvo B7TL2001 Census in the UK
A promotional film in Wales for the 2001 Census featured Arriva Cymru MMM523 (N523DCC), an ex Williams of Deiniolen Mercedes 811D/Wright.2001 National Eisteddfod
A trailer for BBC Wales coverage of the 2001 National Eisteddfod featured Newport Transport Leyland Titan PD2/Longwell Green PDW484. (thanks Glyn Bowen)[A]
Adler Cheese
A 1920s ex Porto Brill tram belonging to an Buenos Aires enthusiast organisation, featured in an early 1980s publicity campaign for this Argentine cheese brand. The tram also appeared in a TV film on Alfonsina Storni. (thanks Carlos Wallberg)AM Cereal Bars
"Features a man running for a Routemaster. He fails to get aboard as when he reaches the bus the conductor nicks his cereal bar, rings the bell and the bus drives off." (thanks Graeme Selway)American Express
"Great Britain" opens with a London Transport Routemaster, features Jerry Seinfeld and another Routemaster on service 137.
A 2005 ad features Kate Winslet, and her face on the rear of a London bus, identified by Steve Way as a Sullivan Buses Plaxton President.
Anchor Butter
A 2007 advert features this Dennis step entrance singledecker- can anyone identify it?
Richard Berry queries whether this might be a New Zealand bus with Hawke body?
AOL
A 2005 ad has a brief background shot of an Arriva London double deckerArgentine Department of Transport
An advertising campaign for the Argentine National Department of Transport (CoNTA) features a bus painted all black, lettered as fictitious route 666, to promote their free phone number. (thanks Carlos Wallberg)AT&T
A 2004 US advert features smart Regional Transit Service, California, GMC T8J204 3011 in New York Metro livery, but actually shot on the New York Street set at Paramount Studios - an album of photographs from the shoot can be viewed on the Regional Transit Service websiteAudi
Chris Hough notes "Audi are currently showing an advert for their cars filmed in London where the other cars appear as thirsty fishes! In the background is a clearly seen Metroline lowfloor double decker vehicle. The sequence is filmed at night so further clarification is not possible."Aunt Bessie's - Steak Pie
Featuring an escaped pet rabbit and a red Dennis Dart/Plaxton Pointer - I now believe this to be from Arriva London.Autotrader
Stupid advert lampooning 118 118 purports to shows one of the 118 118 runners chasing a Routemaster on route 118 to Morden Station (thanks John Hewitt)[B]
Bacardi
2004 ad for Bacardi rum shows a waiter missing the train and getting the bus instead - it's a silver American motorcoach, not clearly seen.Barclays
Summer 2004 advert marking sponsorship of the Premier League by Barclays Bank features legendary Newcastle United manager Bobby Robson riding a Wright-bodied Go North Eastern bus, also a number of other Premiership managers. (thanks Chris Hough)Barclaycard
The current Barclaycard TV ad "features Jennifer Saunders aboard an orange and white Mercedes midi style coach in what appears to be South America. There are both interior and exterior shots of the vehicle. For those old enough to remember the coach was a Matchbox toy in the 1960s at a time when Mercedes coaches were vitually unheard of in the UK" (thanks Chris Hough)Bank of Chile
"Bank of Chile has an ad including a scene showing a passing old trolleybus from the back." (thanks Carlos Wallberg)Bicycle London
2007 ad features an Arriva London Dennis Dart SLF/Alexander:
The Big Issue
One scene features a man sitting on the upper deck of an AEC Routemaster.The Big Purple One
One advert for this sweet features a giant woman bending over on board a London Transport doubledecker.
Big W
"Wasn't expecting anything so low!" - an advertisement early in 2001 for this store featured Bristol VRTSL/Eastern Coachworks KPW406L (originally Eastern Counties VR406) crashing into a low bridge. The footage was from an event staged by Railtrack in Swindon to raise awareness of the dangers of low bridges to high vehicles. (taken from correspondence on uk-bus-fleetnews discussion group)Bisc&
Advertisement for biscuits takes place on a silver and yellow American motorcoach.Boots
Boots DetoxA bleary-eyed woman who's overdone the New Year celebrations leaning on a fellow passenger's shoulder upstairs on a double decker bus.
A 2007 ad for price cuts at Boots the Chemist has this bus interior:
Borders Bookstore
A 2004 US advert features Regional Transit Service, California, 2700, a GM T6H-4523A 'Fishbowl' new to the City of Modesto fleet - an album of photographs from the shoot can be viewed on the Regional Transit Service website.BP
Brian McNeill writes regarding Bedford OB AYJ 666: "This vehicle has appeared in many films and TV series but its biggest job was the BP share advert in 1987 for which it was specially painted in the BP livery of green and yellow and was seen on posters all over the country as well as the TV ads."British Airways
A 2004 advert shows Sullivan Buses RM1069 crossing Parliament Square in the wee small hours as a man wakes up in bed in the foreground. Dean Sullivan comments: "The shot of RM1069 took place early one Sunday morning and required the closure of Parliament Square. The traffic lights were also turned off so as not to distract from the picture."British Gas - privatisation
A 1986 advertisement promoting the sale of shares in British Gas under the slogan 'If You See Sid, Tell Him!' features London Country AEC Regent III RT604 (HLX421).British Telecom
An advertisement for broadband features a Hong Kong tram.A September 2002 advert for BT's patchily available broadband service includes a glimpse of a parked white/grey Plaxton bodied coach.
A second advert shows a (CGI) rhinoceros landing on a car and ramming the coach (an interior shot shows startled schoolchildren) leaving dents in the side. (thanks Stephen Osman)
Deregulation of telephone directory enquiries in the UK brought some utterly stupid adverts to British television. Belatedly BT got in on the act, and this ad has two Stagecoach saloons, one an Alexander ALX-bodied vehicle in the livery current in 2003, the other probably a Plaxton Pointer-bodied step-entrance Dennis Dart in the original Stagecoach livery.
Britvic J2O
"A man gets out of bed only to find that he's in a shop window. A view from the other side of the street shows a passing First London Plaxton President." (thanks Stephen Osman)BUPA
2007 cartoon advert for BUPA Healthcare has this stylised bus:
Burnout
Advertisement for this Playstation 2 computer game features (apparently) a Leyland-National and Dennis Dart/Alexander (?) in Stagecoach livery, also a GM New Look transit bus.Burger King
As a stereotypical 'foreign' tourist enters a London Burger King, there is a brief flash of a passing AEC Routemaster outside.[C]
Cadbury's Creme Egg
Features a London AEC Routemaster/Park Royal seen from behind. "The bus is RM1913 (ALD 913B) which was one of those recently brought back to the capital by TfL." (thanks Graeme Selway)Capital Radio
"An ad for Capital Radio's Breakfast Show begins with a manic pyjama-clad Johnny Vaughn gyrating to 'Dancing in the Streets', against a backdrop of a fleet of new East Lancs-bodied Volvo B7Ls on the 9 route plus Dennis Darts emerging from what appears to be London's Stamford Brook Garage." (thanks Mark Evans)Cadbury's Dairy Box
Bob Wingrove found this circa 1959 advert featuring an AEC RT:
Cadbury's Double Decker
Former London Transport AEC RT2275 (LYR709) was the original promotional bus; I assume this is it....
Carefree Perfect Fit
"A young woman narrowly avoids being knocked down by a speeding white bus, registration 70G.312" (thanks Stephen Osman)Carling
Carling Black LabelA man sitting in a restaurant eats a bus. The kitchen staff are seen dismantling a red AEC Routemaster.
The Carling advert that features Gary Numan's single 'Cars' also features a light blue minibus seen side on.
Cinema tickets - a 2003 advert for a cinema tickets giveaway features a green/cream MCW Metrobus.
"Two men race each other home from work in Newcastle. One travels on the Tyne and Wear Metro, the other hops onto preserved ex-Shaw Brothers Guy Arab IV/Massey UFJ292" (thanks Stephen Osman). This 1957-built Arab was originally Exeter Corporation 52. Curiously, the bus is never seen clearly in the advert screened in 2005.
Century FM
"A woman on the top deck of a bus sings along to her radio." (thanks Stephen Osman)Clairol - Nice n Easy
A 1995 ad for hair colourant features 'Seinfeld' star Julia Louis-Dreyfus turning a doubtful woman bus passenger blonde in seconds on board New York RTS 7354.
Churchill Insurance
The 'Challenge Churchill' series of adverts features this suitably-liveried coach - the registration is no help in identification, it is 'OH YES' in recognition of Churchill's catchphrase:
Clarks Shoes
A 2003 advert shot in London has an AEC Routemaster out of focus in the background.Closer
Advert marking the launch of a new woman's magazine shows a woman and a man on the upper deck of an AEC Routemaster.Crime Prevention
Part of a crime prevention campaign: "A man in a shop has his car broken into and chases the thief down the street. The thief then escapes on AEC Routemaster RM1069 (69CLT) operating on route 8." (thanks Stephen Osman)Comet
Christmas 2006 ad for the electrical superstore has a yellow cartoon Routemaster:
Complete Clapton
Advert for this album by guitar hero Eric Clapton is enlivened by a Metroline Plaxton President-bodied 'decker:
Computeach
Frank reports an ex West Midlands PTE Park Royal bodied Daimler Fleetline is featured quite heavily. Both John Andrews and Dave have confirmed it's 4133 (YOX133K).Crossing the Road - Explorers
Features London Transport Leyland Titan STD72 (DLU382) and an STL (thanks Bob Wingrove)
Cussons Imperial Leather
A 1994 ad has comedian Paul Merton sitting on an unidentified single decker bus seen only from inside.Cycling Proficiency Test
Features London Transport Leyland Titans RTL1310 (LYR958) and RTW80 (KGK580), also AEC Routemaster RM230 (VLT230) (thanks Bob Wingrove)
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Daily Star
Summer 2004 advert for a giveaway CD 'Back to School Volume 1' promoting the 'Daily Star' newspaper briefly showed a group of women old enough to know better dressed as schoolgirls aboard a green/cream Plaxton-bodied coach of Imperial CoachesDairylea Lunchables
"Children travelling on a school bus look at and discuss their packed lunches - interior view of bus only." (thanks Stephen Osman)Diet Coke
A 2004-shot US ad features Regional Transit Service, California, Flxible Metro 2558 - an album of photographs from the shoot can be viewed on the Regional Transit Service websiteDrink and Drive
Self-explanatory short made in 1975: a blue and white doubledecker (Bradford?)
Dublin Bus
Stefan Baguette found himself in an Irish pub in Germany on the evening of the 2003 Eurovision Song Contest: "They showed the RTÉ coverage of the event, which included an advert for Dublin Bus. If I remember correctly, several buses appeared, including an AV-class Volvo B7TL/Alexander in City Swift livery with its DMD set for 'City Centre / An Lár'."Dulux
A woman sees the colour she wants for her paint in a man's coat sitting on a bus. The exterior of the bus is a Colchester Leyland Atlantean/Eastern Coachworks, but the engine on the soundtrack isn't, in fact this advert is a real bitsa; The interior appears to be a Bristol Lodekka FLF! (thanks Andy Richards). Mike Castiglione disagrees: "the interior is definitely CBT ECW Atlantean (yes they were that primitive) and I'm pretty certain the engine is genuine Atlantean too."[E]
Edge
Steve Bunce notes this advert for an educational campaign features a Sullivan Buses DN2 (DN02SUL, a 2002 Dennis Dart SLF/Caetano) in heavy traffic. 'Making of' footage shows some filming took place from the bus:
[F]
Fairy Liquid
"Advert with TV chef Ainsley Harriot on the film set for a western features a converted bus in use as a mobile catering unit" (thanks Stephen Osman)Family Credit
This UK Government advertisement features a Preston Dodge/Northern Counties minibus. (thanks Andy Richards)Fanta
Soft drinks advert has a group of children on a CGI bus.Fiat Punto
A London doubledecker passes in the background of a scene on a filling station forecourt to the tune of the Human League's 'Don't You Want Me?. It's an Arriva bus in the London 'cows horns' livery (thanks Stephen Osman)First Aberdeen
"I did a work experience with First Aberdeen in March 1998, only weeks after the company had been renamed from Grampian Transport Ltd. and while rebranding into First corporate was still under way. From what I recall, the company had some TV adverts produced then, which were to be shown on local television. I can't recall the exact number of different adverts, but I think it must've been something between one and three. One I remember seeing was filmed inside a low floor bus with FirstGroup corporate interior. First Aberdeen only took delivery of their first buses in this configuration (Dennis Dart SLF with Plaxton Pointer 2 bodies) shortly afterwards, but it must've been some other vehicle, most likely one Wright-bodied Scania or Volvo that had been in Aberdeen for taking promotional photos a few weeks or months earlier.....my guess is that is was an R-reg vehicle from either First Glasgow or First Edinburgh." (thanks Stefan Baguette)First Direct
David Colin recalls an advertisement featuring an AEC Routemaster: "I drove a Ted Brakell owned RM in an advert for First Direct Bank. The filming took place on Good Friday 1990 and involved driving from Wandsworth Common around south west and central London to get as many landmarks in the background as possible. About 40 people were involved and the bus interior was dismantled to get everything on board. External and internal shots were taken but the result was a 15 second ad showing no more than 2 elderly ladies, sitting on the top deck of a bus, discussing how they had not understood the recent First Direct billboard advert which had simply shown a bucket full of sand. I collected the bus from the store near Maidestone at 5.00 am and arrived back at about midnight."Flash Ultimate Orange
Advert for kitchen cleaner has the long running 'star' Pete (Karl Howman) journeying on holiday to Greece in a white coach.Ford Focus Edge
Dean Sullivan advises that the two buses seen in this late 2003 advert filmed near Newbury are Sullivan Buses AEC Routemaster RM1069 (69CLT) and (behind a hedge) Leyland Titan T85 (CUL85V). "1069 can be seen from the rear showing Piccadilly Circus. They also wanted to show route 19. I spent a hour rummaging through my collection to get a full rear set and none of it was used. A freshly repainted T85 can be seen parked behind a hedge (I assume it was to block something). No reason for the bus other than that."In the same week as this was filmed, RM1069 spent two days filming with 'Eastenders'.
[G]
Give Blood
Virgin boss Richard Branson appears with a conductress in this ad on board a London Transport AEC Routemaster/Park Royal with 158 on the destination indicator.Gossard
Lingerie manufacturer uses a London Transport AEC Routemaster to advertise the 'Altogether' range. Ad agency TBWA split with Gossard soon after the ad first aired in May 2002, so more information will be hard to come by.Greater Manchester Buses
"As I remember there was an advert at deregulation for GM Buses. It showed a number of Northern Counties Olympians and an interior shot."Green Flag
Summer 2004 advert for this car breakdown service features a London Routemaster on route 19 to Piccadilly Circus.Guthries Coachlines
In 2002 New Zealand operator Guthries Coachlines ran a television advert featuring a MAN 11-230/Designline midi coach (thanks Bryce Pender).[H]
Halifax Baank
A 2007 entry in a long running campaign of ads featuring Halifax employees unexpectedly features these US coaches:
Halifax Insurance Service
This 1988 advert features a cameo role for Green Line Routemaster prototype RMC4 (SLT59):
Head and Shoulders
A 2007 ad features a glimpse of two Wright-bodied 'deckers, the front one being from Arriva London:
Hewlett Packard
One advertisement for HP features children pelting a Helsinki tram with snowballs.A second advertisement stars HP employee Rich DeMillo and an ex-London Transport AEC Routemaster/Park Royal RM1069 supplied by Sullivan Buses.
The Highway Code
Features London Transport LT-class AEC Renowns and an unidentified tram (thanks Bob Wingrove)
HM Customs and Excise
This Public Information Film includes footage of Customs men greeting the England football team disembarking from team coach P25RGD supplied by Blueways.Honda CRV
An advert trying to make out it's a tough life in Orpington in Kent has brief glimpses of an unidentified AEC Routemaster and a Metroline double decker.House Invaders
Trailer for this makeover show on the UK Style satellite channel is shot from the upper deck of an AEC Routemaster.Hugo Boss
An ad from the end of the 1990s or thereabouts features a young man upstairs on an open top doubledecker (thanks Stephen Osman) - any suggestions as to an id?
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Iceland
Christmas 2002 advert for the frozen goods chain features a green/cream Metrobus/MCW covered in snow - can anyone identify?Isle of Man Tourist Board
'You'll look forward to going back' (c1988/9)This advertisement featured Leyland Titan PD2 KMN 501 (ex Isle of Man Road Services 71). "The bus had only just been brought back from a field and was hurriedly = given a quick coat of paint to make it look authentic. Also in the advert (set in the late 1940s) was one of Tours (Isle of Man) Duple bodied Bedford OBs (either 1949 MN[ii] or 1950 MN) and a Manx Electric Railway 1899 Winter Saloon tram." (thanks Richard Dodge)
'Holiday in Man' (c1973)
Isle of Man Road Services Willowbrook bodied Leyland Titan PD3 43 (MN 43), ex Stratford Blue, appeared in a sequence shot outside Ronaldsway airport. Also a sequence was taken on board a Duple Dominant bodied Bedford YRT belonging to Tours (IOM). (thanks Richard Dodge)
ING Direct (bank)
Features an appearance by 'South Western Buses' M320TCP (thanks Stephen Osman)
[K]
Kaliber
Advert for this alcohol-free lager has a Metroline driver drinking the product while at the wheel of his Dennis Dart/Marshall (thanks Stephen Osman)Kelloggs All Bran
A 2006 UK advert starring William Shatner and a stretch limo also features a very smart Bristol VRTSL3/Eastern Coachworks posing as a London bus, carrying registration SWW301R. Julian Patterson advises this is in fact former Eastern Counties DEX229T, now in Los Angeles.
Kia Rio
"The opening scene of this ad features a Dennis Trident/Alexander ALX400 numbered TA180" - this would be W187CNO with Stagecoach London (thanks Stephen Osman)Kronenbourg 1664
An elderly man is so busy ogling a glass of Kronenbourg lager that he is run down by a tram.
[L]
Learn Direct
(2002 advert) A man dressed as a spanner gets off a London doubledecker.In a second advert a man sitting upstairs on a London T-class Leyland Titan answers the mobile 'phone of the woman sitting in the seat in front of him. The engine sound effects are from an AEC Routemaster! (thanks Bob Wingrove)
(2003 advert) A woman leaves her newspaper on an unidentified single deck bus.
Levis Jeans
A mystery sighting solved - not as I remembered an advert for The Face Magazine - shot in moody monochrome beyond the then Iron Curtain. A young man gets off a bus with Cyrillic lettering on the side, only the rear of the bus is clearly seen drawing away. The following shot has lots of trolleybus overhead wiresListerine
Mouthwash advert "featuring bored dentists entertaining themselves due to lack of customers: one shot features a First London bus passing the dentist's window."
London Regional Transport One Day Travelcard
"In September 1991, London Buses DMS-class Daimler Fleetline/MCW DMS1515 (THM515M) was sold to London Underground for use as a promotional vehicle. It was rebuilt by John Maher as 'Supercar' with the rear two-thirds of its body removed and replaced with 2 specially moulded sections of an Underground carriage and a train. It was used in various advertising material including an appearance in a TV advert:
London Transport
Daniel Sibson asked if anyone recalls an advert for London Transport buses featuring Formula 1 driver Nigel Mansell. Baz King replies: "Nigel Mansell was indeed given a crash course in driving a bus, and the advert was shown on commercial television in the late 80s. A bus (a DMS I believe) is shown pulling up to a bus stop rather quickly, at which point, an inspector shouts 'Who do you think you are? Nigel Mansell?' Mr Mansell then emerges from the bus, and then the recruitment number comes up, or something similar anyway..."Lucozade
goneabitlara - A Lara Croft impersonator ends up in the back of a transit bus, possibly in Stockholm? (There are several slightly different versions of this ad - in one there is an external rear shot of the bus, otherwise we only see interior shots)Winner - "In this ad featuring footballer Michael Owen, a Neoplan Starliner coach is shown, with the end scene including Owen sitting on the coach" (thanks Stephen Osman)
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Magic Radio/TV
A September 2004 advert featured Sullivan Buses ELV1 (EL04SUL), an East Lancs-bodied Volvo B7 (thanks Dean Sullivan)Malibu
Stephen Osman notes a bonnetted Morris bus in Jamaica.Marks and Spencer
Two 2006 adverts merit inclusion here: the first features the legendary Twiggy and a group of models - and Blue Triangle's open top AEC RT3435 (LYR854)
Mars
Malcolm Rennie recalls "In the (probably early) 1960s, in the Mars Bar TV advert campaign 'A Mars a day helps you work rest and play' the theme was workers doing different jobs. I am sure that one was a bus driver on the London Transport skid pan with a view of one of the rear wheels of the RT trainer bus lifting off the ground before landing back down heavily. This was the first time I had seen the skid pan and I was horrified."Mastercard
A Metroline AEC Routemaster/Park Royal is seen in Oxford Street.match.com
US TV advertisement for this online dating agency features a blue red and silver bus fleet number 6227 (thanks Geoff Cook)McCain Frozen Chips
Features a blue early Duple Dominant coach used as a school bus. (thanks Chris Hough)McCain Oven Chips
A mobile 'phone rings unanswered on a seat aboard a London Leyland Titan doubledecker. An evocative scene - exterior and interior views are of Sullivan Buses T889 (A889SYE) filmed in Uxbridge (thanks Dean Sullivan)McDonalds - Egg McMuffin
A 2004 US advert, part of the 'I'm Lovin' It' campaign features Regional Transit Service, California, 2700, a GM T6H-4523A 'Fishbowl' new to the City of Modesto fleet - an album of photographs from the shoot can be viewed on the Regional Transit Service websiteGlimpsed in the background of a 2006 UK advert is this Bristol VRT/Eastern Coachworks
Mecca Bingo
Overhead shot of a Dennis Dart/Plaxton Pointer outside a Mecca Bingo Hall - looks like a FirstMellow Birds
Chris Hough recalled an advert featuring the Royle Family's Caroline Aherne winning the Lottery and boarding a bus. Noel Baxendale confirms it as an ad for Mellow Birds Instant Coffee, and the bus as Greater Manchester Buses Volvo Citybus 7001 (H701 GVM. "It opens with her saying something like 'When I won the lottery I wondered how it would affect me', then cuts to her standing at a bus stop with her hand out as the bus comes along. The advert then continues with her sitting on the upper deck."Microsoft
Windows XPOne of the launch advertisement for Windows XP features a red/purple open top double decker right at the beginning.
Milk: Lotta Bottle
This catchy campaign featured a London Transport RT on skidpan training:
Milky Way
Chocolate bar advert with a left-hand drive bus. (thanks Dave Farrier) more information neededMilton Keynes
In 1985 a United Counties Leyland-National (therefore likely to be from United Counties) appeared in an advertisement for the city of Milton Keynes. (thanks John Upton, who eventually located this on YouTube!)
Minibix
Set in London; a Metroline doubledecker is glimpsed.Morrisons Supermarkets
Ex-London Transport AEC Routemaster/Park Royal RM1414 (414CLT), supplied by the Museum of Transport, Manchester, appeared in an advert for Morrison's Supermarkets in a campaign that involved people carrying or rolling huge coins. (thanks Paul Williams)2007 Valentine's Day ad features an unidentified Scania single decker
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