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It's as recognizable as Buckingham Palace. As British as Fish and Chips and the Bobbie on the beat. But still London's iconic Red Routemaster London Bus is to be withdrawn by 2006.

The Routemaster, with its durable aluminum frame and easy-to-repair components, is a classic piece of British design, built especially for London's narrow, winding streets. Routemaster fan Andrew Boath told BBC London: "The tragedy is, they will never build a bus like it again, it was a one-off.