London motor bus. Early 20th century London motor bus operated by the Vanguard company. The adverts on the side of the top deck of the bus includes one for the Japan-British Exhibition of 1910. By this time, the Vanguard Company was owned by the London General Omnibus Company (LGOC). This company had started using motor buses in 1902, with horse-drawn buses being discontinued by around 1911. This bus is operating on route 11, introduce by the LGOC in 1906 and one of the oldest continuously operated routes in London. This photograph is from the Bain News Service, one of the USA's oldest news picture agencies.