At that time it was the fashion to give each omnibus line a distinctive name, and people soon understood that a “Favorite” went to Islington, an “Eagle” to Pimlico, and so on. The chief lines were the “Favorites,” the “Eagles,” the “Wellingtons,” the “King Williams,” the “Napoleons,” the “Victorias,” the “Nelsons,” the “Marlboroughs,” the “Hopes,” “Les Dames Blanches,” the “Citizens,” the “Emperors,” the “Venuses,” and the “Marquess of Westminsters.” At the present day the “Atlases,” the “Favorites,” the “Paragons,” the “Royal Blues,” and the “Times,” are the only omnibuses which have names. The “Eagles” were green omnibuses, and ran from the “Compasses,” at Pimlico, to Blackwall, _viâ_ Piccadilly. They belonged to a Mr. John Clark, and old ’busmen declare that one day, as an “Eagle” was passing Hyde Park Corner, Her Majesty Queen Victoria, then unmarried, overtook it, and by some means or other her long habit was caught by the handle of the open door. Clark, who, so the story runs, was acting as conductor on that occasion, released it instantly, and Her Majesty graciously thanked him for his promptitude. In commemoration of this incident, Clark had the omnibus painted blue, and substituted for the word “Eagle” on the panels, the words “Royal Blue.” Moreover, he had a picture of Her Majesty on horseback painted on the panel of the door. After a time he called all his omnibuses on that line “Royal Blues,” but the original “Royal Blue” was the only one that bore a picture of the Queen. But the first half of the above story is not correct. What really happened is as follows:--Clark was driving one of his omnibuses by Hyde Park Corner, when suddenly Her Majesty approached on horseback. He endeavoured to pull out of the way, but, as the road was partially blocked, it was not an easy thing to do. However, being an excellent whip, he succeeded, and the Queen, who had witnessed his efforts, most graciously bowed to him as she rode by. For many years the picture of the Queen painted on the Royal Blue omnibus was one of the sights pointed out to visitors to London. Eventually, wishing to preserve the picture, Clark had it cut out of the omnibus door and framed, and it is now in the possession of his daughter. The “Royal Blues,” which were among the first omnibuses sold to the London General Omnibus Company, now run from Victoria to King’s Cross _viâ_ Piccadilly and Bond Street.