AEC Routemaster RM1127 (127CLT) in London Transport Red with ‘Open’ style Roundel, working on Route 90B to Fulwell Garage, circa 1972.

Development of the Routemaster bus started back in 1947, with design by London Transport (LT), and construction being undertaken at LT’s Chiswick Works, assisted by Park Royal Vehicles, and using mechanical units provided by sister company AEC. The prototype emerged in 1954, and the first production examples entered service in 1959. From then until 1968, some 2,876 Routemasters of varying types and configurations (including RMs, RMCs, RMLs, RCLs, RMFs and RMAs) were constructed. They remained in regular service until the end of 2005, although some can still be found in action on heritage routes within London. In fact, some 1,280 examples are known to survive in the UK and around the world.

Our model depicts RM1127 (registration 127CLT), which went new to Fulwell Garage in February 1962, and officially entered London Transport service the following May, working on Routes 267, 281 and 285. Following a repaint at Aldenham in mid-1970, RM1127 was back at Fulwell Garage and working on Route 90B, which is the condition our new model depicts.

Subsequent service saw RM1127 working on Route 281 to Chessington, but in February 1974 it was transferred to Holloway, where it spent much of the next five years in and out of storage. From 1979 it moved around between Mortlake Garage, Fulwell and Brixton, finally being withdrawn in September 1982. It was scrapped at Aldenham in early 1983.

• Colours/details of final model may vary from illustration
• Authentically detailed die-cast model from EFE Road
• Complementary to OO scale model railways (1:76 scale)