AEC Routemaster RM1546 (546CLT) in London Transport Red with Solid White Roundel, working from New Cross garage on Night Route N82 Woolwich Arsenal Station.

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 RM1546 (registration 546CLT), which entered London Transport service in April 1963 on Route 36 from Peckham Garage. It was based there for the next five years until being transferred to Mortlake in June 1968. RM1546 appears to have spent much of its time here in store, but in May 1975 it was overhauled at Aldenham, after which it was reallocated to New Cross, where it worked on Route 53 to Camden Town, as well as on Night Bus duty as depicted by our model on Night Route N82.

After periods at Clapton and Turnham Green, RM1546 was purchased by Southampton City Transport in 1987, but in October 1989 was sold again and ultimately exported to Japan.

• 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)