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 were constructed.
The RMCs were introduced in 1962 to work on London Transport’s Green Line cross-London and suburban services. They were a direct development of the standard RM, and while visually very similar, they differed in having twin headlamps, electrically operated platform doors, more comfortable seats with increased legroom, and the addition of luggage racks. A higher rear axle ratio, rear air suspension, and increased fuel capacity also set the RMCs apart from the RMs.
A total of 68 were built, seeing service with Green Line and later London Country, before all were bought back by London Transport. Many ended up as driver trainers, but seven were reinstated as passenger carriers in 1989 for the new X15 route; the latter remaining in traffic until the early 1990s, although some continued in use well into the 2000s.
Our model depicts RMC1508 (registration 508CLT), which entered Green Line service at Addlestone Garage in January 1963, working Route 716/A after a month as a driver trainer. It left Addlestone in December 1967, initially to work Route 708 at Hemel Hempstead, but moved again to Hatfield Garage in early 1969 for use on Route 303. It joined the London Country fleet in January 1970, being repainted and rebranded in October that year. Our model covers the period circa1973, with RMC1508 working Route 341 to Hatfield Station.
Further moves saw it based at St Albans and Stockwell where, having been purchased by London Transport, is served as a driver trainer – still in NBC green – until late 1980. It was repainted into LT red during 1990, but sold for scrap in November 1992.
- 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)
