AEC Routemaster WLT655 (formerly RM655) in its Confidence Bus (Leicester) livery of black and light battleship grey, as preserved with Special Service 00 blinds.

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 Routemaster registration WLT655, which has now spent almost 40 years as part of the Confidence Bus fleet in Leicestershire. The former RM655 entered London Transport service in April 1961 at Wood Green, spending much of the next decade working from there on Routes 127, 259 and 269. In 1981 it underwent overhaul at Aldenham where it received the Leyland 0.600 engine it still has today.

Bought by Confidence Bus in August 1985, it was given the fleet number 15 and was used on local factory and school contracts around Leicester up until 2003. Our model represents the bus in its current condition, which sees it mainly working on private hire and society wedding duties.

• 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)