EFE Rail E42601

AEC Routemaster Northern NBC FPT594C (2124) Service 653 Whickham

Manufacturer catalogue image - please note that pre-release images may be CAD renders or CGI/AI images rather than photographs

Manufacturer description

AEC Routemaster Northern NBC FPT594C (2124) Service 653 Whickham

In the early 1960s, London Transport decided to make its famous Routemaster bus available on the open market and, in addition to the existing types already successfully serving London, Park Royal Vehicles built a unique Routemaster in a bid to promote sales. This was RMF1254, a 30ft vehicle that shared many common parts with the RML type Routemasters, but designed to meet the growing trend of having a front, or forward, entrance close to the driver.

One operator that commissioned Routemasters for its fleet was Northern General, which ordered 50 vehicles for its long distance, inter-urban services, and these were delivered in 1964/65. The design was heavily influenced by RMF1254, although changes were made to suit Northern’s specification. The first of the new Routemasters entered service in May 1964, and in 1966 the 50 became 51 when they were joined by RMF1254, which had been bought from London Transport. They could be found across the region on services to Newcastle, Sunderland, Middlesborough and Hartlepool, some of which were over 40 miles in length.

The advent of the National Bus Company (NBC) saw the fleet progressively receive the corporate colour schemes from 1972. However, with the move towards One-Man Operation, the Routemasters’ days were numbered. Mass withdrawals began in 1977, and by the end of the decade just 18 were left in service. That number continued to drop throughout 1980, and the last one, No. 3105, ran on 16th December that year.

Some were acquired for preservation, but others would find their way to London, working on sightseeing tours or other heritage workings. Thankfully, a handful of the type remain today, together with the one-off RMF, and two of these can still be seen in the North East.

Our new models cover a wider span of Northern Routemaster operation, with this example depicting fleet number 2124 in NBC Poppy Red with white band working service 653 to Whickham. The model is complete with the ‘Shop at Binns’ adverts that were synonymous with Northern’s bus fleet.

The new models are based on EFE Road’s refined and updated Routemaster tooling, and now feature such enhancements as bodyside panel lines and highly detailed liveries and advertisements.

• 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)

Catalogue listing

Model details

The product is a die‑cast model of an AEC Routemaster built for Northern General, in the National Bus Company Poppy Red livery with a white band. It represents fleet number 2124 working service 653 to Whickham and is produced by EFE Rail using the company's refined Routemaster tooling, which includes detailed bodyside panel lines and period‑accurate advertising decals.

Northern General ordered fifty forward‑entrance Routemasters in 1964/65, later supplemented by the unique RMF1254, to operate long‑distance services across the North East. The fleet was repainted in NBC colours from 1972, withdrawn during the shift to one‑man operation, and the last example ran on 16 December 1980. A small number survive in preservation, and this model captures that historic appearance.