EFE Rail E43001

Daimler Fleetline DMS115 London Transport Route 170 Aldwych

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

Prototype Era
Era 7 (1972 to 1982) British Rail Blue (TOPS)

Manufacturer description

Daimler Fleetline DMS115 London Transport Route 170 Aldwych

The Daimler Fleetline DMS had its origins in a nationwide move towards One-Man Operation (OMO) buses in the late 1960s and early 1970s, replacing the tried-and-tested ‘driver and conductor’ crews that had been the staple for many years. London Transport (LT) was no exception, and as such began to explore the benefits that OMO might bring by trialling Leyland Atlanteans and Daimler Fleetlines. It was the latter that would go on to form the basis of an all-new London bus – the DMS.

The first of the new DMSs entered service in January 1971 working on Routes 95 and 220. They were powered by Gardner 6LXB engines and bodied by Park Royal Vehicles, with full OMO considerations included. Passengers would enter through a set of double folding doors at the front, opposite the driver, and immediately pass through an Automatic Fare-Collection (AFC) turnstile (located over the nearside front wheel arch) to gain access to the seating. Exit was via a second set of doors located centrally on the nearside of the body.

Building on the popularity of the ‘Routemaster’ tag, London Transport named the new type the ‘Londoner’, but it never caught on, and they were simply referred to as Fleetlines or DMSs. A total of 2,646 would be built between 1970 and 1978; the design evolving during that time, culminating in the B20 type. However, the DMS was never popular with passengers owing to the slower boarding times caused by the AFC equipment, and they proved equally unpopular with garage staff, so much so that the first started to be withdrawn the year after the last was delivered.

Our new models represent those built in the first batch, identified by the narrower position of the headlights. This example is DMS115, which is presented in its original condition, as working on Route 170 to Aldwych circa 1971. As prototypical at the time it sports the ‘open’ style of LT roundel, and is complete with the coin in slot emblems on the front end and PAY AS YOU ENTER notifications.

The new models are based on EFE Road’s updated Daimler Fleetline DMS tooling and feature the early style front end for the first time on an EFE DMS model.

• 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

EFE Rail Daimler Fleetline DMS115 – Model Railways (1:76 scale)
Part number: E43001

This die‑cast model represents a Daimler Fleetline DMS bus as it would have appeared on London Transport Route 170 to Aldwych in the early 1970s. The prototype entered service on 1 January 1971 and was part of the first batch of DMS vehicles, identified by the narrower positioning of the headlights and the original ‘open’ style London Transport roundel. The model is presented in the British Rail Blue livery, as used under the TOPS system.

The real DMS buses were introduced to support One‑Man Operation, replacing the earlier driver‑and‑conductor arrangement. They were powered by Gardner 6LXB engines and bodied by Park Royal Vehicles. Passengers boarded via double folding doors at the front, passed an automatic fare‑collection turnstile, and alighted through centrally located doors on the nearside. The early version displayed coin‑in‑slot emblems and PAY AS YOU ENTER signage.

The EFE Rail version is based on updated Daimler Fleetline DMS tooling and is the first EFE model to feature the early‑style front end. It includes the original roundel, headlight arrangement and the detailed fittings of the prototype. Colours and details may vary slightly from the illustration.

The model is intended for use with OO gauge (1:76) railway layouts and is marketed as an authentically detailed, high‑quality die‑cast representation of the historic London bus.