EFE Rail E43004

Daimler Fleetline DMS46 London Transport Route 95 Cannon Street

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 DMS46 London Transport Route 95 Cannon Street

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by the AFC equipment, and they proved equally unpopular with garage staff, so much so that the first started to be withdrawn the year after the last was delivered.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 DMS46, which in 1974 was the first example to receive the white window surrounds on the upper deck, creating a very pleasing appearance. Our model depicts it as working around 1976 on Route 95 with a Cannon Street destination.

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 DMS46 – London Transport Route 95 Cannon Street
Manufacturer: EFE Road
Part number: E43004
Scale: OO (1:76) die‑cast model, suitable for British model railways

The Daimler Fleetline DMS was introduced as part of London Transport’s shift to one‑man operation in the early 1970s. The first examples entered service on 1 January 1971 on Routes 95 and 220, powered by Gardner 6LXB engines and bodied by Park Royal Vehicles. Passengers boarded through front double‑folding doors with an automatic fare‑collection turnstile and alighted via a central set of doors on the nearside. A total of 2 646 units were built between 1970 and 1978, though the type was unpopular with both passengers and garage staff because of slow boarding times.

The model represents a first‑batch DMS46, identifiable by its narrower headlight arrangement. In 1974 this vehicle became the first to receive white window surrounds on the upper deck, a feature retained in the illustration of the vehicle operating around 1976 on Route 95 with a Cannon Street destination.

The die‑cast model is produced using EFE Road’s updated Daimler Fleetline DMS tooling and includes the early‑style front end, which appears for the first time on an EFE DMS model. Colours and details may vary from the illustration. The model is intended for use with OO scale (1:76) railway layouts.