Oxford Diecast 76PB010

Royal Mail Scotland Commer PB Postbus

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

Prototype Eras
Era 5 (1956 to 1966) British Railways Late Crest
Era 6 (1967 to 1972) British Rail Blue (Pre-TOPS)
Era 7 (1972 to 1982) British Rail Blue (TOPS)

Manufacturer description

This simple little postbus registered USG 706R from 1976/77 contains clues to some interesting background information. Assigned to the Edinburgh Postal Board, Operations Division, according to the address printed in black on the side of the bus, the name board positioned in the front of the windscreen would suggest that it is deployed in the little village of Elgol on the shores of Loch Scavaig and home to no more than 150 residents, on the Isle of Skye.

Decorated in the traditional red Royal Mail colour scheme, our 1:76 scale Commer PB also sports a white roof, white bumpers and white wheel rims. The interior is black. According to the printing on the side it is the de luxe version and is also fitted out to carry 11 passengers.

Commer was a British manufacturer formed in 1905 concentrating its production on vans, car derived vans, light commercials right up to military vehicles. It lasted until 1979 by which time the company had been consumed by Chrysler. Another partial takeover by Peugeot ensured the continued presence of the Commer van right up until 1983, due in no small part to its extensive use by the Post Office and then British Telecom.

The Commer was noted for its excellent brakes, cornering and price, which would have been essential for our little example in getting around Skye although comfort was apparently lacking. No doubt the passengers who found the local postbus an essential way of getting about the islands would not have been too bothered about that and it remained a familiar sight especially in rural areas.

Catalogue listing

Oxford Diecast Royal Mail Scotland Commer PB Postbus, model number 76PB010, is a 1:76 scale die‑cast replica of a postbus that operated in the mid‑1970s. The vehicle is depicted in the British Rail blue livery that preceded the TOPS system, and it bears the registration USG 706R which dates the model to 1976–77.

The bus is shown in the traditional Royal Mail red colour scheme with a white roof, white bumpers and white wheel rims. The interior is finished in black, and the side decals indicate that it is the de‑luxe version capable of carrying eleven passengers. The front name board suggests a deployment in the village of Elgol on the shores of Loch Scavaig, Isle of Skye, and the address printed in black on the side lists the Edinburgh Postal Board, Operations Division.

Commer, a British vehicle manufacturer founded in 1905, produced a range of vans and light commercial vehicles until its absorption by Chrysler in 1979, with a further partial takeover by Peugeot that extended the Commer name until 1983. The brand was widely used by the Post Office and later British Telecom, owing to its reliable brakes, good cornering ability and competitive price, although ride comfort was modest.

The model reflects the role of postbuses in rural Scotland, where such vehicles provided an essential link for small communities despite limited comfort. It offers collectors a historically accurate representation of a typical Scottish postbus from the late 1970s.