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)
Era 8 (1983 to 1994) British Rail Sectorisation
Era 9 (1995 to 2004) Initial Privatisation
Era 10 (2005 to 2015) Rebuilding of the Railways
It was in 1951 the decision was taken to develop a lightweight vehicle with the ability to seat 64 passengers, an initial estimate of 2,000 vehicles being suggested. Several protoypes appeared over the next few years and testing of the buses took place with development being carried out by a range of companies. It was not until the early sixties that the buses were seen on the streets of London in any quantity and by now a decision had been made to concentrate the future development of buses on one-person operated vehicles. No further Routemasters were built after 1968 although due to maintenance, refurbishment and deregulation they are still seen not only in the capital, but also in many locations throughout the UK and overseas.
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Oxford Diecast Northern Cadenheads Model – 1:76 scale, part number RM007. The model is finished in British Rail blue livery, representing the pre‑TOPS period.
The vehicle depicted is the London Routemaster bus, originally conceived in 1951 as a lightweight, 64‑seat double‑deck vehicle. Prototypes were built and tested over several years, with production commencing in the early 1960s. The design was later adapted for one‑person operation, and manufacturing ceased in 1968.
Although no new Routemasters were produced after 1968, many examples remain in service throughout the United Kingdom and overseas thanks to refurbishment, maintenance and changes to regulation. The die‑cast model reflects this historic vehicle.