Oxford Diecast RM009

Training Bus - 1:76 Scale

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

Manufacturer description

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.

Catalogue listing

Oxford Diecast Training Bus – 1:76 Scale is a model produced by Oxford Diecast. The item carries the manufacturer part number RM009 and is finished in the British Rail Blue livery, representing the pre‑TOPS period. The model is intended for use as a training aid and reproduces the exterior dimensions and appearance of the historic double‑deck bus at a scale of 1:76.

The bus design originated from a 1951 decision to develop a lightweight vehicle capable of carrying 64 passengers, with an initial production target of approximately 2,000 units. Prototypes were constructed and tested over the following years, with development undertaken by several manufacturers. It was not until the early 1960s that the buses appeared in quantity on the streets of London, after which the focus of bus development shifted towards one‑person operated vehicles. Production of Routemaster-type buses ceased after 1968.

Despite the end of production, many of the vehicles remain in service or are preserved owing to ongoing maintenance, refurbishment programmes and changes in regulation. Routemasters can still be observed in the capital, throughout the United Kingdom and in several overseas locations.