Oxford Diecast RT016

Southdown - 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 3 (1923 to 1947) The Big Four (LNER, LMS, GWR and SR)
Era 4 (1948 to 1956) British Railways Early Crest
Era 5 (1956 to 1966) British Railways Late Crest

Manufacturer description

Southdown Motor Services can trace its history back to a pair of steam buses which operated between Pulborough and Worthing. However the company itself was formed in 1915 abandoning plans to call itself South Coast Motor Services (a similar name had been registered by a Folkestone operator). BET took an early interest in the company as well as Thomas Tilling. The original registered office was in Middle Street, Brighton and in 1916, a garage was built in Freshfield Road. The operating area of the company was bounded by Eastbourne, Portsmouth and the Sussex border. In 1921, joint services with Maidstone & District were started between Brighton and Hawkhurst (later service 18) and Eastbourne and Hastings via Hailsham (15). Similar services to Southampton and Winchester (joint with Hants & Dorset) began in 1922, although the Winchester service was truncated at Fareham in 1926. Horsham marked the boundary with Aldershot & District, Southdown later abandoning its operations in Haslemere in favour of the Aldershot company. Southdown also began to establish a programme of local long distance tours throughout the twenties and it was in 1921 that the famous Southdown scroll logo was adopted. Southdown pursued a policy of purchasing rival operators to consolidate its business. Companies acquired included Royal Red Coaches of Hove and Eastbourne operators Foard's, Cavendish, Southern Glideway and Chapman & Sons.

Catalogue listing

Oxford Diecast Southdown – 1:76 Scale is a die‑cast model produced under part number RT016. The model depicts a British Railways early‑crest vehicle in 1:76 (OO) scale and is intended for collectors of railway and coach memorabilia.

Southdown Motor Services was formally established in 1915 after an earlier proposal to use the name South Coast Motor Services was abandoned. The company’s original registered office was at Middle Street, Brighton, and a garage was built on Freshfield Road in 1916. Its operating area was bounded by Eastbourne, Portsmouth and the Sussex border, and it later ran joint services with Maidstone & District and with Hants & Dorset, extending routes to Brighton, Hawkhurst, Eastbourne, Hastings, Southampton and Winchester.

During the 1920s Southdown expanded by acquiring rival operators, including Royal Red Coaches of Hove, and the Eastbourne firms Foard’s, Cavendish, Southern Glideway and Chapman & Sons. The firm adopted the distinctive Southdown scroll logo in 1921 and continued to develop a programme of local long‑distance tours throughout the decade.