Exclusive First Editions: new RM5 model

The first production Routemaster, RM5, has joined the Arriva Heritage fleet, having undergone a thorough rebuild, reputed to have cost £150,000.

The bus was returned to its original specification, including the correct ventilation grilles, route number screen on the offside rear and so on. The rebuild was paid for by Phil Swallow, a parton of the arts, including the Royal Ballet, trustee of Richmond Park, where he has stables and owner of several locomotives on the Severn Valley Railway, for his wife Caroline’s birthday.

Exclusive First Editions has produced a special RM5 model, using its re-worked Routemaster casting, including a small number specially decorated for Mrs Swallow’s birthday party, plus 500 with Arriva’s corporate blinds and a ‘standard’ model on route 8B to Old Ford, the first route the bus was used on. EFE researched the original adverts for reproduction on these models, which are only available from the London Transport Museum in Covent Garden, along with a DVD showing RM5’s rebuild.

RM5 was taken to EFE’s Enfield headquarters for a presentation by Frank and Brenda Joyce of a specially-mounted model to Arriva’s Commercial director, Peter Batty. The rebuilt bus was then first shown to the public at the Cobham Open Day in April.

Meanwhile the range of new accessories announced a while back by EFE, including bus stops, Underground seats and escalator, telephone and post boxes, plus various lorry loads, have been released.