Coinciding with the Centenary of Birmingham City Transport this year, here’s one only half that age! This classic 1950s Leyland/Weymann Olympic reproduces the Elmdon Airport service bus running from New Street, and features those distinctive headlights, photo-etched wipers and full passenger seating.

After over 50 years service on the streets of London, the last Routemaster ran in ordinary service on Route 159 in the early afternoon on 9th December 2005. The vehicle chosen for this special duty was RM.2217 the last standard Routemaster built in 1965.

The RT Type originally appeared before the Second World War, with 150 entering service in 1940. production of the 3RT buses commenced in 1947, with an improved AEC Regent lll chassis and bodies supplied by Park Royal and Weymann.These featured a new design in which all components were jig-built allowing full interchangeability of bodies for the overhaul system being put into place Aldenham and Chiswick.Additional bodies were provided by Saunders Roe and Cravens.

AEC did not have the production capacity to meet the replacement requirements of London Transport, so an agreement was reached between AEC London Transport and Leyland that the latter should supply a proportion of buses.The major requirement was that the chassis must be able to accept the standard RT body without serious alteration.Leyland offered their standard PD2 type steering, front & rear axles and revised 0600 engine, the transmission was to be supplied by AEC.Production began in 1948 with bodies by Park Royal.