Corgi 1/76 OM46306B Routemaster, Blackpool Transport, 12 St Annes dual destination

Corgi 1/76 Routemaster, Blackpool Transport, 12 St Annes dual destination OM46306B
Toward the end of 1985 Blackpool Transport surprised many by announcing the trial of a London Transport AEC Routemaster as part of its post deregulation strategy.  Blackpool's actions mimicked that of Clydeside Scottish who had tried and tested a Routemaster in 1985 prior to introducing a large fleet for service in Glasgow ahead of deregulation.  A similar strategy was implemented by sister business Kelvin Scottish and Stagecoach and therefore implied a popular tactic.
RM1583 entered service on routes 5 and 5A (Halfway House to Grange Park) and was allocated number 500 which was reserved for demonstrators.  It impressed accordingly and a first batch of six was purchased and allocated number 521.  A repaint into the 1930s lined red and white livery was adopted rather than the standard green and off white livery.
The 5/5A was the Routemaster's prime home, but they also ran on other crew routes – 15 (Blackpool-Fleetwood) and 22/22A (Cleveleys-Halfway House and Lytham).  Deregulation in 1986 saw the 5/5A withdrawn so the Routemasters were reallocated to route 12 (Blackpool to Airport).
By 1988 the Routemaster fleet doubled as Blackpool Transport responded to the introduction of a Promenade bus service with its own route.  Six more Routemasters were purchased and arrived in pairs.  With just six weeks to prepare the buses they were treated to a simplified version of the red and white livery.  The new service launched on Saturday 28th May and the six buses debuted with promotional adverts for in house 'Travelcard' which were carried until replaced by Opal Fruits in 1993.