Photographs taken by me of the magazine pages are purely to illustrate the build stages, so that the entire project can be followed from the start to the completed model in issue order. The copyright of Hachette Partworks is acknowledged.

MAGAZINE ISSUE 51 - FITTING THE CANOPY ROOF INDICATOR
Yet another easy build, which only took me a matter of minutes. The magazine articles, feature Route 25 from Holborn Circus to Oxford Circus and an article on days out on the bus. One article caught my eye which was the great beer flood of 1814, when a vat containing 1.2 million pints of beer ruptured causing other vats to rupture and a flood of almost 3 million pints of beer occurred! The site of the brewery is now occupied by the Dominion Theatre. The article of days out on the bus, details day trips on buses from the early 1800's to the early 1900's. Next week the inner panel of the front wall on the lower deck is fitted.

INSTRUCTIONS ISSUE 51 - FITTING THE CANOPY ROOF INDICATOR

BUILD ISSUE 51 - FITTING THE CANOPY ROOF INDICATOR

MAGAZINE ISSUE 52 - FITTING THE INNER FRONT WALL PANEL
I had no issues with this build and it took me approx 30 minutes. The magazine articles describe Route 185 between Lewisham and Catford, and the continuation of restoring RM857. 

INSTRUCTIONS ISSUE 52 - FITTING THE INNER FRONT WALL PANEL

BUILD ISSUE 52 - FITTING THE INNER FRONT WALL PANEL

MAGAZINE ISSUE 53 - PASSENGER IN SWINGING SIXTIES OUTFIT
The second passenger for the arrived with this issue. The magazine articles feature London in the swinging sixties with photographs showing the different fashions. An article on schools and Galleries on Route 185 and the third article is entitled From Trams to Trolleybuses.

INSTRUCTIONS ISSUE 53 - PASSENGER IN SWINGING SIXTIES OUTFIT

BUILD ISSUE 53 - PASSENGER IN SWINGING SIXTIES OUTFIT

MAGAZINE ISSUE 54 - REAR ENTRANCE WALL AND ACCESSORIES
Another easy build that only took about 15 minutes. The magazine articles describe Route 185 between Denmark Hill and Camberwell the second magazine article describes the completion of the restoration of RM857. The next issue involves adding the wiring for the bell pushes and fitting the rear entrance wall to the lower deck passenger compartment.

INSTRUCTIONS ISSUE 54 - REAR ENTRANCE WALL AND ACCESSORIES

BUILD ISSUE 54 - REAR ENTRANCE WALL AND ACCESSORIES

MAGAZINE ISSUE 55 - FITTING CABLES TO THE BELL PUSHES AT THE REAR ENTRANCE
No great issues with this build, although I had to file the paint from the higher bell push mount (on the side with the window) as the bell push on cable 55D would not sit properly in the mount. Apart from that just positioning the cable to allow sufficient slack for the cable to run round to the upper bell push. The magazine articles continues on Route 185 in Kennington, Vauxhall and Victoria. The second article features the arrival of the RT type bus., the first of almost 7000 buses!

INSTRUCTIONS ISSUE 55 - FITTING CABLES TO THE BELL PUSHES AT THE REAR ENTRANCE

BUILD ISSUE 55 - FITTING CABLES TO THE BELL PUSHES AT THE REAR ENTRANCE

MAGAZINE ISSUE 56 - FIRST SECTION OF THE LOWER DECK CEILING
This was a very straightforward build with no issues and took me about 15 minutes. The magazine articles feature Route 38 Clacton and Hackney Central. The second article was an interesting read and described the maintenance that Routemaster buses would go through on a daily basis and the types of work that could be done in each of the depots. They also details the servicing schedules for the Routemaster.

INSTRUCTIONS ISSUE 56 - FIRST SECTION OF THE LOWER DECK CEILING

BUILD ISSUE 56 - FIRST SECTION OF THE LOWER DECK CEILING

MAGAZINE ISSUE 57 - ROOF PANEL AND BELL CORD
No issues with this one, which took me approx 25 minutes to complete. The magazine articles feature Route 38 Dalston to Islington and the second article describes running buses in World War 2. It was interesting to hear that the London Passenger Transport Board began making preparations ahead of the war in 1937. In 1938 buses were fitted with mesh over the windows to prevent passengers being hit by flying glass. It was interesting to read that to save resources, tickets were even made smaller and also recycled!

INSTRUCTIONS ISSUE 57 - ROOF PANEL AND BELL CORD

BUILD ISSUE 57 - ROOF PANEL AND BELL CORD

MAGAZINE ISSUE 58 - WIRING THE LIGHTING ON THE LOWER DECK
Again no issues with this build which took approximately 25 minutes. The magazine articles in this issue describe Route 38 from Islington to Clerkenwell and overhauling buses at the Aldenham Works. I found it interesting to read how Aldenham had a special agreement with the Department of Transport, meaning that a Routemaster could enter for service and leave with totally body, sub frames and mechanical units after overhaul as the different parts took different lengths of time to service.

INSTRUCTIONS ISSUE 58 - WIRING THE LIGHTING ON THE LOWER DECK

BUILD ISSUE 58 -  WIRING THE LIGHTING ON THE LOWER DECK

MAGAZINE ISSUE 59 - STAIRCASE STRUCTURE AND CIRCUIT BOARD
Another very easy build to complete which to approximately 10 minutes to complete. The magazine articles feature Route 38 from Clerkenwell to Victoria. I did not realise that China Town in the West end only dates from the 1970's. The original China Town was situated in Limehouse to serve the Chinese sailors on the boats that came into the docks. However the decline in the docks after WW2, lead to the demise of that area. Due to the growing popularity of Cantonese food, Chinese restaurants were opened by Hong Kong immigrants in the run down area of southern Soho and a new China Town was born. The second article describes the evacuation of children from London during WW2 and the use of London's buses to transport them..

INSTRUCTIONS ISSUE 59 - STAIRCASE STRUCTURE AND CIRCUIT BOARD

BUILD ISSUE 59 - STAIRCASE STRUCTURE AND CIRCUIT BOARD

MAGAZINE ISSUE 60 - WOMAN ON THE BACK SEAT
No comment needed as to how easy this build was! The magazine articles describe Route 188 Greenwich Peninsula and East Greenwich. I did not realise that the football team for the former ironworks in Blackwall eventually became West Ham United. There is an interesting article on London Passenger Transport Premises being used as part of the war effort for production of aircraft and other manufacturing. The final article describes the history of RM1000.

INSTRUCTIONS ISSUE 60 - WOMAN ON THE BACK SEAT

BUILD ISSUE 60 - WOMAN ON THE BACK SEAT

BUILD YOU OWN ROUTEMASTER

ISSUES FITY ONE TO SIXTY

This page last updated Friday, 24 April 2020