31514 WSL Exclusive First Editions RM Routemaster Bus

31514 Exclusive First Editions RM Routemaster Double Decker Bus in London Transport Shop Linker livery.

This model depicts one such Routemaster, RM 59, registered VLT 59, as it would have appeared in its first few weeks in service as a Shop Linker. Shown running out of Stockwell garage, displaying in house advertising for the Shop Linker service and running with the early blind displaying the 30p fare.

In April 1979 London Transport announced a new 'Shop Linker' bus service designed especially for shoppers to enable quick and easy travel to many of London's greatest West End stores.

A fleet of 16 Routemasters were selected for the new service, which was to operate out of Stockwell garage; all were repainted in a distinctive yellow and red livery and fitted out with a speaker system so that they could play music and advertisements to their on board passengers.

The service started at Marble Arch and travelled on a circular route, running in both directions, via Regent Street, Piccadilly, Knightsbridge, Kensington and Oxford Street. No route number was allocated to this service, instead the route blind displayed the flat 30p fare, which did lead to confusion amongst some, would be a passenger who mistook it for the route 30 to Hackney, and so it was later removed.

Although the Shop Linker was very popular with shoppers, London Transport did not consider it a financial success and so by September of the same year the service was withdrawn and the fleet were returned to the standard LT livery after just six months in service.