Wait a second. Didn't you JUST feature this bus on Friday?
I know you are asking. And yes, I did. But I was wearing a different hat. That was my Matchbox Ambassador hat. Now I am wearing my Lamley hat. (In case you are wondering, the Lamley hat is a little smaller, less gold, doesn't come with a sash.)
I put up the Ambassador post on the bus last Friday, and the next day the same bus arrived in the mail. Now, how did I get it? The same way everyone else can. And the only way to get it. On the secondary market. Translation: ebay
. Toy Fair models are not cheap, but they are very cool to have. With all that said, this bus is not mine. It is headed over the Atlantic shortly to take its place in the collection of one David Tilley, who will probably try to stack it with other Routemasters just for fun. I hope to have one in my collection soon, to join the other Routemasters I currently have, and will soon have, by way of the 60th Anniversary line. I am a big fan of this model, and I do like how Matchbox is using it purely as a collectible now.
With the amount of metal and parts this model has, I doubt we ever see it as a basic again. It is just too expensive to produce. I think that is why Mattel is producing a modern Double Decker that will be cheaper to produce and takes its place in the mainline. And that leaves this older casting free to roll around as a premium model, similar to the Drag Bus and Blown Delivery for Hot Wheels.
The other reason I am doing a second post on the Toy Fair Bus is mainly because I hadn't gotten my other buses out in awhile. So I did. I won't do a full post on all versions until I have the 60th models (and one other that should come some time next July) to show with them. It will be a fun post to do.
But they make a good background to the Toy Fair bus, and I hope you enjoy the photos.
Now go get your wallet and buy one
if you want one.Matchbox Routemaster Bus (2013 Toy Fair Exclusive):
A few of its counterparts:
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