Having read this thread with interest, and having queued for almost 2
hours on Thursday (unsuccessfully, I might add!), I can give the
following observations:-

(a) Yes, Mike Walton, the manager is VERY helpful, but constrained by
his "political masters" (his words, not mine),

(b) Mike Walton is very put upon, having a genuine wish to help real
enthusiasts but prevented from doing more by others (although not
expressly stated, including his staff);

(c) He does NOT read this group ("There's so much to do in the Shop, I
just don't have the time")

(d) A combination of T.F.L. (who disliked intensely the very concept of
commemorating the last RM) and EFE (who seem to have genuine capacity
problems) limited the TOTAL output of these 2 special RML models to
1000 of each;

(e) The official line is that the Shop "lacked the logistics" to either
stock more than 300 models per day or handle the sales in any other way
than have the idiotic queues that were seen on all 3 days;

(f) The Covent Garden authorities were less than pleased at the way
this was handled, since 300 or more people queuing around the gallery
of the lower-floor artistes' performing area harmed trade generally for
those 3 days;

(g) It was T.F.L. who forbade firstly a stall at Streatham Bus Garage
and then at Telford Road - ostensibly because of "health and safety"
but in reality because of the point made in (d) above.

And finally, to the utter consternation of one of those same (upstairs)
"unhelpful" staff, they had their biggest sale ever just ahead of me in
the Friday evening queue: a man demanding to buy a real Routemaster:
eventually they put him through to Ensignbus on the Shop telephone and
as I left he was giving his credit card details to secure the sale!

Marc.