Exotic Packaging: London Bus Kit Kat

This is Kit Kat's version of a London bus.

Kit Kat is a chocolate covered wafer bar currently produced by Nestlé.

In this tin there were several normal Kit Kats and also some chunky Kit Kats.

This bus was produced in 2015 but some of the passengers look a little bit out of date. Surely Londoners (or indeed other residents of the UK) don't wear hats like that? Not since the 1950s.

The kit kat name goes back the 18th century when it meant a mutton pie served at the Kit-Cat Club.
A bit different from a chocolate wafer.
The pies were named for the pie-house keeper Christopher (Kit) Catt.
Hence Kit-Cat or various other spellings. 

The Kit-Cat Club had strong political, Whig (later Liberal), and literary associations.

The Kit-Cat Club also gave its name to a style of portrait: less than half length but including the hands. 

Sir Godfrey Kneller (a member of the club) was commissioned to paint members of the club in this style. 

He painted 48 portraits.

A proper Routemaster bus has an id number above the front wheel. And here Nestlé have inserted N35TL3.
Which reads as Nestlé if you want. A nice and carefully considered detail.

Exotic Packaging: London Bus Harrods

You really cannot beat a London bus if you want an interesting design for your packaging.

This tin bus came from Harrods and once upon a time contained toffees.

The number 14 bus does actually stop outside Harrods although I don't suppose it is usually driven by a teddy bear in a green Harrods uniform. All the passengers are dressed in green Harrods uniform too.

Of course, this bus is a Routemaster. Sadly this wonderful London bus was withdrawn in 2005 after nearly 50 years. The Chef remembers seeing the first prototypes. Very exciting and "so modern" he says. The Routemaster came into service in 1956.

Health & safety issues probably contributed to the withdrawal of the Routemaster. I saw a woman fall flat on her face in the gutter after she leapt off when the bus was going around a corner. Not the fault of the bus! But there was of course a problem with wheelchair access. In addition, the engine was outmoded and expensive to run. Surely that at least could have been dealt with?

There is a "heritage route" still operated by London Transport and you can hire them for private events.

I can't comment on the toffees once stored in this tin because they were all eaten so long ago.