Bus Shite

[Volksy]

I made that Revel Routemaster, It is a big old complex kit. Took me about two weeks to make all the seats, which are individually painted (legs, seatbase, seatback and armrests), constructed and the moquette pattern applied by waterslide transfers. 

Sadly it got mullered in a housemove and I didn't have the heart or energy to repair it or start another one. 🤣

 

[Yoss]

  On 29/10/2024 at 12:25, Tenmil Socket said:

Is anyone into building plastic model kits of buses? I would like to build a 1980's double decker over winter if such a thing exits? I'm talking the AirFix type of kit... after a brief Googling they seem to be metal kits or miniatures for railways diorama.

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No idea how good any of these are, just from a couple pages of 'plastic model buses'. I had to add the word plastic to weedle out all the white metal kits. 

I like the look of that LT Olympian. 

[SunnySouth]

  On 29/10/2024 at 16:45, Yoss said:

No idea how good any of these are, just from a couple pages of 'plastic model buses'. I had to add the word plastic to weedle out all the white metal kits. 

I like the look of that LT Olympian. 

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The Olly isn’t a bad kit, it‘s a shite sight better than Corgi’s attempt a few years later! Easy to build and cheap to buy, but the OP did say he was after something a bit bigger. Sadly though it’s all 1:76 / OO gauge as it matches the railway stuff, there’s not much else out there really certainly for UK stuff.

[jon.k]

I bought a couple of tower models kits years ago. One was a national and I can't remember the other one. I got my uncle to help me because he's a lifelong obsessive modeller but I seem to remember that was not at all impressed with the quality of them. I'm not sure that we attempted to make the second one. Maybe I was just unlucky. 

Thinking about it, guy at the model show who I bought them from almost laughed when I picked them out and practically laughed at me!

[SunnySouth]

  On 30/10/2024 at 07:18, jon.k said:

I bought a couple of tower models kits years ago. One was a national and I can't remember the other one. I got my uncle to help me because he's a lifelong obsessive modeller but I seem to remember that was not at all impressed with the quality of them. I'm not sure that we attempted to make the second one. Maybe I was just unlucky. 

Thinking about it, guy at the model show who I bought them from almost laughed when I picked them out and practically laughed at me!

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The Tower National kit is, by any reasonable assessment, crap. An EFE die cast is much better, far less aggro and can mostly be had for peanuts from ebay etc. As above though the Olympian is, IMHO, quite a decent attempt!

[quicksilver]

  On 31/10/2024 at 06:16, SunnySouth said:

The Tower National kit is, by any reasonable assessment, crap. An EFE die cast is much better, far less aggro and can mostly be had for peanuts from ebay etc. As above though the Olympian is, IMHO, quite a decent attempt!

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I still rate the Tower Olympian as the best model of the type and being plastic it's easy to modify. The glazing and wheels are a bit naff but easily replaced and I've seen some really stunning examples built by talented modellers. It was reissued by Peco a few years ago so still pretty easy to find too.

How about a tri-axle motorway coach version as an example of the things that can be done with them?

[busmansholiday]

  On 29/10/2024 at 16:27, Yoss said:

I've got one of those in the loft still unbuilt. I certainly never paid anything like that for it though, but then I have had it over ten years. I'm sure I'll get round to it one day. Though I'd want an RM not an RML but I'm not sure my skills are up to that. I know it's just cutting the small window bay out but it would have to be very precise if it's not going to look shit. 

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Well fuck me sideways (as we say up north), I've had one 12 years and haven't yet got around to building it, BUT, until now I hadn't realised it was an RML !. I thought it was an RM and I was going to build it as per my avatar, one of the Sri Lankan ones.  Oh well, there's a chain saw in the garage.

 

[Yoss]

  On 31/10/2024 at 16:23, busmansholiday said:

Well fuck me sideways (as we say up north), I've had one 12 years and haven't yet got around to building it, BUT, until now I hadn't realised it was an RML !. I thought it was an RM and I was going to build it as per my avatar, one of the Sri Lankan ones.  Oh well, there's a chain saw in the garage.

 

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If you're going for the Sri Lankan look it probably won't matter if you can see the join! 

[busmansholiday]

  On 31/10/2024 at 16:58, Yoss said:

If you're going for the Sri Lankan look it probably won't matter if you can see the join! 

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I've loads of pics of them over the years I went there (from 1999 until 2016 and a Buses Extra and Routemaster Owners Article I wrote as well) so disguising the joint isn't going to be difficult. Do I paint it yellow, blue, red, green, maroon or just have bits dangling off it (plus the obligatory dented roof)?

[Yoss]

  On 31/10/2024 at 17:19, busmansholiday said:

I've loads of pics of them over the years I went there (from 1999 until 2016 and a Buses Extra and Routemaster Owners Article I wrote as well) so disguising the joint isn't going to be difficult. Do I paint it yellow, blue, red, green, maroon or just have bits dangling off it (plus the obligatory dented roof)?

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The battered roof dome was the first thing I thought about. Obviously you could heat it and hit it with things but that might take a but of practice. 

[High Jetter]

To return to full size bus shite, Wolverhampton:

[Inspector Morose]

  On 31/10/2024 at 18:21, High Jetter said:

To return to full size bus shite, Wolverhampton:

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Wolverhampton had the largest trolleybus system in the world at one point in the 30s. That one was a Sunbeam W of 1946 that had been rebodied in 1959 with Roe teak framed bodywork. Lovely things and I've had the pleasure of piloting the last survivor (DUK833) for many a mile around the Black Country Museum.

Oh, and the brakes were pressure hydraulically (instead of a vacuum servo) assisted hydraulic. Try getting your head around that.

[Metal Guru]

  On 26/10/2024 at 19:13, Yoss said:

That's a Go Ahead company wide promotion. 

Salisbury Reds have one. 

As do Morebus 

 

It's not the same livery but London General have a couple too. 

 

The aim is apparently to have 50% women drivers by some point in the future. That's vague I know but I can't remember the actual date. 

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If I was a woman, I’d feel incredibly insulted if a bus company used pink buses to try to attract me to becoming a bus driver. FFS were talking about adults given the responsibility for the safety of 80 passengers not five year olds choosing a party dress.

[High Jetter]

  On 31/10/2024 at 20:00, Inspector Morose said:

Wolverhampton had the largest trolleybus system in the world at one point in the 30s. That one was a Sunbeam W of 1946 that had been rebodied in 1959 with Roe teak framed bodywork. Lovely things and I've had the pleasure of piloting the last survivor (DUK833) for many a mile around the Black Country Museum.

Oh, and the brakes were pressure hydraulically (instead of a vacuum servo) assisted hydraulic. Try getting your head around that.

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Interesting, thanks. Wife comes from there, pic from her brother who is doing some research. Not been to the BCM yet, shamefully.

[martc]

A Mercedes Benz O 321H in Argentina. Nice looking thing.

[martc]

A busy day on Market Jew St, Penzance, 1967.

[martc]

It's 1936 and a Night Service STL bus is on its way to Willesden Garage after completing it's rota on route 291. The driver will be looking forward to a wee nip of Martell after driving with the cab door open.

[martc]

Gerr out ov the way. I think we're in Australia (or South Africa?).

[martc]

It's 22/12/1963 and we see a Van Hool bodied Brossel A96 on  Augustinusstraat,  Brussels. Here's another one -

[martc]

Here's a lovely thing - a Saurer L4C.

[busmansholiday]

  On 01/11/2024 at 11:49, martc said:

Gerr out ov the way. I think we're in Australia (or South Africa?).

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Looks an Aussie OPD2 by the position of those headlights.

[busmansholiday]

  On 01/11/2024 at 11:57, martc said:

Here's a lovely thing - a Saurer L4C.

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Right hand drive so the driver can get as close as possible to the edge of the mountain roards.

[busmansholiday]

  On 01/11/2024 at 11:48, martc said:

It's 1936 and a Night Service STL bus is on its way to Willesden Garage after completing it's rota on route 291. The driver will be looking forward to a wee nip of Martell after driving with the cab door open.

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I don't think the STLs were ever fitted with cab doors, certainly not before the war.

[Yoss]

  On 01/11/2024 at 11:48, martc said:

It's 1936 and a Night Service STL bus is on its way to Willesden Garage after completing it's rota on route 291. The driver will be looking forward to a wee nip of Martell after driving with the cab door open.

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  On 01/11/2024 at 13:27, busmansholiday said:

I don't think the STLs were ever fitted with cab doors, certainly not before the war.

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And headlights not compulsory in a built up area? 

[busmansholiday]

  On 01/11/2024 at 13:32, Yoss said:

 

And headlights not compulsory in a built up area? 

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Headlights are still not compulsory in areas with street lighting and speed limits of 30MPH or less. Back then PSVs were allowed to drive around with only the N/S headlight on after dark if the driver chose.

[Yoss]

Except of course if you tried it now everyone would be flashing you until you put them on. I have a photo in one of my Triumph brochures where everybody is on sidelights only at night. 

I've seen photos of buses, RTs mainly, with only one headlight but I don't think it was doable with an RM, certainly not by the time I got to them. There is only one headlight switch. 

[artdjones]

  On 01/11/2024 at 11:49, martc said:

Gerr out ov the way. I think we're in Australia (or South Africa?).

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I think Australia is right.

Those outboard headlights are typical Aussie.

[Inspector Morose]

  On 01/11/2024 at 11:55, martc said:

It's 22/12/1963 and we see a Van Hool bodied Brossel A96 on  Augustinusstraat,  Brussels. Here's another one -

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It's 2019 and I got a chance to see one in the Museum of Public Transport, Brussels.

[Joey spud]

I saw this survivor posted on a Facebook group recently. Now in preservation and originally a M+D bus theses Mercedes bread vans were everywhere in the Medway towns in the mid eighties.

Here it is in a later life plying it's trade around Tamworth.

No power steering but a clutch could be changed in 45 mins.

[MorrisItalSLX]

  On 01/11/2024 at 11:49, martc said:

Gerr out ov the way. I think we're in Australia (or South Africa?).

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Definitely in New South Wales, going off the number plates. The bus is of the type built for the state government for service in Sydney.