Anyone on here do model buses to1:76 scale ?

[Wyrleybart]

Hi all.
I have fullfilled a desire for quite a number of years - to acquire a model of a Bristol SC4 - the likes of which I occasionally went to school on in around 1973 and 1974. Crosville used these on the Aberllefenni - Tywyn school bus during peak summer where the rest of the year we had a Bristol coach.

My dad had an Anbrico kit but I never found it amongst all his stuff after he had died. Therefore, when I spotted one on the well known auction site I went a bit rash on the bidding !! The model I have purchased is currently in a red and cream livery so will be repainted into Crosville green with appropriate labelling, but the most eyecatching part of a Crosville SC4 was the bright aluminium cab window frames which contrast with the green paint. I cannot imagine an etched metal screen frame being commercially available so will probably have to try and learn how to drawn some very basic to get them etched. Does anyone else on hear model buses as well as railways ?


Anyonwe
Any

 

[GusB]

I haven't done modelling of any sort for almost 30 years now, although it's very much still on the "must get back to at some point" list. I remember Anbrico kits when they were around, but they were quite dear in pocket money terms, and I hadn't quite plucked up the courage to try a white metal kit. Anbrico were, for a time, the only manufacturer that seemed to do buses that I could relate to - Alexander Y-types etc., although there was another manufacturer who appeared around the late 80s (Pirate?) who produced some of the more modern stuff.

I did have a couple of Leyland Nationals that came from Tower kits and they weren't too bad to put together. I suppose they still must be in a box somewhere... (At this point I'd normally say that I'll go and have a look, but the house is chaotic enough as it is right now!).

Of course, the ready-to-run market is much better now than it used to be. I vaguely remember when EFE started out, but their range didn't cater to the "modern image" modeller.

 

[Wyrleybart]

Thanks "GusB". Yes, model buses seem like minefield once you start wandering away from the generic idea of a diecast shell printed with odd detail. I have accumulated some models for my model railway - mostly of West Midlands area buses and a few Crosville examples. Recently moving on from some of the generic offerings I have contemplated conversions but there is little choice really. One project I had briefly considered was chopping a full height ECW bodied Bristol VR by adding a Daimler bustle and a new flat screen front to make a Coventry fleetline in the KWK xx registration series. But then I realised a full height ECW VR is not produced in model form !!! Another major omission for modellers of my age and interests is the East Lancs bodied Fleetline / Atlantean. There were large numbers of these in some central and northern cities, but is there no market for such a model ? I have supported Rapido by buying four West Midlands fleetlines, in the hope that Jason of Rapido Inc considers further UK models to target.

 

[BRblue33]

I've done a few code 3's this was a full respray in to Maidstone and district livery . It's was a southdown ooc model.

 

[Cowley]

I've done a few code 3's this was a full respray in to Maidstone and district livery . It's was a southdown ooc model.
View attachment 106781

That’s a superb finish you’ve done on that. Looks great.

 

[BRblue33]

That’s a superb finish you’ve done on that. Looks great.

Thank's Cowley I think i have more buses then trains.

 

[Wyrleybart]

That really is nice "BB33".

As I mentioned at the start of the thread, there seems to be a chunk of late 1970s, and 1980s "missing". From what I have seen there has been a significant production of "open backers" probably spearheaded by the whitemetal and brass kits from Alan Brackenborough and Anbrico. There are seemingly dozens and dozens of 1940s and 1950s designs with some offered with alternate pieces of casting. The the commercial model bus scene seems to go dormant until the "Dart revolution.

One of my dalliances at the moment is a look at the Heath Hayes based Harper Bros fleet which passed to Midland Red in 1974. Not bothered about many of the older relics, but some of the vehicles which passed to Midland Red and received the red paint are appealing to me. As I mentioned, the high bridge ECW bodies are not really an option at the moment but there is a very useful piccie from the "Walsall 1955" Flickr site with a lineup of four Midland Red Daimler Fleetines, three of which were ex Harpers. I have "borrowed" the caption

The four types of Harper Brothers Fleetline 1977​

A 1977 photo taken at Heath Hayes of the four types of Daimler Fleetline operated / ordered by Harper Brothers:-

JBF405H - One of the first batch
BRE312J - one of the second batch
TRF948L - one of the third batch
JOX439P - one of the fourth batch, actually delivered new to Midland Red

In each case there were two buses per batch, the first two batches had Northern Counties bodywork, the last two ECW. The final batch were odd in that when delivered ECW bodies usually had curved windscreens, but these had flat windcsreens.

The first two have had Midland Red standard layout (pre Leyland National) blind displays fitted, the third one still has its original single blind (Harpers) layout whilst the fourth one has the Leyland National onwards Midland Red standard blind layout.

JBF405H,BRE312J,TRF948L,JOX439P-Early1977,1470​

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 13 Dec 2021 ==

That really is nice "BB33".

As I mentioned at the start of the thread, there seems to be a chunk of late 1970s, and 1980s "missing". From what I have seen there has been a significant production of "open backers" probably spearheaded by the whitemetal and brass kits from Alan Brackenborough and Anbrico. There are seemingly dozens and dozens of 1940s and 1950s designs with some offered with alternate pieces of casting. The the commercial model bus scene seems to go dormant until the "Dart revolution.

One of my dalliances at the moment is a look at the Heath Hayes based Harper Bros fleet which passed to Midland Red in 1974. Not bothered about many of the older relics, but some of the vehicles which passed to Midland Red and received the red paint are appealing to me. As I mentioned, the high bridge ECW bodies are not really an option at the moment but there is a very useful piccie from the "Walsall 1955" Flickr site with a lineup of four Midland Red Daimler Fleetines, three of which were ex Harpers. I have "borrowed" the caption

The four types of Harper Brothers Fleetline 1977​

A 1977 photo taken at Heath Hayes of the four types of Daimler Fleetline operated / ordered by Harper Brothers:-​

​

JBF405H - One of the first batch​

BRE312J - one of the second batch​

TRF948L - one of the third batch​

JOX439P - one of the fourth batch, actually delivered new to Midland Red​

​

In each case there were two buses per batch, the first two batches had Northern Counties bodywork, the last two ECW. The final batch were odd in that when delivered ECW bodies usually had curved windscreens, but these had flat windcsreens.​

​

The first two have had Midland Red standard layout (pre Leyland National) blind displays fitted, the third one still has its original single blind (Harpers) layout whilst the fourth one has the Leyland National onwards Midland Red standard blind layout.​

​

JBF405H,BRE312J,TRF948L,JOX439P-Early1977,1470​

 

[reddragon]

I've done a few code 3's this was a full respray in to Maidstone and district livery . It's was a southdown ooc model.
View attachment 106781

We all love Mud & Dirt buses! Now did you get the livery right? BKT803C or G

 

[BRblue33]

Yes it is the correct colour I used flash when i took the photo. The one i done has singel head lights as it's EX Davie's of Rye .With only 4 large windows not 5 . With NBC there is more then one shade of gteen.