56 replies to this topic

[Harry P.]

This is a 1/24 scale model of a 1910 Type B bus built and operated by the London General Omnibus Company (LGOC). It had a capacity of 34 passengers (16 inside and 18 on the upper deck) and is considered to be the world's first mass-produced bus. It was built on a wooden(!) frame, had steel wheels, solid rubber tires (I mean "tyres"...   ), and had a top speed of about 15-16 mph, which was actually faster than the speed limit at the time in London (12 mph).

 

The kit is made by Occre (a Spanish company) and is a true multi-media kit. It's curbside, and like the real bus, the frame is wood, as is the main body (made up of many laser-cut pieces). The hood (I mean "bonnet"), fenders ("wings"), wheels, axles, springs, and various small detail parts like the handbrake lever, the steering wheel, the spring shackles, headlights, etc. are cast white metal. The kit also supplies brass rod to for the handrails, a photoetched sheet of aluminum parts (the skirts on the rear staircase, the staircase signboards, and various small hinges and detail parts). Also included is a sheet of thin Lexan that you cut out the windows from. All of the graphics are printed on an 8 1/2x11 sheet of paper and have no adhesive. It's up to the builder to figure out how to attach them. I find that painting the surface that they're going to be applied to with Future and then placing the cut out marking onto the wet Future is the perfect way to apply the markings.

 

I built the kit mostly OOB but added several small scratchbuilt details per my reference photos. The biggest change I made was to scratchbuild a new front axle, spindles, tie rod, pittman arm, etc. in order to have poseable steering. All paint is acrylic craft paint with Future clearcoating (except the fenders, the various control levers, the pedals, steering wheel and headlamps, which are Model Master semigloss black). Bare wood like the seats and floor boards are stained with Minwax stain. Slight weathering via black wash was applied overall.

 

Here is a photo of one of the real ones (restored).

 

 

And here is my model:

 

 

[Harry P.]

The driver's station was open to the elements... that had to be fun on cold winter days!

 

 

 

Access to the upper deck was via the rear stairway:

 

 

The people in the lower part sat on long wooden benches...

 

 

 

While the riders "upstairs" had individual two-passenger benches:

 

 

I added a scratchbuilt sun visor for the driver. The headlight "lenses" are clear 5-minute epoxy...

 

 

Comments, questions and critiques are welcome!

[Ace-Garageguy]

Wow Harry, that's really a beauty. I love seeing highly detailed, unusual and finely crafted models like this. You are an artist indeed.

[uncle potts]

Nicely done, Harry. I love these old buses. I've always wanted to build a 1/25 scale model of one, but they're hard to find, and expensive. Someday....maybe.

[Harry P.]

Nicely done, Harry. I love these old buses. I've always wanted to build a 1/25 scale model of one, but they're hard to find, and expensive. Someday....maybe.

 

This is an expensive kit... $400 MSRP. But I got it for a lot less, it was on sale for $220. Still not exactly cheap... but better than $400!

[Tom Geiger]

That's truly amazing!  Great model and in our favorite scale too.  Best I've seen is the old AIrfix 1/32 scale kit. I had it as a kid and never got it together. I have an unbuilt one today that someday I'll take a shot at!

 

[pharoah]

Wow,what a great build! You do nice work!

 

It looks like it was pretty crude transportation to us,but that was probably a nice way to get around back then.

Thanks for posting.

[Danno]

YOU BUILD??

 

 

 

Seriously .... great looking bus!!

 

 

[Edsel-Dan]

Like this.

I too have the Old Airfix kit. I built it new back in the early 70's.

Need to restore it.

Wish that 1/24 scale kit was a Lot cheaper!!

[wagoneer]

Wow Harry, great build. That's a very comprehensive sounding kit and worth every cent you paid I think. Was it a difficult build? All those little details make a great model. I used to work at the last stop of that bus, it would have been brilliant to see one coming over the bridge, especially as the local brewery was still using a horse and dray to deliver beer to the pubs in that area!

 

We've come a long way in 100 years with bus design, here's it's 2012 equivalent:

 

 

I walked around one of these at a bus show a few months ago, truly amazing design.

 

Wag

[ChrisR]

Great model, Harry. Something else for my wish list.

[GeeBee]

Absolutely stunning model, that's one build to be proud of .. I wish there were more bus models out there

[Jim B]

Fantastic looking bus.

[Harry P.]

Wow Harry, great build. That's a very comprehensive sounding kit and worth every cent you paid I think. Was it a difficult build? 

 

Yes, sort of. The basic construction of the body is straightforward enough, but it gets a little tricky when you have to start adding the details. For example, the builder has to form the rear stairway skirts (and signboards) out of flat aluminum parts, and you have to get the curves exactly right to fit tightly against the sides of the steps with go gaps. Also, the builder has to bend all the brass rod to form the handrails, and it's a little tricky to get that rear stairway handrail curved exactly right, because it has to be bent in the correct curvature in two dimensions... the curve as the rail goes up the stairs, and also the curve that follows the curve of the stairway as it curls to the top. It took me a little while to finally get it right. The rear stairs was definitely the hardest part of the whole job, the rest wasn't too bad. Another challenge is getting the curve of the roof. The roof is obviously a flat piece of wood (it's actually very thin plywood!). I had to soak the wood overnight and then clamp it into the correct curvature while the wood dried, so it would hold it's curved shape. Again, getting that curve exactly right was a little tricky. All the rest of the laser-cut wooden parts fit very well and precisely, there's not much trimming or sanding needed before a part fits into place.

[Brizio]

Very nice!

[Terror]

Do you have any engine pictures??Nice looking model,looks real.

[Harry P.]

Do you have any engine pictures??Nice looking model,looks real.

 

It's a curbside, there is no engine.

[cobraman]

Man that is nice ! I always love to see something different and that is different. Very nice job.

[Austin T]

Very cool,I can almost guarentee that you will not see another one of these at a contest or show.Great work. 

[plowboy]

Is that light blue overspray on the windows and tires? BTW,this is the Pickups, Vans, SUVs & Light Commercial section of the forum, not the bus section.