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N gauge bus fleets


acg5324
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Like many of us buses are another fascinating subject and many of us have custom made bus fleets ( or not ) for our layouts. Any n gauge modellers out there willing to show what their bus fleets are. I know Graham Hedges will have his fleet posted shortly but who else is out there?

 

This is my fleet for Kensington Olympia.....picture 1

From L to R Cars Workshop DMS with TPM conversion kit, BT Models dual door Atlantean converted into a Mk1 MCW Metrobus. 2 Farish Leyland Nationals converted to dual door, the far right one has open doors with passengers alighting and joining.

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This is the rest of fleet, various ODC RM's some resprayed and new blinds etc added. The RT is for driver training.

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Edited by acg5324
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Okay, here's a few odds and sods:

 

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(L to R)

RM is BHE white metal kit

Wright Eclipse Gemini is a cut and shut Cars Workshop HK three axle Explorer version

MCW Metrobus Mk2 is a P&D/TPM white metal kit

 

G.

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And a couple more:

 

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L - Cars Workshop Plaxton Pointer 2 as dual door Pointer Dart (SLD)

R - Cut down CW PP2 as short single door version in Go-Ahead London Central livery

 

G

 

 

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Once upon a time I started on producing a couple of Greater Manchester Transport Leyland Fleetlines but they never got finished - this is as far as I got and might be all that I have of them :

 

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G.

 

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Following the lead of Andy in converting a bus to a different type (Fleetline to Metrobus) I'm going to have a bash at similar, but a Fleetline to a Leyland Titan.

 

They are a pretty much cubiod type of bus but the distinctive feature of the Titans is the huge lower deck windows - they've far deeper than Atlanteans or Fleetlines and are the same height as the windscreen. Fortunately, the LT Titans are dual door types and have a similarly placed upper deck stair case.

 

However they have six similarly sized upper deck windows whereas the Fleetline model has five large and a significantly smaller rear end one. Also on the off/road side behind the drivers cab window is a small window, then the staircase panel followed by two large and one smaller escape door window at the rear while the Fleetline has one large, the stairway panel and then one more large followed by two smaller ones (the last being the emergency door window).

 

I don't think I'm going to be able to rearrange the windows and will have to accept them as they are, but I certainly would like to deepen the height of them to reflect the real Titan feature. That will mean the existing glazing will not re-fit and I'll have to simply glaze from behind which will mean they won't be flush - but it'll be a compromise that I'll have to see if I can accept.

 

G

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I'm a keen bus modeller myself albeit in 4mm scale. Your Atlantean to Mk1 Metrobus conversion is superb. I don't think I could achieve such excellent results in 2mm. You must have younger eyes than me!

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I've made a start on the bus conversion; enlarging the lower deck windows and removing many of the raised panel lines - the Titans certainly look very smooth skinned comparatively. There's a lot of good photos in an article in Autumn 2017 Bachmann Times collectors club magazine. I've also give it a light dusting of white primer which helps show up where some tidying up and further filing is required:

 

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G.

 

 

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It will be interesting to see whether the N_Train Titan works out. I have not yet seen a photo of one to judge the quality of the 3d print. Surprised there is not a product photo on the shop page.http://n-train.net/epages/deba4b2c-2faa-4fd7-967f-c57d7bf70bd2.sf/en_GB/?ObjectPath=/Shops/deba4b2c-2faa-4fd7-967f-c57d7bf70bd2/Products/Bus006

Yep, it would be. Problem is that Bob produces his 3D prints in that textured white stuff that is as rough and tough as 50 year old artex.

 

I also understand that he's not been well recently and missed DEMU showcase. I hope he's back and better soon, and no doubt we'll get to see him and his latest products at TINGS.

 

G

Edited by grahame
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The Titanis quite a bit different to the old Fleetline/Atlantean type body having more or less equal sized windows front and rear to the four bay centre. Also the angle in starts at the base of the upper deck window area rather than above the lower deck.and the roof corners are noticably more rounded. Overall shape is very like the later Olympian in many repsects, but for those deep lower deck windows. It's a shame no-one does an Olympian though. Well, except for three axle Hong Kong ones with Alexander bodies.

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There's probably not a lot I can do about evening out and correcting the window spacing without major surgery and reconstruction. However, I have reduced the size of the window behind the drivers roadside cab window and more rounded the roof top leading edges. Plus I've started with constructing the rear engine compartment section which is fairly distinctive of the Titans with the offset indented rear window.

 

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At the end of the day if it turns out to be an unacceptable mess and horror show I'll chalk it down to experience and chuck it away ;-)

 

G.

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Slow progress, I'm afraid. I keep getting distracted by the football - two cracking games yesterday and another two today. But I've added a few details to the body (they're difficult to see in the pic below) and fabricated the rear lower panel. It's not glued in place as I need to check the fit of the interior seating and upper deck glazing first and I've got to find them first.

 

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G.

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I've applied some representative details from plasticard on the front - hoping that when the details are picked out in appropriate colours it pulls together and looks right - and given the body a coat of red. I find that Ford Radiant red (car aerosol from Halfords) is pretty much spot on with being a match for LT red, especially on small models. And in this heat it's surprising just how fast aerosol applied paint dries:

 

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G.

 

 

 

 

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Started to get some of the details painted and decals added. It's got the stage where it is time to stop and consider - does it make the grade and look like a Titan? Or do I wait and check out the N-Train version? No doubt that a little more painting and fettling will improve it, but will the effort worthwhile?

 

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G.

 

 

 

 

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As you've got that far and it does in many respects look like a Titan at least at first glance, I'd be tempted to finish it off and pose it in such a way that you can't see the back 1/3rd (perhaps behind another bus!). I looked at the old Cars Workshops range and the only one with half a chance of accurate conversion was the 11m Metrobus; basically loose a window bay and enlarge the narrow front door to normalise it, then the rest of the conversion more or less as you've done. Of course, if someone (Oxford Diecast or B-T Models) were to introduce a Leyland/Volvo/ECW Olympian, probably the most common decker of the pre-low floor design, that would make a very good starting point for the rarer (except in London!) Titan.

Edited by BernardTPM
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It could 'hide' rather effectively under the London Bridge station forecourt canopy. 

 

I can't see ODC or B-T producing anything suitable at anytime soon - it's not ancient or oddball enough for ODC and not 50/60s for B-T. A more likely scenario for a better Leyland Titan would be a 3D printed one. If Bob's effort if any good perhaps he could be persuaded to have it printed in a smoother FUD or extra fine material rather than the rough white stuff he uses. If he's at TINGS I'll take a look at his version.

 

The other London bus that would be good for me would be an AEC Swift/Merlin.

 

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G.

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I think the Titan looks like a Titan at first glance which is what most people will do. Good idea parking it in the LBG bus station.

 

I just use Humbrol red in an acrylic aerosol for my LT buses.

Edited by acg5324
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