EFE announce Cravens RT bus (plus updates)

[AY Mod]

Another craving satisfied by E.F.E.

 

At the London Bus Museum’s Spring Gathering, held at Brooklands, Surrey on Sunday 7th April 2019, Bachmann Europe announced a brand new 1/76 scale model of the Cravens RT bus for its Exclusive First Editions range.

 

 

In the early post-war years when coachbuilders Park Royal Vehicles and Weymann were at full capacity and unable to fully meet London Transport’s enormous requirements for new RT buses, tenders to supply were sent to other manufacturers. Saunders Engineering of Anglesey and Cravens Railway Carriage & Wagon Co. of Sheffield built 300 and 120 RTs respectively. Saunders RTs were similar to standard RTs in many respects and were interchangeable with the Park Royal and Weymann bodies on overhaul, but Cravens RTs were quite different. The 5-bay window design could not be mixed with standard bodies at overhaul, and although wellbuilt, all except one were sold when only seven years old. Cravens RTs were quickly bought by independent bus operators, glad to acquire youthful London-spec vehicles in excellent condition and gave long reliable service to their new owners in many parts of the UK.

 

Today two complete Cravens RTs are preserved in full running order, RT1431 and RT1499, both with Ensignbus.

 

To coincide with the announcement, Bachmann hired one of the preserved vehicles (RT1431) to attend the event and in doing so members of the Bachmann Collectors Club were offered the chance to ride on the bus to and from the event.

 

 

CAD work for the model is now at an advanced stage with tooling expected to commence shortly. Features include a new single-piece body, detailed interior with new seating and handrails, and a new chassis. Four models will be produced initially and these are expected to be available in late-2019/early-2020:

 

E40301 Cravens RT London Transport green & cream livery RRP £39.95

E40302 Cravens RT London Transport green livery RRP £39.95

E40303 Cravens RT London Transport red & cream livery RRP £39.95

E40304 Cravens RT London Transport red livery RRP £39.95

 

For the first time, members of the public are invited to join the design process by letting us know which routes, destinations and fleet numbers they would like to see applied to the initial models. Suggestions are invited by post: The Bus Works, Bachmann Europe Plc, 13 Moat Way, Barwell, Leicestershire, LE9 8EY or email: busworks@bachmann-europe.co.uk by 30th June 2019.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[John M Upton]

The Northern Counties Olympian looks good.  Baulking at the price a bit but that is because I come from an era when EFE were tops fifteen quid a pop which are the ones you can't give away for the cost of the postage now.

[Bernard Lamb]

I am surprised at the lack of posts regarding this announcement.

They were in use from time to time on local routes 301, 302 and 320.

Watford and Hemel (Adeyfield) to Tring and Aylesbury and also the local town service.

I did go to school on them on the odd occasion when they were on the 301 or 302 routes.

They seemed to be more common on the 353 route from Berko to Windsor and would always attract a small group of spotters from school when one was waiting by the station.

Bernard

 

[brushman47544]

2 hours ago, Bernard Lamb said:

I am surprised at the lack of posts regarding this announcement.

 

Certainly an interesting choice. I'm not aware of them running in my (Country) area south of the river and to be honest I've already got plenty of RT3s for any layout or even Bus Station diorama I might build. Yes they're something a bit different, which I hope means they sell, but they're not a bus I remember seeing which is what matters for me.

[75B]

5 hours ago, brushman47544 said:

 

Certainly an interesting choice. I'm not aware of them running in my (Country) area south of the river and to be honest I've already got plenty of RT3s for any layout or even Bus Station diorama I might build. Yes they're something a bit different, which I hope means they sell, but they're not a bus I remember seeing which is what matters for me.

The Cravens bodied RT’s were only allocated to the Central Area and the north Country area (Windsor and Watford).  Being a non-standard body for London Transport they were all sold bar one in 1956/1957.

If anybody is interested in the history of the London bus, then I would suggest looking at Ian’s Bus Stop as a starting point.

http://www.countrybus.org/index.htm

 

Keith

Edited April 12, 2019 by 75B
Spelling

[Les1952]

The Craven RT seems an odd choice, unless they plan to do a host of provincial liveries on them.

 

The prototypes were new in 1949 and most had gone by the back end of 1956, (only a handful surviving in store until 1957).  Birds of Stratford upon Avon bought them and spread them round the country.   Dundee Corporation had thirty to finish the trams off, keeping them until 1968-69, by which time most other operators had sent them for scrap- it was probably cheaper for a small operator to get a replacement ex-London RTL or RT to replace their Craven RT than to overhaul it by then.

 

However a good number of the Cravens RTs sold into the provinces lost their roof mounted route indicator boxes, which would be a different upper deck casting for EFE and one probably not worth doing.

 

There were a few provincial buses with very similar Cravens bodies, notably some with Central SMT on Guy chassis.

 

On the other hand if Rapido can do the Birmingham Standard (which though much more numerous was anything but standard and very limited geographically- and already produced r-t-r in Resin by Forward Models) one shouldn't be surprised at anything.

 

Les

 

[SRman]

7 hours ago, 75B said:

The Cravens bodied RT’s were only allocated to the Central Area and the north Country area (Windsor and Watford).  Being a non-standard body for London Transport they were all sold bar one in 1956/1957.

If anybody is interested in the history of the London bus, then I would suggest looking at Ian’s Bus Stop as a starting point.

http://www.countrybus.org/index.htm

 

Keith

What other operator would count a fleet of 120 buses as "non-standard"?

The Cravens bodies never reached the first overhaul cycle, so never got swapped onto other RT chassis (LT's overhaul system involved separating bodies from chassis and overhauling each separately, which meant that bodies got swapped around, with the chassis retaining the fleet number). It was reputed that the Cravens bodies were fully compatible with the standard chassis, but they didn't stay n service long enough for anyone to find out for sure.

I think that Les above has hit the nail on the head with his suggestion of many possible alternative liveries for the models, though (notwithstanding the roof box issue).

I have attached a photo of model RTs from different kits over the years. RT front ends seem notoriously difficult to get right: EFE haven't quite got it on their earlier models of "standard" RTs (standard in quotes because there are actually many minor variations), and the kits all needed work to get their front ends looking reasonable (I won't claim correctness). Left is the Tower Models plastic one, centre is an early Varney Transport Replicas white metal kit which also needed a lot of work on the roof to eliminate the "provincial" look, and right is a Little Bus Company resin Cravens RT, which needed some fettling and filling at the front to capture the upper deck 'frown'.

I will definitely be ordering at least one of the new EFE models, but await with interest viewing an actual model when it comes, before ordering more.

[paftrain]

Just received Bachmann’s new (2020) catalogue, which includes efe models, but no mention of the Cravens bodied RT - has it been dropped?

[Stueyboy43]

1 hour ago, paftrain said:

Just received Bachmann’s new (2020) catalogue, which includes efe models, but no mention of the Cravens bodied RT - has it been dropped?

 

Hi I have just spoken with Bachmann about this and have been assured they are continuing development of this model and will update the press as developments continue

[Gwiwer]

Bachmann has also stated that they will henceforth be issuing quarterly release bulletins closer to the time of actual release rather than a single announcement leading to extended wait times.  It is emerging that the February announcement may therefore be more of a catch-up than a foretaste but there will be more to follow through the year.  

 

The Cravens RT may well be formally announced a little later and closer to a release date.  

[paftrain]

On 22/01/2020 at 17:16, Gwiwer said:

Bachmann has also stated that they will henceforth be issuing quarterly release bulletins closer to the time of actual release rather than a single announcement leading to extended wait times.  It is emerging that the February announcement may therefore be more of a catch-up than a foretaste but there will be more to follow through the year.  

 

The Cravens RT may well be formally announced a little later and closer to a release date.  

Yet another Bachmann quarterly announcement and still no mention of the Cravens RT announced in April 2019. Have Bachmann given up on efe buses?

[andyman7]

Give it a while and then three will turn up at the same time

[Gwiwer]

52 minutes ago, andyman7 said:

Give it a while and then three will turn up at the same time

Probably.  One in red, one in red with cream uppers and one in wartime garb   

[wainwright1]

49 minutes ago, Gwiwer said:

Probably.  One in red, one in red with cream uppers and one in wartime garb   

They proposed four models the routes for which were going to be nominated by collectors. (It is a post war bus).

As I recall,  early red with cream window surrounds, green with cream window surrounds, plain red and plain green. I did have their launch leaflet, but don't know what I did with it.

A few more details I found, but no release date on https://www.timetunnelmodels.com/live/catalog/order-40304-cravens-london-transport-livery-p-64119.html

Ray

[wainwright1]

Found the leaflet.

The delivery date makes laughable reading.

 

[Coppercap]

I wonder, has the strong interest in die-cast buses waned?  Ten or more years ago EFE (Gilbow) were still issuing monthly release sheets with many new models, and very often new castings. EFE's highlight, though not buses but related due to being LT, was the tube stock (but a lost opportunity them not motorising them). It then started tailing off, with nothing completely new for a long time, then dates on new livery releases slipping, then no news, then the end of EFE...

There doesn't seem to be much at all now from anyone, not even new liveries on existing castings. 

[wainwright1]

It is all in the hands of Bachmann.

 

Ray

[paftrain]

Just now, wainwright1 said:

It is all in the hands of Bachmann.

 

Ray

Yes, but it would be nice to get a statement from them.

[wainwright1]

Very true.

 

I am surprised that they have not opted to produce a few new models of the many types that are available after they took over the assets of EFE, both buses and commercial vehicles. Then there is also the Scenics range of cars and commercials which they have done absolutely nothing with. There must be some potential there, if only for a trickle of new models to keep enthusiasts interested.

 

Ray

[brushman47544]

2 hours ago, Coppercap said:

I wonder, has the strong interest in die-cast buses waned?  Ten or more years ago EFE (Gilbow) were still issuing monthly release sheets with many new models, and very often new castings. EFE's highlight, though not buses but related due to being LT, was the tube stock (but a lost opportunity them not motorising them). It then started tailing off, with nothing completely new for a long time, then dates on new livery releases slipping, then no news, then the end of EFE...

There doesn't seem to be much at all now from anyone, not even new liveries on existing castings. 

 

Oxford seems to think it worthwhile releasing new buses and liveries on a regular basis. They've even what I would call produced "colourbus" liveries (Boulogne advert RM in yellow is in the latest lists) that a pre-Bachmann EFE never did.

[wainwright1]

Even Oxford have slowed down particularly on the bus front, not much due in the near future. Though they do have potential for more new liveries on existing castings/mouldings. So lets hope that they are just having a temporary breather.

 

Mind you, Corgi Original Omnibus (part of Hornby), has just about dried up, unless you want Boris Buses. It is interesting that a lot of their old tooling was used to produce models for Atlas Editions, although apparently to a lower painting specification.

 

Ray

[D9001]

Britbus Bristol LHs go for a mint on Ebay, wish someone would get the moulds and reissue them.

 

ditto BT’s intended Bristol MW In dual purpose cream and red which was never produced, more’s the pity 

 

how about an early Bristol RE/ECW from 63-66? 

 

 

 

 

[paftrain]

At last! I have just heard that the Bachmann Collector’s Club magazine includes an update, showing some castings and stating it is planned for release in 2021.

[wainwright1]

Three cheers !!!

 

Ray

[wainwright1]

Nearly four years on from the original announcement, still no sign of these new model buses.

Bachmann have a stand at the London Festival of Railway Modelling this next weekend, and hopefully they may at last have some information on the routes that have been chosen and when they might arrive.

Previous information has been given on the Atlanteans and Olympians, and work on upgrading the various Routemaster bodies adding the missing body strapping has been seen, but virtually nothing on the Cravens apart from bare castings.

 

Keeping my fingers crossed.

Ray