What typed of bus ran in Essex late 50's early 60's

[cravensdmufan]

3 minutes ago, Gwiwer said:

  A nicely modelled scene with the MW and RELL appropriately completing the picture.  

Thanks.  It's a "modellers licence" diorama of the southern end of Brentwood High Street, junction of Kings Road! 

 

I have yet to add traffic lights and road markings plus few more details.

 

As it's summertime, the FLF should of course be appropriately weathered with brown stains all over the bonnet - and if I could I'd have steam coming out of it as well!  I well remember them overheating on arrival at Brentwood after the long slog from Wood Green, the final pull up Brook Street Hill being a bit too much for them!  Needless to say the Green Line 721 RCL's sailed up no problem!  Far superior vehicles in every way.  But I still loved the Eastern Nationals!    

[Johann Marsbar]

14 minutes ago, crompton 33 said:

I don't think any body wants the last one on your list

 

You can have one if you like.......

 

[giz]

Plenty of photos of Essex buses pre 1970 on this site:

 

http://www.sct61.org.uk/

 

There is an Eastern National section plus you can search for the operators mentioned previously.

[gobbler]

To the uninitiated (me) im getting a tad confused....

Im pretty sure i want to scratch build one of these....

 

The driver's windscreen looks very similar,  but one has a rounded roof and wing on the bonnet, another has a more complex roof with the wings and the other has the complex roof line, but the wings have disappeared.  Ive put in the browser "eastern national bristol mw bus" and these three differnt types have come up.  I would like to model the "Clacton route 121" and possibly the "Wells route 157" style bus.

 

I've started a preliminary drawing, but depending on picture I'm looking at,  the side windows change.   There  doesn't seem to be many good side on pictures....

 

Again.....if some one could clarify or may be have pictures of the front, back and both sides, that would be fantastic. 

 

Cherre

 

Scott

[gobbler]

1 hour ago, cravensdmufan said:

You're right, they were RCL's.  The ones with the extra small windows in the middle.

 

I have a lovely model of the exact type of one I used to travel every day between Romford and Brentwood.  One of my most prized models actually.

 

 

Cravens.....

 

That bus behind the blue minor estate......i dont suppose you could take pictures of all for sides for me could you?

 

That would be a great help.....

 

Scott

[Orion]

Gobbler, in your last post -They are not all the same vehicle design. The first is a Bristol LS, the other two are Bristol MWs

Edited March 26, 2020 by Orion
missed a bit

[gobbler]

1 minute ago, Orion said:

They are not all the same vehicle design. The first is a Bristol LS, the other two are Bristol MWs

So would you say the drawing of the front is the LS then?

Thanks

[Orion]

Just now, gobbler said:

So would you say the drawing of the front is the LS then?

Thanks

Yes - more likely for your period than an MW

[Orion]

Photos here

 

 

 

This gives a complete list and photos

 

http://www.bristolsu.co.uk/ls/operatorhistory/easternnational.htm

[cravensdmufan]

18 minutes ago, gobbler said:

Cravens.....

 

That bus behind the blue minor estate......i dont suppose you could take pictures of all for sides for me could you?

 

That would be a great help.....

 

Scott

Will do Scott, no problem. Will be about an hour - dinner first!

[cravensdmufan]

37 minutes ago, gobbler said:

Cravens.....

 

That bus behind the blue minor estate......i dont suppose you could take pictures of all for sides for me could you?

 

That would be a great help.....

 

Scott

Here you go....

 

More to follow.....

[cravensdmufan]

46 minutes ago, gobbler said:

Cravens.....

 

That bus behind the blue minor estate......i dont suppose you could take pictures of all for sides for me could you?

 

That would be a great help.....

 

Scott

More to follow

[bike2steam]

I grew up in the Ongar area of Essex in the 50's/and 60's. When I visited paternal relatives, and friends in the Chelmsford and Maldon areas it was mostly by bus, Eastern National services 31 and 32, always Bristol Low-Deckers, remember it well. 

[cravensdmufan]

I forgot the roof.....

 

The cruelty of the digital lens has revealed paint fade and discolouration on the model.  Not that visible to the naked eye, but lesson learned - keep models away from window.  Would hate that to happen to my prized RCL!

Edited March 26, 2020 by cravensdmufan
Spelling

[PhilJ W]

I certainly remember the RCL's, I lived within yards of the Green Line garage in London Road Romford, in fact my house was in the shadow of the signal box at Romford. In the early 70's I was courting a young lady who lived in Pilgrim's Hatch just beyond the Brentwood terminus of the 721. I did on occasion use the service but I had my Ford 100E Popular 760 BUC. Often going home I followed the last 721 running out of service back to the garage, going down Brook Street Hill it left me standing. The RCL's were the only Routemasters in LT service fitted with the larger AV690 engine. The only other Routemasters with that engine from new were the BEA ones.

[cravensdmufan]

Used to play school cricket on the fields opposite the London Road Garage.  I had more interest in buses than sport.

 

In fact I used to bunk off school football and hop on the 251 and go down to Southend for the spin.  Filled the afternoon nicely.  My parents never did find out (I think!).  But the teacher must've known I was missing most weeks - and never told anyone. Can't begin to imagine that happening nowadays....

[gobbler]

 

Craven, thanks for the photos.

 

I've edited my drawing to this......

 

Could i impose just one more and ask for a shot of the roof?

Thanks in advance

 

Scott

[gobbler]

You must have posted that whilst i was replying.

 

Thanks

 

Scott

Edited March 26, 2020 by gobbler
Typo

[cravensdmufan]

13 minutes ago, PhilJ W said:

I certainly remember the RCL's, I lived within yards of the Green Line garage in London Road Romford, in fact my house was in the shadow of the signal box at Romford. In the early 70's I was courting a young lady who lived in Pilgrim's Hatch just beyond the Brentwood terminus of the 721. I did on occasion use the service but I had my Ford 100E Popular 760 BUC. Often going home I followed the last 721 running out of service back to the garage, going down Brook Street Hill it left me standing. The RCL's were the only Routemasters in LT service fitted with the larger AV690 engine. The only other Routemasters with that engine from new were the BEA ones.

Yes those RCL engines had a lovely sound.  I think they were 6 litre AEC (what would Greta say?)

 

There is an RCL preserved - I wonder if it has that lovely original engine.

 

I know most RMs were re-engine with Leylands in latter years.  Always sounded rough to my ear.  Give me an AEC any day.  But I think AEC finished.

[Clive Mortimore]

2 hours ago, cravensdmufan said:

Thanks.  It's a "modellers licence" diorama of the southern end of Brentwood High Street, junction of Kings Road! 

 

I have yet to add traffic lights and road markings plus few more details.

 

As it's summertime, the FLF should of course be appropriately weathered with brown stains all over the bonnet - and if I could I'd have steam coming out of it as well!  I well remember them overheating on arrival at Brentwood after the long slog from Wood Green, the final pull up Brook Street Hill being a bit too much for them!  Needless to say the Green Line 721 RCL's sailed up no problem!  Far superior vehicles in every way.  But I still loved the Eastern Nationals!    

Wouldn't Wilson's Corner be a good place to model.....after all the model buses and cars are static , just like the real traffic at Wilson's Corner.

[cravensdmufan]

1 minute ago, Clive Mortimore said:

Wouldn't Wilson's Corner be a good place to model.....after all the model buses and cars are static , just like the real traffic at Wilson's Corner.

Traffic lights there in my time in the late 60s/early 70's.

 

The traffic light hold ups were beneficial if I just missed my connection for the 252. 

 

Could leg it round the corner and still catch it at the stop in Ingrave Road (outside that toy shop, can't remember the name!).

[PhilJ W]

9 minutes ago, cravensdmufan said:

Yes those RCL engines had a lovely sound.  I think they were 6 litre AEC (what would Greta say?)

 

There is an RCL preserved - I wonder if it has that lovely original engine.

 

I know most RMs were re-engine with Leylands in latter years.  Always sounded rough to my ear.  Give me an AEC any day.  But I think AEC finished.

The number on AEC engines is the capacity in cubic inches 100 cubic inches = approx 1.65 litres so the AV690 would have been 11.3 litres. AEC were taken over by Leyland in 1963 who then proceeded to dismantle the company closing it completely in 1979. Afterwards Leyland developed their own engines resulting in the L11 and TL11 neither engine was popular so they were replaced by th L12 and TL12 which were developed from the AEC engines.

[cravensdmufan]

3 minutes ago, PhilJ W said:

The number on AEC engines is the capacity in cubic inches 100 cubic inches = approx 1.65 litres so the AV690 would have been 11.3 litres. AEC were taken over by Leyland in 1963 who then proceeded to dismantle the company closing it completely in 1979. Afterwards Leyland developed their own engines resulting in the L11 and TL11 neither engine was popular so they were replaced by th L12 and TL12 which were developed from the AEC engines.

Thanks for that information - 11.3 litre engines! That's amazing!

 

No wonder they romped along.

 

I'm enjoying this thread - apologies to OP gobber, we have moved slightly on from the early 60's and into the early 70's.  But at least  we're still in Essex!

[gobbler]

2 hours ago, cravensdmufan said:

Thanks for that information - 11.3 litre engines! That's amazing!

 

No wonder they romped along.

 

I'm enjoying this thread - apologies to OP gobber, we have moved slightly on from the early 60's and into the early 70's.  But at least  we're still in Essex!

No worries cravens

 

Considering this thread is roughly 10 hrs old, I'm surprised and overwhelmed with the interest and help you guys have contributed.

 

Thanks everyone.

 

 

Once these wagons are finished, the bus will be my next project, i hope i can do it some justice.  Not sure whether to keep it on this thread or start a new one i  kit building and scratch  building.

 

What do you think?

Edited March 26, 2020 by gobbler

[Gwiwer]

2 hours ago, cravensdmufan said:

Thanks for that information - 11.3 litre engines! That's amazing!

 

No wonder they romped along.

 

I'm enjoying this thread - apologies to OP gobber, we have moved slightly on from the early 60's and into the early 70's.  But at least  we're still in Essex!

 

The RCLs were fitted with an 11.3 litre engine to travel at better speed (though at the slight cost of slower acceleration) than your average bus.  They were after all designed and for af ew years operated as coaches.  And yes they moved.  

 

Several are preserved and a few more remain operational with numerous operators.  Most are no longer in original condition as LT removed the luggage racks and platform doors when they bought them in the 80s.  Not all have had those modifications undone.