SRman

Thanks.

The photos also help to remind me that I am slowly making progress. They also show me rather cruelly any bits that still need more work, or things that I have missed altogether!

Many thanks for the compliments, guys. I don't think Dapol have anything to worry about - mine doesn't even have spoked wheels!!!

I'm not well read on BMMO's buses but I think the black roof denoted a coach or dual-purpose vehicle, while buses were plain red.

The AEC 'Q' was quite an innvative vehicle with its side engine and London Transport took many of them to several different body designs, includng a small number of double deckers. BMMO were also innovators and designed and built several vehicle types of their own.

Thank you for the kind comment.

Thanks Gary. I find the designs fascinating too, particularly as these two are 27 years apart. London Transport always seemed to be way ahead of everyone else when it came to coherent, well thought out designs. That 5Q5 dates from 1935 while the BET body style dates from around 1957 or so, with the Southdown ones like this one not being built until 1962.

I am aware that they are not perfect but, in my defence, being on the 'wrong' side of the world makes it much more difficult to get hold of things like transfers, particularly at short notice. My building skills have improved over the years, as have my finishing skills but, as age starts to take its toll on my eyes, my standards are dropping a little more nowadays.

I have now given the primed coaches a coat of Southdown light green, together with dark green wheels and skirts (the latter on the Duple Commander only).

I have also given the 2HAL two coats of green although the colour is still a little thin. I had Haymes paints in Nunawading (the next suburb over to our Northeast) try to match the green Bachmann used on their CEP and EPB units. Although we didn't quite get an exact match, it is very close - it may need a tincture of yellow or ochre added to finalise the shade. Incidentally, I have found the BR(S) green is a very close match to Southdown's darker green too.

I haven't yet taken more photos of the models but will do so shortly.

EDIT: more pics taken and will be added to the main entry.