RThompson

Thought I would wake this topic up. As some of you know I've taken a break from RT models. Today as I'm sat in Crewe railway station on standby, I'm using my time to get on with drawing up the dump car. In fact having left he kit for so long has given me time to think about its design better. Progress so far after getting the part drawn drawing out.

I thought the finescale police actually existed under the official name of "rivet counters" End of the day, it's down to ones personal modelling how or what they model. A loco I'm building for myself, I chosen a loco from the batch that had no rivets on the tank as I couldn't be bothered to punch them out!

Thank you everyone. Merry Christmas

I love building plastic wagon kits. Its something thats fairly basic and needs the simpliest of tools. You can build them on a small tray in front of the tv or as i've done on a few occasions when i've been at work on standby, on a bus.

We are about Ian, which as I type this I have just turned 33. RT Models started back in December 2009 and has taken on 3 ranges in its time so far although I'm taking a break for the next month or so.

Did someone say wasp stripes on a industrial loco? Based on an actual standard gauge locomotive livery. No transfers involved on this loco!

Interesting you mention about meters on trains as I came across one fitted to one of my buses! But I'm guessing it's for how much the air conditioning is used? Maybe to work out when it needs regassing?

Having a break Chris, it may be a few weeks or a few months, I will return when I'm ready.

Hi Arthur, I will still be taking orders up to the 19th and try to get them out before Christmas. I just need a break for a bit, so will return in the new year and try to do more exhibitions this year. I will be using the down time to do some modelling when I'm not driving.

The pay does depend on companies and even garages. Agreed coaches do pay less than service buses. As an operator myself who does just private hires and rail replacement services, my pay rate is slightly more than a lot of firms in my area but it's only casual work and not full time. I would go out and say, for the responsibilities drivers have in driving up to 100 people at any one time and driving round in potentially brand new £220,000 to £350,000 buses or coaches, the pay rate is rubbish. In some areas you could earn more stacking shelves in a supermarket than driving a bus. Unfortunately on the other side of the coin, the bus and coach industry is suffering for a variety of reasons and I applaud companies that are doing well and doing a good job.

Hello everyone, This will probably as a surprise but to some others it will not who I have spoken to. I've decided I will be shutting the RT Models website down after December 19th 2018. Why am I doing this? I struggle at times to keep up with orders due to me driving and maintaining buses, especially at the moment where a lot is going wrong on the railways so I'm out almost everyday at the moment. This is why I say on the website please note it can take up to 28 days (and some cases longer tbh) because there's so much to do. I have caught up with orders now bar a few. I need a break and this is the only way I will get one, the website may reopen after a couple of weeks, it may be a couple of months? I don't know, I will see how I feel. I will try to do some exhibitions in 2019 as I only did one this year. I would like to thank those who have ordered from me for their custom and for their patience and understanding.

It is a huge beast, the first ever bus/ coach in Shropshire to have up to 100 seats. The grab rails are to deflect the trees from taking out the front windows, some of the rail replacement routes I do you need them! No Warley exhibition for me tomorrow as I'm on standby again for the railways unless I get a run to Birmingham International? My days litrally change by the minute.

Just really busy at the minute, was planning on visiting Warley exhibition on Saturday but now on standby for the railways. Will try for Sunday unless I'm called out. In theory next week is quiet for me so can catch up with orders better. As Mozzer has mentioned, an additional vehicle has been invested on finance to assist the railways when there's problems and is proving very useful as it can transport 100 people seated, built for Hong Kong originally.

Ex China Light and Power Hong Kong Leyland Olympian 305 has changed a bit since the last photo was took around a month ago and been a busy bus/coach doing some serious mileage. She has now regained her front destination box but has a flip dot destination box rather than the proposed LT style blinds. This was decided in the end because the box was already removed from a vehicle, it's half right for the bus and it allows me to program whatever I need for no extra cost and at short notice. When I think about it, my first ever bus I owned aged 21 was ex London Transport T1000 which was one of only 4 London double decker buses fitted with a electronic destination box but sadly the controller packed up so couldn't put any destinations up. 305 will go for respray in early 2019. It is intended to be in standard red and black but thinking maybe something different/special for this vehicle.

I'm just as bad Tony, I was hired to drive a celebrity around Essington funny enough in one of my buses for a BBC documentary this year, I had to research who Meera Syal was! Knew the face but not the name. Had that on many occasions with a few celebrities, even some who are/were very well known. Oh well, my excuse is I'm too busy driving, designing kit's or packing orders to watch tv!

But niche items do sell, apt, blue Pullman, Stirling single etc A Vivian Garrett would fit in this category.

I saw that very type of wheel hub on a mack lorry recently in Shropshire, quite a scary design in a way!

On the subject of overseas vehicles, I drove this one today on rail replacement from Shrewsbury to Hereford. Built in 1992 as FC7535 305, Leyland Olympian chassis with a Cummins L10 engine and 4 speed gearbox, bodied by Alexander, Falkirk. It is a 100 seater with air conditioning and tinted windows. Built for the China light and power company in Hong Kong, it was a staff commuter coach to and from the power station. Imported back to the UK in 2009 for Kinch, then sold to Pulhams coaches until purchased by Regional Transport last week. First day in service, still wearing Pulhams livery for now. The wheels have been repainted into LT Indian red already, The front destination glass is still in place behind the panel so will be revealed when it comes for respray and fit LT style destination blind box. One of these was trialled in London back in 1992 with a view of operating a fleet of them with Capital Citybus, fleet number 331 so not too far off. Roll on 2018 and a Chinese built BCI tri axle double decker bus is being trialled out in London to more or less the same specs!

Whilst the contractors wagons are a little weighty, they are very free running as the run in a nickel silver chassis sub frame.

If you are looking for ship canal side tipping contractors wagons, there's the RT Models kit http://www.rtmodels.co.uk/rt_models_034.htm

Announced on the ttcdiecast Facebook page, Peco/Modelscene have acquired and rereleased 3 of the former tower models 4mm scale plastic bus kits. 5138 Leyland National single door 5139 Leyland National dual door 5501 Leyland Olympian single door I used to enjoy building these kits a long time ago and good for bashing as I have done into other variants. No doubt other kits and livery variants will appear.

Unfortunately modern bus seats do not allow you to remove the bases unless you have a screw driver.

She's been doing a special service for the Welshpool & Llanfair railway on Saturday and Sunday, 2 narrow gauge railways in just over a week. I got the call at around 14.00 about Crewe to Chester but couldn't assist as I was booked to do a Prom in Leek later but when it was finished I checked with control and asked to call in to assist still.

Ensignbus certainly do, usually but not exclusively for strike days. TFL don't allow Routemasters on pre planned rail anymore unlike when I started 14 years ago. Around this way I am unique though and have gained a good reputation with the railway companies. All roads I travel on are national speed limit so the buses need to do at least 48mph and involve long distance. Again this is the RMC with ATW blinds having done Shrewsbury to Caersws due to the heavy snow early this year and features on ATW's website.

She was popular with everyone all round. The passengers must have felt like celebrities on board! She's pretty nippy without pushing her and I had cars slowing down my progress on the A51.