Rapido Trains UK celebrates the 50th birthday of the Leyland National – with all new model

[PJT]

21 hours ago, JSpencer said:

And what about the Maidstone & District:

Ah, now that one, BCD806L, started life as part of the first batch of Southdown Nationals.  Great choice!

 

Pete T.

 

[PJT]

2 hours ago, acg5324 said:

Southdown and or Brighton and Hove for me please.

Thinking about the first Southdown Nationals, what about BCD820L?  Since it's the Leyland National owned by the Science Museum and kept at the SMG Wroughton site, perhaps there's a tie up there for the Science Museum and Locomotion Models?

 

Pete T.

 

[wainwright1]

We have M & D, Southdown and Brighton and Hove, how about East Kent and Hastings and District

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 23, 2022 by wainwright1

[Mike_Walker]

Whilst not "in the market" for one of these myself, here's a selection from my local operators back in the day, Awful Alder Valley and London Country.

 

110 at Reading before entering service.   An early example, chassis no. 402, I'm not sure if this is in poppy red or the earlier deeper shade or a trick of the processing - it was scanned from a print.  But it does show the brushed stainless steel bumpers fitted to the earliest examples when new.

 

Another of the  same A&D ordered batch, 108 at Maidenhead sporting the later white bumpers, waistband, NBC logos and the Chilternlink branding carried by both AV and LCBS vehicles in the High Wycombe area following the MAP restructuring.

 

AV removed the rear bumpers of most of their Nationals as they kept getting caught on things and pulled off!  They also replaced the sculptured rear panels with a plain one and moved the number plate to accommodate adverts.  118 at Reading.

The dual-purpose or "Suburban Coach" versions were delivered in the original DP livery as shown by 280 at Maidenhead on the X12, successor to the famed B.

 

AV repainted several of their DP versions in this livery modelled by 245 at Reading with Kennetbus branding, the local identity for Newbury whilst the VR in the background shows the double deck version of the scheme with Bracknell's Forestride branding.

 

Finally, this was replaced by the later NBC corporate local coach livery as seen on 241 at Reading.

 

London Country made use of the shorter version in the main at High Wycombe after the initial use of totally unsuited LNBs on the 711.  These were replaced by SNCs like SNC180 seen on the depot forecourt which were marginally better but did little to retain let alone build business.

 

Amersham-based SNC159 got this attractive livery variant, how common it was I'm not sure but it is seen leaving High Wycombe's old Octagon bus station after the HW depot had closed.

 

Standard fayre at Amersham and HW was the short B series represented by SNB426 at Penn Pond in the original green dip livery which, along with the austere appearance and interiors was as customer-alienating as the LNBs on the 711.

 

SNB465 with Chilternlink branding is off territory passing through Little Marlow on a crew training run.

 

Final variant, SNB424 at Marlow sporting the white waistband and Chilternlink branding.  Post MAP services in the High Wycombe area became more integrated taking AV vehicles into traditional LT areas north of town and LCBS ones into former Thames Valley territory.  Previously, the town had fallen on the 1933 boundary of the LT area and the border was strictly maintained.

 

[43110andyb]

Posted Wrong type of bus  🤯🤣 (Shows my ignorance).

 

Edited April 23, 2022 by 43110andyb
Incorrect bus type/model -erased

[Enterprisingwestern]

 

From the comments which have gone before, that seems to be Rapido's first 173 models taken care of!

 

Mike.

[Covkid]

14 hours ago, Robert Shrives said:

Certainly a  Crosville one, the Porthmadog  based one on the Ffestiniog Harbour station sub depot ... SNL 578/ SNL579 as regular inmates.  Also Shrink ray a critical part of project, allowing Farish ones to be used at back of layout ( small= far away Father Ted.)   

I wonder who will be first to chop up into the 140 or the family of horrors - the 4 wheel narrow bodied railbuses that were created in the name of research - I guess into how roughly can a passenger vehicle ride and the passengers survive!   

Robert 

 

Defintiely agree on Crosville ones.

 

Well given Jason's decision to create the APT-E a few years ago, which was a one-off, perhaps with the aid of the research into the Leyland Nationals, Rapido might consider the 140, or even the 141 which had more colour variation I think.

 

IIRC 140001 went to Scotland in preservaton. Has it survived ?

[rhnrhn]

1 hour ago, Covkid said:

IIRC 140001 went to Scotland in preservaton. Has it survived ?

It's at the Keith and Dufftown Railway:

 

https://keith-dufftown-railway.co.uk/rolling-stock/

[Butler Henderson]

17 hours ago, ColinK said:

Horrible vehicles, the LUT ones were awful to drive,

 

Nottingham improved theirs by adding weight to the front, to quote from Nottingham City Transport's Buses From Daimlar to Scania by Daryl Hemsell (Next Stop Productions 2012) ISBN 978-0-9573253-0-2 ;

 

"These were very light vehicles and NCT put a lot more weight under the front. Moving the batteries and air tanks, and even altering the tyre pressure. One of the reasons why the Nationals were so light, was because the tyre manufacturers tended to put the maximum air pressurtre into the tyres so that they did not have to go around to the various operators so frequently checking the pressures. Following Nottingham's alterations they ran better than they had when they arrived new."

Edited April 23, 2022 by Butler Henderson

[Mike Harvey]

I'll be happy with a Mk1 with twin doors in plain white. I can then add the liveries for the ferry operators at Dover who ran shuttle services between Dover Priory Station (still with refurbished 4CEPs) and the Eastern Docks/Hoverport.    Hoverspeed, Sealink/Stena Sealink and P&O European ferries all had fairly simple liveries over a white base. These were East Kent contract buses and East Kent used these pre-owned two doors on the shuttles, as well as single door ones on regular services.

Edited April 23, 2022 by Mike Harvey
removed photo links

[37114]

Like this please:

 

P.S. feel free to do a 1.43 version, most of my scratch/kitbuilt models get made RTR after I finish them..

[younGGuns7]

Q did East Midlands ever run a Red/ Cream MK1 around Chesterfield, I feel sure that there was but I haven’t found a photo yet

[Phil R]

Great announcement. 

Trent bus livery for me - 

Red

Red with silver window surrounds

Red with beige/black stripes

Barton variations 

 

The Lifeliner would be a great model but may have a limited appeal. 

Derbyshire Ambulance Service had a former Bristol Omnibus National in a similar role. See previous post by 37114

 

Regards

 

Phil

[dibber25]

Will there be a DCC sound-fitted version? Lots of rattling panels and an engine that sounds like a bag of spanners! I suppose (as a user of LT route 218 with RFs) at least the Leyland Nationals had doors! (CJL)

 

[Amnesiac]

This one would be my choice, Midland Red for personal preference but a general livery that could have mass appeal! 

[Lord Flashheart]

Excellent choice to do,hopefully they'll do an East Yorkshire, Rider York or one of these.

Another vote for a 1/43 model aswell. 

 

Rob

 

 

[MidlandRed]

On 23/04/2022 at 08:35, rhnrhn said:

Any of the WMPTE liveries please, including the National Exhibition Centre / West Midlands Red White and Blue special...

 

140001 as a spin off would be great (IIRC the "pre Rapido" Richard Foster himself referred it in an enthusiastic article about Pacers ?)

Yes please - there are five original WMPTE liveries and this is excellent news from Rapido - a National to join my Guy Arab and Fleetline will be wonderful:-

 

1) Standard single deck bus livery

2) DP/coach livery with coach seats

3) Ex Midland Red poppy red with WMPTE fleet names on fablon stickers and red stickers covering the previous owner’s names and symbols (33 vehicles, of which 32 eventually received WMPTE livery - 113 incinerated itself within a couple of months of takeover, on the Chelmsley Wood Connector Road (A452)). 

4) NEC livery 

5) All over cream with no destination equipment (destination and number stuck on left hand windscreen), no luggage rack - a number of vehicles from the 4567-4526 batch and 7008-7017 batch entered service for several weeks in this, as delivered, condition (Leyland was in its period of dictating specifications - operators had to alter them on delivery, for instance to accept luggage or push chairs etc!!) - some of these operated in Stourbridge and on trunk routes like 126 (Wolverhampton to Birmingham). There are photos in various publications and on the internet - these were quite indicative of the sort of issues faced by bus operators in the mid 70s, mostly caused by the vagaries of Leyland in that era! 

 

Regarding Midland Red’s first batch of Nationals, 101-158, only the first bus (101) as in @melmerby’s excellent photo, was delivered in the traditional red livery with standard fleetnames of the late 60s to 1972 era - 102-158 were delivered with standard NBC fleet names and the lighter red livery. 101, which entered preservation, was not transferred to WMPTE unlike 102-119, as it had been moved out of the area taken over by WMPTE by Dec 73 (Leicester).

 

WMPTE 4507 brand new, in all cream on service 126 - heavily weathered!! 
 

https://flic.kr/p/86sJKY

Edited April 24, 2022 by MidlandRed
Photo link added

[Ncarter2]

1 hour ago, Amnesiac said:

This one would be my choice, Midland Red for personal preference but a general livery that could have mass appeal! 

Have travelled many a journey on this one as a kid. Between Rugby, Coventry & Nuneaton, there was a good fleet to get mileage on. If memory serves, the was a pod less mk2 running around with Stagecoach when I was living in Rugby. Was disappointed when the started to replace them with the Volvo Alexander’s. 

[Enterprisingwestern]

19 hours ago, Enterprisingwestern said:

 

From the comments which have gone before, that seems to be Rapido's first 173 models taken care of!

 

Mike.

 

UPDATE.

 

First 217 models now taken care of!

 

Mike.

[SHMD]

I was brought up in a village. Apart from the Pub and the Post office (both gone now), it didn't have much...

 

As a kid, I used these buses (buzzez), and other types - but all single deckers because of the low bridge - to get to school. the model shop, civilisation - anywhere out of the village really.

 

The fare was 2p for kids too!

It's strange but until this announcement, and thread, I never knew there were versions with "no pod" or "two sets of doors". 😮

 

One request though, (ok another one), please don't do a "battle bus"!

 

 

Kev.

[Ian J.]

I could use one like this:

 

 

[Pmorgancym]

No votes for SWT'S rather vibrant late 80s early 90s green livery?

 

(Sourced via google)

[Bucoops]

5 hours ago, Pmorgancym said:

No votes for SWT'S rather vibrant late 80s early 90s green livery?

 

(Sourced via google)

 

 

What colour should we paint our vehicles?

 

All of them.

[ColinK]

Perhaps the first run should include NBC red and green liveries without any fleet names, but with a sheet of transfers for the buyer to add for their favourite version of the livery.  Then individual retailers could commission a run of models in their local livery.

[Legend]

1 hour ago, ColinK said:

Perhaps the first run should include NBC red and green liveries without any fleet names, but with a sheet of transfers for the buyer to add for their favourite version of the livery.  Then individual retailers could commission a run of models in their local livery.

 

Didnt the NBC Double Arrow change , maybe about 1977. Before that time the Double Arrow , stylised N was white on either red or green . Then it becaame a red and blue N on a white patch in front of the fleetname . Being Scottish , I only really remember these from holidays , but I do remember seeing Northern ones in Chester Le Street in 1974 and Western National ones down in Perranporth in 1975 , so would buy them as memories of holidays .   I always thought they looked modern and stylish compared to the SBG "Y" Types we had .   I also liked the Corporate Identity the NBC had . We had to wait until 1979 for something similar up here on Fleetnames , Western Scottish , Central Scottish etc . Although our colour schemes were nicer  and had a bit more variety .

Edited April 25, 2022 by Legend