7mm Yorky D's LT - Wagonery tales from the Met.

[Dan Randall]

That first photo with the rains drops on the window and the little rivulets running down had her completely fooled. Absolutely stunning

Agreed - That picture takes me back over 40 years, travelling home from Beaconsfield Model Railway Club, on a cold, wet Friday evening, rain lashing against the windows, but snug and warm in the very front seats of the lower deck, like the driver, peering into the gloom ahead. I hope Pete doesn't mind, but here's the full size version to further astound your wife....


(I wonder if prints are available?).


Regards

Dan

 

[Oz7mm]

(I wonder if prints are available?).

They definitely should be. How about it Pete?

 

[mickoo]

Stratford booking hall first please

 

[Yorkshire Dave]

wet Friday evening, rain lashing against the windows, but snug and warm in the very front seats of the lower deck,

The excellent print conveys the warm inviting atmosphere of the RT how I used to remember them.

 

[BrushType4]

I'd love to see a little book of postcards of Pete's paintings. I've sure he'd sell a few hundred sets at least.

 

[Peter Insole]

Thank you all for your complements!

I really do want to do them all as prints - if for no other reason that they might provide you and more folk with some pleasure.

There have been some very nice people who have tried to market my work before, but have ended up chucking loads of their hard earned money down a deep pit on my account! It makes me cringe in shame to even think about that.

?

Pete.

 

[Peter Insole]

Sorry folks but I got a bit panicky and couldn't finish the earlier post.

Dave, returning to your RT thread:

Before you put any paint on the model, and just in case you were unaware of the issue, you might like to file off all but two of the moulded external roof ribs?

RT roofs (in between the front and rear domes) were made of wood. Laminated rather like the DeHavilland Mosquito or those classic motor torpedo boats! Unlike them however, the RT had thin alloy skin sheets over the top that were butted, bedded in sealer and screwed at the joints.

In the early days the joints failed and leaked badly, so LT resorted to sticking temporary tape over them until a more durable sealant could be found and applied! It was only in the last few years of RT operation that the problem resurfaced and some vehicles had one or more aluminium bands screwed on wherever required as a local repair job.

Below is part of a photo (taken in 1975 I think?) of a roof in near original condition. It correctly shows the raised mouldings only at the fore and aft joints with the metal domes:



There appears to have been a problem with the offside grab pole fittings though? Four little patches have rather prominently appeared on this one!

Hope this helps?

Pete.

 

[Yorkshire Dave]

Before you put any paint on the model, and just in case you were unaware of the issue, you might like to file off all but two of the moulded external roof ribs?

Thanks for this gem Pete - I hadn't realised and it shall be done.

The more I study the photos the more detail jumps out e.g. the hinges on the rear emergency window.

 

[Yorkshire Dave]

Following on from Pete's musings I daisy chained drilled rear destination boxes and filed them back to the edges.

Some 0.25mm acrylic sheet was cut to size and glued in place with this.



I cut some destinations I had prepared earlier, stuck them to a backing sheet and temporarily installed thus. Yes - the grey disc in the background is the top of a LT 'dolly' bus stop.



And the result is...



Yes, it does give some depth to the blinds but it is obvious they need packing out with another layer of card to bring them closer to the glass.

And Berko is spelt correctly. I noticed the 4mm destination blinds I originally scaled up have Berkhamstead instead of Berkhamsted. However it is Hemel Hempstead and not Hemel Hempsted. The quirkiness of English place names .

Just the remaining destination boxes to drill out.....

And finally the roof ribs Pete alluded to earlier have been removed.

 

[2-Bil]

Hi YD______Regards the quirkiness of English place names the quirkiest of the quirkey( at least for me)______Nempnett Thrubwell__sounds like a fiction scripted for some "way back when"cozy comedy on "the wireless"......PS i thought your LT Guards Van especially the part open door and its lock woza pleasure to view.And thanks for refreshing my memory of Peters truley breathtaking RT in the rain___.Just a thought but i wonder if the Museum in Covent Garden would be up for putting its hand in its pocket/using its(?) publisher for printing Peters work??____________Respects etc __and good luck with the Bus build._______BW

 

[Peter Insole]

Super job Dave! Really makes all the difference doesn't it?!

The front set will be a bit more tricky I guess? I assume it might almost be easier, or more tidy anyway, to take the whole panel out and replace with a fret of some sort for the three combined blinds...?

BW (2-Bil), it would indeed be a lovely idea to get some of my work seen in that hallowed place. I had regarded the museum as something of a spiritual home ever since it first opened it's doors!

Before it went trendy that is. At least the heart still beats at the "DEPOT" ?!

Unfortunately, like all museums, they will never have enough resources available! While it would appear they do spend quite a bit on marketing, their focus is naturally and quite rightly on products that can more or less be guaranteed to sell:

Die-cast models, books, facsimile posters and heaps of touristy nic-nacs will run and run all day long - and at least go some way toward paying the bills!

Unfortunately not mine though.

Sigh....

One day...…..?

Pete.

 

[2-Bil]

Peter______Best Wishes then for sighs into smiles one day- the work really deserves it_____BW

 

[Yorkshire Dave]

It does make the difference Pete ans as you say a fret for the front would be nice.

However.....

I've drilled out the remaining destination blinds including the three at the front and cleaned up the resulting holes. The arrangement below is temporary to see the effect and the glazing is held in this time by Johnson Klear (500ml bottle bought several years ago). Once set, I ran a black wash in the join. Enlargements are so cruel .

The green is a mix of Vallejo Black green and Zinc Green and the stripe is Buff.

The side entrance blind (and rear) - at bit wonky but prototypical


As you used to see the destination - i.e. not until it's just gone by and you realised it's the bus you wanted.

Without the reflections.....

 

[Peter Insole]

Super job - well done all round!

I particularly like the slightly wonky nearside via blind - as you say; perfectly prototypical!

Although for entirely academic reasons, I had a rummage through my reference material and have found an LT paint specification list (1949-61) and can find no mention of two separate variations of Lincoln Green!

LT list the shade as BP 11034A (Undercoat) and BP 11034B (Enamel).

However; they do show two versions under "ref 23" and "26": The former with two coats of "Synthetic Varnish" (BP 11201) and the latter with only one!

Can we assume that as Green Line "Coaches" were regarded as flagships, that they were given the extra layer of varnish? The colour might have consequently appeared to be a bit deeper or richer than ordinary Country Area vehicles, and that could well explain how easily myths and legends can spread?!

There was no difference with the RF's either - except (possibly?) the handful of "Sightseeing" ones! I found a reference to "RF Middle Green"!

What ever that shade was?!!

Pete.

 

[Bobbiskit]

From my own observations I used to see the Aldenham run from Aylesbury twice a day - one in the morning and evening for the employees. At Aylesbury I always saw about half a dozen on the bus but it was close to the terminus.

This article based on two Aldenham employees provides an insight into the staff bus operations Aldenham

Aldenham works has a history in it's own right. It was originally constructed be the underground car sheds for the aborted new works scheme to extend the Northern Line from Edgware to Elstree. Some of the line viaduct infrastructure was built which could be seen from the A5 between Watford and Edgware. Whether it still exists I don't know.

Sadly Aldenham Works was demolished a number of years ago to make way for a technology/industrial estate. There were some great sequences of it at the beginning of the film "Summer Holiday". Cliff Riochrd learned to drive an RT for the film. Allegedly he was quite good at it.
I remember the staff buses from St Albans (exLT) in the 1980s being the ex-BEA/BOAC Airport Coach Routmasters with the front entrances.

 

[Yorkshire Dave]

Again Pete, many thanks for the interesting and useful snippets of LT information.

However; they do show two versions under "ref 23" and "26": The former with two coats of "Synthetic Varnish" (BP 11201) and the latter with only one!

Can we assume that as Green Line "Coaches" were regarded as flagships, that they were given the extra layer of varnish? The colour might have consequently appeared to be a bit deeper or richer than ordinary Country Area vehicles, and that could well explain how easily myths and legends can spread?!

This could explain variations as the single layer varnish would, in theory, weather more quickly. It could also depend on the number of times the bus went through the wash.

I found a reference to "RF Middle Green"!

What ever that shade was?!!

Could this be the light green used for the waistband on the 'modernised' Green Line RFs.

 

[Yorkshire Dave]

Whilst trawling t'interweb for Tring Garage I came across some interesting websites with good photographs:

Streamlined Modernity - Frank Pick's Forgotten Bus Garages - mainly about the architects and design:
Streamlined Modernity: Frank Pick's Forgotten Bus Garages - London Reconnections

40 Years on the Buses - Tring Garage driver memories - about the daily bus operations including Two Waters: 40 years on the buses

Motor transport in Tring from Tring Local History Museum:
Roads, and those in Tring.

 

[Peter Insole]

Thanks for the links Dave!

An exhausting round of "Day job" and a big push at Love Lane has meant that I've only just had a chance to grab a quick read!

I met some wonderful characters on the buses:

One conductor springs to mind, (oh dear, was it on the 25 or 86's? - Such a long time ago!) who always spoke in rhyme. It was impossible to catch him out. Quite a gift?

Then there was another tall chap that used to hang his harness round his neck so his ticket machine hung between his knees. With legs bowed, he would work up and down the bus holding each grab pole in turn up at the ceiling.

A perfect Gibbon with a Gibson and a Griffon on his lapel!

One driver got out during a brief layover and engaged me in conversation. Fortunately I decided to leave my tape recorder running.

After mentioning that he didn't quite understand how anyone could have a hobby that cost money instead of earning it, he then emphasised his point:

"When I was on the last (?) run, this fella comes up to me 'an says; 'ere driver, you couldn't lose yer time card, or you couldn't lose this 'an that?"...
"So I says to 'im; for a small consideration I'll lose me bl*****g self"!

Happy days!

Pete.

 

[Yorkshire Dave]

I've since printed some decals for the bus stops.....

Enamel bus compulsory on a later style post


Bronze framed bus request on an older style post


LT 'dolly' temporary bus stop


Enamel bus and coach compulsory with E plates on a later style post.

 

[2-Bil]

For anyone interested in LT/Green Line stuffBW" Transport Auctions of London"have a sale twice a year down in East Croydon _____ next ones on Saturday 27th_catalogues on the net._______________If i squeeze up my minces that woman waiting for the 30 looks a lot like Tara King (The Avengers)______ but maybe i should get out more often__________BW