Title: | Modelling LT Service Vehicles in 1:76 scale. Part 4: AEC Regent Tree Lopper |
Summary: | PDF. Clive shows his tree lopper and outlines how it was made. |
Category: | Modelling |
Author: | Clive Greedus |
Posted: | 12/08/2004 |
Last updated: | 12/08/2004 |
Download: | article014.pdf |
Content: |
London Transport Service Vehicles in Miniature - August 2004 update
By Clive Greedus LTE Country Area garages never had many service vehicles allocated, but the tree loppers spent most of their time in the country, and were an exciting 'cop' for city lads. Here 972J keeps company with a more modern bus - in a contrasting shade of green! 'ABS' AEC Regent tree lopper
This kit of the 'ex STL bus' tree loppers of the fifties and early sixties really captures the look of these strange and exciting vehicles and is a must for the collection.
I believe this kit mirrors the history of the prototype in being a conversion of an older kit of the front entrance country area STLs, and it even includes interior seating that cannot be seen! It is a traditional white metal kit but is unnecessarily awkward to assemble because of a lack of locating lugs on the main parts, which caused me to resort to holding the body together with sellotape and soldering it, rather than using my usual Evostick. I found some of the parts were not a 100% perfect and needed a bit of filing to fit, but provided one has pictures to follow, a first class reproduction is attainable.
In the process of adding grab rails to the entrance from .33mm brass rod I had a flash back of a long
forgotten memory, of venturing inside one of these vehicles as a schoolboy, and being surprised that it was still like a bus inside with passenger fitments and empty fare chart panel. Finally, this model needs completing with the specially made set of transfers obtainable from MBC Decals and one of their radiator badges.
This article is also available as a downloadable PDF. To view the file, left-click the link below. To download the file, right-click the link and select 'Save link as...'. article014.pdf |