jimhurst Posted September 12, 2018 Share Posted September 12, 2018 (edited) I thought I would start her with my first post, a rather challenging conversion of Revell's 1:24 London Bus into the Knight Bus from the Harry Potter film the Prisoner of Azkaban. following some fairly in-depth research I decided that a conversion using two kits should be possible, along the way some conversion would also be necessary to change the bus from an AEC Routmaster RML to the older AEC Regent III on which the bus in the film is based ( the book illustrations do show a Triple-Decker Routmaster, but I wanted this to be a copy of the bus seen in the film Work will include shortening the body by removing the 'central bay' to make a standard wheelbase Routemaster Modifying the top deck especially the front and rear sections to accept the new top floor Fitting out the interior with chandelier and berths for sleeping wizards Thanks for watching, any help and advice gratefully received Jim Edited September 12, 2018 by jimhurst Added Photograph 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caerbannog Posted September 12, 2018 Share Posted September 12, 2018 I sold my second Routemaster kit, because I chicked out of the conversion intended - and you have the nerve to even backdate it to the Regent. Great choice. I will follow with interest. Rene 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimhurst Posted September 12, 2018 Author Share Posted September 12, 2018 (edited) The first step of the build is to remove the 'Central Bay' from the bodysides to reduce the wheelbase to the standard rather than the RML (Long) Each side has a 'staggered cut' to remove the unwanted section the pictures prior to the application of lashings of filler! Edited September 12, 2018 by jimhurst 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimhurst Posted September 12, 2018 Author Share Posted September 12, 2018 The Conversion to reduce the wheelbase has been detailed several times on here by modellers much more skilled than me so I hope you will forgive me for passing over these steps, here is a mock up of the lower decks fitted to the chassis with wheels and real axle fitted as per the instructions 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimhurst Posted September 12, 2018 Author Share Posted September 12, 2018 The following photos show the modification of the chassis, essentially 27mm was removed from just behind the front wheels (the flattest part of the chassis) and the joints reinforced with Micro strip prior to sanding and filling 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimhurst Posted September 12, 2018 Author Share Posted September 12, 2018 The final part of the work so far ( before I have to go and play at my real job!) the initial modification of the front upper body and roof section The Destination Blind Box has been removed to be filled in later as per the research pictures ( the Destination Bind on the real bus is much smaller) The front roof section has also been removed with a razor saw just about the top rain-gutter/body moulding 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimhurst Posted September 12, 2018 Author Share Posted September 12, 2018 2 hours ago, Caerbannog said: I sold my second Routemaster kit, because I chicked out of the conversion intended - and you have the nerve to even backdate it to the Regent. Great choice. I will follow with interest. Rene Many thanks Rene, I may yet chicken out too! hopefully it will turn out something similar to a regent which as far as I can tell seems apart from the cab (exposed Nearside front wheel arch and taller, narrow radiator) fairly similar - I think they were both Park Royal bodied vehicles! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richellis Posted September 12, 2018 Share Posted September 12, 2018 they are very different buses, the Regent has a full chassis but the RM has no chassis, an A frame for the England front axle and B frame for back axle and suspension and the body was part of the structural frame. This allowed the bus have a lower floor and give more internal space. The RM was a completely new vehicle from the tyres up Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimhurst Posted September 12, 2018 Author Share Posted September 12, 2018 57 minutes ago, richellis said: they are very different buses, the Regent has a full chassis but the RM has no chassis, an A frame for the England front axle and B frame for back axle and suspension and the body was part of the structural frame. This allowed the bus have a lower floor and give more internal space. The RM was a completely new vehicle from the tyres up Blimey, hats off to you! and shame on my lack of research!!!, ok so my intention might be to make something that looks a little like a Regent-Based Knight Bus... from 100 yards away.... in the rain...... at night, to be honest I was going more for a visual representation but thanks for the heads up, what sort of engine did the Regent have , I assume not the same as a Routemaster, I know the bus used in the film has a modern Scania (I think) coach engine in it due to the two tones of lead ballast added to stop the bus tipping over on corners, 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richellis Posted September 12, 2018 Share Posted September 12, 2018 It would have been an AEC engine, the one in the kit would be close enough, but the gearbox would be directly coupled to the engine, the Routemaster is set back under the floor. takeing his bus anorak off! change the rad and bonnet and you will have a fair looking copy, beware the 3rd deck will be considerably shorter then the second deck 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimhurst Posted September 12, 2018 Author Share Posted September 12, 2018 Great, thanks Rich as always for the advice! Im already encountering a number of reductions, so far ive shortened both upper decks and also reduced the top deck in width to keep the tapering proportions! Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimhurst Posted September 13, 2018 Author Share Posted September 13, 2018 Work this evening has been mainly concerned with the back end.... The lower panel has had the rear light detail shaved/sanded off and the number plate recess filled ready to sanded smooth and then I will mark out for the new number plate recess (on the Routemaster its central, on this version of the Regent is on the offside) And work to the rear upper panel The curved upper roof section is removed to make the back for the middle deck, I cut along the rain strip on the top of the window to leave as much of the frame as I could to aid with making good the rear upper side windows at a later date - I realised afterwards I really should have marked the image to better show the cut lines then the rear section from the upper (third deck) had the emergency escape window and rear destination blind box cut out as the source material shows a wider non-opening top window and much smaller destination blind box ( I certainly wouldn't want to jump out of an emergency exit that is now three floors up!) I will try to take the pictures from a better angle too...... its all a learning curve That's all for now! 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Troy Smith Posted September 13, 2018 Share Posted September 13, 2018 interesting project, I'm dimly aware of the Potter films, they have been on in the house, but I this wasn't something I was familar with.... and for anyone else curious.. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeroenS Posted September 13, 2018 Share Posted September 13, 2018 Oh my... all the heavy people on the lowest deck please! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimhurst Posted September 13, 2018 Author Share Posted September 13, 2018 (edited) 26 minutes ago, JeroenS said: Oh my... all the heavy people on the lowest deck please! Defiantly! along with the 2 tonnes of extra lead ballast as well, only skinny wizards on the top! Edited September 13, 2018 by jimhurst Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimhurst Posted September 13, 2018 Author Share Posted September 13, 2018 1 hour ago, Troy Smith said: interesting project, I'm dimly aware of the Potter films, they have been on in the house, but I this wasn't something I was familar with.... and for anyone else curious.. Hopefully it will end up something like this! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Selwyn Posted September 13, 2018 Share Posted September 13, 2018 1 hour ago, jimhurst said: Hopefully it will end up something like this! The other issue you will may not have considered is that the RT bus was narrower than the RM, which would considerably effect the look of the finished product. Selwyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richellis Posted September 13, 2018 Share Posted September 13, 2018 I can’t wait to see you do the chandelier! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark_1984 Posted September 23, 2018 Share Posted September 23, 2018 Amazing project - you're a braver man than I!!! Looking forward to seeing this one progress. The photo of the real bus shows some great weathering. Following and an extra large bucket of popcorn ordered! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kallisti Posted October 7, 2018 Share Posted October 7, 2018 Wow, ambitious or what! To be honest I would stick to making a triple-deck RM and not try to convert it into a Regent - as you said the book artwork shows an RM, its only the film-makers who got it wrong!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reliant1864 Posted November 3, 2018 Share Posted November 3, 2018 That looks awesome, my daughter is a huge HP fan and is very impressed. Im also in maidstone , where do you go for supplies in the area? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bandsaw Steve Posted November 4, 2018 Share Posted November 4, 2018 ‘Hang on tight - it’s gonna be a boompy ride!’ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bandsaw Steve Posted March 16, 2020 Share Posted March 16, 2020 Any news on this one? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimhurst Posted March 23, 2020 Author Share Posted March 23, 2020 Hi to all of you who have been following this thread, firstly a massive apology to all of you for the distinct lack of action on this build. Its been a hectic (and not very good year) following a house move my modelling bench is once again unpacked and dusted off so i thought i would share the updated pics of work so far. the image below shows the outer shell and interior fixed together with filler applied (badly) awaiting rubbing down to neaten everything up! I have removed the front panel and radiator surround from the RM kit along with the bonnet and nearside wing/wheelarch, following measurements taken from a RL the new parts will be sketched in Tinkercad and 3D printed (More on this as it happens) Below the roof has had filler applied and been blocked to get it something like straight! The two upper floors have been assembled and the seat leg holes that are now not needed have been filled, the well for the the chandelier has been cut through both decks using stills from the movie buss and photographs as reference where they exist (the 'real' Knight Bus has no top deck, just a camera platform) On the lower deck the Offside seat over the rear wheel has been filled in to make space for the luggage rack as depicted in the film Finally a shot of the interior decks with e outer body shell removed to show the hollow tube supports to hold up the upper deck (these have proved necessary as the deck originally relied on the front bulkhead and rear stairwell assembly for support - Much filler and preparation work is still required but i think with self-isolation/lockdown there will be much more opportunity for work over the coming weeks - please watch this space and bear with me, many thanks for your encouraging words so far! 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimhurst Posted March 23, 2020 Author Share Posted March 23, 2020 On 03/11/2018 at 19:44, reliant1864 said: That looks awesome, my daughter is a huge HP fan and is very impressed. Im also in maidstone , where do you go for supplies in the area? Hi Reliant1864, thanks for your kind words, i hope to do it justice, I'm actually now in Twickenham (Long Story!) unfortunately there really isn't anywhere near that is useful for supplies so i tend to resort to the good old Interweb! there was a shop in Rochester but its since closed down, with the demise of their sister shop and ModelZone in Maidstone along with the modelshop at Newnham Court really i don't this there is anywhere, Online, Wonderland Models and Hiroboy have good online shops which i have used a few times - Happy Modelling! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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