AEC Routemaster

[Alan R]

Hi All,

This is the first of five projects I have just started. I am titling it 'Promise made, promise fulfilled'

This is the enormous Revell AEC Routemaster bus. Revell just call it 'London Bus'. Trying to avoid licensing issues maybe?

I don't know why, since the box top picture has 'Routemaster' on it.

One initial observation: It is BIG. On the box, it says 38.1 cm, that's about 15 ½ inches in old money.

Anyway, pictures:

 

 

The box of bits:

It's rammed full of parts. The sprues on some of the parts, notably the floor-pan, was attached to massive sprues, about 6mm in diameter! Probably, to stop the floor-pan from warping.

I recently re-discovered a fantastic solvent cement. Cellulose thinners. It smells a bit, is rather hot, but does weld styrene together well. It's biggest advantage is that it's cheap!

The engine starts here. Revell offers the original Leyland engine or a new Scania engine. Now, I have read somewhere (maybe here) that the Scania engine was not fitted, but a Cummins. However, I have opted for the Scania engine, wrong or not.
 

 

After a bit more fettling, we get here:

 

The fit of the parts so far is very good indeed. I am impressed.

Next is priming and painting the chassis.

 

Thanks for looking.

Alan.

[JeroenS]

A good start Alan, I'll be tagging along with your build of this behemoth.

[Ian T]

Nice work Alan, I’ll be following this one. It makes me think of the “Only Fools and Horses” episode where Delboy was trying to sell guided tours ..... with the inevitable results.

[corsaircorp]

Great start Alan !!

I'll follow if you don't mind it

Then ?? A Parisian bus ??

Sincerely.

CC

[Alan R]

On ‎4‎/‎20‎/‎2019 at 8:05 AM, corsaircorp said:

Then ?? A Parisian bus ??

That sounds like a great idea. I rather fancy the Heller Parisian bus. Was that what you were thinking of?

 

Cheers, Alan.

[Alan R]

Thanks for the encouragement chaps.

Hopefully, I'll have some time to move this and the other four on this Easter weekend.

 

Thanks for looking.

 

Cheers, Alan.

[corsaircorp]

6 hours ago, Alan R said:

That sounds like a great idea. I rather fancy the Heller Parisian bus. Was that what you were thinking of?

 

Cheers, Alan.

Yes Alan,

Years ago, I had the model but I swaped it for two 1/48 aircrafts.

The guy did a very good use of the kit !

CC

[Cooper645]

I must say, I don’t envy the number of seats and clear plastic there must be in this big old beast. I look forward to the build, maybe it may just spark something in me to shell out for one. 

[Alan R]

Hi Cooper645,

I'm not looking forward to the glazing either. Also, the decals look tricky as well.

 

Let's see how it goes.

 

Cheers, Alan.