diversion

Another occasional dabbling is the alteration of 4mm scale model buses to try and make them a bit more authentic.

I did a lot of research/work on destination blinds a few years ago, because this is one aspect where manufacturers and code 3 producers fail miserably ; most of what they come up with is just amateur guesswork. The concept of multiple number blind rollers is alien to them.

A long-term project for a friend is back on the burner. The ABC models Volvo Ailsa model is reasonably good, but the front end is a horror story. Completely wrong size and shape upper front windows, wrong size destination box amongst some of the faults. Removal of the windows/blindbox glazing piece, allows you to cut the blindbox part off. This part is way too small in the casting aperture, so I made a new blindbox from plastic card which is a tight fit ; once it's perfect fit I'll make a rubber mould and cast a load in resin to alter other models. I'd already done the artwork for the blinds (it will be for a West Midlands PTE example) but originally they were to fit the ABC destination box 'as it comes', so they were scaled down to fit accordingly. Now everything is the right size, except for being fractionally too short and shallow overall. Best that can be done without filing the metal casting. Still need to alter shades of grey and black to make everything stand out that should, but its not far off. I test printed the ones seen in the pic onto Crafty Inkjet transfer paper, varnished, allowed to dry then fitted.

As can be seen in the pic, the lower saloon interior was the wrong layout to represent a WMPTE bus (the two seats behind the bench seats over the back wheels were facing forwards, they should face back. I cut them off, turned them round and lengthened the bench seats to suit, making sure everything lined up with the windows properly.

Well, just a few things put right, but there's a stack more you could do, as ever it's deciding how far to go, gauged against how long it takes.