1:24 SCALE RENAULT TN6 AUTOBUS KIT FROM HELLER

Bus modellers should be pleased to see this latest addition to the French Heller line. It’s a classic 1930s-era single-decker, a Renault design that gave reliable service for decades.


The Renault TN series buses came into service in the early 1930s, and the TN6 C2 modelled by Heller was probably the most popular version. The improvement of rubber technology was key to vehicles like this, with new-design pneumatic tyres allowing heavy loads and a comfortable ride, making it possible for a 50-seater bus to travel at fairly high speeds.

Display option
Heller's mould-makers have captured the ugly-but-nice appearance of the TN6 very well, especially the snout-like engine housing. There is plenty of crisp detail in the engine itself, and in the chassis underneath too, so a mirror display base could make sense when the kit is assembled and painted. Originally released as far back as 1982, the new-issue kit remains competitive in 2013.

Fast routes
Despite its somewhat porcine looks, a petrol-engined TN6 could manage nearly 55km/h (35mph) on reasonably flat roads, allowing the development of fast and smooth bus services to link many towns and villages in rural France. Diesel versions were slower, but were fine in cities and on shorter routes.

Service entry
The first 10.3-tonne TN6A went into service in 1932, later models of the series giving reliable service until the late 1960s. And here we are in the 21st century, more than 80 years later, with Heller saluting this French classic with a fine model.

Green Heller, red Revell
The Heller Autobus kit should be on every public transport fans must-have list, not least because it provides a fascinating comparison with the excellent ‘big red’ 1:24 scale Revell London double-decker. The Renault TN6 is a decent model in its own right - and a biggish one too - measuring some 396mm (15.6in) long when assembled.

Clear instructions
Heller’s instruction manual is neatly produced, leaving little to chance (especially for the novice) with extremely clear illustrations, and a full-colour four-view with marking details. The model is of course, absolutely begging for some 1:24 scale figures to bring it to life - a Gitane-smoking driver perhaps, matched by some black-clad elderly ladies, and possibly even an onion-seller standing on the rear platform!

Summation
Unusual subject from Heller, and here’s hoping the French company will be offering many more re-releases and - even better - new-tool kits in the years to come.

Photographs of the preserved classic 'Number 54' 1932 Renault Autobus TN6A2 courtesy Yves-Laurent Allaert.

London buses at SMN here.

The Heller TN6 Autobus is expected shortly, meantime there are plenty of other interesting Heller kits here.

HOP ON FOR A FIRST LOOK AT THE BIG NEW REVELL LONDON BUS KIT

Mat Irvine reports:

It’s one of those coincidences that two of the most significant model kits to be made in recent years are both to 1:24 scale and both of classic British subjects. First came the Airfix 1:24 scale de Havilland Mosquito, now Revell has given us the archetypal London Bus - a name so familiar that the kit is called just that, not the AEC Routemaster, to give it its full and correct name.

This is - not surprisingly - a big kit, in a correspondingly big box (above), and will take a while to assess fully, let alone build. But at a first glance what do you get? 

High parts-count

Open the box and there are a lot of parts, so much so that adding them all up is tricky, but it has to be approaching 400. Why so difficult? Well, the component numbering actually goes only to 272 - but you get two sets of four of the 16 runners, and identical parts (such as seats) share the same number - and remember that this is a double-decker bus with seating for up to 70 people.

Grey or red?

It is moulded, perhaps slightly oddly, in two shades of grey. The front section comes in one shade, while the upper rear is in the other, but that doesn’t matter, as there’s only one proper colour for this bus when it's finished - red.

Longer RML bus

The kit features the lengthened RML version, given away by the central section having smaller, square windows. In the real thing, this was achieved simply by cutting straight down the middle and inserting a 610 mm (28 in) section. If you are so inclined, this means that a conversion to the short-version RM ought to be reasonably straightforward. As it stands though, the assembled Revell bus will measure some 286 mm (11.25 in) long and 102 mm (4 in) wide. Height should work out at around the 180 mm (7.1 in) mark.

Engine options

You get two engines (parts above) which is a bonus. Unless you are a real bus aficionado - and there are many - you likely wouldn’t be aware that Routemasters were re-engined in the 1990s to cope with emissions regulations. So the original Leyland engines were replaced with a Scania design, and Revell provide the option of installing either powerplant, as you wish. It does make you wonder why there wasn’t a suitable UK-built replacement engine available, but that’s another story.

Wide range of markings

The decal sheet (above) is enormous, and if you were worried about reproducing all those tartan-patterned seats so beloved by London Transport, these are supplied as decals. Markings for two specific buses are supplied - RML 2273 is for the Victoria Station route 76, without advertising, while RML 2757 is the Piccadilly Circus route 38, with adverts for the sides that include the British Museum, Jacob’s Cream Crackers and ‘The Rod Stewart Musical’. The instruction booklet (below) is comprehensive and runs to 28 pages.   

Thanks to Volker Vahle at Revell for rushing the kit to us. 

The Revell London bus will be available very soon. Meantime, you can see assorted London buses available here.

The finished bus

The 1:24 scale kit looks excellent when assembled. Here are some built-up pix to whet your appetite and get those modelmaking fingers twitching!

NEW BUS FOR LONDON - CORGI ANNOUNCES RELEASE DATE FOR DIECAST ‘BORIS BUS’

SMN update:

Corgi has announced a target release date of March 2012 for the 1:76 scale New Bus for London (NB4L) now under development, and currently running on a similar schedule to the real thing. The Corgi diecast model will scale out to 146 mm (5.75 in) long and be marketed under the successful London Original Omnibus Company (OOC) name. As planned, the first OOC New Bus will wear the livery, destination, and numbers of the first route that the new bus will serve. Corgi planners are expecting to see details of this route very soon.

New Bus for London background

It’s been a pet project for London mayor Boris Johnson, who drove the first one produced earlier this month, where they are being made in Ballymena, Northern Ireland. Fitting in with London’s eco-friendly clean-and-green ethos, the bus is powered by a diesel-electric hybrid system, which cuts fuel consumption and noxious emissions by more than half. 

On the highways

The target in-service date is in time for the London Olympics to be held in July and August 2012, and this should be met, with at least eight vehicles running on the streets of London during the first half of the year.

Riding on the New Bus

For passengers, bus travel should be improved by having much better access. The New Bus has three doors - at the front, in the middle, and at the rear, which has a traditional open platform for peak-hour use, but can also be closed off at other times. Two staircases will speed movement to and from the upper deck, and the designers at Thomas Heatherwick Studio have incorporated sweeping glass up each staircase - great views guaranteed. Interiors are pretty good too, with better lighting and stylish fittings.

Several scale and types of New Bus for London

Back to Corgi, which has plans for a range of these buses, including a 'fit-the-box’ toy, and a diecast key ring memento. This will partner the Routemaster bus keyring, already on release (below). In Corgi’s words, these assorted items are planned: “so everyone from school children to tourists can carry a London souvenir in their pocket”. 

More please

So far so good, but we have requests to make. Please Sun Star, can we have a nice big 1:24 scale diecast, and Revell, howzabout producing a detailed injection kit as soon as you can!

NB4L details at Corgi here.

See more NB4L here.

London Olympics 2012 here.

REVELL LONDON BUS AND TAXI KITS ARRIVING SOON

SMN update:

It looks like the Revell 1:24 scale AEC Routemaster London Bus will be generally available this side of Christmas. And better still, the big red double-decker will be joined by a same-scale London ‘black cab’ taxi. Both kits should be in the stores shortly, and by the looks of things, ought to be on any public transport lover's Christmas stocking list.

Lots of detail

The test-shot pix show that the Revell model engineers have worked hard on getting this big bus kit just right. It looks good, especially the excellent detail in the driver’s cab, the diesel engine, and rear entrance. There are 150 components, and fully-built, the RM will measure 286 mm (11.25 in) long.  

Looking inside

Inside the bus, vertical handrails are included as are the built-in grabrails on every seat back. The step-on step-off open platform looks accurate and comes with the waste bin for used tickets, and the stairwell 'glory hole' used for storing awkward items such as cases and pushchairs.

FX4 London Taxi

The black cab is the FX4 type, famed for its tight-turning abilities. The kit has 68 components and measures 201 mm (7.9 in) long, representing the 1958 version. There's a separate chassis, a single-piece body, and the kit comes with chrome bumpers, grille and other bright parts. Licence plate decals are included.

Red, black, or something else?

You can complete either kit in classic red and black, but there are countless markings to choose from if you feel like something different. We'll stick to those familiar old shades though - they're just too good to miss.  

More on buses here.

Sun Star also has a later-model 1:24 diecast London taxi (above), so whether you fancy a kit or a diecast, there's plenty of choice.

Have a look at Sun Star’s handsome 1:24 RT double-decker here.

NEW BUS FOR LONDON - CORGI TO PRODUCE DOUBLE-DECKER ‘BORIS BUS’

SMN report:

The familiar double-deck London bus is returning to the streets very soon - as planned there’ll be some of them running on the streets in time for the 2012 London Olympics. Sponsored by London Mayor Boris Johnson, the New Bus for London (NB4L) is a designer treat to look at, with swooping glass exposing staircases at front and rear, plus easy access for entry and exit. In our view, easy-access alone makes it a worthwhile project - it’s no fun queuing in the rain while you wait to climb aboard one of the present designs.

Corgi New Bus for London

Now Corgi is getting into the act by planning a 1:76 scale diecast model of the NB4L, for release later this year, under the Original Omnibus Company (OOC) brand name. The pioneering NB4L design draws inspiration from the original Routemaster's instantly recognisable red paint, as well as the traditional hop on, hop off open rear platform, both of which will be reproduced in Corgi's new model, which will measure 146 mm (5.75 in) long. 

Several buses coming along

In fact the NB4L will be more than a single model - an entire range is being being planned, for Corgi isn’t stopping with 1:76 scale - the bus will be available in a selection of scales, including a 'fit-the-box’ toy. It will also be made as a diecast key ring - in Corgi’s words: “so everyone from school children to tourists can carry a London souvenir in their pocket”. Well, that’s a fine aspiration Corgi, so good luck from SMN. 

A big year for the people of London

2012 is going to be quite a year for Londoners - the Olympics will be running in July and August, preceded by the Queen’s Diamond (75th) Jubilee celebrations, due to take place on June 3. The Corgi NB4L should be in place to mark both occasions - expect some special editions with Olympic and Jubilee branding well to the fore.

All we need now is a Sun Star 1:24 scale diecast NB4L, backed up by a kit for model makers from Revell - a sweet duo indeed! 

Plenty of diecast buses at Corgi here.

See more NB4L here.

NEW LONDON BUS NOW A RUNNING PROTOTYPE - SO WHEN WILL WE SEE A KIT OF IT?

David Jefferis reports

London’s new double-decker bus is coming along nicely by the looks of things. A few days ago London Mayor Boris Johnson test-drove the prototype around a test track, and in his typically ebullient form, praised it like a brand-new toy - which in a sense it is, as he was the man who gave the green light to the concept development.

Past-perfection returning with new style

I loathe hugely-long bendy buses, so I’m all in favour of a return to two decks, if only for the views from up top. The new bus will have an open platform at the back too - no more being trapped by closed doors when you are a couple of metres from the bus stop! And with the swooping glass areas, even going up and down the stairs ought to be an eye-opening experience, though I guess ladies in short skirts might have to check their modesty from the gaze of street-smart oglers, even through tinted panels.

Reduced exhaust emissions

As planned, the new design will be a green machine, with an eco-aware 40 percent drop in emissions, so with the first production machines due in service by March 2012, it looks like a win all round, but especially for us bus passengers.

Revell kit due later in 2011

As for models, we don’t yet have a kit of this new prototype - and are unlikely to see one until the design is finalized - but Mat Irvine gave us the lowdown on an upcoming model of its predecessor, the RM Routemaster, back in February. This is the Revell 1:24 scale RM double-decker plastic kit (link below) that should nicely partner the existing Revell Cityliner coach kit to the same scale. The RM is due after summer, so could make an extremely pleasing project for those chill Autumn evenings. Pity we have to wait though!

RM Routemaster from Sun Star to 1:24 scale.

Diecast alternatives

Keeping to 1:24 scale, Sun Star from China produces beautiful ready-built 1:24 scale RMs in a variety of marking schemes, though these of course are diecasts, not kits. The ‘Last Routemaster’ is a particularly nice model, and one that really benefits from the detail that can be packed into this large scale.

Sun Star's 1:24 model of the RT double decker.

Other big scale Sun Star buses include the earlier RT bus, again an extremely fine diecast model. And if it’s single-deckers you want, then the range also include retro-style Bedford coaches and Volkswagen’s classic hippie-bus, the Samba.

London buses and VW Samba here.

See Mat Irvine’s article here.

If you’re visiting London, the London Transport Museum is well worth a visit here.

MORE DOUBLE-DECKER LONDON BUSES - BARGAIN PRICES AND POWERED BY CLOCKWORK

David Jefferis waits at the bus stop

It seems that buses big and small are popular items with many collectors and model makers - certainly Mat Irvine’s news of the upcoming Revell scale kit of a London bus has struck quite a chord with visitors here at SMN.

Tinplate from Mettoy

So it’s interesting to see the UK store chain ModelZone promoting on sale Corgi’s tinplate-style replica - boxed in retro-style as an old Mettoy product - of the classic Routemaster, made to 1:36 scale. It’s a convenient sort of size, a shade under 5 inches (122 mm) high, which allows it to sit comfortably on a shelf without taking up too much room. It’s also a scale to which many ‘tourist tat’ items are made too, including diecast London taxis, so you could create an entertaining miniature city scene quite easily.

Full roster of working features

It’s also worth pointing out that while this Mettoy bus aims to replicate a tinplate ‘toy’ rather than a precision ‘model’, it does have some neat working features - front steering wheels, a ‘ding-ding’ bell, and a clockwork motor, with a big key that sticks out, ready for winding up that spring-powered engine. Then you can set those front wheels to one side, release the bus, and it will cruise round in majestic circles at your command. Great fun!

Town or country bus?

The Mettoy Routemaster comes in two colours, the classic bright red of a London Bus, or the softer tones of a Greenline rural-run machine. The London route marked at front, rear and sides is number 15, which travels between St Paul’s Cathedral and Trafalgar Square... oh nostalgia! How many times did I catch buses on that route during my Fleet Street days? Erm dunno - ‘a lot’ covers it!

Tinplate seats

I’m rather glad that the real buses offered seats that were somewhat softer than the curving tinplate ones provided here, even if they are neatly printed in the tartanoid pattern that only bus designers seem to come up with. The driver’s compartment is also somewhat familiar - I drove a Routemaster on an ‘experience day’ once, and that nearly-flat angle for the steering wheel certainly rings a bell.

SMN score

These tinplate models are available from ModelZone at less than half-price, making either (or both) of them a must-have if you like buses. The detail is actually pretty good for a tinplate, even if it is not intended as a high-detail product. And a further bonus is that both red and green buses come in handsome retro packaging, complete with a Limited Edition number printed on a simulated bus ticket.

Mat’s recent article on the forthcoming Revell bus kit makes good reading here.

The bus is available at ModelZone - along with other sale bargains - here.

Lots more buses here.

Pix courtesy Corgi, ModelZone, SMN studio.

BIG-SCALE LONDON BUS KIT COMING LATER THIS YEAR

Mat Irvine reports

I made a quick trip to the London Toy Fair at the end of January, and one of the biggest surprises of my visit was to find Revell-Germany announcing a 1:24 scale London Transport RM Routemaster double-decker bus plastic kit. Often suggested as an idea - and I recall there were rumours back in the 1970s that Airfix was planning such a venture - but the general consensus was that it would have been far too large a kit, and so that put the kibosh on the concept.

Is a big-scale kit too big?

In fact Airfix was also likely to have released a 1:24 scale Mosquito around that time, but it too was shelved as being ‘too big’, and instead released much later in 1:48. Of course, we do now have an Airfix 1:24 scale Mosquito, and large-scale kits in general are not uncommon. Revell has issued giant kits of oil platforms, bucket-wheel excavators and the shuttle launch pad, and it already has a big bus in the form of the 1:24 scale Cityliner coach, which admittedly isn’t as tall as an RM Routemaster, but is certainly longer. Then there are the 1:8 scale car kits from Monogram, which also has large bombers in 1:72 and 1:48, so all-in-all a 1:24 scale RM doesn’t seem too extravagant at all. 

Diecast alternative

And not forgetting Sun Star, which already makes ready-built 1:24 scale RMs in a variety of marking schemes, but these of course are diecasts, not kits. All of which means that the Revell offering will be appreciated all the more by model makers.

The Revell Routemaster bus

However, we don’t have too much detail as yet - Revell had pictures on show at the London Toy Fair, but the bus does grace the cover of the 2011 catalogue, and a mockup was on display. A real RM bus stood outside the Olympia Exhibition Halls, and this was in authentic London Transport colours. Interestingly, for years Revell used a similar bus  in Germany as a travelling exhibition stand, though this was painted blue, rather than tourist-London bright red.

Routemaster release date

Frustratingly, we will have to wait well until after summer 2011 before the kit is released - it is scheduled for Q4, so it’s months away yet. There is one tiny thing to point out if you have the 2011 catalogue and read the bus listing (page 44). The copy reads: ‘1:32 scale’. But it’s not  - the bus will be to the larger, 1:24 scale. 

Into the future

If the Routemaster is a London icon of the past, then the new double-decker, commissioned by London Mayor Boris Johnson, is likely to be the new star of crowded metropolitan streets. A mockup was recently displayed at the London Transport Museum in Covent Garden, and it really is a knockout design. Swoopy tinted glass, a clean, green eco-power system, and a familiar appearance in updated designer clothes looks set to carry on the ‘Big Red Bus’ tradition well into the future. So here’s a call to you manufacturers out there: let’s see a kit (and a diecast too, please) of this item - pronto! 

The pictures show, top to bottom:

1  Revell catalogue 2011, starring the RM bus kit.

2  Revell bus kit box, pictured at the London Toy Fair 2011.

3  The real thing, seen outside the Toy Fair exhibition.

4-6  New-style double-decker, launched at the London Transport Museum by Mayor Boris Johnson, seen at right in pic 4 - he’s the one with the blonde hair.

There’s a neat Corgi 1:50 scale diecast here.

London buses and other gorgeousness from Sun Star here.

If you’re in the big city, the London Transport Museum is well worth a visit here.

Thanks to Diecast Ramblings for the Sun Star RM pic.