model buses

Paul Bennett's models

I made this website to learn how to do the html coding for websites. It is not an example of slinky design.


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Single deckers
Double deckers
Other models
Miscellaneous
Gallery


Notes

The meaning of "highbridge", "lowbridge" and so on

If you are not a bus-O, you may not know the difference between "highbridge" (normal-height), and "lowbridge" (low-height) double deckers. (The trade names "Lodekka" (Bristol), and "Loline" (Dennis) are also applied to lowbridge buses.) This picture shows three low-height buses between two normal-height buses, and you can see how low the centre buses are. The red beam-edge across the top shows that there are variations between lowbridge buses, too.

"Lo" buses are specially designed to pass beneath bridges that were built long before anyone had thought of building tall vehicles.There are different ways to make a bus lower than normal, and they can be combined: (a) instead of two seats each side of a central gangway, using 4-seater "sofas" on the left-hand side of the upper deck, and a sunken gangway on the right side (which means low headroom for the lower-deck passengers under it); (b) lower headroom on the lower deck generally; (c) "underslinging" the frame at the rear (running the frame under the rear axle); (d) using a hypoid (low-set), horizontal, or offset drive to the rear axle; (e) using a small crownwheel, and reducing the resulting high gear ratio by epicyclic gears in the hubs.

If you'd ever woken up in the 4-seater upper-deck seat of a low-line bus on a wet November night, and realised that you had to get off quickly, you'd know just how awful they were — much worse than having a window seat on an Airbus when you need a pee in the middle of the night.


Code numbers with no apparent use

You will see code numbers dotted about, usually after the model's subheading. (For example, The Daimler utility operated by Douglas Corporation has the code number 43912 at the end of the subheading.) This is the model code number, and may be useful for searching the internet.

Acknowledgments

Much of the information about London buses comes from Ian's Bus Stop, a website full of information and drawings about London buses since the 1930s. I admire the dedication that Ian Smith has displayed in building his site, just so that everyone around the world can get accurate information from one reliable source. Thank you Ian Smith.

Scales, and order of appearance

All models are 1:76 unless labelled as something else.
They are generally set out by year of production, or alphabetical order, or a bit of both. It's not strict.