Porton trolleybus line up 2012 for Manchester, Cardiff, Rhondda and Pontypridd.wmv

[@kendowney8553]

Excellent the best, l have trolly buses on my railway just love them, well done 👍

[@westporton]

Hi Ken, thanks! I went for a trip to Creeksea on the wonderful (scratchbuilt?) clerestory petrol/diesel railcoach set - - and only later, too late, saw the trolleybus bound for Creeksea. Ah well, next time I'm down there..... Beautiful modelling of grasses and dry-stone walling. I never realised Perth was so diverse in ecology! Love the steam coming from the loco's chimney too. Very original, and very evocative. Used to have a little 009 layout as a teen. Quite fancied trying to make a meter-gauge tramway with it! Have a great weekend.

[@kendowney8553]

@@westporton Thanks for the comments it’s set in South England Devon way , l live in Perth Western Australia most of my railway immigrated with me. I started model railways when l was seven with A Hornby Torbay Express that l still have along with rolling stock, And yes l do like to do a bit of scratchbuilding

[@jomido-Modellbahn]

Excellent! Well done! I am impressed. 😊

[@westporton]

Thanks. It's a hobby that got totally out of control! It looks intricate but both the overhead system and the buses (which have all been dropped on the floor at some point...) are robust. It's not too difficult to scratch build the buses and once I'd figured out how to make the overhead, including frogs and crossings, I was away!

[@charlesredmond5958]

Wow!!! Beautiful work! Outstanding! (From across the "Pond")

[@westporton]

Thank you very much. Happy new year from this side of the pond!

[@charlesredmond5958]

One of my earliest memories was boarding a trolley/bus with my mom in Brooklyn, New York... (1960?)... trolley/trams gone for some years. Trolley/buses gone from NYC that year! ... Got my revenge later in life by becoming a NYCTA Conductor (Guard) and later NYCTA Motorman/"Train Operator" (Tube Driver)...

[@westporton]

I was never so gallant. spent all my life in offices!! :-( Some great videos of the NYC subway in times past on KZbin. bet that makes you feel nostalgic!

[@charlesredmond5958]

Sure does!!! My folks afforded me a good education here in the states and told me to "go somewhere" with it... Took me me 15 years to realize that they DIDN'T mean from the "Bronx" to "Coney Island" (NYC) and back twice a day!!! ;-))! Seriously, the "job" of my "heart" before I had to move on! Your representation of the transport of your youth is OUTSTANDING and world-class! Thank YOU!!!

[@westporton]

The length of Manhattan? China, (Lil) Italy ..... you used to travel the world every day!! Your folks should have been really proud. (Coney Island isn't even of this world...)

[@rogerdaviesusa]

Delightful, well done, envy your skill ! Two points, the Manchester Burlinghams were built 1955/56 and there were 62 of them, 1301 to 1362. Cardiff had East Lancs singles 238 to 42 built 1949 with 2 doors, front later panelled over, and 243 built 1955 with one rear door, none were refurbished all being withdrawn 1964. 243 is preserved. 205 was a NCME AEC from 1941. Hope you had a great visit.

[@MarmiteCrumpets]

Love it! Brilliant!

[@Tuckaway]

Good heavens I've only just spotted the tram trolley pole reverser at 3.43. I didn't think you could get one to work in that scale!

[@westporton]

Hi, thanks for your comments. There are two auto reversers on the layout: one at each end. I seldom get dewirement in them during all day exhibutions, which I am reliably told is a much better performance than the full scale article at the Critch Tramway Museum!

[@davidjones332]

Very impressive, and much enhanced by Jack Hylton's band with The Swingtette.

[@oldsyphilitic]

excellent- admire your skill. Manchester BUTs were introduced 1955-56 I think.

[@cul8rxx]

Genius!

[@westporton]

.... i mean the model was refurbished. Someone else built the body to start off but I finished it and motorised it. Later, I added the Cardiff crest transfers, etc, including a blind for Pier Head. No excuse for dates on the Manchester fleet, sorry!

[@Tuckaway]

Absolutely brilliant models. As a Brightonian I hope to one day see a working model of my home town transport which sadly stopped running in 1961. Do you use the Faller steering system or make your own?

[@westporton]

Hello Tuckaway! Thanks - it's a hobby that ran out of control..... Ever since I was little I used to make trams and trolleybuses out of mecano and lego. These buses are really reliable, and as you see run all day at model shows with little trouble. Maybe the odd dewirement: but that's just modelling accuracy, like the real thing! My passion started with the Manchester trolleys, as that's my home town, and that's why I made the model Burlingham especially for the Manchester show. It has taken 2 or 3 years to build up the skill to scratch build the buses (but it's not as hard as it looks) and I prefer the road handling of these lighter plastic models - especially for automation. However you can buy model trolleybuses. Lucky you! Brighton is one of the towns represented by the OCO models! (I bought mine at a flea market for £2.50!) and I have motorised some of the Corgies - even the 6 wheelers. You can see them here on youtube working at a show in London in 2009. In the search box above put 'model trolleybus porton' and you should hit it. So yes, I build a chassis to fit the body, I use a BEC motor on the back axle (but you can use whatever is your choice - something strong for the metal models) and the Faller steering axle on the front. Luckily Faller do sell just the front axle! The good point with the Faller axle is that it comes apart easily - this is really important because dust and fluff tends to accumulate (especially after long working) which if not cleaned off regularly can cause the steering to fail, and your beautiful bus to crash!Good luck with your project - - and let us know how you're getting on!

[@westporton]

Hello Tuckaway! Thanks - it's a hobby that ran out of control..... Ever since I was little I used to make trams and trolleybuses out of mecano and lego. These buses are really reliable, and as you see run all day at model shows with little trouble. Maybe the odd dewirement: but that's just modelling accuracy, like the real thing! My passion started with the Manchester trolleys, as that's my home town, and that's why I made the model Burlingham especially for the Manchester show. It has taken 2 or 3 years to build up the skill to scratch build the buses (but it's not as hard as it looks) and I prefer the road handling of these lighter plastic models - especially for automation. However you can buy model trolleybuses. Lucky you! Brighton is one of the towns represented by the OCO models! (I bought mine at a flea market for £2.50!) and I have motorised some of the Corgies - even the 6 wheelers. You can see them here on youtube working at a show in London in 2009. In the search box above put 'model trolleybus porton' and you should hit it. So yes, I build a chassis to fit the body, I use a BEC motor on the back axle (but you can use whatever is your choice - something strong for the metal models) and the Faller steering axle on the front. Luckily Faller do sell just the front axle! The good point with the Faller axle is that it comes apart easily - this is really important because dust and fluff tends to accumulate (especially after long working) which if not cleaned off regularly can cause the steering to fail, and your beautiful bus to crash!Good luck with your project - - and let us know how you're getting on!

[@JohnTheRails]

I knew the Brighton trolleybus system very well too. A couple of years ago I built a 1:24 model of Brighton Trolleybus No.52 (can be seen at East Anglia Transport Museum disguised as Maidstone 52). It is hoped to construct a small road system for it to run on.

[@allanegleston13]

nice . and a certain blue public police box to boot.

[@westporton]

Well spotted. You have to be a 'certain' age to recognise it too, I think. I needed to incorporate various light signals to tell me what's happening while 'operating' from the back (It's actually fully automated) - the blue light comes on when the metro track polarity is reversed, sending trains back to the station. I incorporated it into the Hornby police box for the kids - - but it's usually spotted by adults and then pointed out to the kids!!!!

[@jomido-Modellbahn]

Excellent! Well done! I am impressed. 😊