While you Wait for Painting....

While the brown and the cream paint was ordered and being packed and shipped from Scotland, it was time to ensure that once painted, all components of the bus, mainly the interior, were ready to instal right away. This included seat frames and their cushions, plated parts, all the many panes of glass (the driver's cab alone has ten panes including all the sliding ones) and interior lamps.


SOME OF THE TEN PANES FROM THE DRIVER'S CAB, ONE OF WHICH CARRIES "DO NOT SPEAK TO THE DRIVER WHILST BUS IS IN MOTION", AND SOME OF THE METRE UPON METRE OF FELT-COVERED ALUMINIUM CHANNEL FOR HOLDING THE GLASS.


THE FITTINGS FOR THE 16 INTERIOR LAMPS HAVE BEEN POLISHED TO THEIR ORIGINAL GLORY.


LAMPHOLDERS FOR THESE PRE-WAR LAMPS ARE UNUSUAL: THERE IS ALMOST NO SPACE BEHIND THE LIGHT FITTING TO ACCOMMODATE SOCKET AND CONNECTIONS. They are actually domestic 240 volt holders of the period, made of brass and ceramic. I HAD ONLY 9 OF THE REQUIRED SURFACE MOUNTING HOLDERS, BUT BY GREAT GOOD FORTUNE IT WAS FOUND THAT TRAMWAY SOCKETS ARE THE SAME AND LOFTUS HAD SOME SPARES. AT LEFT IS ONE OF THE THREE CONDUCTOR'S BELL-PUSHES.


THE DRIVER'S MECHANICAL SIGNAL HAND. Before the advent of multi-lane roads and suicidal traffic this sufficed as both stop and right turn indicator. Pushed part way out it signals stop, and after squeezing a trigger and pushing it out fully, it signals right turn. A little lamp on the other side of the black housing comes on to illuminate it at night, operated by contacts visible here. Apart from the hand itself and the housing, all parts are newly replated.


THE TWO GENUINE CAV HEADLAMPS WITH RIMS REPLATED, REFLECTORS POLISHED WITH SILVO, AND BODIES STRIPPED AND PAINTED.


A SET OF INTERIOR LAMP "FISHBOWLS". SOME WERE FOUND TO BE ABOUT 3mm SMALLER IN DIAMETER THAN OTHERS, AND SIMILARLY THERE ARE SMALLER AND LARGER LIGHT FITTINGS. LUCKILY A MATCHING NUMBER OF EACH HAS BEEN GLEANED, ALTHOUGH ORIGINALLY THEY WERE PROBABLY ALL OF THE ONE SIZE. The one that looks half black, is: it goes behind the driver's cab and is designed not to shine forward.


AFTER SOME CONSIDERATION THE DECISION WAS TAKEN TO GO THE EXTRA YARDS AND PAY MORE TO HAVE THE SEATS RE-UPHOLSTERED IN LEATHER AS THEY WERE IN 1937. THIS TURNED OUT SURPRISINGLY TO BE NOT ALL THAT MUCH DEARER: ANOTHER 20% ON TOP OF THE SAME JOB IN VINYL.


THE DRIVERS CAB. SEAT CUSHION AND SQUAB NEWLY DONE IN LEATHER TO THE ORIGINAL PATTERN.


A PILE OF SEAT BACKS AND CUSHIONS STORED READY TO THROW IN ONCE THE SEAT FRAMES ARE BOLTED DOWN.


THE UPHOLSTERER ALSO HAD A BASH AT RETRIMMING THE DRIVER'S SUN VISOR. IN LEATHER. IT LOOKS A BIT BAGGY, SO MAY NEED SOME MORE STITCHING TO TIGHTEN IT UP.


A FEW OF THE 150 OR SO ITEMS OF HARDWARE WHICH HAVE BEEN REPLATED IN CHROME. THE USE OF CHROME IS NOT STRICTLY ACCURATE: IN 1937 THEY WERE DONE IN NICKEL. HOWEVER, DON AT SWIFT PLATERS, SILVERWATER, EXPLAINED THAT IN THOSE DAYS THE PROCESS WAS DIFFERENT. NICKEL WAS DEPOSITED, THEN POLISHED TO PRODUCE A MIRROR FINISH. TO GET AROUND THIS, TODAY'S METHOD USES A NICKEL ALLOY WHICH PRODUCES ITS OWN LUSTRE, BUT TARNISHES AFTER A FEW YEARS. NOT WANTING TO BE FOREVER POLISHING UP ENDLESS NUMBERS OF BRIGHT PARTS, I OPTED FOR CHROMIUM PLATING, WITH ITS SLIGHTLY BLUER LOOK. THE PURISTS, INCLUDING ME, WILL HAVE TO MAKE DO.


THIS IS THE AUTOVAC, A CONTINUOUS SOURCE OF LOW LEVEL DIFFICULTY. THE THREE-WAY COCK UNDER THE LEFT OF THE BLACK BOX OOZES DIESEL FUEL QUIETLY OVER A LONG PERIOD, LEADING TO A STICKY, DUSTY MESS ALL OVER THE BULKHEAD. I HAVE TRIED OIL JOINTING, CORK, AND FINALLY RUBBER AS THE SEATING MEDIUM FOR THIS COCK, AND SO FAR SO GOOD (AS OF 10 DAYS). A RECENT VISITOR'S COMMENT WAS WHY NOT GET RID OF THE COCK AND REPLACE IT WITH A NEW COUPLING? HERESY! THE MESS ON THE BULKHEAD IS A TD LEYLAND FEATURE, SO WE MUST PERSIST BUT AT LEAST DELAY THE PROCESS.