ALEXANDER TS TIGER
CENTRAL SCOTTISH LT53 (B253 BYS)

Central Scottish operated a sizeable number of Leyland Tigers fitted with Alexander's TS body - a bus version of the dual purpose TE (also bought by Central) which along with the TC coach of which Central had a few examples were effectively a modernised T-type. The model is a white metal kit originally produced by Lowland but now remanufactured by Pirate. The kit is nicely made capturing the shape of the prototype and is offered with alternative front headlight designs. I however made a number of modifications to the basic kit. The headlights were hollowed out and ultimately filled with clear glue over silver paint to represent the lenses. The fog lights are made from plastic card and the smaller BMAC light clusters were replaced with my own resin ones. A new windscreen was made as the two supplied with the kit were not smooth or clear, had a comically thick centre strip and would have really let the model down. This was achieved by gently heating clear plastic and bending it around a hot metal former. Etched brass wipers were also fitted as white metal is far too chunky for these. Equally the huge mirrors supplied were replaced by my own, made from a staple and a small piece of clear plastic painted silver (behind clear) and then black. I used a set of EFE wheels so the model would have rubber tyres and rotate smoothly. The coach seats supplied were replaced with etched brass bus seats from Mark Hughes and the sky lights were covered over, correct for the later buses. I glazed the whole bus with individual panes which although time consuming provides a good effect. Correct hoppers were painted on as the original cast ones were far too thick. This particular livery was difficult to reproduce as the lines and details of the kit did not always appear exactly where the livery dictated they should!

Although First Glasgow operated these buses right into 2006 and until early 2008 retained a few on driver training duties, preservation has not been especially kind to them with only one example, a TE to be finished in Fife livery at first surviving. However, an eleventh hour preservation purchase of LT25 (A25 VDS) has been made and although extensive restoration of parts removed when this bus became a driver trainer is required, the parts have almost all been sourced and the bus will assuredly wear a very similar livery to this once again (some buses carried more red around the windows). A full set of nearly new orange moquette seats was also acquired and I am looking forward to a thoroughly executed restoration (eventually)!