ECW LEYLAND OLYMPIAN
STRATHCLYDE LO38 (KGG 158Y)

This model was produced from the revised casting of OOC's ECW bodied Olympian, never a very good model but I didn't fancy the Tower kit much either. The front panel of this bus was cut off above the bumper and the dash panel moved down by around a millimetre. The indicators were re-modelled and much of the side panel mouldings removed to form a flush surface for the adverts. Particularly tricky (and not the best thing I've ever done) was fitting the T-shaped advert on the offside, which covers the join between both decks. Had the join been smoother this would have worked well. The windscreen was made from scratch as Glasgow Olympians had a V screen and not the BET style as fitted. Because of the unusual construction OOC have adopted, this model had to be finished, built up and stuck together before any work on the windscreen surround could commence. I could not sand the filler as the powder would have entered the model, so I simply smoothed the correct shape before setting the filler. The windscreen is flat plastic with a central score which allowed me to bend the V-shape into it before fitting. Once again, etched wipers finish the model and I think the effect is quite accurate and takes the eye away from the fact that the casting is basically crap. I also added a radiator cap with a blob of filler.

A couple of this batch, possibly including LO38 have just been withdrawn (August 2005) by First Eastern National and represent the last survivors. Please preserve one!