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 in 2007 retain 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 surviving. Another ex-Central Strathtay example is also rumoured to be in private ownership but this is likely to be restored as a Strathtay bus. Another Central example was scrapped from preservation due to lack of storage and so it looks like this superb livery may be consigned to history (at least for now).