Routemaster Corgi info needed.

[misterpop]

Anybody any information on "Bus Engineering Limited" I have a bus and need some info .

[Fred7A]

Bus Engineering Limited was set up in 1985 to take over London Transport's engineering and overhauling operations. Sadly both Aldenham and then Chiswick works were closed down, and BEL only lasted until the early 90s. They inherited some ex-British Airways front-entrance Routemasters which they painted in a rather dull grey and red delivery. One of the former Green Line RCL Routemasters is preserved in a white BEL livery.

It would be interesting to see a picture of your Corgi Routemaster.

[GHOSTHUNTER]

The 'Code 3' King when it comes to the Corgi Routemaster was John Gay. I defy anyone to try and compile a listing of his output!

I would also like to see a picture Ian, please!

Ghosty.

[misterpop]

Its actualy a Corgi bus in red with BEL stickers and mounted on a wooden plinth pen stand..The pen holder was missing and the pen so I sent to China for a new holder and am awaiting a set of the correct pens....These will also fill a couple of spaces in some Matchbox pen stands I have ordered off Ebay.....Would it be OK for me to use that information from Fred7a on my sale page .With what I have already it would fill out the story and time line....Thanks all, picture to follow when the pens come..

[Fred7A]

No problem to use that information - hope I got the details correct! If you look up RCL 2254 you'll find pictures of the preserved Routemaster in white BEL livery.

[misterpop]

Thank you...Here are the pictures as requested still awaiting pen..

busblind.JPG (40.84 KiB) Viewed 664 times

busleft.JPG (48.62 KiB) Viewed 664 times

busright.JPG (46.27 KiB) Viewed 664 times

busback.JPG (63.79 KiB) Viewed 664 times

[GHOSTHUNTER]

Thank's Ian. Now I have seen the wheels it dates from the 2003-04 period and is a very late or possibly the last casting of a Routemaster to be connected to the 'CORGI' brand.

It's nice and unusual to see this mounted as a 'Giftware' item like the Lesney items from 1962 -1978, so I am guessing the owner has done this based on those Lesney models.

Adding a Pen will be a good idea so I hope it arrives for you.

Ghosthunter.

[Fred7A]

Thanks for posting these pictures.

Are you sure about the wheels, Ghosty? I think those wheels first came out in the late 1980s. BEL moved to Willesden in 1990, and I think they closed in 1993. The 01 telephone code changed to 071/081 in 1990, so I would guess the model was issued that year, perhaps to celebrate the new premises?

[GHOSTHUNTER]

The wheels on Ian's Bus are the very last version made (a Mk6 design), linking the company back to the 'Whizzwheels' days. Wheels made after these are very prototypical being based on an authentic design.

Mk1 = The original 'Red Spot' design, in use from September 1969-70.
Mk2 = The '8 dot'' design, in use through 1970.
Mk3 = The 'Ro-Style' design, in use from 1971 onwards and was a very widely used wheel.
Mk4 = The '6 vent' design first used through 1976.
Mk5 = The plain disc design first used through 1977.
Mk 6 = The 'concave 8 dot' design.

Mk 4 and Mk 6 wheels were used side by side on the much revised Routemaster casting well into the 2000's and Ian's Bus has the Mk6 design where the Hot Foiled area is dished inwards (Concave).

Ghosthunter.

[Fred7A]

I agree with your wheel list Ghosty, but I think this Routemaster is considerably earlier than 2003-4 as stated in your previous email. I hated those concave wheels on the Routemaster, especially the way they stuck out, and I'm sure they were already being fitted in the 80s. When Corgi introduced their Mark 3 Transits they came with these wheels.

Southampton City Bus ran some Routemasters in the late 80s, and they sold a Code 3 Corgi from their shop. These had the concave wheels, one reason I didn't bother buying one at the time, although I have bought one since! In the early 90s Corgi included a Southampton livery in one of their "Routemasters in Exile" sets, and that had the more authentic type of wheel.