56a London Trolleybus

[Idris]

This is getting a bit complex, so here's Houghton's original listing for comparison with the models detailed above:

56a-2.png (179.46 KiB) Viewed 1300 times

You can see very clearly how he links the plain roof to early production and the cross-hatched roof to later production.
What do members think? Is it likely that this model had twin moulds throughout its production life?

[nickjones]

Has anyone ever seen a 56a Trolleybus with players please decals?.

[Idris]

3 with gloss bases all with bpw - 1 xh roof 2 smooth
2 spw with gloss bases 1 xh roof 1 smooth
4 gpw 1 with matt and 3 with gloss - 1 xh roof 3 smooth
3 gpw with matt bases - 2 xh roof 1 smooth

BPW/cross-hatched roof is not listed by Houghton
SPW/smooth roof is not listed by Houghton
GPW/matt base/cross-hatch roof is not listed by Houghton

1 Black poles MW Gloss Base Smooth Roof.
1 MW Flat Black Base Smooth Roof.
1 GPW Gloss Base Smooth Roof.
1 SPW Gloss Base Smooth Roof.
1 BPW Gloss Base Cross Roof.

Only the SPW/cross-hatched roof doesn't tally with Houghton

I have four examples as follows:
MW d/c, smooth roof, matt base
MW d/c, smooth roof, silk base (halfway between matt & gloss)
GPW, d/c, smooth roof, matt base
BPW, d/r, xh roof, gloss base

Those fit Hougton's list.


Perhaps we should look at this from another angle: does anyone have a black-poled, cross-hatched roof example? (Mine is smooth.) If the answer is no, that would indicate that the cross-hatching was indeed a casting modification later in the model's life.

[nearlymint]

Just checked 4 black pole models all smooth, I have GPW and BPW models with both smooth and cross hatch, SPW model has cross hatch.j

[Idris]

Well, that's five black-poled examples with smooth roof and zero with cross-hatching. It looks to me as though Houghton might be on to something.

[artherfonz]

Hi all,
I have the following examples-
nicks code 1, metal wheels, black poles, smooth roof
nicks code 3, metal wheels, red poles, smooth roof
nicks code 12, black plastic wheels, red poles, cross hatched roof
nicks code 12, black plastic wheels, red poles, cross hatched roof
interestingly one of the four models is quite different in colour

cheers steven

[Taniwha]

My black pole trolleybus has a smooth roof too.

Cheers,
Gavin

[kwakers]

Very interesting discussion, I have yet to pull out my 56As to check them yet. The roof crosshatching was missed in both the NAMC and the AIM Guides, and then also the Stannard Guide, as was the gloss versus matt black base paints used on this Trolly. Because of that, I have no record of which variations we found other than the fact we have 7 different wheel/axle/pole variations logged in so far. I do have some spares, so a careful check of them may prove to be very interesting and add a couple of new variations never known to us.
The darker color red Bus reminds me of the two red colors used on the #9C Fire Engine that SMS may have posted a picture of months ago when George and I both mentioned it. Another interesting find on this 56A artherfonz, Thanks for showing yours to us. kwakers

[Idris]

The darker color red Bus reminds me of the two red colors used on the #9C Fire Engine that SMS may have posted a picture of months ago when George and I both mentioned it.

Yes, could well be.

[Ergomatic]

My black pole trolleybus has a smooth roof too.

Peter