The wheels on the bus go round and round

From David Knight.

This is a circa 1964 Gillig.  A replica I made from a modification of a Corgi GM "old look" transit bus.  Also a replica of the bus I rode to high school in.  They had just been acquired at the time,  replacing a fleet of 1948 Crowns.   Gilligs were a local product made in Hayward California, still in business now but making transit buses.  These Gillig buses were very popular on the west coast,  this version was powered by an underfloor, layover Cummins six cylinder engine with a five speed non synchro gearbox.

Construction

As completed.

Modern Gillig,   Scratch built in 1:43 scale

John, that circa 1984 Gillig school bus done from a Corgi GM “Old Look” bus is an incredible piece of work. Beautifully done!

Fine work, John.  Here are two very different buses from my shelves.  The first is a relatively recent one;  the second is a bit older.

I wonder why buses don't show up more often here?

@d-m-holcombe, keep 'em coming! We'll be seeing Goldvarg's buses soon as well!

Well, here's some more.  The International Loadstar is a Sun Motor Company  resin kit that Rod Ward produced.    The body is a Wayne.   Also shown with a vintage Dinky Supertoys Wayne rear engined bus. 

And in the background a 43rd scale circa 1989 GMC bus by IXO on a Hatchette partworks I think. 

And a Thomas Safety Liner.

And a more modern circa 2000  International.

Top:  Photo taken tonight of three Henrico County Public Schools Thomas C2 SAF-T-Liner buses parked in a school lot.

Bottom

Three Thomas C2 promotional models. These are available directly through the Thomas Built Buses website at $30 a copy plus destination charge.   Some are available on the internet at prices from $49.95 - $90! 

I ordered my three buses from Thomas snd they were delivered four days later.

David,  Thanks that post and the tip.  Question: what scale are these?  I may well be interested if close to 43rd or 50th.   Do you have pics of your three?

John, for some reason the scale of these Thomas buses promotional models is 1:54. Some years ago a nice Thomas FS 65 was done also in 1:54.  Here are some more pictures you requested.

These Thomas promos are shipped from your own state

Here's a light plastic bus that I've had for a while.  It came from the Blue Bird Bus Company in Georgia, and here's its story.

"This is the first in a long line of buses made by Blue Bird, one of the country's major school bus builders. It is the oldest surviving school bus in America. In 1925, Albert L. Luce, Sr. owned two Ford dealerships in Georgia when a customer came in and ordered a bus to transport his workers. Mr. Luce purchased a wooden bus body and mounted it on a Ford Model TT truck. But the body began rattling apart before the customer could even finish paying for the bus. Mr. Luce was convinced he could make a better bus body and, by 1927 he had built the school bus you see here. The key to success was a strong steel framework under the wood. Within a few years Mr. Luce sold his Ford dealerships and began making school buses full time. Chassis: 1927 Ford Model TT Truck Engine: 176 cu. in., 20 hp Body: Hand built using steel and wood"  (from the Henry Ford Museum)

Size?  Not given, but here it is beside a familiar Brooklin Model A Ford:

Design feature returns after 56 years. REO Safety buses in the late 40’s had a triangular window as the A pillar, a feature unique to REO buses. 56 years later, in 2004, Thomas introduced a feature reminiscent of the REO design on its C2 buses.

1948 REO Safety Bus

2004 C2 SAF-T-LINER

Thomas Promotional model of the C 2

@john-quilter 

Your bus conversion turned out beautifully. You did one hell of a job! 😎 

@jkuvakas My daughter has the CocoMelon bus as a toy... my home soundtrack just by now...