quicksilver coaches' photostream  

The deal done on this 2 months ago has fallen through thanks to a complete timewaster who did nothing but mess me about (not naming names but some of you may know who it was...) so it is now available again to someone who is prepared to keep their word.

It is a 1/72 plastic kit of an AH-64D Apache Longbow by Italeri, and the box has been opened but the kit appears to be complete with the instruction sheet, decals and a sealed bag of sprues. I'd ideally like to swap it for a 1/76 vehicle kit - any takers?

My three Atkinsons show how models based on the same donor can end up looking totally different depending on the builder's approach: all are based on EFE Black or Silver Knight artic tractor units. The maroon one is the Doug Roseaman conversion kit and displays the simple approach of fitting generator sets directly onto the rear. The blue one, coincidentally in the same colours as the late John Clarke's Go Lancer fleet, has a scratchbuilt and slightly ungainly luton body, and the red one has chariot style bodywork with the addition of a luton for extra storage space.

As a new season begins, my fairground fleet has expanded again with two Atkinsons now returned to the UK from an eBay seller in Canada. Carrying the fictional name of Oakey's, GYL 981 is a Langley whitemetal kit of an early post-war Atkinson, built as per the instructions but to a good standard and appropriately weathered.

The other Atkinson reimported from Canada is a conversion of an EFE tractor unit, the third such vehicle in my fleet although all are very different. With its distinctive custom bodywork, bright livery and whitewall tyres, Galley's Super Waltzer transport LKN 204F is typical of the lorries used by some of the more flamboyant showmen, and is painted in matt colours to represent a vehicle that has been in service for a long time and whose paintwork is starting to age. The registration is in the same series as several members of my Central of Bruern fleet, as it is one of the standard Mabex transfers.

Following John Clarke's sad death late last year his models had to be sold, but happily they have found new and appreciative homes within the MBF rather than being bought by a dealer. I have acquired seven of the coaches from his Lancerbus fleet and set up a new company, trading as Lancer Travel and based at Rugby, to operate a few school contracts in Warwickshire and Northants. These vehicles were scratchbuilt by John and all but one are Leyland Tigers, 167 (MRL 567X) being an early 12m example with a Plaxton Supreme V body.