Bus Liveries

Redhill is situated on the edge of the West Midlands PTE (WMPTE) operating area rather like Cannock to its West. As a result it is served by both WMPTE and Midland Red (MR).

The model is set in 1976 which is firmly in the National Bus Company corporate livery era.

Midland Red

Liveries

• Buses. Poppy red. Some vehicles carried white bands. On single decks these would be below the windows, on double decks above the lower deck windows. Fleet name in white. On single decks above the windows, on double decks below the lower deck windows.
• Local coaches. Red to the bottom of the windows. White above this. Fleet name in red above the windows.
• Coaches. All over white. National fleet names with local fleet name in small red lettering.

Paint

I have used the following car aerosol colours:

Red - Ford Sunburst Red

White - Chrysler/Peugeot Arctic White

The Ford colour is not readily available but can be specially mixed at most car paint suppliers. If you have difficulty locating one try looking in Yellow Pages.

Enamel paints are available in the Cherry range (produced by Phoenix Precision) for NBC Poppy Red and NBC White.

Fleet names and NBC logos

I have used Modelmaster decals. Similar items are available in the MBC Decals range (available from Bus Fare). The Mabex items do not appear to be the correct typeface (NBC had its own corporate lettering), size or colour.

The NBC logo was initially white on red paintwork or red on white paintwork. Around 1976 a new style of red and blue logo on a white square was introduced. Consequentially the MR buses at Redhill carry a mix of old and new logos.