Some interesting hobbies and excellent modelling there guys.
I also started as a youngster with model aircraft (Airfix, of course!). This then lead on to the Airfix 1:32 cars. All of these then just gathered dust on shelves. At the same time I was building up my model railway (with Airfix railway trackside items too!) and got interested in buses as well - I have reproduced a post from the other thread to fill in the gap for those who haven't seen that thread (with apologies to those who have already seen this bit):
My interest in model buses really started in my teens when I was dissatisfied with the standard Routemaster being the only available London bus on my layout. i wanted something that I remembered and could relate to such as an RT or RF in green. That was too difficult initially but, inspired by a couple of pictures in a magazine my Mum sent over from England, I scratchbuilt a Red Arrow AEC Merlin (MBA class) in card. It was very crude and I soon rebuilt it so it was a little less square-cornered. By the time I was 15 I had built two RFs in card - I still have them, although they are very battered now, 36 or more years later.
The next foray was when I discovered some white metal kits from Cotswold for an RT and a Merlin. Neither was especially good by current standards but they were a considerable improvement on my own efforts. I still have both - the Merlin has been rebuilt twice now, as the original white metal was very soft and that long, unsupported roof sags in the middle after a period of time (a bit like the real ones, actually!).
From there I got the bug and have been building white metal, plastic and, later, resin kits ever since.
Then, of course, EFE produced their RT and I have collected and modified many (but definitely not all) of their models.
Each kit I build gets better than the last. It's all a matter of practice. I look at some earlier efforts can see how much I have advanced and learnt from previous mistakes and made gradual improvements in my techniques and finishes.
