Omnibus 181 - September 2007
MERLIN MAGIC
AML588H – AEC Merlin / MCW – London Transport MBA588 (Tim Clayton)
Progress since the end of last year has been slow, but in that time smaller items have been prepared off site. 100ft of horizontal D-profile beading has been de-painted, polished and varnished for reaffixing, giving the plain long sides some modelling at long last. Small sections of Balata have been sourced and cut to replace the tired and fraying originals around the battery, radiator, towing, and air-filter valences. (It's all rather like accessorising a new suit with matching cufflinks and handkerchief).
The air-filter is now in my domestic garage for de-rusting and leakage inspection: shame about it leaking oil in the car on the way home(!) Rubber for some window pans and all display boxes is on site; the more expensive door profile rubber is on its way from Hull.
Outstanding replacement timber (front and rear) is now going back, allowing panels cut a couple of years ago to at last be at least pinned in place. And new ash/beech fitted externally in 2005 has been constantly monitored for weather resilience and reprotected as necessary (thankfully it's bearing up well). Who knows, the bus may even get eyes back in its sockets soon ... or even some sockets. And it'd be nice to think the body may get red again (losing its Country Area green, courtesy of the naturalisation process of standing out of doors), before the year’s end.
Tim Clayton
