A TRIP to Wythall Transport Museum proved to be just the ticket for a Canadian bus enthusiast who visited the UK to launch his company’s first British model bus.
Jason Shron, founder of the award-winning model manufacturer Rapido Trains Inc in Toronto, stopped off at the Chapel Lane museum to start the process of using 3D scanning to create a miniature model of a classic Birmingham double-decker bus.
The ‘adopted Brummie’, who studied History of Art at University of Birmingham from 2001 to 2004, chose the ‘Birmingham City Transport Guy Arab IV 2976 Specific’ as the subject because of his love for the area.
The 42-year-old said: “I discovered the heritage buses of Birmingham a few years ago and fell in love with them.
“This particular bus came out in 1953 and was in use for 25 years.
“It is a revolutionary design which had never been done before in the UK so it really caused a stir with people in the industry.
“They definitely don’t make them like this anymore, it is the visual identity of Birmingham transport and that’s why I chose it.
“There needs to be more celebration of all things Brummie.”
The 3D scan took place at the Transport Museum on Sunday (July 16) and was conducted by Central Scanning, a Bromsgrove-based firm that has specialised in 3D scan and print technologies since 2006.
Scanning the real bus ensures all of the contours of the model match the shape of the original bus precisely and allows for steerable wheels, interior lighting and working headlamps, a first in the UK model bus market.
“The models are extremely detailed and it is like the actual bus has been shrunk down,” Jason added.
“At Rapido we bring our passion into the detail of everything we do – our trains even have little toilets in the bathrooms.”
Last year, Rapido Trains Inc exploded onto the British model train market and was voted ‘manufacturer of the year’ in both the Model Rail and British Railway Modelling magazine polls, with its first two model releases winning ‘model of the year’ in their respective categories.
The company has been producing models for the North American market since 2004.
The self-confessed ‘train-obsessed nutcase’, said: “Everyone at Rapido is crazy about trains or buses or both.
“I built a full-size railway carriage in my basement and I own a real Canadian city bus which we drove across Canada.
“Rapido’s models stand out because we all want them to be absolutely perfect recreations of the real thing.
“We make the models because we want to transport people back to a moment in time.”
Rapido is hoping to unveil the first sample of the 1:76 scale model Birmingham bus in Autumn 2018.
Visit rapidotrains.com for more information.
