SUN STAR MODELS DEVELOPMENT LIMITED

Following on from the enormous success of their 1:24 scale model of the London Route master, Sun Star announce the launch of a second 1:24 scale Bedford OB bus .

The Bedford OB Duple Vista coach was a common sight on British roads during the 50's and 60's. Used by many large operators, this coach was also used by hundreds of smaller operators all over the British Isles, fully justifying the Bedford advertising claim of that period, “You see them everywhere!!”. As a result, many people will have fond memories of the Bedford OB as their school bus, or their local sight-seeing coach.

In order to ensure maximum authenticity, Sun Star intends to feature only vehicles as they were originally supplied new to their first owners. During its production life, the Bedford OB Duple Vista underwent many changes, and the Sun Star models will faithfully replicate the different modifications made during the period 1946–1950. Each model will reproduce not only the original seating configuration, 27- or 29-seater, but the exact body specification appropriate to its year of manufacture.

1:24 scale Bedford OB Duple Vista coach.

Introduced in August 1939, the Bedford OB chassis was designed specifically for public transport. The off-set differential on the rear axle combined with the mounting of the engine and the gearbox at a slight angle permitted a sunken, central gangway for easier passenger access. However two months later, following the outbreak of World War II, production was stopped after only 73 chassis had been manufactured. In January 1942, production of a more utilitarian version known as the OWB recommenced. In October 1945, production of the OB resumed and the Bedford OB chassis went on to play a major role in the re-equipping of many transport fleets as demand rose sharply. Over 40 different coach-builders used the chassis, but by far the biggest was the Hendon-based firm of Duple, whose Vista body was to become synonymous with the OB coach.

However, the Vista body underwent many changes during its life. Unlike the original pre-war and the first 46 post-war Duple Vistas, which had an entrance door which slid behind the main side body panel, the door on the following models slid open into an external recess. During 1947, the destination and fleet-name boxes were modified, a rounded outer edge replacing the earlier angular one.

In 1948, due to material shortages, the characteristic side “flash” was omitted and replaced by a single aluminum bead about 3 inches below the waistline, and the operator's name plate box was removed from the rear. The original 4-spoked steering wheel was replaced by a 3-spoked version. In 1949, the side flash and the operator's plate returned. Later that year, the luggage door locks, which had been operated by a T-key, were replaced by a single locking handle and the rear direction indicator lights were changed. The large chromed bumper over-riders were removed, a deeper rear bumper/body trim was added which incorporated the wording Bedford-Duple and a Duple motif was added to both sides of the 1950. As an option for sight-seeing services, quarter-lights in the roof were offered which necessitated different, tubular luggage racks.

Features :

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	1949 Bedford OB Duple Vista – Grey Cars Item: 5006

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	1949 Bedford OB Duple Vista – Southdown Motor Services Ltd #70 : JCD370 Item: 5007
JCD370 was one of two Bedford OB’s delivered new to Southdown Motor Services in the spring of 1949. As with all early 1949 OB’s, the characteristic chrome “flash” along the sides had been re-introduced after the austerity of the 1948 models, as were the chrome over-riders on the front bumpers. At the rear, the luggage compartment had a T-key lock, the operator’s panel beneath the rear window was cream and the rear bumper was the early thin type since the deeper bumper with the Bedford-Duple wording was only introduced later that year.
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	1949 Bedford OB Duple Vista- Royal Blue #580 : HOD120 Item: 5008
Royal Blue was the brand for the coaches operated by Southern and Western National. Originally, all vehicles were operated by the owning companies in their cream and green liveries before being repainted in the Royal Blue colors. HOD120 was an early 1949 vehicle, operated by Southern National and based at Swan age in Dorset, Although as Fleet Number 580 it was numerically Royal Blue’s first Bedford OB, it was not actually repainted and transferred until May 1955, the first Royal Blue OB’s having been 587 and 590 which had been repainted in June 1953. At the same time as the change in livery, the seating configuration was also changed, from 29 seats to 27, although the seat coquette remained unchanged from the original Southern National material.
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	1949 Bedford OB Duple Vista -Southern National #1430 : LTA906 Item: 5009
LTA906 is a late 1949 OB with the deeper rear bumper in the center of which is the Bedford Duple logo. Also at the rear, LTA906 has the revised “flashing arrow” indicators and the central chrome handle on the luggage compartment, which replaced the earlier T-key lock. At the front, it has the simpler bumper where the chromed over-riders have been replaced with chromed decorative strips.