Wacked from the ball and chalk? Then feast your meat pies on Jonathan Elliott’s Austin FX4 sherbet dab! Jonathan’s build is lemon tart, with choice black pieces, clips n’ bars, and – would you Adam n’ Eve it – bunny ears too. The grey mare’s more bangers n’ mash than ol’ Uncle Gus, but you’ll dodge the Barney Rubble from the elephant’s trunks. Take a butcher’s hook via the link above, whilst we head down the battlecruiser for a Garry Glitter.
British police vehicles don’t wear the myriad of different liveries that feature across the United States. All feature the ‘battenberg’ chequered design, named after the famous Victorian cake that shares the same pattern, and it does look quite cool. Even on an embarrassingly unthreatening 1.6L Astra or Focus.
However until recently The Metropolitan Police (who look after the thirty-two London boroughs, counter-terrorism, and the Royal family) did have a distinct colour scheme, wearing a livery based upon a simple lunchtime snack rather than an English cake. We’re not sure why British police forces design their vehicles after party food, but we’re all for it.
Anyway, this previous-generation Metropolitan Police Ford Transit does wear the now-replaced Met Police ‘jam sandwich’ livery, which has been recreated rather wonderfully by regular bloggee Ralph Savelsberg aka Mad Physicist, complete with a British police officer (aka ‘Bobby’). Said officer is a little out of date now as British police don’t wear their ‘custodian helmets’ when driving, but they do still put them on to beat you with their baton, what with that being a special occasion.
There’s more to see of Ralph’s Metropolitan Police ‘jam sandwich’ Ford Transit on Flickr, and you can take a bite via the link above!
One of the most iconic vehicles in the world, London’s ‘Black Cab’ has remained visually unchanged for over sixty years. First built by Austin, which became British Leyland, and then by a succession of smaller specialist companies, the ‘Black Cab’ has ferried tens of millions of passengers around the streets of Britain’s capital.
This particular ‘Black Cab’ is an Austin FX4, a design first launched in 1958 that lasted right up until the late 1990s. Powered by various diesel engines the FX4, despite being a rather lovely vehicle, turned London’s air into a soot-filled soup, so thankfully they were banned from service in recent years (and their replacement is a far more air-quality friendly plug-in hybrid).
This brilliant Miniland-scale rendition of the old Austin FX4 comes from Peter Blackert aka Lego911 of Flickr and you can hail it for yourself via the link above. Just don’t breathe in what comes out the back…
With less than a week to go it’s getting tight at the top of TLCB Summer Building Competition. This entry comes from MOCpages’ Markus Schlegel who’s making his TLCB debut.
The Elves usually don’t like taxis. They tend to be slow and old looking (London), or spectacularly dull (everywhere else). Plus we don’t like using them with the Elves in tow as we’ll inevitably have to pay the additional ‘soiling charge’. A charge that’s far more likely to required with this; Markus’ racing London Taxi FX4.
Markus has put a big tick in both the ‘fast’ and ‘stripes’ boxes with his brilliant competition entry, plus his taxi features working steering, opening doors, bonnet and boot, and folding jump seats. There’ll be a standard version posted soon too, and it could be one of the most realistic models of the year.
In the meantime you can see more of the version TLCB Elves prefer by clicking the link to Markus’ MOCpage above, and you can find out more about TLCB Sumer Building Competition entry requirements and the awesome prizes available by clicking here.
London’s iconic red double-decker buses are famous around the world. The latest hybrid fleet is being rolled out now, but its diesel predecessors will be around for a while yet. This Enviro 400 (an ironic name for anyone that’s walked/cycled/breathed behind one) is the work of previous bloggee Hung Andy, who continues his chronology of London transport. There’s more to see here.
This gorgeous pair of mini-figure scale London buses comes from TLCB debutant Hung Andy. Whilst his Flickr name does seem more appropriate for the seedier corners of the internet, Hung Andy’s builds are some of the most exceptional Town style vehicles we’ve seen in all of our time blogging.
Two eras of London Routemaster bus are represented, the second of which is only just coming to end with the arrival of the new (and beautiful) hybrid double-decker this year.
You can see more of Andy’s AEC London Routemaster buses on Flickr, click the link above to get on board.
London Transport
The Elves got very excited during the Olympics this year, and as such they’ve been looking for anything a bit London-y since. An outing to Flickr uncovered something about as London-y as it’s possible to be; a classic Routemaster Bus. Lego Car Blog favourite Ralph S aka Mad Physicist is the builder behind it, and you can see more here.
You may have noticed a little sporting jamboree happening right now in London. So did Gabor Horvath. To celebrate, he’s blessed us with this 6 wide Routemaster Bus with full RC control cleverly packed into it, complete with highly entertaining video. It’s on Cuusoo too. Cheer it on at http://www.mocpages.com/moc.php/336250
