659 outdoors for the first time with her new panels.

I still have the wheel arches to dress with beading but ALL the panelwork on the bus was done ourselves no outside contractors needed

All the panel work was done by myself and Graham, special thanks must go to John, Mark, and GVVT for their assitance in cutting down the hugh sheets of alloy

I was lucky to be offered a set of Stainless steel fuel tanks for 659. These were taken off the bus sometime after leaving LRT Lothian.

Better still genuine Emiox fuel tanks just like the Eminox stainless exhaust system on the bus.

Finally after a load of work the centre doors now work correctly. Even the sensitive edge is now in full working order.

I honestly dont think 659 was washed in Wales.

The engine looks slightly better with some of the oil blasted off it. Loads of work is needed to get this area of the bus up to spec

The vent above the engine was seized solid, the hinge had given way and the zeus fastners were jammed. The unit had to be cut out of the bus and restored. Here you can see the unit ready to go back in.

You can see only one Zeus fastner was still serviceable the rest had to have new ones fitted.

Back in place and working.

After the vent I repaired the structure under the rear seat which when fixed allowed me to fit the rear seat from GSC 654X.

We decied since we had to use 620 front dash we should take extra time to save GSC 659X orginal flip down dash.

In addition to sanding a fair amount of fibre repair had to be done. The N/S hinge mounting had to be re-built and once repaired both the supports had extra fibre glass built up on them to reinforce them.

Primer was applied to highlight defects. Filler was then applied.

Filler was then applied.

The long awful job of restoring all the seat frames is underway. Each frame has all the old paint removed and the rivets drilled out. Primer was then applied and finally a top coat of LRT Lothian spec paint and finally new rivets.

Here you can see two seat frames half way through the process

I have replaced the master switch flap as 659 orignal was mangled. Its still waiting its grey top coat.

The restored seat frames are going back in the bus. The gange way side of each frame will be painte once all the frames are back in the bus.

The rear covers have now been removed exposing the tatty Powerpack.

The rear covers have now been removed exposing the tatty Powerpack.

The rear covers have now been removed exposing the tatty Powerpack.

At last the front dash has been fitted. New hinges had to be fabricated as the old ones were rotten.