Why a model bus fleet?
This is a question I have often asked myself! There is no definitive answer as fleets exist for many different reasons; for my part I suppose it is a result of my interest in the many independent operators of real buses in my local area and a desire to replicate them in a manageable form. A model fleet gives the ideal opportunity to create your own operation, entirely within your own control and free from the nightmare of rules and regulations governing real-life bus and coach operation. Many members of the Model Bus Federation operate these fleets, which between them cover most of the country. The ground rules are simple: all the vehicles must actually exist and be to roughly the same scale, but beyond that it's up to you. However, like most model fleets, Quicksilver has some basis in reality; it has drawn inspiration from many of the real operators I know, combined into my own personal vision of what a coach fleet should be.

More about the Quicksilver fleet
Compared with some fleets, Quicksilver has a very short history: it started life in September 1999 operating just two coaches but over the following years has expanded quite rapidly and now has in excess of a hundred vehicles, no two of which are identical (here is where a model fleet can safely diverge from reality without all the engineering complications such variety would cause in real life)! While the majority of model fleets concentrate on bus services, as my main interest is in coaches it was decided that Quicksilver should be primarily a coach fleet. The company serves much of Yorkshire and beyond from three depots situated in the picturesque 'Heartbeat Country' of the North Riding, as well as a small outpost in the Hollyoaks district of Chester. The vehicles are employed on a variety of duties from stage services up to European holidays (please see the Operations page for more details), while Quicksilver also has an autonomous subsidiary in Hertfordshire, Albion Coachways of Barstock.

Most of the vehicles wear our distinctive fleet livery of Silver Birch and Baltic Blue, a colour scheme inspired by that formerly used by York Bros of Northampton. They originate from a variety of sources: diecasts by Corgi, EFE and others; kits in plastic, resin and whitemetal; and scratchbuilds by several different builders, plus a number of conversions. Fleet policy (if there is one) is best described as 'rarities and oddities', as I am fascinated by rare and unusual types, but basically the fleet contains whatever vehicles I feel like adding to it! Many have been purchased from other model fleets: reflecting reality, cooperation between operators is common, although there have been 'bus wars' too.

What's on this site?
Please use the links found at the bottom of every page to navigate through the site. Within you will find:
- a complete fleet list of all vehicles currently owned.
- a photo gallery featuring every vehicle in the current fleet, plus several that have now been disposed of.
- a brief history of the Quicksilver company.
- details of the types of operation undertaken by the company.
- a list of routes currently operated.
- the news page, where regular fleet and website updates are detailed.

and a number of other features not directly related to the Quicksilver fleet:
- some hints and tips on preparing and painting models.
- a photo gallery of the other forms of transport models found on my diorama.
- my collection of models of real buses from my local area.
- fairground transport: another fascinating area of interest with many classic and/or modified vehicles still in service, so I have built a few models.
- fire appliance models: I've never quite worked out why, but there seems to be a lot of overlap between enthusiasm for fire appliances and buses, and I am no exception.
- plus anything else I think may be relevant to put on this site!