Replica of Leyland bus goes viral on social media

Social media was lately taken by storm with the newest invention of 25-year-old Randika Lakshan Abeydeera, a youth from Pathalangala in Embilipitiya, who designed a replica of a 54-seater Leyland bus -- 27cm in height and 110cm in length.    

The Leyland-lookalike grabbed the attention of beholders and the vehicle replica fandom as a whole.  
The speciality of this masterpiece is that every part except the engine is manoeuvred using an intricate electric system. 

The proud inventor, a past pupil of President’s College in Embilipitiya, says the invention is an upgraded version of the replica he designed for an exhibition in Grade 8. 

“I used aluminium, iron plates, plywood, wood splinters and silicon to design the replica. I had always been keen on buses. My very first attempt to design a vehicle replica was in Grade 8. Although I made two buses, they weren’t powered with a lighting system. Many people did not believe in me because I was young. But, my friends always supported me. They still call me ‘Bus Randika.’ I had the idea of developing a similar vehicle replica during my schooling career, but my education did not permit me to do so,” he said.   He said he managed to acquire the raw material for his invention by himself, which would otherwise cost at least Rs. 20,000. Finally, Randika expressed his heartfelt gratitude to everyone, especially Dinuka Nishad, for helping him in various ways to develop the 
vehicle replica.