Model Bus Zone News
June 2024
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Sunday 30 June
MCW Mertorider Kit Released By Omnidekka Models
Chris Cotton has now taken delivery of his commissioned Britbus MCW Metrorider kits, pre-orders have all been dispatched to customers, & over a third of the stock has already been sold.

See June 12 news item below for further details & photographs of the models which are priced £39.00 each including UK postage, (overseas postage available at cost)

If anyone wishes to order the kit they can do so by emailing Chris Cotton at indicating the number of models required, a payment link will then be provided.


Wednesday 26 June
EFE Road Routemaster Commissions For LT Museum.

London Transport Museum has commissioned two EFE Road AEC Routemaster models to tie in with the upcoming Routemaster 70th Anniversary.

The models are based on the latest re-tooled version of EFE Road's RM Class tooling and will be exclusive to the London Transport Museum Shop.

Both models depict RM1 (SLT 56) which is part of the Museum's vehicle collection. The models carry the traditional 1960/70s red livery with gold underlined London Transport fleet names. A full set of advertisements for the Museum are carried on both sides, front & rear. Both versions depict the vehicle working on route 2, there is a choice of either Crystal Palace or Victoria ultimate destinations.

The models are packaged in the usual EFE Road display cases and will have special card wrapper with "RM1 Routemaster 70th Anniversary Model" legends. A anniversary leaflet will also be included with the model.

Pre-orders are now open and can only be placed via the Museum's Online Store. They are priced £49.95 each plus P&P.
Release is expected during August, they will then be available to purchase in person from the Museum's shop at Covent Garden.

Update: 15 August 2024
Bachmann Europe have confirmed the internal company product codes for this pair of models is E41603Y & E41603Z, note these models have the early style radiator grille without AEC triangle badge at the top. (this is a retooled version of the original 2009 365xx series model).


Thursday 20 June
Model Bus Federation June 2024 Journal Review.
A quick review of the contents of the latest edition of the Model Bus Federation's monthly Model Bus Journal for June 2024.

This is the only publication solely dedicated to model bus news & other related articles in the UK.
If the contents below are of interest, you may wish to consider becoming a member of the MBF, the annual subscription starts at £25.00 with special reduced rates available for younger members aged 14-18.
For further details please visit the https://www.model-bus-federation.org.uk.
Back issues of the Journals are also available to members where stock permits.

The Model Bus Journal - Issue 638 June 2024 - 32 pages - ISSN 0953-435

  • Diary & Events - Upcoming MBF members only area meetings & net forum.
  • Shows & Exhibitions - MBF Events & other public events
  • Editorial
  • Cover Story - This Park Royal bodied Leyland Titan PD3A is one of three vehicles from the United Motors fleet of the late Mick Broadhead which has been added to the North Midlands Transport Museum collection. (see next article)
  • Return to the North Midlands Transport Museum by Dave Jessop - The North Midlands Transport Museum first appeared in the Journal back 2016, in an article written by the then Museum owner Arnold Chave. After Arnold sadly passed away in 2020, the Museum came under Eldorado's wing and a second article appeared in October 2022. This article details the latest editions to the collection.
  • From the Archive - Eldorado & United Motors jointly operated route 562, Eldorado's 145, a Scania N113DR Alexander R is pictured with route 562 destination blinds.
  • 70 Years Ago! by Dave Jessop - Dave's first toy bus was a Dinky Streamline coach in 1954. It been restored and now carries fleet number 1 in Dave's Eldorado fleet.
  • Beamish Museum Model Tram Exhibition by Gorden Wigham - A brief review of this event which was organised by one of the MBF's newer members over the weekend of the 6 & 7 April.
  • Gremlins! - Some photographs got mixed up in April's North Midlands Area Meeting report.
  • Midland Bus Kits Model Bus Show 2024 by Daryl Hemsell - 250 visitors attended this years event, which had 24 stalls & a variety of sales and displays. Planning for next years event has already started and will take place at the Genesis Entertainment Centre, a former Midland General Bus Depot, on the 22nd March 2025.
  • Welcome Aboard - A welcome to six new members & one returnee.
  • Obituary: Phil Sposito by Mike Walker - Phil was an active member of the Bristol Vintage Bus Group and was very hands on with the restoration of vehicles owned by the Group. He was also a very skilled model maker, both modifying diecast models, and scratch building them is a variety of materials & scales. He will be sadly missed by all that knew him.
  • More Gremlins! - The wrong photograph was submitted as part of April's North Midlands Area Meeting report.
  • Short Bova by Robert Aveyard - Robert cuts down a standard 53 seat Corgi OOC Bova Futura model to produce a short wheelbase 10m 45 seater version which is finished to depict Pumpkins Motors Services HC02PUM (106).
  • ... and a Real One! by Dave Jessop - V505PCX a Bova 10.340 with Futura C37Ft photographed in Johnson's livery back in 2005.
  • Photo Extra by Dave Jessop - Another reason for taking your model photo's from street level rather then from a high view point is that they take up 77% less space on the Journal pages.
  • Dinky Overload by Syd Eade - Syd bought 100 Dinky 290 double decker models from David Evans. He decided to strip them and restore them all back to their original Dinky red & white condition in one go!
  • What If ...? - Another "What If" model from David Dawes is a Mercedes Citaro in Longstaff livery.
  • Plan of the Month by Alan Johnson - Roe 33ft "Mancunian Fleetline"
  • Area News - Eleven pages of reports & Over 60 colour photographs covering recent MBF meetings in the Greater Manchester, West, South Wales & Herefordshire, Dorset New Forest, North Midlands, & North West areas.
  • MBF Shop - The MBF Streetscene,& Paragon range of white metal/resin parts & accessories, plus the MBF Streetscene 2K resin model kits that are exclusively available to MBF members.
  • MBF Streetscene White metal Bus & Coach Kits - The former ABS white metal bus kits added to the MBF Streetscene range. These are available exclusively to members at low cost (from £10.00 to £35.00 - see the MBF page for a list of these model kits)

Staurday 14 June
Northcord Models Press Release UNBUS0073 Ensignbus
The following press release has been issued by Northcord Models. This model is expected to be released to UK model retailers in July.

NORTHCORD MODEL COMPANY -

PRESS RELEASE & Update for

ukbus 0073 Alexander Dennis Enviro400

Ensignbus

Northcord Model Company is proud to release its second model of the ukbus 6200 range on the former CMNL long wheelbase Enviro400 tooling.

This is ukbus 0073, replicated in the fleet of Ensignbus carrying its standard livery.

ukbus 0073 features Ensignbus 123 (SN59 AWV) working on route X1 to Basildon Bus Station. SN59 AWV began life as a demonstrator for its manufacturer, being registered for the first time in September 2009, and toured many operators across the country in its red and gold livery before entering the Ensignbus fleet.

Because the model deployed to replicate the real bus is of a different scale length, the model has been numbered into the ukbus00xx range. However, the message to use this number on all items associated with the model was mixed up by the factory, so it carries both the originally allocated number ukbus 6204 as well as the corrected number ukbus 0073 and but it is that latter number that should be used in all references to this otherwise excellent model.

The stand-out features of the livery are : “Ensignbus” and www.ensignbus.com on all sides, together with “BUGGYBUS” at the front.

The replicas feature excellent detailing, inside and out, such as realistic-looking handpoles and handrails. The Enviro400 model is a one-piece casting whose clean lines accentuate the windows and livery application on which all logos and lettering are clearly legible.

The brand new UKBUS0073 bus models will be distributed by John Ayrey Die-Casts Limited (UK), Porte Publishing Company (Japan), 80M Bus Model Shop (HK) respectively. The UKBUS0073 is based on a Limited Edition of only 1008 pieces produced.


Wednesday 12 June
Barton Bedford VAL Kit From Three Peaks Models
Three Peaks Models are taking pre-orders for their latest 3D printed kit of a Yeates Europa bodied Bedford VAL. Seven of these buses were purchased by Barton Transport in 1963 and numbered 963 to 969 inclusive. Its small wheels make the bus seem much longer than it is.



The kits are available in 1:50, 1:76 & N scale and there are two versions:
  • 50 seater - 50 coach style seats
  • 56 seater - has a very narrow walkway at the rear to accommodate the additional seats.
Models are supplied unpainted and include vacuum formed front & rear clear plastic windows. The kits do not include glazing for the side windows, brass rods for the axles, or transfers. However these can be purchased as a separate accessory pack if required.

You will need the following length of brass rod for axles between the wheels:
  • 1:50 - 2 x 42mm, 1 x 30mm
  • OO (1:76) - 2 x 27mm, 1 x 20mm
  • N (1:148) - 2 x 14mm, 1 x 10mm

Three Peaks intend to start shipping from 11/7/24. Any other items ordered with this kit will be held until then.

Further details can be found by visiting the Three Peaks Models Website or Facebook page.

Wednesday 12 June
MCW Mertorider Kit From Omnidekka Models
Chris Cotton at Omnidekka Models has had a batch of Britbus MCW Metrorider models made in bare metal kit form. Only 150 have been produced and no more are planned once stock is exhausted.

The models are aimed at those wishing to apply their own choice of livery and are priced £39.00 each including UK postage. (overseas postage available at cost). The models will be supplied in the usual clear plastic packaging with the red card sleeve as previously used for white & bare metal Scania Omnidekka models.




Anyone interested in ordering these models, should email Chris at indicating the number of models required, a payment link will then be sent.

Chris expects the models to arrive with him, the week commencing the 24 June.

Wednesday 12 June
Latest Northcord Release in UK
The following Northcord model has now been released to UK model retailers.

UKBUS6531Stagecoach Manchester (route 192) - ADL Enviro400 MMC Double Deck Bus

Information kindly supplied by


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