| EFE Zone News February 2011 |
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| January 2011 | News Archive Index | March 2011 |
| Use the links below to view the further details related to the News items. |
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| If
anyone can supply reliable news stories about EFE or
Gilbow models, then please feel free to drop me an email. |
Friday 25 February & updated Staurday 26th February |
| Confirmed LT Museum Releases |
The London Transport Museum has now started the process of dispatching a number of models to standing order customers. All the models are from the Museum's Victoria Coach Station series.   99711 United (1215 / 202 Newcastle) Bristol RELH ECW Coach 99712 Royal Blue (2398 / X21 Cheltenham) Plaxton Panorama Elite Coach A fourth model of a Red & White Bristol RELH ECW Coach (99709) is expected to be dispatched to standing order customers towards the middle of March. |
Monday 21 February |
| New Website For Mel's Collectables |
| Melvyn has informed me that his new website, Ace Model Buses, has now opened, this has replaced his former well known Mel's Collectables site and can be found at the new domain www.acemodelbuses.co.uk. Melvyn has streamlined the design of the new site to make it easier for customers to navigate quickly to the products they are interested in, he will continue to specialize in diecast model buses from EFE, Corgi, Britbus & Creative Master Northcord and offers a range of both the latest and older releases. He can also source other model products from over 6000 lines upon request, full details can be found on his new site:  |
Friday 18 February |
| Six Confirmed Releases |
The following models have now been released by EFE.      15109 Plymouth City Transport - Long Leyland National Mark I 2 Door 25107 Cumberland - Bristol RELL ECW Bus 25306 East Yorkshire - AEC Regal Duple Coach 37501 Briton Ferry Steel - AEC Mark V Four Axle Dropside Lorry 37601 Alan Firmin - AEC Ergo 2 Axle Flatbed Lorry |
Monday 14 February & Updated Friday 18th February |
| Latest EFE Newsletter & LT Museum Releases |
| The first newsletter of 2011 has arrived, it's dispatch by EFE and has been delayed by the recent Showbus announcement. Frank Joyce mentions that employment laws in South China will see the minimum wage rising by 18.2%. I presume this will eventually mean further increases in retail prices for all the models manufactured there. EFE will once again be attending the Spring Acton Depot Open Weekend which as usual will have a London in Miniature theme. EFE have confirm that two Routemaster models have been commissioned, as mentioned in my February 3rd posting, and will be available from the Museum Shop at the event on the 12 & 13th March. The London Transport Museum contacted me last week to update my card details and informed me that four of long outstanding commissioned EFE models were due to be posted out this week. The models a Royal Blue Plaxton Panorama coach and three are Bristol RE ECW Coaches, one in Red & White and the other pair in United Livery, will all be issued in the Museum's Victoria Coach Station Series. I presume if any stock of these models remains they will be available at the aforementioned Acton Depot event. I will confirm the exact model details when I receive them. Back to the EFE newsletter, three previously unannounced models are listed as follows. 18715 Bedford SB Duple Vega Coach - United Counties 32305 Bristol RELH ECW Coach - Royal Blue 36304 BET 6 Bay Twin Headlamps - I.O.M.(Isle of Man) Road Service (I think the cat no. should be 35304) The latest newsletters can viewed using the links in my previous news article below. |
Saturday 12 February |
| Revised Details For East Kent Leyland National & First Rlease Sheet Of 2011 |
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  Click Here for PDF Version (8.5mb) |
| Click Thumbnails for individual scans of the latest release sheets or the link for the PDF file which contains both sheets. (Courtesy of EFE) |
Monday 7 February & revised 4th April |
| Cobham Commission Red RF |
| Steve Edmonds from the London Bus Preservation Trust (Cobham Bus Museum) has contacted me with details of a future commissioned red RF. IMPORTANT: Since posting this item the release of this model has been been delayed & an alternative EFE model will now be available at the Dunsfold event mentioned below. See my news item posted on the 4th April for full details. The Gathering itself will have a new home this year at Dunsfold Aerodrome near Cranleigh, the former Wisley Airfield site is now unavailable and the old Redhill Road Museum has now been vacated so won't feature in the 2011 event. Dunsfold Aerodrome offers a larger site and a number of new attractions are being planned as a result. The aerodrome will be familiar to many as the home of the popular BBC "Top Gear" programme and it's famous test circuit.  Full details about the event and instructions on how to mail order any unsold models can be found on the Museum's Website. |
Originally posted Thursday 3 February & Updated Saturday 5 February |
| EFE Ends Showbus Sponsorship |
| I've received the following statement from Mr Frank Joyce at EFE. "All good things come to an end and after 15 years supporting and helping develop Showbus it gives me no pleasure to announce that as major sponsor of the Showbus Rally, irreconcilable differences have developed between ourselves and the Showbus committee which have forced us to withdraw our sponsorship of the rally. Therefore we will not be supporting or attending this years Showbus Rally. The reason for this decision is due to the fact that the Showbus committee are changing the way the rally is structured and this change goes against our principle of supporting and contributing to Museums and Rallies which are run by enthusiast for the enjoyment of enthusiasts and the general public. We do however appreciate that this decision will cause great disappointment to the many bus and model enthusiasts that enjoy meeting with us in our display marquee at the rally and we are actively looking at what options might be available to enable us to continuing displaying our models and meeting enthusiasts at other events across the country. When we have any news regarding this we will advise enthusiasts of what new arrangements we have made." and Dr Martin Isles at Showbus has issued this press release. "All good things come to an end and after 15 years supporting and helping develop Showbus, EFE has stepped down as lead sponsor of Showbus. The event has lost money in recent years and the organisers have been forced to act to safeguard the event for the future. Sadly EFE was unable to offer the support expected of a major sponsor and alternative finance is actively being sort. Whatever the outcome. the event will take place as planned on September the 18th at the Imperial War Museum, Duxford and we are pleased to be able to announce that there will be no increase in admission prices for 2011, indeed, those bringing large parties by bus will receive additional discounts. There is no change to the way in which the event will be structured. Showbus will continue to be run by enthusiasts for the enjoyment of our loyal enthusiasts as well as the general public, as it has for the last forty years." |
| Eight New Models Announced & Next Releases |
| EFE have published details of eight new bus models which all have provisional release dates in February or March. |
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The trade release sheet for the new models can be viewed at  |
| Next Six Model Releases |
| The next six model releases from EFE will be available during the week ending the 19 February. 15109 Plymouth City Transport - Long Leyland National Mark I 2 Door 25107 Cumberland - Bristol RELL ECW Bus 25306 East Yorkshire - AEC Regal Duple Coach 37501 Briton Ferry Steel - AEC Mark V Four Axle Dropside Lorry 37601 Alan Firmin - AEC Ergo 2 Axle Flatbed Lorry |
| Release details courtesy of |
| Two Routemaster Models For LT Museum |
| David Rowe has spotted details of two special models for the next Acton Depot Open Weekend on the London Transport Museum's website. The models will only be available for purchase by visitors to the Open Weekend on the 12 & 13 March. The models are two red RM class Routemasters, there are no catalogue number details as yet. 1. RM1095 Route 117 to Egham Station 2. RM1134 on Route 81B to London Airport Central Further details about the event can be found on the Museum's Website. |
| January 2011 | News Archive Index | March 2011 |