| EFE Zone News March 2010 |
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| February 2010 | News Archive Index | April 2010 |
| 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. |
Monday 29 March | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Planned Mid April Releases | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The following four models are scheduled for release in the week ending the 17th April.
   26207 Bristol Tramways - Guy Arab I Utility 28008 Cornish Fairways (Western National) - Single Door Daimler Fleetline DMS 29805 Southend Transport - Dennis Lance Wright Low Floor Bus | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Information kindly supplied by  | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Some EFE Oddities | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Peter Edgar has sent me photographs of three AEC Mammoth Major lorries that were released in special packaging during the Summer of 1993. The models themselves are the same as the standard versions but come packaged in special boxes produced by EFE for a reader's free model promotion run by Commercial Motor Magazine. There are believed to have been three different models supplied: BRS boxvan (10503), J.D. Lown dropside (10303) & Heygates tanker (10901). The three models illustrated below are currently being auctioned by Peter on eBay    Click to view larger pictures   The Commercial Motor promotional cover mounted order form for the models. Barrie Davis has sent me a photograph which highlights a correction that was made to the original Routemaster RM model back in 1993. The first five models were produced with an incorrect number of upper deck seats, the original seat moulding only had 32 seats instead of 36. When this error was pointed out to EFE they produced a revised moulding which was fitted to all new issues from 15606 onwards.  Upper: corrected version - Lower: original version Barrie has also sent me a scan of one of an old EFE Official Collectors Club newsletters produced by the Ken Benham in the 1990s. This contains some more details regarding the rare route 141 Routemaster with Pickfords advertisement. The piece has been reproduced below ... Pickford/Wilkinson LT RM's. A study of the LT RM's with Pickfords adverts has led me to believe that there are 6 separate versions in existence. I have re-catalogued the models as per the following table with supporting notes below. LR04A 15608 PICKFORDS/WILKINSON RM1768 ROUTE 141 LR04B 15608 PICKFORDS/WILKINSON RM 966 ROUTE 141 LR04C 15608 STD PICKFORDS/WILKINSON RM1768 ROUTE 7 ISSUED DEC 93 LR04D 15614 STD BEA /WILKINSON RM 966 ROUTE 141 ISSUED JUL 94 LR04E 15608 COM ROUTEMASTER 40 YRS RM 966 ROUTE 260 ISSUED SEP 94 LR04F 15608 COM TYPHOO /BEA RM1768 ROUTE 7 ISSUED SEP 94In line with the then current policy of issueing 2 RM's side by side with similar adverts the pair of Pickford releases arrived in the UK all showing route 141 instead of a 50/50 split of route 7 and 141, the situation arrived at with models cat a longed LR04A and LR04B (these to my knowledge were not issued). All of RM1768 were re-printed to show route 7 and formed the first official release, LR04C. A change in EFE policy of no longer repeating the side adverts resulted in Pickfords being overprinted with BEA on the remaining RM966 model which resulted in the second official release, LR04D, The Routemaster 40 Year model was produced from surpluses of LRO4B which did not get overprinted BEA. The original route 141 on these models was re-printed with route 260. The last of the 6 is the commissioned model for the USA market which was mentioned in the Sep bulletin. These models were surpluses of the first official release with overprinted adverts of Typhoo Tea/BEA. The actual catalogue will not show LR04A or LR04B until such time that it can be proven that quantities have found their way onto the market. Barrie adds that he has seen about 20 route 141 Pickfords models over the years and that all of these have been in boxes labelled 15614 rather 15608B suggesting that a small batch probably slipped through the re-tampo printing process when the original Pickfords models were re-worked to produce 15614. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Thursday 25 March | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Three Confirmed Releases | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The following models have now been released by EFE. 
 25809 Yellow Buses Bournemouth - Single Door Daimler Fleetline DMS 20643 Cyldeside - Dennis Dart Plaxton Pointer | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Friday 19 March | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Confirmed Release of Subscriber Models | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The latest pair of subscriber models are now in the process of being posted out to those who ordered them by EFE. 31304 London Transport (Route 156) - Daimler Fleetline DMS B20 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Tuesday 16 March | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Scheduled Late March Releases | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The following three models are scheduled to be released during the week ending the 27th March. 22912 North Western BRS Contract Hire - Bedford TK Box Van Lorry 25809 Yellow Buses Bournemouth - Single Door Daimler Fleetline DMS 20643 Cyldeside - Dennis Dart Plaxton Pointer | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Information kindly supplied by | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Friday 12 March | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Four Confirmed Releases | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The following models have now been released and should be available from your usual suppliers. 
  18612 Devon General - Open Top Bristol VRT Series III 31202 British Road Services - ERF KV 4 Axle Flatbed Lorry 35302 MacBraynes - Six Bay BET Single Deck Bus | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| New Routemaster Model Found | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Barrie Davis has contacted me with details of a part decorated red EFE Routemaster he acquired on eBay, the model features RM1527 (527 CLT) but has no fleet names or route details printed on it and came in an unlabelled box bearing the bar code 15618. He wrote to EFE fearing this unusual model might have been stolen from the EFE warehouse, Frank Joyce has since confirmed that the model was in fact the blank used for the 2nd Ian Allan 500th issue model 15618A and the standard release model 15621, the model it turns out was inadvertently released along with normal stock and is not only not stolen but is also quite genuine.  Click for further pictures & details | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Monday 8 March | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Details Published of Six New Models & Hobby Fair Pictures | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| EFE has released pictures and details of six new models, these include the two models mentioned in the subscriber's newsletter sent out last week. All the models bar the GS are provisionally earmarked for release in April.
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| A selection of pictures of some of the exhibits at the Hobby & Collectors Fair held in Coventry over the past couple of days have been posted on the www.themodelbus.com site, these include the EFE Optare Olympus and several other as yet unannounced EFE models. There are also shots of some new N scale models from Bachmann and Oxford Diecast and several pictures of forthcoming CMNL models. |
| A scan of the EFE trade release sheet can be found at |
Friday 5 March |
| Latest Subscriber's Newsletter |
| The latest EFE newsletter mention's that EFE will be attending the new Model & Hobby Show in Coventry later this month. This trade only show has taken the Model & Hobby element away from the January BTHA Toy Fair which EFE didn't attend this year. EFE will once again attend the London Transport Museum's Acton Depot Open Weekend on the 13th and 14th March, unusually there doesn't appear to be any new commissioned EFE model planned for this year's event. The LT Museum website does however indicate there will be a special sale of selected limited edition models over the weekend. More details about other attractions can be found on the Museum's website. EFE has indicated the following models are currently earmarked for Late March release. 22912 North Western BRS - Bedford TK Boxvan 25809 Bournemouth Yellow Buses - Daimler Fleetline DMS Single Door 30510 London Country - Guy GS Special (New model announcement, no other details known as yet) 20643 Clydeside - Plaxton Pointer Dennis Dart Two other new models are also listed among the forthcoming releases, again no further details are given. 22605 Western BRS - AEC Ergo Articulated Flatbed 28008 Cornish Fairways N.B.C. - Daimler Fleetline DMS 1 Door The latest pair of subscriber models 31304 & 26407 will be ready to be mailed out in the middle of March. |
| Click Thumbnails for individual scans of the sheets or the link for the PDF file which contains both sheets (Courtesy of EFE). |
  Click Here for PDF Version (4.5mb) |
Thursday 4 March |
| New Cobham Bus Museum Model Announced |
| The following press release has been received from the Cobham Bus Museum today. Cobham Bus Museum will be launching another of its sought-after limited-edition EFE 1:76-scale London Transport models at its transport heritage show, which takes place at Wisley Airfield in Surrey on Sunday 11th April. The model in question will be red Central Area RTL 911 running as a Green Line relief on route 718 to Windsor.  Cobham’s RTL 911 will go on sale at Wisley Due to the fact that a spare RF coach was usually garaged at both Riverside and Victoria garages, it was quite rare for a Central Area bus to be used in service on Green Line duties. On the occasion when they did appear, it was very often with the route and destination being chalked onto the blind box. The Cobham model, however, depicts a well-presented bus from Victoria garage running as GM56 - complete with both front and rear destination blinds – having been substituted for an RMC coach on 27th September 1964. The Cobham model is based on an actual appearance of this vehicle in this role. Limited to only 360 pieces; the model will feature authentic period advertisements. The ‘Cobham 2010’ branding will only be shown on the box and the certificate. The model will be available exclusively from the Cobham shop at Wisley Airfield on the 11th April (not Redhill Road), priced at £27 to museum members, and £30 to non-Members. No orders will be accepted prior to the Wisley event. |
Wednesday 3 March |
| Planned Early March Releases |
| The following models are due to be released by EFE during the week ending the 13 March. 16119 Oldham Corporation - Highbridge Leyland PD2 18612 Devon General - Open Top Bristol VRT Series III 31202 British Road Services - ERF KV 4 Axle Flatbed Lorry 35302 MacBraynes - Six Bay BET Single Deck Bus |
| Information kindly supplied by |
Monday 1 March |
| L.B.R.T. Code 3 Rally Models |
| Nigel Mitchell has sent me details of the models he is producing for various Running Days this year. There are four models for Country Bus Rallies and three for the Amersham & District events. All of these are limited editions of 150 products. Nigel is also celebrating the 20th Anniversary of his L.B.R.T. business this year and has produced a four model limited edition set to mark this milestone, only 100 of these will be produced. All these re-worked specials have been modified by Nigel using his own custom produced transfers and the majority are based on EFE models. They can all be pre-ordered directly from LBRT, the rally models will also be available at the Running Day events. Further details and pictures can be found on the www.lbrt.me.uk website or by clicking the pictures below.     Country Bus Rally Running Day Models CBR101-104    Amersham & District Running Day Models SL10 (provisional), HH10 & UX10  LBRT 20th Anniversary Set (4 Models) |
| February 2010 | News Archive Index | April 2010 |