| Model Bus Zone News April & May 2020 |
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| February 2020 | Model Bus Zone News Index | |
| Click the links to view the further details related to the News item. |
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| Filter Content: Britbus Kits Northcord OOC |
Tuesday 26 May |
| Go London Commissioned Britbus Scania Omnidekka Models Update |
Chris Cotton has sent me the artwork for the numbered certificates that will be supplied with each of his commissioned Go Ahead London Dockland Buses Scania Omnidekka models currently in production at Britbus.  The model ref numbers have been revised from ES2-06A/B to ES2-04A/B by Britbus, these are the next unused numbers available in this model series. Below are the latest high definition model design cells (PDF format, will open in new browser window) ES2-04A Clapton destination ES2-04B Stratford destination Prices are £60 for 1 model or £115 for both, prices include UK postage, 200 of each version will be produced. If, anyone is interested in buying one or both models, please email for payment details. |
Thursday 21 May & Updated 26 May |
| Confirmed & Next Northcord Model Releases |
John Ayrey Diecasts is expecting the Ensignbus ADL Enviro400 MMC model UKBUS0063 to be released to UK retailers the week commencing the 25th May. UKBUS0063 Ensignbus - ADL Enviro400 MMC Double Deck Bus (132 / YX66 WLH - Private Hire) Update Tuesday 26th May: The above model has now been released to UK model retailers. The next releases after this model are expected to arrive in the UK during July and will be the open top Alexander ALX400 Dennis Trident in Mega Sightseeing.com livery & (UKBUS6519) the ADL Enviro400 MMC in Stagecoach Oxford Gold livery. Northcord is expected to issue press releases for both of these models shortly.  UKBUS1501 Mega Sightseeing.com (Stagecoach London) - ADL Enviro400 MMC Double Deck Bus (18496 / LX06 AHC)  UKBUS6519 Stagecoach Oxford Gold - ADL Enviro400 MMC Double Deck Bus (10786 / SN66 VZH - Route details t.b.a.) |
Tuesday 19 May & update 21 May |
| Go London Commissioned Britbus Scania Omnidekka Models Update |
| Chris Cotton has made further revisions to the two Britbus Go Ahead London Dockland Buses models he has commissioned. (See previous post below for prices & payment details) Following comments received after announcing the models, the legal lettering has been changed to all upper case & the window layout has been corrected to match that on the real vehicle.   Click images to open larger versions Below are the latest updated high definition design cells (PDF format, will open in new browser window) Update 21st May Production of the models has started, the photograph below shows some of the castings, the next stage is cleaning then painting into the base red.  |
Monday 11 May & updated 13 May |
| Go London Commissioned Britbus Scania Omnidekka Models |
Chris Cotton has sent me details of a pair of Go Ahead London models he has commissioned from Britbus. The pair are expected to be available from late July, and Chris is accepting orders for models now.  Click images to open larger versions There are two versions ( These are the latest design cells for the two versions with the revised & now correctly positioned driver's side model. High definition design cells (PDF format, will open in new browser window) Revised versions of these design cells can be viewed in the post above. You can find a photograph of the real vehicle on flickr. Prices are £60 for 1 model or £115 for both, prices include UK postage, 200 of each version will be produced. If, anyone is interested in buying one or both models, please email for payment details. |
Friday 1 May |
| Design A NHS Livery For Corgi's New Routemaster |
Corgi is running a competition to design a NHS livery for their New Routemaster model which will show our gratitude for the effort & courage of all the NHS workers throughout the UK during these difficult times. Closing date for entries is the 31st May with submissions being accepted by both email & post. Corgi will announce the winning design on June 5th and this will be applied to a model which will be released in to range, proceeds from sale of that model will be donated to the NHS.  The winning designer will receive a hand painted version of the model in special bespoke packaging. A design sheet/entry form & further details can be found on the www.Corgi.co.uk site. |
Monday 27 April |
| Boulogne Corgi OOC Routemaster |
Corgi has published several new photographs of early pre-production versions of OM46315A/B, the London Transport AEC Routemaster in all over Boulogne advert livery is scheduled to be released this Autumn. The photographs can be found in the latest Diecast Diaries posting on the official Corgi website. |
Sunday 26 April |
| 20 Years Ago |
| This piece has been inspired by a similar article posted by Graham White on the Oriental Model Buses site earlier this month. I started the first of my websites, the EFE Zone, in mid 2004, so I thought it would be interesting to look back 20 years & see exactly how much activity there was among the main UK model bus producers during April 2000. Back then there were only three main ranges of UK bus models. Corgi & EFE were very much dominating the 1/76th scale market while ABC Models were still several months away from the release of first UK related model. April was a bit of a quiet month for EFE with only six releases, they averaged around eight releases throughout 2000 overall. Corgi was still producing some of the larger scale Classic range models in 2000, but as can be seen the OOC models were being released in fairly large numbers. 20 years on, both these ranges would struggle to issue this number of releases over a whole 12 month period, hightlighting just how much the market for UK model buses as declined. ABC Models There were no UK related model releases during the month but three Hong Kong based models were issued. 00202 China Motor Bus - Dennis Jubilant Alexander LE103A Gold Plated - MCW Metrobus 3 Axle LE103B Chrome Plated - MCW Metrobus 3 Axle Britbus & Creative Master Northcord Neither company was active in April 2000. Corgi (OOC)            40410 Widness Corporation - AEC Regent II Weymann 41903 Southdown (NBC) - Leyland Titan PD3 Queen Mary 42729 British Airways - Van Hool Alizee Coach 43612 Nottingham City Transport - Northern Counties Palatine 2 43712 London Transport - AEC Q1 Trolleybus 43916 Lytham St Annes Corporation - Daimler Utility Bus| 43917 Yelloway Motor Services - Daimler Utility Bus 44006 Blackpool Corporation (Hot Ice) - Brush Railcoach Tram 44705 Barton Buses - Dennis Dart SLF Plaxton Pointer 44802 Kowloon Motor Bus, Hong Kong - Leyland Victory Bus 45102 London Transport - MCW Metrobus Mk I Exclusive First Editions       17502 South Yorkshire Transport - Leyland National Mark II Single Door 18107DL Stockton Corporation - Leyland Atlantean Park Royal 20423 Stagecoach United Counties - Bristol VR Series 3 24809 First Eastern Counties - Mercedes Benz 609D Reebur Minibus 25705A London Transport (Cobham Bus Museum Commission) - Daimler Fleetline DMS 26607 Skills Motor Travel - Plaxton Paramount 3500 Mark II Coach Oxford Diecast Only had a AEC Routemaster bus model during 2000 and there were no releases in April 2000. |
Friday 24 April |
| Help Needed With Planned Lothian Buses Model Commission |
| Chris Cotton is planning to produce a commissioned model of Lothian Buses (999) SN04 CPE to raise funds for a charity. I presume this model will make use the existing Britbus ES series model tooling. A photograph of the vehicle being modeled can be found on flickr. Chris needs some help with photographs depicting the vehicle at work on either route 37 or 37A. A clear shot showing the small legal lettering on the skirt behind the passenger door on this vehicle would also be a great help. If anyone can help, please email this site & I'll put you in contact with Chris. |
Friday 24 April |
| Confirmed UK Northcord Models Released |
The latest release from Northcord models has now reached the UK and is currently being distributed to model retailers. UKBUS6516 Stagecoach South Gold - ADL Enviro400 MMC Double Deck Bus (10770 / SN66 VYR - Route 1 Aldershot) |
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Thursday 9 April |
| TiNY Model Kits Update |
| TiNY has sent me more details of their new 1955 AEC Regal IV Park Royal kits which are being prepared for release. These are TiNY's first "Super-Smooth" kits developed using CAD/3D technology. Full details of the other planned & current in stock kits can be found on the TiNY kits page along with full contact details. |
| Image | Kit Ref No. | Model | Availability |
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 TK71F |
CIE, ex GNR(I) AEC RG IV - PRV B45F | Very Limited Availabilty |
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TK71R |
NEW – GNR(I) AEC RG IV - PRV B45R | Due April 2020 Reserve now |
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TK71C |
NEW – CIE, ex GNR(I) AEC RG IV - PRV C40R | 2020 Reserve now |
Thursday 2 April & updated 15 April | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| With model shops now closed & events canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions in the UK obtaining models & materials has become difficult. For those wishing to fill time while in lock down I've decided to add a list of model retailers which are still offering a mail order service. This list is by no means extensive and is based on website & social media postings. The retailers listed are those known to supply bus & coach models or related items. If any other model retailers would like to be included, please drop me an email, along any site links or contact details and I'll gladly add you to the list below. May I wish all readers & their families my very best wishes & hope you all stay healthy & safe during these difficult times. I will try and post some model articles on this site over the coming weeks. Bachmann has also published a list of its appointed stockists that are operating a mail order service.
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Thursday 2 April |
| Sunrise Models - New 2020 Product Catalogue |
Sunrise Models have just issued their latest catalogue listing the full range of transfers & planned future kits. Sunrise have also taken over the Modelmaster range of bus & coach paints and intend to expand the range in the future. Catalogue 14 - April 2020 Due to the current COVID-19 advice/restrictions Sunrise have decided to suspend the dispatch of both paint & kit orders until further notice. Transfer orders are still being accepted & dispatched as per normal. The Sunrise Model page on this site has a list of current contact channels and will be updated with the latest kit information in due course. |
| February 2020 | Model Bus Zone News Index | |