Hello,
Earlier in the year we announced our plans to produce four Scania OmniCity double decker dual doors, which all started life in London, we are pleased to share these images of the first pre production samples which have just landed this week from Hong Kong. We are extremely pleased with these models upon first review, and the level of detail is the standard you would expect from Northcord. Please bear in mind these are samples and may not be 100% correct. We will review these with our team to make sure as much detail is captured. Since we announced these models the two Stagecoach London Scania’s we have modelled have left the Stagecoach London fleet, with only the sightseeing and training buses remaining in use. Most of these buses have been sold or scrapped. It was great to capture these vehicles while still operating in London.

The details for each model can be found below.

Ukbus 0075 Scania Omnicity Double Decker Stagecoach London 15041.

- 15041 Will be shown on route 97 to Stratford City and feature the new Stagecoach logos, one of only a few of these Scania to feature these. This models will be limited to 504 units worldwide.

Ukbus 0076 Scania Omnicity Double Decker South East 15037 Driver Training Bus

15037 Will be shown in driver training livery with Stagecoach South East after leaving service in London. This model will be limited to 504 units worldwide.

Ukbus 0077 Scania Omnicity Double Decker Stagecoach London 15042.

- 15042 Will be shown on route 97 to Chingford Station and feature the old Stagecoach logos, which these buses ran with for most of their lives in service. This model will be limited to 504 units worldwide.

Ukbus 0078 Scania Omnicity Double Decker Plain London Red

The all red livery shows how these vehicles looked before entering service as well as after they departed there lives in London. Many of these vehicles now exist outside of London in plain red. This model will be limited to 108 units worldwide.

We will be making further updates on these models over the next few months with updates on delivery dates. We currently estimate these to arrive in Q3/4 of 2024,

Pre Order service including the ‘Clearpay’ interest free easy spread payment service will be available from Friday 26 July at 12:00pm

We will announce the Retail Price at the Pre Order launch. We are currently awaiting some final elements and costs including shipping.

We will be reviewing these samples with our partners at Stagecoach London, Stagecoach South East and Northcord Model Company before giving the green light for these to go into production.

MBC is very proud to announce we will be continuing our Macmillan Cancer Support fundraising efforts with these models, with money from each of ukbus 0075 and ukbus 0077 going to the charity we have supported over the last few years. We aim to finish this year having raised £20,000 for Macmillan.

To keep up to date with these releases, follow us on Facebook, Instagram and on our website, at www.modelbus.uk.

Many Thanks
Iwan Jones
MBC Production Manager.

Update 20 July
My original edited front & rear photo's of ukbus0075 & ukbus0078 have been corrected to show correct combination of shots. Note: The front view of ukbus0075 shows the model with AAV instead of AAU registration. I'm sure this has been noted by MBC & will be corrected on the final production models.

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.

• 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)

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.

• 50 seater - 50 coach style seats
• 56 seater - has a very narrow walkway at the rear to accommodate the additional seats.

• 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