| Model Bus Zone News April 2026 |
||
| March 2026 | Model Bus Zone News Index | May 2026 |
| Click the links to view the further details related to the News item. |
||
| Filter Content:
EFE
Northcord
Omnidekka Models
Sunstar Models Transport Nostalgia TTC Diecast Other |
Tuesday 28 April & updated 6 May |
| Four EFE Road Releases & Two Upcoming Commissions |
| Bachmann Europe is now distributing the latest batch of EFE Road models to UK model retailers. These releases are the second batch of Leyland Atlantean Sea Dog open top models and all feature the original higher positioned front destination displays. The Devon General two model set & three individual models below complete the planned EFE Road releases for the Spring Quarter. Bachmann hasn't yet announced its plans for EFE Road releases for the Summer quarter, it seems likely this will now be included in the Bachmann British Railways Summer Announcement, which although as yet unconfirmed is possibly due as soon as next week going by previous announcement trends. Update 6 May Bachmann has confirmed the following models have been commissioned by the LT Museum, and also announced with five standard issue versions of this new tooling for the EFE Summer quarter release programme. (See6th May post) Both models carry the original all red livery with open style London Transport Roundels and “The Londoner” side advertisements sepicting the as preserved vehicle owned by the Museum. E43006Y London Transport DMS1 (EGP 1J) Route 220 Park Royal E43006Z London Transport DMS1 (EGP 1J) Route 220 Tooting Stn The first 167 London Transport DMS vehicles had more centrally positioned front headlights suggesting these models may see the previously announced planned tooling variation has now reached the production stage. These models were first revealed in a “Friends of the LT Museum” newsletter which states they will be available to order from May 26* with release expected in June/July and shows a price £46, however this may be a discounted figure for Friends members only. * It isn't clear at the time of posting whether pre-orders have already opened for these in the Museum Shop, unfortunately their online store as of 6 May remians offline with a "down for maintenance" holding page. E99945 – Leyland Atlantean Open Top Devon General Gift Set - Era 5 (1957-66) E40503 – Leyland Atlantean Open Top Devon General NBC 928 928GTA - Era 7 (1971-82) E40701 – Leyland Atlantean Open Top East Yorkshire NBC 904 932GTA - Era 8 (1982-94) E40702 – Leyland Atlantean Open Top Devon General 925 MSJ499 - Era 9 (Post 1995) |
Sunday 26 April |
| Pre-orders Open For Omnidekka Models' Swindon's Bus Co Enviro200 MMC |
| Omnidekka Models has opened pre-orders for their forthcoming Enviro200 MMC 8.9m model in the Swindon's Bus Company blue & green livery. The model is priced £55.00 plus delivery with delivery expected during July but this may be subject shipping delays. The model is a limited edition of 440 pieces of which only 400 are for UK. Go South Coast as also reserved a large proportion of these models. MMC6A Swindon's Bus Company (Go South Coast Ltd){101 / Chaffinch / HJ74 FKW - Route 42 Calne via Avesbury} Enviro200 MMC 8.9m Single Deck Bus Pre-orders can be placed on the Omnidekka Models website. Omnidekka Model's previously released models are also now available from TTC Diecast.com. |
Thursday 16 April |
| Sunstar 80M announced 1:24 Scale Stagecoach Routemaster Model |
| A further 1:24 scale AEC Routemaster has been announced, and like the two London models released earlier this year is being produced in partnership with 80M. The latest model H2946 depicts Stagecoach Perth's 607 (LDS 201A) in the pristine (without exterior advertisements) classic Stagecoach white livery with upswept red, orange & blue stripes. Red Stagecoach fleet names are carried on the front, rear & both sides. Legal details are carried for Bluebird Buses Ltd, Aberdeen. This vehicle was formerly London Transport RM1607 and originally carried registration 607 DYE before being re-registered with the A suffix mark by Stagecoach The model will be limited edition of just 300 pieces and each model will be supplied with an individually numbered certificate. Like previous Sunstar Routemasters in features opening bonnet with fully detailed AEC engine, working front steering , fully detailed interior with handrails & authentic patterned seat cushions, full destinations display on the front, side & rear are set for route 16 to Perth. The model is fitted with modified side indicator lights on the front between decks panels, which replace the original LT stork style versions. The model's UK RRP is £349.99 with release due later this year. EFE released a 1:76 scale version of the same vehicle in April 2004. 15634 carried an earlier style livery featuring large Magicbus fleet names, route 20 destinations and the original LT registration 607 DYE. A second EFE model, 15636, followed in December 2004 and depicted sister vehicle 614 (LDS 210A) on route 2, and featured the larger style Stagecoach between decks fleet names. |
Wednesday 15 April |
| The New Zero 2 Bus Museum |
| Now open to the public is a new Bus Museum based in Great Yeldhan, Essex, it has a collection of over 60 vehicles and was set up by Peter Newman the former owner of Ensignbus, the collection includes all the vehicles from the former Ensignbus Heritage collection. The museum is open weekends until 25th October between 10am & 5pm and the very reasonable entry fee includes free vintage bus rides. In addition to the full size vehicles there is also a collection of around 10,000 model buses and a number of other bus related displays covering bus maintenance, ticket machines, & destination displays. There are also attractions aimed at younger members of the family. More details can be found on the Museum's website at: www.zero2busmuseum.com. Below is a video produced by Coach & Bus Week looking at the Museum and talking to Peter Newman it's founder. Please use the Watch on YouTube link provided, to view in full screen mode. |
Monday 13 April |
| UK Northcord Model Release UKBUS6545 |
| This press release has been issued by Northcord Models for forthcoming UKBUS6545 Thames Valley Buses ADL Enviro400 MMC model. The model will probably arrive in the UK during May or June. The Northcord UK RRP model price appears to have increased to £72.50 with the release of this model. Date: 13th April 2026 ADL Enviro400 MMC ukbus 6545 Thames Valley Buses Following the significant success in launching the brand new casting of the Alexander Dennis Enviro400 MMC model in the liveries of National Express West Midlands, Stagecoach in Oxfordshire, Bluestar, Stagecoach West Scotland, Southern Vectis, Stagecoach South, Ensign Bus, Xplore Dundee, Stagecoach North West, Go North East, Stagecoach North Scotland, Go South Coast, Reading Buses, Greater Manchester Bee Network, McGill’s Bluebird, East Yorkshire, Newcastle Busways and Stagecoach Yorkshire, Northcord Model Company is now releasing the thirtieth livery on the 10.9 metre long, single-door casting – ukbus 6545, is Thames Valley Buses, produced with unique branding for Bracknell / Camberley route 194. ukbus 6545 represents fleet number 796 (YY67 HDO) that was new to Reading Buses in 2017. Thames Valley Buses Limited, trading as Thames Valley Buses, is based in Bracknell. It was known as Courtney Buses until 2021. Founded in 1973, the company operates a network of commercial and contracted local bus services and school buses in Berkshire, north Hampshire and small parts of Oxfordshire, Surrey and Buckinghamshire. In March 2019 it was purchased by Reading Buses, with the company having gradually rebranded to its current name between October 2019 and April 2021. 796 carries a full and colourful Coaster livery for route 194, heading to Camberley via Great Hollands. These special, comprehensive livery details are 100% reproduced onto the ukbus 6545 models. The stand-out features on the branding are : “Thames Valley” on all sides; the names of the stops along the route “194 / Bracknell / Crowthorne / Sandhurst / Camberley” on both sides and rear, “COLLEGE WORK local links / train connections / SHOP evening out” on both sides. Furthermore, “free WiFi” at the front and on the nearside. The Alexander Dennis Enviro400 MMC ukbus 6545 is a one-piece casting whose clean lines accentuate the square, gasket-mounted windows and the livery application on which all logos and lettering are clearly legible. Another main feature on the ukbus 6545 model is its tree protector at the front. The front dome on the model is significant, with curved windscreens on both upper deck and lower deck. Northcord Model Company is also creating new design standards within the interior of both saloons. The brand new 10.9 metre Enviro400 MMC bus models will be distributed by John Ayrey Die-Casts Limited (UK), Porte Publishing Company (Japan), 80M Bus Model Shop (Hong Kong) respectively. The UKBUS6545 model is limited to 1008 pieces. |
Saturday 4 April |
| Model Buses Creations Two New Toolings & Model Updates |
| Model Buses Creations has posted two updates on future commissioned & MBC range models, and also revealed that it is working with 80M to bring two brand new toolings to the MBC's own model range. New MBC Model Toolings Model Buses Creations Tooling Announcement Earlier in the year when we announcement our 2026 range, we teased a new tooling announcement and now the time has come to reveal what this tooling is. We have been working hard with our production partner 80m in Hong Kong, factories in China, vehicle manufacturers and UK bus operators. We thought long and hard about which would be the right vehicle to invest in, which was represented around the UK, which would also be popular with enthusiasts and collectors alike. In the end it was just too hard to choose just one vehicle to sit alongside our current Enviro 200 and Scania OmniCity DD tooling, so we chose two vehicles… We have decided that the two new models joining the MBC range will be…. The Alexander Dennis Enviro 400 City BYD EV and the Alexander Dennis Enviro 400 EV (New generation) These will be two brand new exclusive tooling sets which will allow us to develop a range of vehicles from around the UK including a London and provincial specifications. The tooling will also allow as many different variants as possible including staircase windows, roof skylights and different wheel bases. Once again we have been working with some of the UK’s biggest bus operators and we have listened to their feedback on a new model bus tooling. Electric vehicles are now becoming common place on the streets of the UK and now most bus fleets contain at least one version of an electric bus. We have also spoken to a large number of enthusiasts and collectors who are looking for more modern vehicles to add to collections and fleets. We would like to thank Alexander Dennis for support with these projects, along with all the bus operators we are currently working with. More details will be coming over the coming weeks and months but we wanted to leave you with something really exciting for the bank holiday weekend. Full announcement and detail including pricing and Pre Ordering will be at The Brooklands Spring Gathering on 19th April and online here. Please keep watching our social media for more news! Our full product update on our E200 Long release, Corgi Superloop release and our Diplomat arrival date will be updated this weekend. Many ThanksMark, Iwan and Alex Corgi OOC Superloop Model Commissions Update The two Corgi Superloop buses have been progressing over the last couple of months, we have focused our time on the vehicle drawings and box designs, making sure they are correct and match the real vehicles. We also wanted the boxes to replicate the real vehicle livery as much as possible, but also pair nicely with our Northcord E400 MMC Superloop model, which we released earlier. We have seen some delays over the last few months with factory changes at Corgi, this has caused delays with the samples and confirming finer model details, which we hope to share very soon. For those who may have missed our last update, the details for the two vehicles are below and can also share the model codes allocated to each bus. Bus - Corgi OOC Wright Gemini 2 CP46505Pcs- 500 Operator - Go Ahead London Livery - TFL Superloop Fleet number - WVL486 Registration - LJ61 NWV Route - SL7 Heathrow Airport Central Bus - Corgi OOC Wright New Bus For London CP46604 Pcs- 500 Operator - Stagecoach London Livery - TFL Superloop Fleet number - LT121 Registration - LTZ 1121 Route - SL3 Thamesmead We can share today the two design drawings for the vehicles and expect samples to be in the UK by the end of April. pre Orders early May with Product arriving July, subject to shipping/air freight. Please keep watching our social media for more updates on our Corgi Superloop projects. Many ThanksMark, Iwan and Alex. Upcomings Northcord Commissioned Releases & MBC Enviro200 Models Update We would like to share some product updates for our 2026 Release plans. After reading and listening to the various comments and opinions from some of the hobby voices, a discussion on prices and the cost of goods is something we pay particular attention too, we will always aim to bring value and quality to all of our products, as production, shipping and all other costs continue to sky rocket and we will always aim to keep our releases at our recommended retail price. Our Pre order service does offer additional value and our payment options continue to help spread the cost at no interest charged. As pointed out on the various opinions “a model is only worth what anyone is prepared to invest”. Further availability of our products is now available in store at one of the UKs favourite Model Stores Rails of Sheffield who will be offering our New Releases instore. Thank You to all of our customers and friends who continue to collect and enjoy our products. This year will see our most exciting releases to date. Joining our existing company owned castings will be 2 All new Products that will be the first modern vehicles to hit our market in many years see our Easter Friday Announcement. The first New Casting will be the eagerly anticipated release of the Alexander Dennis 400 City Our full release plan will be announced at Brooklands on Sunday 19th April and Online where we will announce all the details and release plans. Our first releases of 2026 our Stagecoach London E400 Diplomats are on track and scheduled to arrive end of April. Enviro 200 2026 Part 1We wanted to provide you with an update on the first two Enviro 200 long wheel base models which are coming in 2026. After the success of the first three Enviro 200 short wheel base models, released last year and sold out on pre order. We have been working away in the background on the next run and as promised in earlier updates, the next releases would be the long wheel base variant. We are pleased to say that the next run will be of four vehicles from around the UK and we believe will be highly sought after by collectors and enthusiasts. We will be releasing two of the models in the first half of 2026 and then two more in the second half of the year. The details of the first two models can be found below. Bus - MBC Enviro 200 long wheel base dual doorCode - MBC 1004 Pcs- 500 Operator - Arriva London Livery - TfL Red Fleet number - ENX22 Registration - GN09 AVX Route - B15 to Horn Park. Bus - MBC Enviro 200 long wheel base single door - Facelift Code - MBC 1005 Pcs- 500 Operator - Go North West Livery - TfGM Bee Network Fleet number - 4024 Registration - YX61 BWU Route - 635 Appley Bridge We are pleased to share with you the signed off design drawings for the first two models. These have been approved by both operators and brand license partners. We would like to Thank Arriva London, Go Ahead Group. Transport for Greater Manchester and Transport for London, who have provided extra information to help us develop these models. Please keep watching our social media for more updates on these exciting new models. MODELBUS.uk. |
Saturday 4 April |
| Model 1 Optare Solo SR UK Release |
| The following UK spec model has been released by Model 1 & should with from UK retailers in this week. The dealer white 2017 vehicle depicted YJ67 GEK, was loaned to Metroline Travel during the Summer of 2018 and used on routes H2, H3 & 631. 63895 Opatre Solo SR Single Deck Bus - White UK Demonstrator YJ67 GEC (On loan to Metroline Travel TfL route H3 East Finchley) You Tube videos of both operations mentioned above: |
Friday 3 April |
| Transport Nostalgia Press Release : UKBUS 0092 Cambus ADL Enviro400 MMC & Latest TN Releases |
| The following press release has been issued by Transport Nostalgia. Date: 2nd April 2026 ADL Enviro400 MMC ukbus 0092 Stagecoach East – Cambus Heritage Livery Following continued interest in modern-era vehicles carrying historically significant liveries, Transport Nostalgia Commissions is pleased to share images of pre-production samples of a new model based on the Alexander Dennis Enviro400 MMC – ukbus 0092, produced in the distinctive Stagecoach East Cambus heritage livery. This release represents fleet number 10802 (SN66 WAA), an Alexander Dennis Enviro400 MMC new to Stagecoach East in December 2016. Delivered as part of a major investment into low-emission vehicles for the Cambridge network, 10802 originally entered service in the region’s Park & Ride fleet, carrying the grey Park & Ride livery used on key corridors serving the city. Shortly after entering service, 10802 was temporarily allocated to Stagecoach Merseyside, where it was utilised on rail replacement duties during engineering works on the Wirral Line. This period demonstrated the flexibility of the Enviro400 MMC fleet, with vehicles capable of being deployed across the country to meet operational demand. Upon its return to Cambridge, 10802 became a regular performer on interurban and high-capacity routes, most notably the Service 7 between Cambridge and Saffron Walden, a corridor requiring reliable, modern double-deck vehicles. In recent years, 10802 has gained further prominence through its repaint into the Cambus heritage livery, celebrating the former Cambridge-based operator that became part of Stagecoach during the 1990s. This striking livery reflects the region’s rich bus history while remaining in everyday passenger service, making it a particularly fitting subject for a detailed scale model. The ukbus 0092 model faithfully reproduces this unique vehicle, capturing the heritage Cambus colour scheme with precision. Key livery features include the classic Cambus styling, accurately positioned fleet branding, and detailed representation of the modern Stagecoach identifiers retained on the vehicle. The Alexander Dennis Enviro400 MMC model is produced to a high standard, reflecting the clean lines and distinctive styling of the prototype. The model features finely reproduced glazing, accurate front and rear profiles, and a detailed interior layout across both decks, including seating, stairwell, and handrail arrangements true to the real vehicle. This release continues Transport Nostalgia Commissions’ commitment to combining modern bus design with historically significant liveries, offering collectors a unique blend of past and present in one highly detailed model. Pre-orders are not yet open for this release. To view models currently available to pre-order, please visit: Transportnostalgiacommissions.com. AdamTransport Nostalgia Commissions Driven by Detail. Inspired by You Please note: The models shown are pre-production samples, and some alterations may be made prior to the final production release. The Transport Nostalgia has now received production versions of the following commissioned Northcord models, the models will be posted out to pre-order customers after the Easter break. ukbus0088 will be available to purchase at Nottingham Heritage Vehicles Charity Museum, Portland Road, Hucknall this Easter Saturday — open 10:00am to 4:00pm. Note: ukbus0088A has already sold out on pre-order. UKBUS 0088 Stagecoach East Midlands 10971 / SN18 KTE - 1 Woodhouse Sutton Bus Station - (Ride with Pride livery) - ADL Enviro400 MMC (504 pieces) UKBUS 0088A Stagecoach East Midlands 10971 / SN18 KTE - Stagecoach we’ve got you - (Ride with Pride livery) - ADL Enviro400 MMC (108 pieces) |
| March 2026 | Model Bus Zone News Index | May 2026 |