| Model Bus Zone News November 2019 |
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| October 2019 | Model Bus Zone News Index | December 2019 |
| Click the links to view the further details related to the News item. |
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| Filter Content: EFE Oxford Rapido Other |
Friday 29 November |
| Transfers To Correct Sunstar Routemasters |
| Sunstar made a bit of a mess of their recent pair of 1/24th scale Routemaster releases by making a number of mainly small errors. These were fully outlined in my posting on 2nd September 2019. ACE Model Buses has produced a number of transfers that correct the issues with the fleet numbers & registrations on these models. For the Red Arriva RM2217 there is a white fleet number for the side of the bonnet which was omitted by Sunstar.   The Gold model has multiple errors, it carries Arriva fleet names but the registration 650 DYE relates to First London RM1650/SRM3. The fleet number RM6 does relate to a gold Arriva vehicle, but that bus had a white between decks band and Jubilee Place TFL adverts. A better match for the gold model would be Arriva's RM25/VLT 25 which not only had the all gold livery but also carried the Surf adverts depicted on the model. Ace Model Buses has produced front & rear reflective VLT 25 registration plates & a white RM25 fleet number for the bonnet. The real vehicle didn't have an offside number applied. Each individual transfer is £2.40 plus £1.00 UK postage for any quantity of transfers. |
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Tuesday 26 November |
| Rapido New Look Birmingham Bus Models Released in UK |
| Rapido Trains launched their range of New Look Guy Arab IV Birmingham bus models at last weekends Warley Model Railway Exhibition. TTC Diecast have informed me that they have now taken stock of their models and will be shipping orders from tomorrow onwards. There are two versions of each of the twelve different models, the standard version is £39.99, while the deluxe version with additional working lights, internal saloon lighting & illuminated destination displays is available for £49.99.   You can find photographs of more of the final production models on the TTC Diecast.com site. |
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Monday 25 November |
| Miscellaneous Model Releases |
| News of a couple of recent model bus releases that might be of interest. Greenlight has just releases a 1/43rd scale model of the bus featured in the 1994 Hollywood movie Speed starring Keanu Reeves, Dennis Hopper & Sandra Bullock. The model is based on a 1960s GM TDH5301 New Look vehicle and carries the blue, silver & white Santa Monica Intercity Bus Lines livery along with fleet numbers 2525. The side & rear adverts are also reproduced as per the movie.    Greenlight 86544 - General Motors TDH #2525 Los Angeles Downtown Bus Movie Speed blue/silver/white 1960 (1/43rd scale) The model has a UK RRP of £67.99 and will be available to model retailers via various wholesalers such as John Ayrey Diecasts & Clevelands Diecast. Also now available in the UK is the civilian plastic kit version of the Old Bill bus in 1/72nd scale, the Roden kit contains transfers for the 1914 London General vehicle B2737. Blinds for route 9 & a full set of period adverts are also included.  Roden URO739 - LGOC B Type Bus (1/72nd scale plastic kit) A WWI military version of the model URO732 is also available and was released earlier this year. Both kits have a UK RRP of £15.99 More details can be found on Bachmann's Pocketbond.co.uk site. |
Tuesday 19 November |
| Next Oxford Diecast Releases |
The next batch of releases due from Oxford Diecast shortly will include two Southdown related models. 76CA018 British Railways - Bedford CA Minibus (1/76th scale / Re-issue)  76WFL003 Southdown - Weymann Fanfare Leyland coach (1/76th scale)  NTRAIL014 Southdown - Mobile Booking Office Trailer (N scale) |
Tuesday 12 November |
| Model Spotlight: EFE London Transport Gold Jubilee Leyland National |
| This spotlight focuses on the latest model release by Bachmann Europe in its Exculsive First Editions range. The model is now available from Bachmann appointed stockists has a RRP of £29.95. London Transport celebrated its fiftieth birthday on 1st July 1983 and in commemoration, a series of Golden Jubilee events were held at various LT Works and bus garages from April to October 1983. Nearly twenty LT vehicles received Golden Jubilee liveries, several in an attractive rendition of the old pre-1933 General livery. On 2nd/3rd July 1983, a special gala weekend was held at Chiswick and Acton Works, where the only Golden Jubilee single decker took part. Leyland National LS194 registration THX 194S allocated to Croydon Garage ran in this livery from June 1983 until the end of the year, being repainted red early in 1984. Shown with route 234A blinds at the front, the rear triple track number blinds did not have letters and therefore 234 was displayed at the back. The original silver roof was overpainted white just prior to the Chiswick Gala. Below are a selection of large photographs showing the model kindly supplied by Bachmann. Each photograph will open in new window/tab. A full HD Video slide show with some additional images is also available below in the form of a YouTube video.                   Below is a video slide show of all the above photographs & a few extras. Click the YouTube logo to view at full size. This isn't the first model produced depicting one of the many special liveries applied to London vehicles during 1983 to mark London Transport's Golden Jubilee. Here's a summary of the other models produced & some links to photographs of those so far overlooked. The Gold Liveries Two vehicles received gold liveries, Routemaster RM1983 & Leyland Titan T1983, RM1983 hasn't been reproduced in 1/76th scale yet, but Sunstar did it in 1/24th.   Sunstar H2911 - RM1983 EFE 28823 T1983 (aka T747) The 1933 Liveries Most of the other special liveries applied were based on the early London Transport livery of red with white window surrounds & silver roof. These schemes were applied to the following vehicles: DS1933, LS194, M359, RM8, RM17, RM1933, RM2116 & Ensignbus DF1682. The Plumstead Garage Sports Club also applied the livery to their privately owned RMA56. Five of buses these have been reproduced in model form to date although again RM1933 can only be found in Oxford Diecast N & Sunstar 1/24th scales.      EFE 25706 (Set 99918) DS1933 EFE E16611 LS194 Sunstar H2909 RM1933 EFE 15619 (Set 99911) RM2116 EFE 28003 Ensignbus DF1682 Here's some links to photographs of the other four vehicles not yet available in model form. M 359 (Flickr) - RM 8 (Flickr) - RM17 Flickr) - RMA 56 (Flickr) London General Liveries Two vehicles, MCW Metrobus M57 & Leyland Titan T66 received London General style liveries. Both vehicles have been modeled in 1/76th scale.   EFE 28826 (Set 99938) T66 Corgi OM45102 M57 The Other Liveries There were three other special liveries. None of these have been reproduced on any models despite there being suitable castings available in the EFE range. Daimler Fleetline B20 D2629 received a striking chocolate & cream livery in the style of that applied to Croydon Corporation Trams. Mark I Leyland National LS402 was given a simpler red & gold livery at Harrow Weald Garage while the lowest numbered Mark 2 National LS438 gained a revised Red Arrow livery with white roof & LT 50 logos at Ash Grove. Staff at various garages also applied gold between decks bands & LT 50 logos to several other vehicles and a number of garage "showbuses" were also restored to older style LT liveries. Here are some links to photographs of these vehicles. D2629 (Flickr) - LS402 (Flickr) - LS438 (Flickr) |
Sunday 3 November |
| Model Spotlight: Oxford Diecast Barnes Coaches Scania Irizar i6 |
| This is first model spotlight for an Oxford Diecast model and I've chosen the latest release of the Scania Irizar i6 coach, this model was a bit of a surprise as it was announced & then released to model retailers within a week. It appears this model is a joint venture between Oxford Diecast & Barnes Coaches of Swindon who are advertising & selling this model on their own company website. Barnes Coaches will celebrate its centenary next year & this model has one of the commemorative items produced to mark the milestone. The model depicts YN18 ZNP one of the two Irizar coaches delivered in 2018, the fleet now contains nine such vehicles which are used on the company's tours & excursions. Below are a selection of large photographs showing the model I purchased. Each photograph will open in new window/tab. A full HD Video slide show with some additional images is also available below in the form of a YouTube video.                 Below is a video slide show of all the above photographs & a few extras. Click the YouTube logo to view at full size. |
Saturday 2 November |
| Rapido Birmingham New Look Buses Releasing This Month |
The latest Rapido Trains UK Newsletter reports that the Birmingham New Look bus models have now been manufactured and are being shipped to both the UK & Canada. Rapido Trains will be attending The Warley National Model Railway Exhibition at the NEC in Birmingham on the 23 & 24 November and visitors to the event will be available to buy the models from their stand. A further version of the model has also been added to list of items produced & these will feature Birmingham City Transport 2990 (JOJ990) on route 1A to Mosesely and Acocks Green. This model like the others will be available in both standard (071012) & deluxe (071512) versions which feature additional working lights. Further details & photographs of some of the models can be found on the Rapido Trains Site, these models will be available from UK retailers Rails of Sheffield & TTC Diecast. The UK RRP is £39.95 for the standard & £49.95 for the deluxe models. |
Saturday 2 November |
| Upcoming EFE Model Release |
| The next EFE model release from Bachmann is expected to be available from UK appointed stockist next week. E16611 London Transport Golden Jubilee - Short Leyland National Mk I dual door |
| October 2019 | Model Bus Zone News Index | December 2019 |