Model Bus Zone News
November 2020
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Thursday 26 November
Omnidekka Models Update
All the orders for the Go London Dockland Buses Scania Omnidekka have now been posted out, and stock is now getting low with less than 20 of each destination left.
There is currently a Black Friday Sale on these models while stocks last, both versions are reduced to £50 each.


Corgi has now started the production process for the Optare Solo Quality Line models, pre-orders are now open for these with delivery currently expected in late May or early June 2021.


Please visit Omnidekkamodels.com if you wish to place orders for any of the above models.

Production details are beung finalised for the Blue Star Scania Omnidekka models, these should be available around September 2021 and will have a choice of either Romsey or Southampton destinations.
Wednesday 25 November
More New Sunrise Waterslide Transfers Now Available

Good news for Irish modellers is the arrival of the new Sunrise transfer sets fot the Jim Poots SG-class kit. Avaiable now from Sunrise, the Dublin Bus set is £9 and the Go Ahead set is £6, plus appropriate P&P charge.

The three green Transport for Ireland logos are available as a separate set at £1 25p; the six green/white and one black/silver emergency exit notices are also available as a separate set at £1.



But it's not just Irish modellers who benefit from new transfers received at long last by Sunrise. This delivery includes the following -
Keenan of Coalhall set for older blue buses including Keenan Klippy - £8 (enough decals for two models)
Keenan of Coalhall set for later livery buses and coaches - £8 (enough decals for two models)
John Morrow Coaches, Clydebank set - £7 50p (enough decals for two models)
John Morrow destination set - £2 50p (includes styles to suit Leyland Nationals, Y-type, Bristol VR)
Wallace Arnold set - £6.00
T-shape advert for The Glaswegian newspaper - Haudyerwheest! £1 25p
Bristol RE grille set - £1 25p
Small Ribble badges, red/silver - £1 for four
Side ads for William Hill/Mecca and Si Glasgow's Alive in any language - £1 each
1950s side advert for Gloco smokeless fuel - £0.75p
Upper rear ad Everybody loves Black Heart Rum - £0.40p

To order any, contact Sunrise by Facebook message, email to or phone 0141 423 4328.
Wednesday 24 November
Next IXO 1/43 Scale Bus Release
IXO's next release in its 1/43rd scale bus range will be another version on the London Transport RT in red livery. This latest model is expected to be released in December or January and will depict RT 2043 (LUC 291) in the early post war style livery with cream upper deck window surrounds & central band.



IXO have issued some picture showing the production sample which has destinations for Creekmouth Poser Station on route 62. The cream used on the sample looks rather yellow, hopefully this will be corrected on the final production versions.

The UK RRP will be £53,99 according to wholesaler John Ayrey Diecasts.
Thursday 5 November
Model Bus Federation November Journal Review
The Model Bus Federation produces a monthly full colour illustrated Model Bus Journal for its members and I believe this is the only such publication solely dedicated to model bus news & other related articles in the UK.

To give you an idea of the contents of the Journal I intend to provide a brief summary of each issue.
If the contents below are of interest, you may wish to consider becoming a member of the MBF, the annual subscription starts at £25.00 with special reduced rates available for younger members aged 14-18.
For further details please visit the https://www.model-bus-federation.org.uk.

Model Bus Journal - Issue 595 November 2020 - 36 pages

  • Editorial
  • AGM News - Summary of news from the annual AGM held over Zoom.
  • Cover Story - The cover model photograph.
  • MBF Events & Area Meetings - Covid-19's on going negative effects on the MBF's social events & area meetings.
  • Attledo by Norman Tarling - Attledo is a fictitious market town being built in 4mm by the author which is set in 1953. The article covers the various models from nine different fictional fleets that operate services into the town on it's weekly market day.
  • East Kent Models: Part 2 by John Hopkinson - In the second part of this article John continues to explore his extensive collection of East Kent model buses, these include repaints, kits & off the shelf diecast models.
  • Coronavirus Days By Barry Catlin - Barry's article is a personal recollection of the fond memories associated with his interest in real & model buses that began back in the late 1950s.
  • Product News UK - Latest model kit news from the Little Bus Company & TiNY.
  • Another Maguire Surfaces! by Mark Hughes - Maguire Coachworks build number 2269 a Bristol VRT.
  • Plan of the Month - Western 1935 Leyland TS7T / Leyland B38F
  • Welcome Aboard - Welcome to the newest MBF members.
  • Area News - An update on the latest virtual area meetings in South Wales & Herefordshire, Greater Manchester, Yorkshire, & the North Midlands.
  • Miscellany - Marsden kits Mellor Strata midi plus scratch built Caetano Lavante 3 & Plaxton Panther LE.
  • MBF Shop - The latest MBF model kits and a list of the new MBF Streetscene range of whitemetal kits, parts & accessories that are exclusively available to MBF members.
  • The Back Page - A selection of five shots showing the rarely photographed rear aspect of vehicles.
Tuesday 3 November
More EFE Rail Products Announced
Bachmann has announced a further batch of locomotives & rolling stock for it's newly introduced EFE Rail range.

These new item are part of Bachmann's Winter range announcement, sadly there is no indication of any imminent releases of the planned new EFE bus models, most of which were announced back in 2019.
The status of the open top 'Sea Dog' Leyland Atlanteans, Northern Counties Palatine I & the Clydeside Scottish AEC Routemaster RML models are all shown as "Awaiting" on the Bachmann site, the Craven's RT models are yet to be listed in the EFE product section.

The London Underground 1938 Tube Stock Motorised Train set (E99939) announced previously, is now expected in Dec/Jan.

For those with an interest in model railways, these are the new EFE Rail OO & N scale products announced today.

Class 58 Diesel Locomotive - OO Scale

E84005 58011 BR Railfreight (Red Stripe) [Weathered - faded paint and logos] - Due Nov/Dec RRP £184.95
E84006 58018 "High Marnham Power Station" BR Railfreight Coal Sector - Due Nov/Dec RRP £174.95
E84007 58021 'Hither Green Depot' Mainline Blue - Due Nov/Dec RRP £174.95
E84008 58039 EWS [Weathered] - Due Nov/Dec RRP £184.95

LSWR Beattie Well Tank Steam Locomotive - OO Scale

E85010 30586 BR Black (L-Crest with Square Splashers)- Due Nov/Dec RRP £139.95
E85011 3298 SR Black (Sunshine) - Due Nov/Dec RRP £139.95
E85012 3298 SR Green (Preserved) - Due Nov/Dec RRP £139.95

LSWR 'Gate Stock' 2-Coach Set - OO Scale

E86001 BR Crimson - Due Nov/Dec RRP £139.95
E86002 SR Maunsell Green - Due Nov/Dec RRP £139.95

Cargowaggon - OO Scale

E87006 279-7-664-9 Taunton Cider - Due Nov/Dec RRP £49.95
E87007 279-7-690-9 Danzas 'Great Britain - Continent' [Weathered] - Duev Nov/Dec RRP £59.95
E87008 279-7-611-1 Blue Circle Cement - Due Nov/Dec RRP £49.95
E87009 279-7-604-6 Silver & Blue Unbranded [Weathered] - Due Nov/Dec RRP £59.95

JIA Nacco Wagon - N Scale

E87500 33-70-0894-007-0 Imerys Blue - Due Jan/Feb RRP £43.95
E87501 33-70-0894-008-8 Imerys Blue - Due Jan/Feb RRP £43.95
E87502 33-70-0894-020-3 Imerys Blue - Due Jan/Feb RRP £43.95
E87503 33-70-0894-000-5 Imerys Blue - Due Jan/Feb RRP £43.95
E87504 33-70-0894-001-3 Imerys Blue [Weathered - light] - Due Jan/Feb RRP £46.95
E87505 33-70-0894-002-3 Imerys Blue [Weathered - light] - Due Jan/Feb RRP £46.95
E87506 33-70-0894-009-6 Imerys Blue [Weathered - light] - Due Jan/Feb RRP £46.95
E87507 33-70-0894-010-4 Imerys Blue [Weathered - light] - Due Jan/Feb RRP £46.95
E87508 33-70-0894-011-2 Imerys Blue [Weathered - heavy] - Due Jan/Feb RRP £48.95
E87509 33-70-0894-012-0 Imerys Blue [Weathered - heavy] - Due Jan/Feb RRP £48.95
E87510 33-70-0894-003-9 Imerys Blue [Weathered - heavy] - Due Jan/Feb RRP £48.95
E87511 33-70-0894-004-7 Imerys Blue [Weathered - heavy] - Due Jan/Feb RRP £48.95

BR 20T 'Shark' Ballast Plough Brake Van - N Scale

E87516 BR Bauxite (Departmental) - Due Dec/Jan RRP £36.95
E87517 BR Departmental Black - Due Dec/Jan RRP £36.95
E87518 BR Engineers Grey & Yellow - Due Dec/Jan RRP £36.95
E87519 BR Departmental Olive Green - Due Dec/Jan RRP £36.95

You can view the full EFE Rail range along product photographs on the Bachmann site.
Monday 2 November
Latest Corgi Model Releases
Corgi has released three further AEC Routemaster models in it's growing Beatles Collection. The models are based on the 1/64th scale model from the toys range.


CC82339 The Beatles - London Bus - 'Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band'


CC82340 The Beatles - London Bus - 'Revolver'


CC82341 The Beatles - London Bus - 'Let It Be'
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