Model Bus Zone News
December 2020
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Friday 25 December
Omnidekka Models Update
Chris Cotton at Omnidekka Models has sent me an update on his model plans for 2021/2.
An order has been placed with Britbus for the Bluestar Omnidekka and it is due in August 2021.
There will be 400 made, 200 of each with either Southampton or Romsey destinations for route 4. Only 198 will be for general sale and these are priced at £50 for one or £98 for both versions with UK postage included. Pre-orders are now being accepted.
Note the mirrors on the production model will be black and not yellow as shown on the design cell below.


Chris is in the process of preparing a First Bus Optare Solo that it is hoped will be available to pre-order at the end of 2021, this will have 4 routes and will be based on a First Hampshire and Dorset bus, 250 of each route version will be produced.


More information on the planned Resin Specialists Go North East Optare Versa will available in mid 2021.

More information on the above & other proposed models can be found on the omnidekka.com site. The Omnidekka Models range is also now available from http://www.acemodelbuses.co.uk.


Thursday 17 December
Latest 1/43 Scale IXO Bus Releases
Two further 1/43rd scale bus models have been released by IXO and are now available in the UK.

BUS024 Skoda 706 RO White/Brown 1947


BUS026 Ikarus 66 White/Red 1972


Wednesday 16 December
Confirmed UK Release Of Brekina Routemasters
The following models have now been released to UK model retailers.


61100 London Transport RM652 (WLT 652) Route 15 Tower Hill - AEC Routemaster Bus (1/87 scale)

61100 Greenline RMC1432 (482 CLT) Route 721 London Aldgate - AEC Routemaster Bus (1/87 scale)


Monday 14 December
Rapido Trains Model Bus Update
The latest Newsletter from Rapido Trains UK has some updates on the progess of the new West Midlands Leyland Fleetline model's development, a further batch of New Look Birmingham bus releases, plus hints as to what might be Rapido's next UK bus models.

The Fleetline has now reached the engineering prototype stage, the first sample was missing two batten strips on the front and the screw head detail, which have now been added to the tooling.

The model will be offered with 20 different registrations & destinations to choose from and there will be various different styles of the West Midlands liveries applied to the models.
These are the proposed vehicles & routes:

West Midlands Passenger Transport Executive #6311 (KON311P) – 273 DUDLEY – RUSSELLS HALL
West Midlands Passenger Transport Executive #6315 (KON315P) – 7 PERRY COMMON COURT LANE VIA WITTON
West Midlands Passenger Transport Executive #6425 (NOC425R) – 533 WOLVERHAMPTON VIA BUSHBURY
West Midlands Passenger Transport Executive #6373 (KON373P – 130 STOURBRIDGE VIA HALESOWEN
West Midlands Passenger Transport Executive #6507 (SDA507S) – 199 SOLIHULL STATION VIA EXHIBITION CENTRE
West Midlands Passenger Transport Executive #6981 (WDA981T) – 63E SELLY OAK VIA BRISTOL ROAD
West Midlands #6321 (KON321P) – 6 CITY CENTRE VIA STRATFORD ROAD
West Midlands #6325 (KON325P) – 276 DUDLEY VIA DARBY END
West Midlands #6466 (NOC466R) – 23 WOODGATE VIA HARBORNE
West Midlands #6921 (WDA921T) – 74 DUDLEY VIA WEST BROMWICH
West Midlands #6986 (WDA986T) – 36 KERESLEY CITY VIA CITY
West Midlands #6965 (WDA965T) – 7 CITY CENTRE VIA WITTON
West Midlands #6916 (WDA 916T) – 7 HENLEY GREEN
West Midlands #6971 (WDA971T) – 11A OUTER CIRCLE
West Midlands #6909 (WDA909T) – 120 DUDLEY VIA OLDBURY
WM Fleetline #7000 (WDA700T) – 11E PERRY BARR
WM Fleetline #6940 (WDA940T) – 449 BRANDHALL VIA SPON CROFT
West Midlands #6913 (WDA913T) – 115 SUTTON COLDFIELD VIA ERDINGTON AND WALMLEY
West Midlands #6912 (WDA912T) – 11E SELLY OAK
West Midlands #7000 (WDA700T) – 27E WASHWOOD HEATH GARAGE

There's also going to be second run of New Look Birmingham Bus with 11 new versions depicting the following vehicles & routes:

BCT #2975 (JOJ 975) – 1A MOSELEY AND ACOCKS GREEN
BCT #3064 (MOF 64) – 7 PORTLAND ROAD
BCT #2994 (JOJ 994) – 11 OUTER CIRCLE – Deluxe Model
BCT #3034 (MOF 34) – 45 WEST HEATH ALVECHURCH ROAD
BCT #3004 (MOF 4) – 55 SHARD END ESTATE VIA ALUM ROCK
BCT #2901 (JOJ 901) – 62 REDNAL
BCT #3015 (MOF 15) – 66 NS66 PYPE HAYES
BCT #2956 (JOJ 956) – 33 KINGSTANDING VIA SIX WAYS ASTON
WMPTE #3031 (MOF 31) – 22 SELLY OAK VIA WEOLEY CASTLE ESTATE
WMPTE #3082 (MOF 82) – 82 BEARWOOD VIA DUDLEY ROAD
WMPTE #3059 (MOF 59) – 11 OUTER CIRCLE

The 2nd run models will include the Birmingham city coat of arms on the bonnets, this was overlooked on the first run of models.

Both of the Birmingham model are due Spring/Summer 2020 and will have a RRP of £54.95.

Finally the blog also hints that Rapido may be considering the London RT & RF buses as future models.

The full newsletter can be found on the Rapido Trains website.

A full list of all the previous & future releases can be found on the Rapido Trains UK Buses page.

Sunday 13 December
Model Bus Federation December 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 will 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 596 December 2020 - 36 pages

  • Editorial
  • 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.
  • Chairman's Christmas Message 2020 by Bob Heathcore - A look back at 2020 & how it affected the MBF.
  • Virtual National Show - With the usual annual National MBF Show and its associated Model Competition unable to go ahead in September due to the pandemic, a virtual alternative was organised, members were invited to submit photographs of models they would have displayed. Over 70 photographs & descriptions are included in this 12 page article.
  • MBF Annual General Meeting Report - A summary of the AGM meeting held over Zoom this year.
  • Welcome Aboard - Welcome to the newest MBF members.
  • Area News - An illustrated update on the latest virtual area meetings in Greater Manchester, South Wales & Herefordshire, the North Midlands & Yorkshire.
  • Product News - News of three new kits due soon from PSG Models.
  • 4mm Scale Orthopedic Surgery By Eric Wain - Buses need passengers and these are important feature that bring any diorama to life. Eric describe how he adds standing figures without the use large blobs of glue, blue-tak or any other unsightly goo.
  • 4mm Scale Orthopedic Surgery Postscript By Dave Jessop - Dave offers a subtle variation on Eric's method.
  • Journal Index 2020 - A detailed index covering the contents of all the 2020 Journals.
  • MBF Shop - The latest MBF model kits and a list of the 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 real vehicles and a casting variation found on the Matchbox Lesney Routemaster No 5.

Saturday 12 December & updated 13 December
Brekina Release Their Routemaster Models
German manufacturer Brekina has now released the first versions of its New 1/87 (HO) scale Routemaster models, these are expected to be available in the UK in due course and are being imported by the well known model wholesaler John Ayrey Diecasts.
The first pair of models are as follows, note that both are based on the same RM class model tooling, the RMC model is therefore a somewhat compromised offering & also unfortunately has an incorrect RMC fleet number applied.


61100 London Transport RM652 (WLT 652) Route 15 Tower Hill - AEC Routemaster Bus (1/87 scale)

61100 Greenline RMC1432 (482 CLT) Route 721 London Aldgate - AEC Routemaster Bus (1/87 scale)

The UK RRP for these model is £32.99.
Some photographs of the final production models can be found on the mo87.de Forum

Update; Sunday 13 December
A review of the red RM model by Andreas Kaluzny has been posted on the mo87.com Forum, an English translation can be viewed via Translate The Web site.


Thursday 10 December
Confirmed Corgi Model Releases
The following OOC models have now been released in the UK. Note the A version of the model has already sold out on the Corgi online store, but may still be available from model retailers.


CC40801A Hornby Centenary (Destination Binns Road 20) - Bristol Lodekka FS Double Deck Bus


CC40801B Hornby Centenary (Destination Westwood 20) - Bristol Lodekka FS Double Deck Bus
Information kindly supplied by


Monday 7 December
Upcoming Oxford Omnibus Releases
Oxford Diecast's next batch of model releases for December has been announced & includes the following pair of N scale Oxford Omnibus range models.
The models are expected to reeach UK model retailers later this week.


NMW6003 National (Eastern Counties) - Bristol MW6G ECW Coach (N Scale)


NNR008 East London Transit - New Routemaster Bus (N Scale)


Thursday 3 December
Northcord Models Press Release: UKBUS6521
Northcord models issued the following press release earlier today.

NORTHCORD MODEL COMPANY - PRESS RELEASE
ADL Enviro400 MMC
ukbus 6521 Xplore Dundee

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 and Ensign Bus, Northcord Model Company is now releasing the tenth livery on the 10.9 metre long, single-door casting – ukbus 6521 in the livery of Xplore Dundee with full branding for route 22.

ukbus 6521 represents fleet number 6695 (SK68 MBO) that has 10.9 metre, single door bodywork and was new to Xplore Dundee in 2018. 6521 is one of the 14 new Alexander Dennis Enviro400 SmartHybrids finished to Emerald standard entering service on 2nd December 2018, almost 2 years to the day to the launch of the model version. 6521 has a revised two-tone bright green livery that is a great improvement on the rather dowdy two-tone dark green applied to buses in the Dundee fleet in recent years which was, in turn, a throwback to an earlier colour scheme of Dundee Corporation. These brand-new buses were unveiled to the public at a ceremony in City Square in Dundee on 30th November 2018.

6521 carries a full, branded livery for route 22, showing the destination to Craigowl. The special, comprehensive livery and branding are 100% reproduced onto the ukbus 6521 model. The stand-out features of the branding are : “free WiFi & USB power” on all sides, except offside; “22 up to every 8 mins Mon-Fri daytime” on both sides and rear; “Ninewells Hospital H l city Centre l Hilltown l Downfield I Craigowl” on the nearside and rear.

The Alexander Dennis Enviro400 MMC ukbus 6521 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 6521 model is its single 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. These features, inside the compartments, will represent the real, outstanding layout of the Enviro400 MMC, such as the extensive portrayal of handrails on upper deck and lower deck, and a screen monitor on the upper deck, etc.

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 and Concorde Hobby Shop (HK) respectively. The UKBUS6521 model is limited to 1008 pieces worldwide.

Northcord Model Company (NMC)------The World’s Miniature Bus Co.

 November 2020  Model Bus Zone News Index January 2021