Corgi have today announced that due to poor advance orders over 150 models from their current 2007 catalogue have been indefinitely postponed. Models from across most of the various ranges are affected and include the following five OOC models.

OM41704 RTW Double Deck Bus - Stevensons of Uttoxeter
OM44113 Optare Solo Single Deck Bus - Cardiff Bay Express
OM45311 Bova Futura Coach - Ellen Smith (Tours) Ltd
OM46104 Plaxton Panther Coach - Elcock Reisen
OM46299 Scania Irizar PB Coach - First Shots

      Other bus related items affected include two of the planned 1:50th RT/RTL models and two London Transport Vanguard 1:43rd vans. Corgi have also announced that production quantities for all of the remaining 2007 models will be greatly reduced.

Full details of all the models "deferred", as Corgi offically describe it, can be found on The Time Tunnel Models site.

        The current issue of Buses magazine contain's a article about Plaxton which this year celebrates its centenary. The magazine has teamed up with Plaxton and is running a competition offering the chance for five reader's to win a double prize - a new Ian Allan book about Plaxton's 100 years written by Stewart J. Brown and a limited edition Corgi OOC Panther coach a special centenary livery. The livery is based on that carried by a real vehicle, pictured of which can be found on the www.plaxton2007.co.uk website.

It's not yet been announced whether this model will also be made available to the general public or how many will actually be produced by Corgi, but it could be related to the special Centenary Weekend which is to be held at the company's Scarborough plant on the 21 & 22 April. For further details use the above link.

        Modelzone have commissioned another OOC bus model which will shortly be available from their chain of stores. The latest model is based on the forthcoming Fastrack Wright Eclipse Gemini Urban Volvo B7RLE however this limited edition version comes with a special Modelzone certificate and has a different destination, B Gravesend via Bluewater and Greenhithe Stn.

     The models cost £24.99 each and are expected to be available from Modelzone stores around mid March. The model OM46004MZ is limited to just 500 pieces.

        None of the proposed 2007 OOC model releases have appeared yet and there's been no OOC related news from Corgi since early January. Whether this is down to the Chinese New Year Celebrataions or the recent merger of Corgi & Master Replicas isn't clear at present.
Needless to say as soon as I get any news it will appear here.