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CM-DGS-004 - Dennis Dragon/Duple Metsec
Citybus
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The model - The third Siemens liveried Dragon, this time for Energy, is a Hong Kong only issue, and was released at the end of August 2001. The model was not authorised by Citybus and therefore carries no Citybus fleetnames or logos.

The bus - as part of Citybus's expansion plans at the time of the commencement of Network 26, fifty Dennis Dragons with Duple Metsec bodywork were ordered. Twenty were of the 10.4 metre length whilst the remaining thirty were 12 metre (801-830). The bodies were completely knocked down (ckd) kits, which were sent to Salvador Caetano of Porto, Portugal, where they were built. They also featured the Alexander style front end, thus maintaining the standard Citybus 'front-end' look. These buses were the first to carry the now standard Citybus livery, i.e. without Network 26 branding. Delivery commenced in August 1994. Two further batches of ten vehicles were subsequently ordered, these being delivered in February 1996 and February/March 1997 respectively.

720, the last of the first batch ordered, entered service in December 1994.

  
 Manufacturer of model  Collector's Model
 Scale  1:76
 Prototype chassis  Dennis Dragon
 Prototype bodywork  Duple Metsec
 Prototype length  10.4 metre
 Fleet number  720
 Registration number  GF 8124
 Route number  73
 Destination  Wah Fu
 Quantity (total)  288 
 
Hong Kong 
UK
 Quantities (if known)
288
-
 Date released
31st August 2001
-
   
Click on image for larger photograph
Photograph courtesy of Jotus Model Depot

 
Click on image for larger photograph Click on image for larger photograph
Photograph courtesy of Jotus Model Depot

 
Click on image for larger photograph
Photograph courtesy of Peter Owens

The following is an official posting by Collector's Model, dated 7th September 2001, on the Collector's Model Members Club, which explains why the certificate shown in the above photograph reads 299 of 288!

"Firstly, we thank you very much for Mr. Mackness's valuable information for the wrong card number for the DGS004 model was found.

Once received the message from Mr. Mackness in regard to the card no. 299 of 288 produced was found for DGS003 (now clarified that it should be DGS004).  We checked with the factory immediately to investigate the claimed problem.

We finally recognised the reason of why the card with #299 was found.  Since the card number was printed in sequence by setting the computer program (automatically print the number in sequence), 300 cards with #0001 to 0300 were printed for those 3 Siemens models due to the card printing layout setting.  Thus, 12 cards with #289 to #300 were printed in excessive for those 3 Siemens models.  As we forgot to hold those 12 excessive cards but passing all of them (300 cards of each) to the China factory, so the workers might then mis-packed those 12 cards with number 289-300 into the 288pcs goods for DGS004.  That's why one of the HK collectors could purchase the model with card #299.

After double-checking with our China factory, we confirm that the above mis-packed case only occurred in DGS004 Siemens-Energy (HK version) because those 12 cards with # 289-300 for DGS003 & DGS005 are now kept at our China factory.  I herewith attached the 12 cards with #289-300 of DGS003 for your inspection.

While for DGS004, 12 cards with correct number, which did not pack into those 288pcs goods, was confirmed to be mixed up with the Siemens' corporate cards and we have contacted Siemens to collect back those 12 model cards to replace the wrongly inserted card #289-300.  Since all 288pcs of DGS004 Siemens Energy models have been distributed to HK retail shops, we have already asked the retailers to report us if they find any mis-packed model and we will replace the cards with them.  If any retailers or collectors who has purchased the model with wrong card inserted in DGS004, please feel free to contact us and we will replace the correct card for him/her.

We apologise for such mistake caused but we really appreciated of the information provided by Mr. Mackness very much.  His valuable information allowed us to arrange follow up action immediately!

Best regards  -  C'sM "

   

 
 
This page last updated Sunday, 3rd October 2004
 
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