| The model
- this is a pre-production example of what was scheduled to be Corgi no.
43213, a Kowloon Motor Bus 12-metre Volvo Olympian . This model was to
feature KMB's standard air-conditioned bus livery.
KMB released the first 12-metre air-conditioned
Volvo Olympian in May 1997, which featured fleet no. 3AV112 on route 101
(see 43201).
Being the first of Corgi's new casting, it proved very popular and it sold
out in a short time. As a result, KMB wanted to release a second Volvo
Olympian air-conditioned model, this time featuring an 11-metre version,
which the casting correctly represented.
As KMB could not decide which bus they wanted
to release, 6 pre-production models were produced. These all carried the
route no. 300 to Sheung Wan, as 300 was a 'golden' route in KMB. However,
80M wanted to feature route 80M (for obvious reasons!) and they reached
agreement with KMB and Corgi. KMB therefore decided to release a second
Trident model with the route no 300 (see 44303).
As a result of the delay, the model was eventually released with a product
code of 43220.
The product number 43213
was eventually used for the third of three New World First Bus Volvo Olympians. |
