Navigation

The [home] page features a 'Search the Site' function and also a 'Site Map'.

All pages within this site have a list of links to other pages across the top and bottom of each page, as follows:-

A separate [news] page is created for each month. For example, clicking on the [news] link at the top or bottom of a page will take you to the current month's News. To access the previous month's News, click the left facing spinning arrow, and this will take you to that previous month. To access the next month's News, click the right facing spinning arrow.

Both the [diecast models] and [resin models] pages are divided into several categories, listing by Operator, Vehicle type, etc. Once you have reached the required Model page, clicking the left spinning arrow will take you to the previous model in the same vehicle type, clicking the right spinning arrow will take you to the next model of the same vehicle type, or the next vehicle type.

A click of a left facing spinning arrow will take you to either:-

the previous model of the same vehicle type or that vehicle's summary page
the previous book or accessory
the previous month's News

A click of a right facing spinning arrow will take you to either:-

the next model of the same vehicle type or the summary page of the next vehicle type
the next book or accessory
the next month's News

Clicking on the   button will always take you to the top of that particular page.

The site covers not only diecast and resin models but also plastic models, toys, trams, kits, books and the Xtra section covers news of the 'real' buses. To assist with navigation, dirrerent colour page backgrounds are used:-
 

Acknowledgements

I would like to thank the following for their kind co-operation in providing news, reviews, photographs and information:-

ABC Models, Simon Ayres, Bus Fan World, Citybus, Don Craggs & Benny Wong of World of Diecast, Stuart Dobie, Mr Kwok of 80M Bus Model Shop, Gakei, Edward Hong, Jacky Ho, Stu Hogben, Gareth Jones, Jotus Model Depot, Jacky Lau, Dennis Law, Lee Tin Yau, New World First Bus, Peter Owens, Terry Stapley, Chelton Tsze, Alan Wong and Keith Wood.

Visitor's own Model Reviews are always most welcome, as is any other information or photographs of the models or the prototype vehicles.

The Site

This site is designed using basic HTML, the aim being to keep it simple, thus enabling pages to be loaded quickly.  It is best viewed at 1024 x 768, true colour or above. With IE4 or above, ensure that your text size on the "View" menu bar is set to medium.

The site went live on 5th November 1998, the counter being added on 28th December 1998.

418 hits were recorded in January 1999 - the 100,000th hit was recorded on 28th August 2000, with August 2000 also being the first month since the site was set up to receive in excess of 10,000 hits. The 200,000th hit was received on 24 June 2001.

January 2006 saw the highest number of visits with 18,492 recorded for the Home page and 27,359 for the News page. Currently the daily average is over 500 visits a day. Statistics can be viewed by clicking on the Extreme 'world' icon at the foot of the 'Home' or 'News' pages.

In October 2006, owing to mounting problems with my Internet Service Provider (ISP), Orange (formerly Wanadoo / Freeserve), I purchased webspace from a web hosting company and the site was moved to www.orientalmodelbuses.co.uk.

I am grateful to Colin Redwood for his invaluable help and expertise in creating and maintaining this site.

Despite written requests for information from both Corgi and EFE, with an offer to use this site as a means of keeping us Hong Kong collectors abreast of the latest news, I was not favoured with an acknowledgement of my letter, let alone a response!

The site was created and is maintained solely by me in my spare time, and is NOT my full time occupation!!   I do not sell models, and it is not run for financial gain, but as an aid to fellow collectors in providing the latest news, information and photographs.

I welcome any news, information and photographs relating to the contents of the site. The maximum size photograph I use on the site is 1024 x 768, with a file size of about 110Kb. Before sending any photographs, it would be helpful if photographs are reduced to meet the above requirements. If you are unable to do this, please e-mail me prior to the sending of photographs. All photographs will be acknowledged.
 

The availability of models can depend on who commissions the model, who produces it and obviously how many are made. Corgi really started the interest in Hong Kong buses when it issued it's three-axle Leyland Olympians in 1997 for the various Hong Kong Bus operators, to celebrate the Handover of Hong Kong to China. Many of these were produced in large numbers, generally over 10,000, and whilst being initially difficult to get hold of here in the UK, the operators had agreements with Corgi which has seen most of stocks of unsold models being returned to Corgi, and appearing at considerably reduced prices several years, or sometimes months, later. Collector's Model releases are generally available at 'normal' prices both in Hong Kong and here in the UK. EFE has issued a handful of Hong Kong models, most of which had been released previously in Hong Kong by other manufacturers, MBE, Drumwell, etc. Most other manufacturers models, whilst issued in Hong Kong for say HK$290 are imported into the UK by model specialists, and are then sold for premium prices (£35-40), which covers their carriage, import and VAT duties.

Two Hong Kong bus model specialists, based in Hong Kong but with English websites are:-

Jotus Model Depot who specialise in mail order, accepting credit cards through a secure site

80m Bus Model Shop  who have several shops in Hong Kong, all of which are well worth a visit. Also offer a mail order service.

In addition, there is

Concorde Hobby Shop who, as well as a website (Chinese only), have a shop in Hong Kong, at 331, Lai Chi Kok Road, Kowloon.
 

All the above regularly provide this site with news and photographs of new models. Should you decide to use any of them, please mention this site.

If you are experiencing difficulty in obtaining a particular model, please e-mail me, and I will try and help you find it.

I have attempted to seek the appropriate permissions to use the various photographs on the site, however, if your photograph appears, for which I have not sought your permission for its use, please e-mail me and it will be removed immediately.

All the information included on this site is provided in good faith and I cannot therefore accept any responsibility or liability for any errors or omissions.

All photographs are copyright of Oriental Model Buses unless acknowledged to another source. You are NOT welcome to use any material or photographs without prior written permission from the owner.

Please bear in mind that all postal packages arriving in the UK from outside the EC are examined by Customs Officers who determine whether import duty and VAT are payable.

Most goods arriving in the UK from outside the EC are liable to any or all these charges: Customs Duty, Excise Duty (alcohol, tobacco etc.) and VAT. These must be paid whether:

-  you purchase the goods or receive them as a gift
-  the goods are new or used
-  the goods are for your own private use or for sale

-  have an intrinsic value of £18 or less, although this particular relief does not
    include alcohol, tobacco, etc.
-  are gifts worth £36 or less

The Post Office may also charge for clearing a package through Customs. They, if required, open and re-pack the package for Customs Officers.

All the above charges are collected by the Post Office on delivery.

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This page last updated Wednesday, 9th January 2008

© Oriental Model Buses 1998-2008