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Now available in the UK are Collector's Models CM-DGR-001, the Dennis Condor - Canon Ixus and V108B, the Leyland Victory - Bridgestone. My thanks to Rotherham Model World for this information.

ABC Models will be issuing ML2, CMB's unique three door Metrobus, along with an MCW Metrorider, and I hope to be able to bring you the first pictures of the Metrobus shortly.

22nd January 2001

Photograph courtesy of World of Diecast

Above is the first photograph of ABC's new "Long Dragon" expected to be released in February.
 

Photograph courtesy of World of Diecast

Do you have one of these? This is a pre-production sample of Corgi's 43209 of which there are believed to be only 24 in existence!!

22nd January 2001


The New World First Bus "Snake Bus of Bliss" (20006) was released in Hong Kong yesterday, as were no less than three ABC Models, namely:
LE 0105- CMB LF108 set with small lorry and new accessories. (700 pcs only)
LE 0106A - Gold
LE 0106B - Chrome - Both plated models of a new casting - the front engined AV class (long
version)  featuring engraved SNAKE on the roof - a Souvenir for the Year 2001. (1,000 of each finish)
A new casting, due in February, is a CMB "Long Dragon" - a Guy Arab single-deck long wheelbase chassis. (First issue 1,000 pcs only.)
A photograph of a pre-production model will appear here tomorrow along 
with another interesting photograph!!! 
21st January 2001


I am reliably informed that three Hong Kong models are to be featured in Corgi's second quarter catalogue, which is to be issued in conjunction with the London Toy Fair. The three models are all Citybus issues, namely the Ocean Park set (45007a & 45007b), the "Greener Buses" Trident/Metsec (44513) and the new casting of the MAN/Volgren (OM45402). As a result, the release of these models may be delayed until March/April, thus enabling sufficient time for retailers to place orders at the Toy Fair.

 
Gold Volvo Ailsa
Photograph courtesy of Jotus Model Depot
Photograph courtesy of Jotus Model Depot

ABC Models are to release, on Monday 22nd January, a gold and a chrome Volvo Ailsa (1,000 pieces each) to celebrate the Year of the Snake together with a special LF box set (700 pieces). Further details will appear shortly.


The February - March edition of Model Buses is now on sale.


The "Ocean Park" Victory, based on the Collector's Model casting, is in fact a complete Code 3 model (not a kit) from a company called OEM. This model is now available in the UK.  My thanks to Garry of Rotherham Model World for news of this model's UK release.



 
Photograph courtesy of Denis Law

The first photographs of Citybus's Year of the Dragon livery as applied to MAN/Volgren 2500 appears above. 

19th January 2001

Photograph courtesy of 80M Bus Model Shop
   
Photograph courtesy of
80M Bus Model Shop

New World First Bus have just announced that they will be issuing the "Snake Bus of Bliss" model on  20th January. The Alexander ALX500 bodied Trident (Model No. 20006) is limited to 3,888 pieces, and the key associated with the opening of the engine compartment can also be used to completely dismantle the model !! 



 
Photograph courtesy of
World of Diecast

The Hong Kong Buses Yearbook 2001 has just been published in Hong Kong. As usual the publication of this book brings together many of the main stories concerning Hong Kong Bus Operators. Of interest to UK Bus Fans are 3 articles about former Hong Kong buses in the UK. Thus, buses such as the Oxford Bus Museum AEC Regent, Scottish Bus Museum Leyland Victory and Leyland Fleetline SF31 are covered. The articles also examine the recent imports of 1990s buses which have been returned to the UK by Stagecoach, FirstBus and Ensignbus.  I have also received some photographs of the book, which I will upload to the Books section over the weekend. 

Please note that all articles are in Chinese!!

17th January 2001

Photograph courtesy of Jotus Model Depot

The second model from Cars Workshop is due for release in Hong Kong soon. It represents AEC Regent Mk V A165 of the Kowloon Motor Bus fleet (38101). The first release, the KMB Daimler "D" (38001) was the winner of this site's "Favourite Model of 2000" competition.


Those of you enquiring about the availability, in the UK, of the Citybus MAN, due for release in Hong Kong shortly, will be pleased to know that it is expected that a quantity of around 1,000 will be made available here.

15th January 2001

Photograph courtesy of World of Diecast

Citybus news dominates this update, with the Corgi MAN scheduled for release in February. The model is expected to come with a CD-ROM containing the history of Citybus and including a massive amount of information and photographs not previously seen before. The actual vehicle is due to appear in the Year of the Snake livery on Sunday, and is is hoped that this livery will be applied to the model for a second release, possibly in March/April.

The Cityflyer livery will appear on the Corgi Trident/Alexander model.

12th January 2001

Photograph courtesy of Jotus Model Depot

New World First Bus have decorated Alexander-bodied Trident No. 1028 in Year of the Snake livery, and a model is expected to be released in due course.



My apologies for not announcing sooner that Corgi's Citybus Millennium liveried Trident (44512) is now available in the UK.
9th January 2001


Released in Hong Kong yesterday was KMB's Year of the Snake liveried Corgi Olympian (43226).
7th January 2001


Two new releases in Hong Kong are ABC Model Metrobus ML1 (000803) and the Ixus liveried Dragon from Collector's Model (DGR-001).  I have also received photographs of a resin bus wash (bus not included!!), which is available from Jotus Model Depot.
 
Click on image for larger photograph
Photograph courtesy of Jotus Model Depot
6th January 2001

80M Bus Model Shops have just announced the opening of a new shop Tsim Sha Tsui East.  The shop features two "real", scale 1:1, Citybus hoods, with one facing the streets and the other inside, as shown in the photograph above.

The address is: Shop UG29-30, Empire Centre, 68 Mody Road,
Tsim Sha Tsui East, Kowloon, Hong Kong.

Tel: (852) 2722 4227   Fax: (852) 2684 9663

3rd January 2001


Well, the votes have now been counted, but owing to problems in Florida, there may need to be several re-counts (no only joking!!) and I can announce what your favourite models of the year are, as follows:-
1st   -  Cars Workshop Daimler "D" in KMB livery - 38001

2nd  -  Corgi's Leyland Victory Mk 2 in NWFB livery -  44805

3rd  -  Collector's Model Fleetline SF31 in NWFB (purple "Peak") livery -  20003

Three other models deserve a mention, all tying in 4th place and these are ABC's Guy Arab V (000901), MBE's Citybus Dragon (MBE-102) and CML Northcord's Volvo Super Olympian (20005). 

A photograph of the real "Year of the Snake" KMB Olympian has now been received, and this can be found here



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1st January 2001
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This page last updated Tuesday, 30th January 2001
 
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