Featured on page 24 of the latest 'KMB Today' on-line magazine is this Buses Model Co. 11-metre Leyland Olympian, S3BL228 on route no. 81 to Wo Che (30102). It is expected to be released in Hong Kong tomorrow.

Photograph courtesy and copyright of
Dennis Leung

My thanks to Dennis Leung for sending me the above photographs of a coffee mug - 'Alexander Dennis Enviro 500 in Hong Kong, presented by Hong Kong Transport Society'.

Pictured above is an e-poster promoting 'The Transport Day' organised by the Transport Department. It has now been confirmed that Citybus and NWFB will allocate buses to be displayed during this event on Sunday 28th September. Star Ferry and Hong Kong Tramways will also have exhibits.

My sincere thanks to regular contributor Dennis Law for the above information. 

Photograph courtesy and copyright of
80M Bus Model Shop

Two remote control Qb buses were released in Hong Kong yesterday. Both feature KMB vehicles, one a Daimler Fleetline (Fleet no. 2D30) and the other a Dennis Dart (Fleet no. AA66). Both are available from the 80M Bus Model Shop, retailing for HK$69.90. Further details will be added shortly. 

All 38 chassis will be sent to Wuzhoulong Motors in Shenzhen for the assembly of the Enviro500 body. Presently, the first 18 chassis are awaiting the arrival of the containers carrying the body sections.

These buses are modified versions of the Enviro500, but it is not known whether ADL have a new name for the bus. It is rumoured that the front and rear ends have been changed. What is known is that the staircase is not straight, being a 'bent' layout, similar, I believe, to the Dublin Bus Enviro500s.

Another noticeable difference in the chassis is the position of the oil tank. Previously, all the Trident chassis in Hong Kong (including ALX500, Enviro500 & Duple Metsec bodies) feature the oil tank under the stairs. However, the new chassis  has two separate tanks, one of the left side and the other on the right side.

The Citybus vehicles are believed to be for Cityflyer routes, with dual door layout and with luggage racks.

My special thanks to Dennis of Hong Kong for providing the above information.

Photograph courtesy and copyright of
Dennis Law

Four Enviro500 chassis are currently parked inside Citybus's Fo Tan Depot. Unconfirmed reports have claimed that they will have their bodies assembled by Wuzhoulong Motors in Shenzhen, China. 

Photograph courtesy and copyright of
Bill Wong

My thanks to Bill Wong for sending me the above photograph showing one of the latest batch of Alexander Dennis Enviro500s for BC Transit, which entered the service during first week of September. 

Photograph courtesy and copyright of
Jack Aw Yong

Thanks also to Jack Aw Yong for sending me the above photograph of SBS Transit's MAN 18.24 demonstrator, which was redeployed to Route 17 on 9th September 2008. 

Model kindly supplied by
Creative Master Northcord Limited

Creative Master Northcord Limited has proudly released another brand new non-ukbus series replica. It is JB1013, a Mitsubishi Fuso MP Non-Step model carrying Itami City Bus colours.

The JB1013 model commemorates the 60th anniversary of Itami City Transport Bureau which was established in 1949.  Itami City Transport Bureau operates route buses around Itami City. This is the replica of a Mitsubishi FUSO MP non-step bus KC-MP747K, acquired in 1997. 

Itami is located in the middle of Hanshin area (between Osaka and Kobe). Great portions of the city were damaged in the Great Hanshin earthquake of 1995, but were quickly rebuilt. Itami has been known as a town of Osaka International Airport as well as Itami Air Force Base in the 1950s, however when the new Kansai International Airport started its operation in 1994 most of the international lines at Osaka Airport were shifted to the new airport. 

Itami is also known as the birthplace of "SAKE" (rice wine) and famous collection of "HAIKU" (traditional Japanese poetry).

JB1013 features excellent detailing, inside and out, including an opening engine door and engine detail. 

The JB1013 model is limited to 200 pieces for the UK, Australia, P.R. of China and Hong Kong. They will be distributed by John Ayrey Die-Casts Limited (UK), Transit Graphics (Australia), cnmycar.com (P. R. China) and Concorde Hobby Shop (HK) respectively.
 

Issue No. 58 of Bus Fan World's  magazine 'Bus Focus' has now been published. This edition consists of 38 pages, all of which are in colour. 

Creative Master Northcord Limited has proudly released its third livery on the Isuzu BX141 bonnet bus replica, JB5003, in Nara Kotsu Bus colours. 

The Isuzu BX bonnet bus series was one of the most popular city bus types in the late 1950s and 1960s in Japan. 

The replica features excellent detailing, inside and out, including 2 small windscreen wipers, marker lights on both front and rear, box-shaped front and rear destination blinds and individual translucent headlights and turning indicator lights placed on the front wings.  To make this a more personal item for collectors, a set of alternative destinations is included with the model.

Nara Kotsu operated route buses in Nara prefecture since 1943. JB5003 features an Isuzu BX341 with the classical livery which was deployed in 1955. Such type of livery was lasted for nearly 30 years in the area.

The Isuzu BX141 bonnet bus is the fifth 1/76 scale diecast bus or coach casting for the Japanese market from Creative Master Northcord Ltd since 2000. It is also the second classic Japanese bus model, following the JB3001 Mitsubishi Fuso Aerobus Coach.

The JB5003 model is limited to 300 pieces for the UK, Australia, P.R. of China and Hong Kong. They will be distributed by John Ayrey Die-Casts Limited (UK), Transit Graphics (Australia), cnmycar.com (P. R. China) and Concorde Hobby Shop (HK) respectively.