The model
- the Press Release for this model was issued on 30th May 2008.
The bus
-
CREATIVE
MASTER NORTHCORD - PRESS RELEASE
- 30 MAY 2008.
Creative Master
Northcord Limited is proud
to release hkbus 2010 - the first time pure Stagecoach standard
corporate
livery without any route-branding has been replicated on the well-known
11-metre, tri-axle Leyland Olympian / Alexander R-type coach
model.
The model
represents Stagecoach in Devon
13601 (BIW 4977). 13601 is the premier fleetnumber in the class devoted
to the former
Citybus Alexander 11m
coach Leyland Olympians
(135) that returned to the UK for service primarily with the Stagecoach
“Megabus” brand. 13601 was used initially on the Oxford – London
service
where it, and two others from the starter batch of 5, replaced the
96-seat
coach Megadekkas that were used to launch the Megabus brand. To begin
with
the destination was carried on a vinyl sticker in the destination
aperture,
but as the Megabus brand expanded it later received a dot-matrix
screen.
13601 initially carried the name “Keble”, representing Keble College,
one
of the largest of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford,
on its nearside
quarter panel above the
headlamp cluster.
13601 was repainted as shown in March 2007.
Delivered new to
Hong Kong as Citybus 135
(ER 9371) in “Big C” livery 135 with yellow roof, 135 was first
registered
on 29th
November 1990. 135 was
one of many to carry
special panel branding for Kingswood Villas. 135 later received a white
roof on its
“Big C” livery then the
“Network 26”-style
colours. During the summer of 2007, Stagecoach Devon operated three of
these 3-axle Leyland
Olympian buses on the
service X46, between Exeter and Paignton, where their high capacity,
air-conditioning
and toilet provision proved popular on this local express service.
As on the
previous successful hkbus 2000
series models produced by CMNL, hkbus 2010 has many innovative designs
on the tooling –
including all handrails
on board and detailed,
individual air-vents above the seats. Of note is the improved
upper-deck
ceiling detail
that features the correct
colours of the
prototype coach. The model also features an accurate representation of
the small fleet name at the front, by using tampo printing to good
effect.
Once again, this
is a one-piece casting whose
clean lines accentuate the windows and livery application. The model
has
no ugly metal
poles to hold it
together. The hkbus 2010
model is limited to 1000 pieces worldwide. They will be distributed by
John Ayrey Die-Casts Limited (UK), Concorde Hobby Shop (HK), Porte
Publishing
Company (Japan), Transit Graphics (Australia) and cnmycar.com (P. R.
China).
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