Well, just as I was about to relax, having counted the bulk of the votes cast in the "Best New Casting of 2001 and Best Advertising/Promotional livery of 2001", news has just been received of more new releases in Hong Kong.
 

Photograph courtesy of 80M Bus Model Shop

Hong Kong Model Co. have today issued two CMB Guy Arab UF (1954), each limited to 1,500 pieces.

  The first is HK4223 on Route 2 - Shau Ki Wan (768043A)
  The second 4143 on Route 5  - Tai Hang (768043B)

They are now on sale priced at HK$278 each. 

Photograph courtesy of 80M Bus Model Shop

Due for release in Hong Kong on Monday (31st) is this Daimler "D" from Cars Workshop (38002). 

The Japan Home Centre liveried Citybus Dragon from Model Bus Evolution (MB-105) was released in Hong Kong yesterday (17th). New photographs have just been uploaded.

Photographs courtesy of Citybus

Pictured above is the Citybus Driver Training Dennis Condor, due to be released in Hong Kong in early January. New photographs have just been uploaded. Thanks to Citybus, this model is being offered as a prize in our "Model of the Year Vote", details of which will appear here shortly. 

The SBS Transit single (CMN-SBS-01) and twin-pack (CMN-SBS-02) Volvo Olympians were released in Hong Kong yesterday, and new photos have just been uploaded. 

Photograph courtesy of 80M Bus Model Shop

Pictured above is one of the NWFB "toy" buses recently released - other pictures will follow, once I find the time to upload these!! They are produced for NWFB by Realtoy International Ltd.

Photograph courtesy of Collector's Model

KMB's Dennis Dragon AD256 (DA-2002), carrying all-over advertising for Chinese Wine, is to be Collector's Model first release in 2002. Quantities are not yet known, but the model will be released in January.

Photographs courtesy of 80M Bus Model Shop

The new KMB MAN/Berkhof was unveiled today. It is in fact a Corgi model (OM45201) and features Fleet no. AMN 7, on route 60X to Tuen Mun Centre. It is limited to 5,000 pieces and is due to be released shortly. My thanks to 80M Bus Model Shop for this information.

I will shortly be giving you the opportunity to vote for your "Model of the Year - 2001". Like previous years, you will be able to vote for your top three models and at the close of the vote, your first choice model will receive 3 points, your second choice model 2 points, and your third choice model 1 point. The model receiving the highest number of points will be the winner. Second and third place models will also be announced.

What is different this year is that should your choice be the same as that of the overall vote, you will be included in a draw, the winner of which will receive the forthcoming Drumwell Citybus Dennis Condor in Driver Training livery.

I am sure this will add extra interest to this end-of-year bit of fun, and I am very grateful to Citybus, who have kindly agreed to provide this model.

Whilst on the subject of these models, Stephen Cho has kindly pointed out some differences between two batches of SBS Olympians, which is interesting. 
The models in the "twin pack" are both SBS 9228C (does the 9228 have a significance?) whilst the single model is SBS 9388Z.

	Batch SBS 9200-9399	Batch SBS 9401-9670
Handrails	Stainless Steel	Yellow DiPTAC spec
Rear window	Yes	Deleted
Interior and seats	Blue	Pink seats and red panels
Headlights	Rounded	Squared

By looking at the models, they all fall into the right-hand column, but their registrations put them into the left-hand column!!  One other minor point, the models are missing the yellow triangle sign with "!" on the nearside mirror.

For further information visit Stephen Cho's "KMB 2E" website

The NWFB "toys" (See News - 4 December) should now be available through the following outlets:-

80M Bus Model Shop, New World Department Store, Toys R'Us, Sogo, Uni, Japan Home Centre, Jusco ,Wing On Department Store, Watson's and Manning

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As in previous year's, I will shortly be giving you the opportunity to vote for your "Model of Year - 2001". 

As the name implies, this site provides news and information primarily about 1/76th (4mm) scale British Model Buses produced by ABC Models, Corgi OOC, Creative Master Northcord, Collector's Model, EFE and Peak Horse.

This site, which has been created by Gareth Jones, is intended to be a "Sister" site to mine, and will cater specifically for the needs of "British model bus" collectors. Why not check it out by following the above link!

1001 comes in a special box-set which includes a bus shelter, bus-station, two service vehicles and one small NWFB bus (Hino double decker - Tomica #1).

The selling price of the single bus is HK$59.9 and the boxset is HK$99.9. 

I am grateful to Leslie Chan for providing this information.
 

Photograph courtesy of Leslie Chan 

I am reliably informed that New World First Bus are to issue a model of their Volvo Super Olympian (Fleet no. 5070) which carries the "Euro III Buses Lead the Pace" special livery, as pictured below.  It is expected that Creative Master Northcord will produce the model.
 

Photograph of courtesy of Dennis Law

The Buses Model Co. "Hotline" Leyland Olympian (LO20101-680) was released in Hong Kong today.