Just a reminder that if you have not yet voted for your favourite models of 2002, you only have two days left to do so. Click here for further details.

Photograph courtesy of Jotus.com

Pictured above is the recent release from Best Choose, China Motor Bus DL1 (02032)

Just a reminder that voting is now taking place for the Best New Casting of 2002 and Best Advertising/Promotional Livery of 2002. Further details can be found here.

The winner of the Best New Casting Vote will have a choice of a set of three qb bus caricature buses, namely 2 Citybus and 1 KMB example, or a diecast model^* of their choice. My thanks to Jotus.com for kindly providing this excellent prize.

The winner of the Best Advertising/Promotional Livery Vote will receive a copy of Northcord Transport's "Hong Kong Buses Yearbook 2003", due to be published in January/February 2003. For those of you who don't own an earlier Yearbook, these are superb publications, full of excellent colour photographs, and whilst most articles are in Chinese, this year's edition will, I am told, feature a summary of each article in English. I am very grateful to Danny Chan of Northcord Transport for providing this excellent prize.

Like previous years, the qualifying period is 1st December 2001 - 30th November 2002, thus ensuring any late releases for this year do not suffer.  A prize for each category is also being offered.

For further details, and to Vote, click here.

Details will appear tomorrow on how to vote for your "Best New Casting 2002" and "Best Advertising/Promotional Livery 2002". 

DM17 - Photograph courtesy of Thomas Tang

A group of enthusiasts based in the UK have completed the purchase of DM17 from New World First Bus (NWFB). The bus is being repainted by NWFB into their livery again as it was decided it would be best to get this done in Hong Kong as NWFB have all the equipment and correct paint colours. It would be very difficult to prepare a bus and paint it in the cold, in a barn!  She should begin her journey to Southampton on January 10th and arrive at the end of February.  DM17 was the last normal DM in service, running until 2359 on 17 August. The next day all regular routes became fully air con. the exception is of course DM6, which is open top and operates the Peak Tram shuttle. 

Photograph courtesy and copyright of
Fai Fai's Studio @ TM-Focus

Released in Hong Kong today was the Model Bus Evolution Citybus Dennis Dragon (MB-107) in the brand Hong Kong livery.

JB2003 Hino Selega Coach for JR Tohoku

Creative Master Northcord Limited has proudly released its third livery on the replica Hino Selega Coach model. JB2003 carries JR Bus Tohoku’s colours. 

JR Tohoku Bus operates 340 buses on local and intercity services in Tohoku region, highway bus services that connect Tohoku and Tokyo metropolitan area, and chartered buses. The replica itself is a chartered bus based in Aomori branch. It is a Hino KL-RU4FSEA, manufactured in 2001 with a capacity of 55 passengers.

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

The Hino Selega Coach is the sixth 1/76 scale diecast bus or coach from Creative Master Northcord since 2000, following the Volvo Super Olympian / Alexander ALX500, Mitsubishi FUSO MP non-step bus, Volvo Olympian / Alexander Royale, Dennis Trident / Alexander ALX400 and Shanghai Sunwin Volvo B7R.

The JB2003 model is limited to 500 pieces for the UK and Hong Kong. They will be distributed by John Ayrey Die-Casts Limited (UK) and Concorde Hobby Shop (HK) respectively.

Model Bus Evolution are to follow up their recent release of the second of the Nin Jiom Pei Pa Koa allover advertising model with another Citybus Dragon, this time in the brand Hong Kong livery, as pictured above. Having seen this livery applied to several vehicles on my recent trip, of the three base colours used, namely white red and black, white is certainly the most striking.

The Best Choose Guy Arab Mk V (02042) was released in Hong Kong today and now carries the correctly spelt destination of Shaukiwan. New photographs have been uploaded.

Following yesterday's report of the new Creative Master Northcord Brochure, I have uploaded photographs of this, which can be found by clicking here.

A new company, Asian Bus, are next week due to release their version of the China Motor Bus Guy Arab Mk V "S" class(AS1001A), namely S28, on route 13 to Kotewall Road. It is limited to 600 pieces.

Owing to my recent holiday, and the amount of news received over over the last two days, I have been unable to carry out all the necessary updates to certain parts of the site, for which I apologise. I hope that by the end of the weekend, this will have been rectified. 

New releases during my absence were as follows:-
 

Photograph courtesy of Jotus.com

Creative Master Northcord Volvo B7R SWB6120KHV-3/Sunwin CNBUS 1002 operated by Shanghai Shen Xin Bus Services Ltd.

Photograph courtesy of Jotus.com

Model Bus Evolution's Citybus Dennis Dragon/Duple Metsec MB-106 with the second version of the Nin Jiom Pei Pa Koa allover advertising.

Photograph courtesy of Jotus.com

Drumwell's latest China Paint commissioned Citybus Dragon model (again a fictitious model) now carries a China Paint banner advert on the nearside and a Herpa banner advert on the offside (DW10206B).

Creative Master Northcord Ltd have produced a catalogue showing not only all their releases to date, but also gives details of forthcoming models. These include the third version of the Hino Sélega Coach in the livery of Japanese operator JR Tohoku Bus, a Mercedes-Benz 0 405 G Hispano bodied articulated bus for Singapore operator Trans Island Bus Services Ltd, and a Mitsubishi Aerobus Coach which dates from the early 1980's. New UK models listed are three Dennis Trident Plaxton Presidents:- ukbus 2004 - Lothian livery similar to Trident/Alexander (ukbus1004), ukbus 2002 Lothian Airlink and ukbus 2003 Metroline.

Photograph courtesy of 80M Bus Model Shop

The Best Choose Guy Arab Mk V in the blue and cream colours of CMB (02042) was expected to have been released last week but an error appears in the destination screen, which carries the wording   "Wankishau", which of course should read "Shaukiwan".

Of the models I acquired during my stay, one was the Hong Kong version of Corgi's KCRC Olympian 43202A with a certificate no. 6500 of 6500!