The Citybus 'Year of the Monkey' Alexander bodied Dennis Trident from Corgi (OM44401) is now available in the UK.

 Photograph courtesy of 80M Bus Model Shop

The annual 'Exhibition on the History of Hong Kong Buses' opens tomorrow in the Lobby of Western Market, 323 Des Voeux Road, Central. It runs from Saturday 31 July until Wednesday 11th August and is open between 10.00am and 7.00pm. The organiser is again Art Gallery/80M Bus Model Shop.
 

'The Historical Exhibition for Hong Kong Trams' will also be held at Western Market between 9th and 11th August. Universal Transport Fans Association (UTFA) will be one of the co-organisers. For more details regarding this organisation, please follow the link to their website, which can be found at  http://www.utfa.org.hk/

 Photograph courtesy of Citybus

Citybus managing director, Lyndon Rees, unveiled Hong Kong Island's newest "smart bus depot" at Chai Wan today, to coincide with the bus operator's 25th anniversary in the Territory. Scania/Volgren No. 2800 (pictured above) has also received a special 25th Anniversary livery. For further details and photos, check the official Citybus website, or follow this link. Another possible model and livery?

Whilst on the subject of Citybus, Dave Rogers website, devoted to ex-Citybus Leyland Olympians Nos.102 and 105, has recently been updated with new photos of Citybus 105. 

 Photograph courtesy of Matthew Ho

To mark the Centenary of Hong Kong Tramways, six trams have been decorated in special liveries. A new page has been added to the Xtra section of the site which gives further details.

I am reliably informed that the release of the two Corgi Citybus MAN/Volgren models has been further delayed, and these will not appear until August. In the meantime, and as promised, a new page has been added to the Xtra section of the site showing the real bus in the two liveries.

 Photograph courtesy of Chan Ming Tak

As promised, and thanks to Chan Ming Tak, the above photo shows the new Route 15 livery for New World First Bus. A new page has been added to the Xtra section of the site which features further photos of this colourful livery.

 Photograph courtesy of John Ayrey Die-Casts Ltd

I have today received photographs of the next Creative Master Northcord 'Megabus.com' (hkbus2004) liveried Olympian, one of which is shown above. The others can be found on the relevant page. My thanks to John Ayrey Die-Casts Ltd for providing these photographs. 

 Photograph courtesy of Keith Wood

As I thought .....   following the photo of Citybus Olympian No 413 in Harry Potter livery (see below) it didn't take long for regular contributor Keith Wood to confirm my belief and provide the evidence!!

 "KMB Today" has announced that their next model issue will be the Cars Workshop's Daimler E in 1970's red and cream livery.

On Thursday I received an e-mail from New World First Bus inviting me to experience a preview of the new livery to be applied to Hong Kong's favourite 50 year old Peak bus service, Route 15, which was to take place on Friday 16 July 2004 at 1500 hours at  NWFB Route 13 bus stop at Star Ferry Pier, Central (near City Hall).

A subsequent e-mail received yesterday advised that "due to adverse weather conditions, the function scheduled for today will be cancelled. Sorry for any inconvenience caused".

A possible new model from NWFB? As soon as the new livery is unveiled I have been promised a photograph, thanks to Chan Ming Tak.

 Photograph courtesy of Chan Ming Tak

Talking of new liveries, how about Harry Potter!  Pictured above is Citybus Volvo Olympian No 413 carrying such a livery - similar to that carried by a London Routemaster, I believe. 

I have received several photos of Citybus 2500 and several of the batch of KMB MAN/Volgrens, and I will create new pages  dedicated to these vehicles in the Xtra section of the site shortly.

Photograph courtesy of 80M Bus Model Shop

Due for release in Hong Kong tomorrow (16th July) is the Kowloon Motor Bus MAN/Volgren from Cars Workshop (39201).
The model comes with extra waterslide transfers enabling the destination to be changed

Photograph courtesy of Network Shuttle

I am now in a position to re-publish the photographs taken by 'Network Shuttle', of Citybus MAN/Volgren in original livery, which were removed last week following claims from a commercial website, here in the UK, that they had sole rights to these photographs in the UK. A shortage of time has prevented me updating the relevant model page with these photos tonight. 

Of course, should the earlier threats to either take legal action against me or to close my site down continue, I will let you know, but hopefully common sense will prevail!

Today sees the launch of a new website, The EFE Zone, which as the name implies is dedicated to EFE models. Why not have a look.

I anticipate being in a position to re-publish the photos of Citybus MAN/Volgren 2500, in it's original livery, in the next day or so.

As mentioned at the end of last month, independent transport videos have released a new DVD/Video entitled Kowloon Motor Bus 2003. Follow the link to see more details.

Photographs of the real Citybus MAN/Volgren 2500, in the 'Stagecoach style' corporate livery, received from Network Shuttle last week, have been re-posted to the relevant page (OM45404). 

The 'News' section of Dave Rogers website, devoted to ex-Citybus Leyland Olympians Nos.102 and 105, has recently been updated  - why not have a look!

Megabus.com No. 13607
Photograph courtesy of Keith Wood 

A second 'Megabus.com' liveried Leyland Olympian is to be released by Creative Master Northcord Ltd (hkbus2004), this time featuring Fleet No. 13607 (J703HMY) ex-Citybus No. 164 (EW9215) with 'in and out of London' decals. I have checked with John Ayrey Diecasts today, who confirm this model will be distributed by them in the UK. A higher resolution photograph of 13607, plus photos of these 'in and out of London' decals can be found in the 'Megabus.com' section of the Xtra pages of this site.

In attempting to resolve this matter quickly, with the webmaster in question, I sought an apology for his statement that read "yet you have now chosen to post date an article on your main site reproducing the photos we have asked you to remove." The response I received reads, "I never accused you of doing anything underhand. I suggested that you had post dated your website, as that is what I saw, for whatever reasons, (cache, servers not updated, I don't know), all I know is what I saw."  I see no mention of the word 'suggest' in his original statement!!

I must apologise to those of you who are not really interested in this ongoing saga, and I can fully understand why, however, I see it as a matter of principle, especially when I am personally being bombarded with e-mails threatening me with legal action and the closure of the site over the posting of photos that I have the owner's permission to use. 

I am presently working extremely long hours following a major power supply problem in the Southampton area, and as soon as things return to normal, I will catch up with my outstanding e-mails - please bear with me - Thank you!

Photograph courtesy of Pong

Photograph courtesy of Tony Cutler

The two Corgi Citybus MAN/Volgrens are due to released in Hong Kong on 7th July. OM45404, in corporate style livery, has a quantity of 1,300 pieces (800 HK/ 500 UK). OM45405, in original livery, has a quantity of 1,000 pieces (500 HK / 500 UK). My thanks to Network Shuttle for the above photos, and those added to the relevant pages.