Photograph courtesy and copyright of 
312 Model

Announced today on the 312 Model website is this resin model of Kowloon Motor Bus Leyland Olympian AL1. On route 6 to Star Ferry, it is limited to just 200 pieces and is expected to retail for HK$418. 

'Twinkling Star' - the subject of a new casting?
Photograph courtesy and copyright of Dennis Law

Reports from reliable sources suggest that Star Ferry will issue a new model of their 'Twinkling Star' by the end of this year, using a completely new casting. 

Photograph courtesy and copyright of
80M Bus Model Shop

Released in Hong Kong today is the Best Choose, China Motor Bus Volvo Olympian (09761) which was announced on the 18th October. It features VA51 (HN8481) on route 106 to Wong Tai Sin. Limited to 800 pieces, it retails for HK$288. 

Photograph courtesy and copyright of
Donald MacRae

As is so often the case following the announcement of a new model, Donald MacRae has delved into his superb collection of photographs and sent me not one, but three, showing Kowloon Motor Bus's Mitsubishi Fuso MK117 in the pink 'Nathan Shopper' livery, one of which is pictured above.

"The late 1980s and early 1990s saw a massive construction of private housing estates. To provide residents with better bus services, KMB imported a new type of mid-range single decker bus from Mitsubishi, the “MK117”. With the length of about 9 metres and carrying capacity of 45, these buses were allocated on routes such as 203, 208, 211, 238M and 273. Later on, they were used on rural routes, which passed through narrow or winding roads. For instance, route 53, 54, 77K and 275R. Moreover, some of these buses were painted in pink, “Nathan Shopper” livery by the KMB to promote a group of bus routes serving Nathan Road. 

KMB now proudly presents 2 “Mitsubishi MK117” single decker air-conditioned bus model. With ordinary white livery, one of them is on route 53 operating between Yuen Long (East) and Tsuen Wan (Nina Tower). The other one is painted pink, on route 203 operating between Yau Yat Tsuen and Tsim Sha Tsui. Each of the model is limited to 1,250 pieces with certificate. With limited stock, act now!"

"Starting from mid-80s’ the KMB had introduced a large batch of Leyland Olympian 11-m 3-axle double deckers with good turning capabilities and large capacities. In 1988 saw the introduction of the first air-conditioned version, of which mechanical operation was satisfactory and it received high opinion from passengers. In view of these, KMB further imported 149 vehicles of the same model at the start of 1990, and assigned these buses to routes such as 1, 1A, 6, 68X and 74X. In early 1990s’, KMB went one step further by assigning several of them to airport routes on weekends and public holidays. These buses had some of the seats in the lower deck removed and replaced by moveable luggage racks.

KMB now proudly presents two brand new air-conditioned Olympian 11m models, one on the route 74X operating between Tai Po Centre and Kwun Tong Pier, the other with luggage racks on A2 between Kai Tak Airport and Central (HK-Macau Pier). These models are cast with new metal parts in great detail. Each of the model is limited to 1,000 pieces with certificate. With limited stock, act now!"

Can anyone provide a translation for the Mitsubishi Fuso models also announced? 

Photographs courtesy and copyright of
Dave Rogers

My thanks to Dave Rogers for sending me the above photographs of his former Citybus Olympians, Nos. 102 and 105, captured attending the Buses Magazine 60th Anniversary event held near Swindon on Sunday. 

The Concorde Hobby Shop website features the above poster - my thanks to Donald MacRae and Dennis Law for tipping me off about this.

Photographs of the launch ceremony and first day of operation of the New World First Bus 'Rickshaw Sightseeing Bus'will be added to the  section of the site tomorrow.

'Our Bus Terminal' and 'Photosynthesis' will launch a photo exhibition called 'Terminal Never Terminates' from tomorrow (Sunday 18th) until 1st November. Full details can be viewed in the above poster - click on the poster for a larger image.

Photograph courtesy and copyright of
Philip Chan

With the launch tomorrow of the New World First Bus 'Rickshaw Sightseeing Bus', several buses were today operating the routes, presumably for driver familiarisation. Pictured above is VA51 and VA52.

Photograph courtesy and copyright of
80M Bus Model Shop

The first model bus news for the month is the expected release tomorrow in Hong Kong of this 1/60th scale Kowloon Motor Bus Dennis Trident/Alexander ALX500 (60001). Produced by Cars Workshop it features ATR23 (HW5331) on route 38 to Kwai Shing (East). A first, as far as I am aware, is the illuminated destination screen and nearside/rear route number boxes. It is limited to 1,500 pieces and is expected to retail for HK$398. 

Photographs courtesy and copyright of
Dennis Wong

New World First Bus have announced they are to commence sightseeing tours on Hong Kong Island, marketed as 'The Rickshaw Sightseeing Bus'. The open-top sightseeing services will include two routes, namely Route H1 (Central Piers - Pokfield Road)
and H2 (Central Piers - Happy Valley). A day ticket priced at HK$50 will be available for travel on both routes. The routes are expected to be launched later this month. The Big Bus Company, who launched their sightseeing tours in January of this year, appear to be facing stiff competition from NWFB - Big Bus is currently charging HK$320 for a day ticket. Official details of the service can be found on the New World First Bus/Citybus website - just follow this link (link no longer avaialble). 

Volvo Olympians VA51-55 will be / have been converted to open-top and will carry this striking livery. 

Photograph courtesy and copyright of Edward Yeo

Mooving on to Singapore, does this bus have a tail?  more details and photographs can be found in the  section of the site.

Photograph courtesy and copyright of
Dennis Law

My thanks to Dennis Law for sending me photographs of tram no. 128 sporting a new promotional livery for Nissin Cup Noodles. It is believed that this promotion will last for one month. These photos have just been added to the  section of the site.

Photograph courtesy and copyright of
Dave Rogers

Pictured above is former Citybus Leyland Olympian No. 345, now operating for Plaza Travel of Birmingham. It was formerly with Roadliner of Poole, which is now in administration. Further details and photographs of this vehicle can be found here.