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Photographs courtesy and copyright of Philip Chan

Former New World First Bus Leyland Fleetline has recently been registered WD3519, having been acquired by a private collector back in 2017. A special tour was organised yesterday and Citybus Trident no. 889 was hired to carry the enthusiasts. The bus was originally SF15 (CD1446) and upon retirement it was used as a staff communication bus receiving the fleet no. SV60. My thanks to Philip Chan for providing the above information and photographs, all of which are 'clickable'.
29th July 2019

   

Tiny has just released this 1/110 scale China Motor Bus liveried Volvo Olympian. It features VA51 (HN6481) on route 106 to Wong Tai Sin. Unusually it carries a box number (92) previously used for a different casting, namely the Sun Bus coach.
27th July 2019

   
 
Kowloon Motor Bus is to release two versions of a 1/43 scale 12 metre Wrights Gemini 2 bodied Volvo B9TL, one in red livery and one in champagne. The third image represents a 'Lego' style brick model.
26th July 2019

   
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Photographs courtesy and copyright of Donald MacRae
   
Continuing yesterday's theme on the the 40th anniversary of Citybus, my thanks to regular contributor Donald MacRae for allowing me to share his photographs of Citybus's first bus, THS 273M, a Walter Alexander bodied Volvo Ailsa B55-10. This bus was the prototype and it was used as a demonstrator, seen here in 1974 in Aberdeen with Midland.  It was registered in Hong Kong on 12th July 1979, when it was allocated fleet no V1. 
   
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Photograph on the left courtesy and copyright of Donald Hudson

The next buses to arrive were six ex-Bournemouth Corporation Fleetlines, numbered D1-6. These six yellow buses clearly influenced the relatively new company's livery!  Pictured above (left) is D2, formerly CRU 188C, pictured in Hong Kong in 1981 whilst sister vehicle CRU 184C (right) remained in the UK and is now preserved showing off her original livery. All the above images are 'clickable'.
23rd July 2019

 
 
The above book, 'Citybus 40th Anniversary', has just been published by New Overground Publishing. Consisting of 312 pages it tells the story of Citybus from its beginnings in 1979, including the introduction of it's cross border services, the launch of Network 26 in 1993, new airport services in 1997 and the company's success in Hong Kong beyond 1997. It also features preserved Citybus buses in the UK, Ensign Bus and Capital Citybus and the Citybus business in China. It, of course, also covers the Citybus fleet from its first Ailsa Volvo B55 to the latest ADL 'facelift' Enviro500 MMC.
22nd July 2019

 
Photographs courtesy and copyright of
 80M Bus Model Shop

This Kowloon Motor Bus Daimler 'C' type was released in Hong Kong yesterday (KMB2019018).
21st July 2019

   
Quantities for the four Model 1 releases from yesterday have now been received and these have now been updated below and added to the respective pages.

 
New pages and photographs for the two P&T Model (Diecast) versions of KMB liveried ECW bodied Leyland Olympian 3BL1 (DC1028 & ) have now been added.

   
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Photograph courtesy and copyright of Philip Chan

Citybus 965 is the last Volvo Olympian in the company's non-franchise fleet and it is expected to be retired in the next few days. The above image is 'clickable'.



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Photographs courtesy and copyright of Philip Chan
 
Noted at the Vehicle Inspection Centre today were these new MAN A95 euro 6 buses for HZMB. These images are also 'clickable'.

 

The News from 20 years ago today
 
Click here to see new photographs of EFE's China Motor Bus liveried DMS.

Click here to see new photograph of KMB's Captain KMB Trident.

I have also just received photographs of a new book "Hong Kong Bus Models", in both English and Chinese, and to be published in August - click here for photos
20th July 1999



   
This is the book referred to and I wonder how many pages today's version would contain!
    

20th July 2019

 
A bumper day for new releases, these being as follows:-

Photographs courtesy and copyright of Network Shuttle
   
Model 1 Toyota Coaster 19-seat public light bus VR411 with green roof (63804) - quantity unknown - 500 pieces
Model 1 Toyota Coaster 19-seat public light bus KH5570 with red roof (63812) - quantity unknown - 900 pieces
Model 1 Toyota Coaster 19-seat public light bus LK9848 with green roof (63813) - quantity unknown - 500 pieces
 
Photograph courtesy and copyright of Network Shuttle
   
Model 1 Citybus ADL 12.8m 'facelift' Enviro500 6315 (TZ8572) with all-over advertising for Weisen U (63343) - quantity unknown - 388 pieces
   
Photographs courtesy and copyright of China Model Bus
   
P&T Model (Diecast) ECW bodied Leyland Olympian 3BL1 (CV184) on route 6 to Lai Chi Kok (DC1028) - 400 pieces
P&T Model (Diecast) ECW bodied Leyland Olympian 3BL1 (CV184) on route 112 to North Point (DC1029) - 600 pieces
19th July 2019

 
Photographs courtesy and copyright of
 80M Bus Model Shop

Announced on the 80M Bus Model Shop website today is this Kowloon Motor Bus Daimler 'C' type featuring D274 (AD4730) on route 5C to Tsz Wan Shan (KMB2019018). It is limited to 900 pieces and pre-orders are being taken.
17th July 2019

 
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Photograph courtesy and copyright of Philip Chan
 
To mark the company's 115th anniversary, Hong Kong Tramways has decorated tram 115 in this special livery. My thanks Philip Chan for sharing his photograph, which is 'clickable'.
15th July 2019

   
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Photographs courtesy and copyright of
 Eddy Sumantri Mohd Talhah

My thanks to Eddy Sumantri Mohd Talhah for allowing me to share his photographs of Kowloon Motor Bus Volvo B8L buses being assembled in Malaysia before being shipped to Hong Kong. These are believed to be part of an order for 220 such buses. The above images are 'clickable' and further images can be viewed by following the above link to Eddy's Flickr site
14th July 2019

 
Photographs courtesy and copyright of
 80M Bus Model Shop

Released in Hong Kong today are these two Citybus Jit Luen bodied Volvo B6LEs, which were first announced back on 10th May. Fleet no. 1348 (HV5667) is on route 117 to Happy Valley (CM152) whilst 1347 (HV4509) is on route 260 to Stanley (CM153). Each is limited to 947 pieces. New pages have been added and further photographs will be uploaded over the course of this evening. My special thanks to 80M Bus Model Shop for again providing full sets of photographs so promptly.

 
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Photographs courtesy and copyright of
 GrantBus Gallery

As reported yesterday, the first two Citybus Wrights Gemini 3 bodied Volvo B8Ls arrived in Hong Kong yesterday and today saw them leave the port.  Thanks to GrantBus Gallery for allowing me to share these photographs, all of which are 'clickable'.
12th July 2019

   
Photograph courtesy and copyright of P&T Model (Diecast)
 
P&T Model (Diecast) has announced another version of its KMB liveried ECW bodied Leyland Olympian 3BL1 (CV184) which is on route 112 to North Point (DC1029).

Having recently received the above model, I have tonight added new photographs to the relevant model page - in addition, as the model has been produced by Model 1, I have assumed a product code of 63219 - until I am advised otherwise! 


The first Wrights Gemini 3 bodied Volvo B8Ls for Citybus arrived in Hong Kong today.
11th July 2019

 
Photographs courtesy and copyright of Dave Rogers

My thanks to Dave Rogers for allowing me to share his photographs, taken earlier today, of two former Hong Kong Dennis Darts, which form part of his ever increasing Hong Kong Collection. New World First Bus 2066 has been in Dave's ownership since November 2015 whilst Citybus 1416 is a relatively new addition. The latter looks in 'as new' condition and the bottom photograph shows the painstaking work Dave is undertaking.
10th July 2019

   
Photographs courtesy and copyright of China Model Bus
 
New releases today from BR Bus Model are two further Kowloon Motor Bus liveried Mercedes-Benz 0.305.  ME4 (DF7896) is on route 63M to Tsing Yi Ar Station (BR-008) whilst ME35 (DG5565) is on route 59M to Tuen Mun Ferry Pier (BR-009). Each is limited to 388 pieces. New pages and additional photographs will be added shortly.

   
Photograph courtesy and copyright of Philip Chan
 
KMB's Lai Chi Kok Depot has received its first allocation of Wrights Gemini 3 bodied Volvo B8Ls. V6B61 (WF2864), the first of four, is pictured at Pak Tin yesterday. All were registered last Friday (5th July).
8th July 2019

   
Photograph courtesy and copyright of NP Model
   
Back on 26th March I reported that NP Model, a new name in model bus production, was planning to release a new casting of a Neoplan Centroliner N4426/3.

I have been contacted again today and am advised that the first two releases are expected this quarter, these being AP48 (JT1452) on route 968 to Yuen Long (West) (NP1001) and AP128 (JZ3928) on route 277X to Ping Tin (NP1002). Pre-ordering is expected to commence on Friday (5th) and the retail price is to be HK$438.

 
Whilst I recorded (12th February) the fact that Cars Workshop were planning to release three Nissan Echo 14-seat public light buses, apparently these were in fact released on 31st January!  They are 91405, 91406 and 91407 and these have been updated accordingly.
3rd July 2019

   

A new page has now been added for the recently published book 'British-Built Buses Abroad in the 1980s' by Mike Rhodes - just follow the link.
1st July 2019
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This page last updated Monday, 29th July 2019
 
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