News - October 2020

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	*October 2020* *- News*
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Photograph © Philip Chan

I can confirm that former Citybus 606 (HP1158), a Plaxton bodied Volvo Olympian, is on it's way back to the UK for preservation. The above image is 'clickable'.

A full set of photographs have today been received for the two China Motor Bus Leyland Olympians, released yesterday by Model 1, and these have now been added (63515 and 63516) - each is limited to 800 pieces.

I have now received confirmation of the product codes for the two Kobayashi all-over liveried Neoplan Centroliners issued recently by NP Model. Both feature AP21 and I can confirm that the assumed numbers I allocated at the time of their release are reversed!

So, to recap, that on route 74A to Tai Po (Tai Wo) is NP1018 and that on route 58M to Tuen Mun (Leung King Estate) is NP1019.

Photograph © Philip Chan

And finally for today, and in fact for this month, my thanks to Philip Chan for allowing me to share the above photograph which shows a selection of Citybus vehicles, both new and old. From left to right:- 6488, 269, 8835, 8834, 8824, 8828, 8825, 8830, 2315, 894, 256, 887, 261 and 266. The above image is 'clickable' to a larger than normal resolution.

31st October 2020

Photographs © Keith Wood's

site

Keith Wood, a regular contributor to this site, has advised that he has recently created a page on

to showcase some of his transport photographs. The following is a summary, in Keith's own words:-

"Hello everyone. I have been taking transport photos for over 40 years now. Initially aircraft but then moving onto buses as well. I have had a career spanning 32 years on the buses and during that time I have been fortunate enough to have travelled to a number of countries and you will see some of the images from those trips. Hong Kong is a favourite place having visited many, many times and a number of images from there will be posted.

The images on this site are some of my more recent digital images (having moved from film to digital in 2012). Maybe in time I will scan some of the older stuff if people appear interested in the images I post. I will also post some of the aircraft images I have taken to add a bit of variety. The pics have not been sorted in any way, just a random selection as I work through the 1,000's of digital images I now have.

Enjoy the pics and feel free to leave a message but please respect the copyright of the pictures and do not copy/reproduce without prior approval...."

The above images are 'clickable' and to visit Keith's site, just click on any of the

logos.

Released today are these two China Motor Bus Leyland Olympians from Model 1, which were first announced on 28th November last year. LA2 (EY6303) is on route 504 to Wan Chai Ferry (63515) whilst LA14 (FG3725) is on route 101 to Kwun Tong(63516).

For those visitors to the site who are not facebook users, I've posted a few of my recent China Motor Bus in red photographs, all of which are 'clickable'.

Click on the image for a larger photograph

New World First Bus & Citybus have today posted the above photographs on their Facebook page and the translation reads as follows (my apologies for any poor translation):-

"What is special about the additional single-decked buses? A electric bus that can enter oil and rechargeable valve. After full of electricity, it can be driven by electricity alone. The engine will start charging if it is enough to electricity. The manufacturer indicated that the oil and electricity can be up to 1100 kilometres.

No one must have heard of the add-in Hybrid Electric 🔌, which provides electric power to electrical motor drive with batteries, has electric car driving characteristics, and the car is quiet. When the battery is less than 40 %, the engine is started, that is, the generator, which provides electricity to the battery and the motor. Since the engine valve will drive the wheel directly, the engine speeding will change due to factors such as slope, speed or acceleration, and instead maintain the maximum efficiency of the valve, thereby reducing oil consumption.

A bus will be on display at the Macau International Automobile Expo for three days from today ~ soon to come to Hong Kong, and we will share more detailed information with you!"

Tiny has released two 1/64 scale models of a Wrights Gemini 3, one in Citybus livery and the other in New World First Bus livery. Being unlicensed products, they feature no fleetnames or logos. The Citybus version features 8804 (WT4851) on route 22M (Box Dx14 / ATC65107) whilst the NWFB version features 5232 (WN4282) on route 682 to Ma On Shan.(Box Dx15 / ATC65108).

30th October 2020

Photographs © BusLanes / Wonders Production Hong Kong

Photographs © Castor Kwok

Thirty 12.8 metre MCV EvoSeti bodied Volvo B8Ls arrived in Hong Kong yesterday from Egypt. The above images are 'clickable' and by thanks to Bus Lanes / Wonders Production Hong Kong and Castor Kwok for allowing me to share their photographs.

Singapore has taken another step in its move to reduce the carbon footprint of public transport with the deployment of the first 10 fully electric double-decker buses on Tuesday (Oct 27). The buses will ply the roads on service 983 in Choa Chu Kang, 189 in Bukit Batok, and Clementi and 83 in Punggol and Sengkang, and may be redeployed to other bus routes later. The vehicles, supplied by the Chinese Yutong-Nari consortium, are said to be more environmentally friendly, quieter and more user-friendly than conventional buses that run on diesel.

However, the new buses cost up to twice that of conventional diesel buses. The Land Transport Authority (LTA) said it hopes the cost will come down over time with changes in technology and wider adoption. At a formal unveiling of the buses on Tuesday, Senior Minister of State for Transport Chee Hong Tat said Singapore remains open to new technology and is "not in a rush" to commit to any one technology or model. "We are doing it because it is better for the environment and this is an initial step to a greener future. We will have more options to choose from when technology progresses," he said. He added that there is no fixed sum that the Government had allocated to replace conventional diesel buses. "What we have done instead is to set ourselves a goal by 2040," he said. The plan is to have all of Singapore's 5,800 public buses run on cleaner energy by 2040. Transport Minister Ong Ye Kung also attended the event on Tuesday.

The 10 buses join 15 electric single-deck buses that have already been deployed between April and July. They are among a fleet of 60 fully electric buses bought by LTA in 2018, with all expected to be operational by 2021. The LTA had said then that the electric buses will help it to better understand the challenges of running and maintaining electric buses in Singapore's tropical climate and traffic conditions.

An alternative is buses with engines that run on both diesel and electricity, 50 of which have been deployed on the roads since March last year. Both hybrid and fully electric buses cost more than conventional diesel ones, but are less harmful to the environment.

The 60 fully-electric buses together are expected to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by close to 8,000 tonnes a year, the equivalent to that generated by 1,700 cars. The LTA has also touted more direct benefits to commuters, with the electric buses offering smoother and quieter bus rides. With an ambient noise level of around 75 decibels, an electric bus has a noise level 3 decibels lower than that of a typical diesel bus in the current fleet. Improvements to the buses' design, such as digital information display systems that show upcoming stops, and the removal of centre poles so parents with open strollers can more easily manoeuvre their way, also make commuting on the new buses less of a hassle.

28th October 2020

NP Model has released two versions of Kowloon Motor Bus Neoplan Centroliner AP21 (JP6752) in an all-over advertising livery for Kobayashi, a sore throat spray. The first is on route 58M to Tuen Mun (Leung King Estate) NP1019 whilst the second is on route 74A to Tai Po (Tai Wo) (NP1018).

(Please note: model numbers for these two models were initially unavailable and whilst I correctly assumed these to be NP1018 and NP1019, when the actual codes were received on 31st October, the numbers I had allocated were in fact reversed! - all details were corrected on 31st October).

Tiny continue to announce new 1/110 scale buses, the latest being this Wrights Gemini 2 bodied Volvo B9TL in Kowloon Motor Bus champagne livery. It features AVBWU680 (VC4277) on route 272A (Box 120/KMB2020107).

27th October 2020

Released 20 years ago today was the only model issued by Model Express Co. China Motor Bus SD3 is an Alexander bodied Dennis Dominator, new in 1982 and retired in 1996. Further details can be found here.

Masterpiece Collectibles has announced it will release a resin 1/76th scale model of a New Zealand Motor Bodies Volvo B57 in Singapore Bus Service livery. The ownership of the image used on the Masterpiece Collectibles Facebook page is currently unknown, so for the time being I am reluctant to post it until I have made further enquiries. The identity of the vehicle to be modelled has yet to be confirmed.

In the meantime I am grateful to regular contributor Donald MacRae for allowing me to share the following photographs - the first shows SBS3460L in service in 1992 and the second shows an example in later life, becoming fleet no. VS95 in the Bus Eireann fleet and captured in 2000 when being used as a school bus. I have tonight added a new page to the Resin section of the site, just follow this link.

Photograph © Donald MacRae

26th October 2020

Photograph © Philip Chan

To mark the company's 10th anniversary, Model 1 has chosen to apply banner advertising to two vehicles, New World First Bus 4503, an 11.3 metre Wrights Gemini 2 bodied Volvo B9TL and Citybus 6419, a 12.8 metre ADL 'facelift' Enviro500.

Peter Harrison has advised that his latest 1/76th scale Model List has been updated to 30th September 2020. It now includes almost 6,500 bus and coach models along with nearly 2,500 bus and tram kits.

The list is available to view on the Model Bus Zone website, just follow this link.

24th October 2020

As reported back on 10th October, Tiny is releasing this 1/110 scale Kowloon Motor Bus a metallic champagne liveried KMB 12.8 metre ADL 'facelift' Enviro500 featuring 3ATENU100 (UF3262) on route 981P to Wan Chai (KMB2020056).

Announced today by Tiny is this Kowloon Motor Bus BACo bodied Daimler Fleetline. It features D1061 (BW3490) on route 3 (Box 78 ATC65118).

MTR has taken delivery of at least one 11.3 metre ADL 'facelift' Enviro500, which is believed to have been allocated fleet number 546.

20th October 2020

It has been confirmed that the release of the two New World First Bus and two Citybus Wrights Gemini 3 bodied Volvo B8Ls has been delayed until November.

Tiny has announced this 1/110 scale Citybus liveried Daimler DMS featuring CP2781 (Box L31/ATC64997).

19th October 2020

Photographs © 80M Bus Model Shop

Full sets of photographs for the two Kowloon Motor Bus Alexander Dennis 'facelift' Enviro500s released yesterday have now been received and these have now been added.

18th October 2020

The two Kowloon Motor Bus 12.8 metre Alexander Dennis 'facelift' Enviro500s with glass staircases,from 80M Bus Model Shop, have been released in Hong Kong today. The first features E6X30 (WJ802) on route 271 to Tai Po (Fu Heng) (KMB2020020) whilst E6X9 (WG9979) is on route 258D to Tuen Mun (Po Tin Estate) (KMB2020022). Each is limited to 700 pieces.

Photograph © Kevin Yao

I am always looking to compliment the individual model pages on the site with photographs of the actual vehicles, and today I am grateful to Kevin Yao for allowing me to share his photograph of Kowloon Motor Bus 3ASV78, an Alexander ALX500 bodied Volvo B10TL 'Super Olympian' and the 3,000th Alexander bus for KMB.

This model was the second issue of Drumwell's 'Super Olympian' casting and was released in Hong Kong in late September 2001 (DW10302).

Photographs © Philip Chan

As reported below (14th October) Kowloon Motor Bus registered a further ten MCV eVoSeti bodied Volvo B8Ls earlier this week and these have now been allocated fleet numbers - pictured above is V6X10 (WZ5280) noted early today on route 601 whilst V6X9 (WZ4984) was operating route 258D.

17th October 2020

Corgi released this KCR (Kowloon Canton Railway) liveried Alexander ALX500 bodied Dennis Trident twenty years ago today (44407). Although being inaccurate in that it is to a scale 12 metre length when the actual vehicle was only 11.3 metre, in my view it is still a nice model!

16th October 2020

Photograph © Dennis Leung

What might have been - Take 2!!

My thanks once again to Dennis Leung for allowing me to share his latest 'photoshopped' image of a China Motor Bus ADL Wrights Gemini 3 bodied Volvo B8L with glass staircase. The image is 'clickable'.

Kowloon Motor Bus has today registered a further ten MCV eVoSeti bodied Volvo B8Ls, although fleet numbers have yet to be allocated.

14th October 2020

Photographs © 80M Bus Model Shop

80M Bus Model Shop has announced the forthcoming release of two red Kowloon Motor Bus 12.8 metre Alexander Dennis 'facelift' Enviro500s. The first features E6X30 (WJ802) on route 271 to Tai Po (Fu Heng) (KMB2020020) whilst E6X9 (WG9979) is on route 258D to Tuen Mun (Po Tin Estate) (KMB2020022). Each is limited to 700 pieces

11th October 2020

Dave Rogers has today confirmed that former Citybus Van Hool Alizeé bodied Volvo B10M 1273 (FC9356) has joined his ever increasing preserved Citybus collection.

A poor shot of 1273 at Wong Chuk Hang Depot on 27th November 2002.

Photographs taken today © Dave Rogers

I believe that two Tiny 1/110 scale buses have recently been released, these being the 'Red A' liveried Kowloon Motor Bus Mercedes Benz O305 featuring ME5 (DF6548) on route 68X (Box no. 64 /ATC 65039) (see News 13th August) along with a metallic champagne liveried KMB 12.8 metre ADL 'facelift' Enviro500 featuring 3ATENU100 (UF3262) on route 981P to Wan Chai (KMB2020056).

In a post on social media earlier today Tiny has included this photograph of Wrights Gemini 3 bodied Volvo B8L V6B71 (WF6188) on route 80 to Kwun Tong Ferry.

Photograph © Bobby Liu

Kowloon Motor Bus has registered it's first two MCV bodied 12.8 metre Volvo B8Ls, allocating them the fleet numbering series V6Xxx. V6X2 (WZ2778) was the first to enter service and was noted earlier today operating route 290A. Further photographs have tonight been added to a new page in the XTRA section of the site.

10th October 2020

Despite having new buses stored for over a year, Long Win Bus has taken delivery of some new 12.8 metre ADL 'facelift' Enviro500s, which carry 'Heartbeat of the City' decals, as shown above.

8th October 2020

I have today been made aware of the above Tiny 1/110 scale ADL 'facelift' Enviro500s in attractive Sky100 livery. The dark blue version features ATENU877 (TW8534) on route 8 to Kowloon Station (ATC64443) whilst the lighter blue version features ATENU1013 (UC2958) on route 296D, also to Kowloon Station (ATC64445). My thanks to Chi Fung Yim for allowing me to share his photographs and for providing the additional information.

Whilst on the subject of Tiny 1/110 scale releases, this China Motor Bus 11-metre Volvo Olympian has been announced. It features VA56 (HP3011) on route 38 to Chi Fu (Box 92/ATC65067).

Released 15 years ago this month (DW10305)

6th October 2020

Citybus lowheight 10.3 metre Duple Metsec bodied Dennis Trident 887 (KR7057) was used on what is considered to be a farewell tour of this bus type, with the destination reading "A model tailor made for Hong Kong's roads". 887 started life as New World First Bus 3347 and was first registered on 30th July 2002. The photograph below shows it at Shek O Bus Terminus on 24th November 2002 alongside sister vehicle 3348.

Photograph © Dave Rogers
My thanks to Dave Rogers for allowing me to share his photograph of 'facelift' MAN A95 VJ3933, one of the HZMBus vehicles to be produced by Model 1.
The three are:-

VH7175 with a destination of Hong Kong (63224)
VJ3282 with a destination of Zhuhai (63225)
VJ3933 with a destination of Macau (63226).

AP141 (KR4210) on route 3S to Diamond Hill Cemetery (NP1016)

AP140 (KR4025) on route R678 to Causeway Bay (Victoria Park) (NP1017)

NP Models have issued three further unlicensed, champagne liveried Neoplan Centroliners, two of which are pictured above. The first (not pictured) is Sun Bus KR6768, as previously modelled (see NP1015A), but with a destination of Neoplan (NP1015). The second is AP141 (KR4210) on route 3S to Diamond Hill Cemetery (NP1016) and finally AP140 (KR4025) on route R678 to Causeway Bay (Victoria Park) (NP1017). The latter two are limited to 120 pieces each.

New pages and further photographs have now been added (7th October).

5th October 2020

The recently purchased unbranded issue

The original Venus Collectibles release

A recent purchase from a popular on-line auction site is this unbranded Kowloon Motor Bus 2-axle Leyland Olympian. It uses the same casting as that issued by Venus Collectibles back in 2013, and in fact features the same vehicle, BL34 (DB7198) on the same route with the same destination!. Closer examination reveals a few differences, these including - no front registration, the Leyland badge has moved from the centre of the black grille to the vents above, the drivers' mirror is on an extended arm, the orange of the front indicators is reduced and the side windows are not full height opening, which they should be.

Four former Citybus Youngman single-deckers, fleet nos. 1812-1815, have joined the NWS training fleet becoming T34-T37. T34 (HD8873) and T36(GC7776) have received registrations from previous training buses and originally carried by Volvo Olympians 560 and 243 respectively.

3rd October 2020

Kowloon Motor Bus introduced a new service today. Route 98 operates between Tseung Kwan O Industrial Estate and Ngau Tau Kok Station and several vehicles have received route branding decals, including Wrights Gemini 3 bodied Volvo B8L V6B153 (WU4676).

2nd October 2020

New World First Bus resumed it's Rickshaw Sightseeing Bus services today using converted ADL Enviro500s fleet nos. 5550, 5551 and 5552.

Following the recent announcement by Model 1 of the forthcoming release of three HZM Bus liveried Gemilang 'facelift' bodied MAN A95s I am grateful to Paul Naylor for allowing me to share his photograph of a sister vehicle, seen here in Macau in January 2019.

All the above images are 'clickable'.

1st October 2020

	*October* *2020* *- News*
Previous month's News	To find a specific month's News, click here	Next month's News

diecast models] - [information] - [links] - [news] - [plastic models] - [resin models] - [trams] - [xtra]

This page last updated Saturday, 31st October 2020