News - December 2022

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	*December 2022* *- News*
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Wishing everyone a happy and healthy 2023

I would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a happy New Year and to thank all of you who have contributed over the past year. There are too many of you to mention, but your help has been invaluable in ensuring the site continues to provide the latest model and real bus news.

30th December 2022

The 'Models planned but never released' page of the site has been updated to include the thirteen Model 1 models announced, some over two years ago, which have not been released. These models have now been removed from the site's main model lists. Just click on the above image to be taken to the page.

Now added to the XTRA section of the site is a new page of photographs taken at the Bus History Model Exhibition 2022, currently being held at Western Market - just click on the above image to be taken to the page.

29th December 2022

First registered on 6th December was the first of a new Kowloon Motor Bus fleet number classification, namely V6XP1 (YJ2280). According to the excellent Across website, this 12.8 metre Wrights Gemini 3 bodied Volvo B8L features a revised seating layout, providing just 53 upper deck seats, 33 lower deck seats and no standees. This compares to 63 upper deck seats, 35 lower deck seats and 47 standees in the similar bodied V6Xxx examples.

Owing to a shortage of electric single-deck buses, New World First Bus BYD K9R 2051 (TV8231) was assigned to Citybus route 22X today - note the Citybus sticker in the front windscreen.

28th December 2022

Registered 10 days ago on the 16th December is V6X165 (YJ4933), a 12.8 metre Kowloon Motor Bus Wrights Gemini 3 bodied Volvo B8L.

I will tempt fate by adding a couple of tables detailing the number of releases over the past four years, by model manufacturer and by bus operator.

Model manufacturer	2019	2020	2021	2022
80M Bus Model	31	22	43	34
APEC	3	3	0	0
Automodel	4	6	0	0
Best Choose	2	0	0	0
BMCU	8	5	0	0
BR Bus Model	13	4	2	3
Buses Model Co.	3	0	0	2
Cars Workshop	3	0	2	0
Go Idea	0	5	0	0
MGG Workshop	4	4	0	0
Model 1	64	47	14	7
NP Model	5	17	7	4
P & T Diecast	9	0	2	0
Tiny	3	6	2	4
Unknown/Others	1	0	1	1

TOTALS	153	119	73	55

Bus operator	2019	2020	2021	2022
China Motor Bus	0	14	2	0
Citybus	24	11	5	7
Discovery Bay	3	3	0	0
HZM Bus	1	0	3	0
Kowloon Motor Bus	68	45	45	36
Long Win Bus	5	5	5	2
New Lantao Bus	7	5	1	0
New World First Bus	8	13	9	1
Others	37	23	3	7
Sun Bus	0	0	0	2

TOTALS	153	119	73	55

26th December 2022

May I take this opportunity to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas

I have now corrected my error in the fleet number of the recently released Kowloon Motor Bus Wrights Gemini 2 bodied Volvo B9TL (KMB2021236). I had previously listed the Training Bus as AVBWU16, when in fact it should have been AVBWU6. My thanks to Clarkson Lee for pointing out my error.

24th December 2022

Among the recent arrivals aboard the ship 'Morning Courier' are these 12.8 metre Wrights Gemini 3 bodied Volvo B8Ls for both Kowloon Motor Bus and Long Win Bus. My thanks to Castor Kwok for allowing me to share these photographs,

80M Bus Model Shop has organised a bus model exhibition in Western Market, which runs until 8th January. I hope to add some further images shortly.

23rd December 2022

The final 'Pictureview 2012' has just been added to the XTRA section of the site and this features the champagne liveried buses of Kowloon Motor Bus - just click on the image.

22nd December 2022

Kowloon Motor Bus has announced this 1/76 scale model of 12.8 metre MCV EvoSeti bodied Volvo B8L V6X72 (XE904) with 'My Melody' decals. It is on route 1A to Star Ferry and is expected to be released in March/April 2023.

..... and here is the actual bus displaying the route number and destination to be carried by the model.

Now released and available to order for overseas customers on the 80M Bus Model Shop website are the two Kowloon Motor Bus Wrights Gemini 2 Volvo B9TLs (see below) - on the left is AVBWU49 (PS8851), which is limited to 720 pieces (KMB2021235), whilst on the right is AVBWU6 (PH4712), which is limited to 1,100 pieces (KMB2021236). Note the additional driving mirrors for the latter.

A chance encounter whilst in London at the weekend - former China Motor Bus MCW Metrobus ML59 (DV471) is currently being used as a pizza/pasta bar near the Royal Victoria Docks. It was registered D553 YNO upon arrival in the UK and operated for Arriva's London Sightseeing operations.

20th December 2022

The penultimate 'Pictureview 2012' has just been added to the XTRA section of the site and this features the white buses of Kowloon Motor Bus, and yes, you've guessed correctly, the final one will feature the champagne buses of Kowloon Motor Bus!!

15th December 2022

Released 20 years ago today was this 'Hong Kong - Asia's world city' liveried Duple Metsec bodied Dennis Dragon from Model Bus Evolution (MB107).

The latest 'Pictureview 2012' has just been added to the XTRA section of the site and this features the buses of Citybus (other than Dragons & Olympians!).

14th December 2022

The latest 'Pictureview 2012' has just been added to the XTRA section of the site and this features the Dennis Dragons and Leyland/Volvo Olympians of Citybus.

12th December 2022

Further details of the two Kowloon Motor Bus Wrights Gemini 2 bodied Volvo B9TLs, announced earlier this week, have been confirmed. AVBWU49 (PS8851) is on route 81C with a destination of Yiu On and is limited to 720 pieces (KMB2021235).

Meanwhile, AVBWU6 (PH4712) is depicted as a driver training vehicle with a destination of Training. It is limited to 1,100 pieces (KMB2021236). Both are currently available to pre-order.

Kowloon Motor Bus MCV EvoSeti bodied Volvo B8L V6X72 (XE904) has been decorated with My Melody decals.

10th December 2022

The latest 'Pictureview 2012' has just been added to the XTRA section of the site, and this features a selection of trams - just click on the image.

9th December 2022

The above two models have been announced by Kowloon Motor Bus today. Both feature a Wrights Gemini 2 bodied Volvo B9TL - that on route 81C to Yiu On is currently unidentified whilst AVBWU6 (PH4712) is depicted as a driver training vehicle.

Citybus has unveiled its 'Year of the Rabbit' livery, albeit only in model form, which is currently being offered as a pre-order item to Citybus and New World First Bus staff. The flyer states it should be released in January and features Wrights Gemini 3 bodied Volvo B8L 8829 (XV1863) on route 78X. It is to be produced by Model 1 and will be limited to 500 pieces (CM182).

First registered six days ago, on 2nd December, is Kowloon Motor Bus V6X151 (YJ2347), a 12.8 metre Wrights Gemini 3 bodied Volvo B8L. It is one of six currently in the fleet and joins V6X111/145/149/150/152. The V6X... series of fleet numbers includes both MCV EvoSeti and Wrights Gemini 3 bodied 12.8 metre Volvo B8Ls.

8th December 2022

A second 'Pictureview 2012' page featuring a further depot visit has just been added to the XTRA section of the site, this time it was the turn of KMB's Tuen Mun depot - just click on the image.

7th December 2022

This latest 'Pictureview 2012' page has just been added to the XTRA section of the site and features a visit to a KMB Depot in the Tseung Kwan O - just click on the image.

5th December 2022

Citybus ADL 'facelift' Enviro500 8550 (XG7018) has also received a Christmas livery.

4th December 2022

New World First Bus 'Rickshaw Bus' 5550 (RK4924) has received this all-over Christmas livery, but more significantly is the application of Citybus fleetnames - the start of the end for New World First Bus liveried buses?

Displayed on the front and back of the bus is this wording.

Meanwhile, Citybus/New World First Bus has recently launched two new routes in the Tseung Kwan O and Lohas Park areas, known as the Lohas Express and using route numbers 790 and 795. New World First Bus Gemini 3 bodied Volvo B8Ls nos. 5231 and 5235 have been decorated in a special livery, again displaying Citybus fleetnames.

Now added to the Tiny list of 1/110 scale buses are a number of similarly scaled Singapore models from Masterpiece Collectibles, who have recently announced a new casting of a Gemilang bodied Scania K230UB, as detailed above. I would like to thank Yi Jian for providing updates on both the Tiny models and those just added for Masterpiece Collectibles.

3rd December 2022

This latest 'Pictureview 2012' page has just been added to the XTRA section of the site and features MTR Bus and Light Rail - just click on the above image.

1st December 2022

	*December 2022* *- News*
Previous month's News	To find a specific month's News, click here	Next month's News

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Page last updated Friday, 30th December 2022