Corgi OOC
Harburn Hobbies commissioned model
0M46014A Wright Eclipse Lothian Buses ‘Queen of Scots’ livery
Route: 49
Destination: Roswell
Quantity 500 pieces

Sunstar
Modelzone commissioned model
H2917 Routemaster RM6 Route 159 Livery 

CONFIRMED RELEASE FROM BT-MODELS
I can confirm that the following model has now been released and is on sale:
B013 Volvo B58 Dominant II Parks of Hamilton CLICK HERE

CHRISTMAS WISHES
As this is the last update before Christmas I would like to wish everyone a very happy and peaceful Christmas. I would also like to thank everyone (too numerous to mention) who have contributed to the site throughout the year.

Monday 24th December 2012

UKBUS8021 ADL Enviro200 Dart - Go-Ahead London General - Due Feb 2013 CLICK HERE
Fleet number: SE53
Registration number: YX60 EOL
Route: 170
Destination: Victoria

To view a photographs of Go-Ahead London General SE53 in service (courtesy of John Bennett), please visit the Gallery pages CLICK HERE

Saturday 22nd December 2012

EFE
38106 Bristol VRT1 Southdown
Photograph 1 CLICK HERE
Photograph 2 CLICK HERE

Oxford Diecast
76OWB005 Bedford OWB Merthyr Tydfil
Photograph 1 CLICK HERE
Photograph 2 CLICK HERE

EFE SUBSCRIBER NEWSLETTER
The 8th EFE Newsletter of 2012 has arrived and has details and photographs of the two subscriber offer models reported last month:
38101A Bristol VRT 1 Eastern National
Photograph 1 CLICK HERE Please note the Blue on the photograph on the Newsletter is darker (less vivid) than in the photograph I have received.
Fleet number: SD3006
Registration number: SMS 32H
Route: 11
Destination: Chelmsford

26322A Guy Utility bus London Transport
Photograph 1 CLICK HERE
Fleet number: G142
Registration number: GYE 86
Route: 121
Destination: Chingford

Wednesday 19th December 2012

99713 Bristol RELH Bristol Greyhound
Photograph 1 CLICK HERE
Photograph 2 CLICK HERE
99714 Bristol RELH Bristol Greyhound
Photograph 1 CLICK HERE
Photograph 2 CLICK HERE

Tuesday 18th December 2012

The previously announced model B103 will now be version B103A with the following details:
B103A Bristol Lodekka LD1 CLICK HERE to view
Open Platform, Long Radiator
Southern Vectis – NBC
Fleet number: 533
Reg. No: LDL 732
Destination: Freshwater Bay - 22 (Circa 1954 - 1976)

The second version will feature
B103B Bristol Lodekka LD1 CLICK HERE to view
Open Platform, Long Radiator
Southern Vectis – NBC
Fleet number: 540
reg. No: LDL 739
Destination: Sandown - 12 (circa 1954 - 1977)

2nd posting Monday 17th December 2012

38002 Alexander Bristol RE Coach - Western SMT
Photograph 1 CLICK HERE
Fleet number: KT 2060
Registration number: DSD 701D
Route: Coach Rte 3
Destination: London
Anticipated release date: February 2013

Monday 17th December 2012

Friday 14th December 2012

CONFIRMED RELEASES FROM EFE
I can confirm that the following models have been dispatched and are on sale:
14606 Leyland National MkI Short - Chiltern Bus CLICK HERE
16229 Bristol MW Bristol Greyhound CLICK HERE
31204 ERF KV 4 Axle Flatbed - British Road Services CLICK HERE
35803 SLF Dart 1 Door Maidstone & District CLICK HERE
38106 Bristol VRT1 Southdown CLICK HERE
38201 Alexander Y type Bus CENTRAL S.M.T. CLICK HERE

LT MUSEUM COMMISSIONED MODELS
The LT Museum is now taking orders for three models that they listed on their shop site sometime ago. The models are:

23320B AEC RF - London Transport (Red)
Photograph 1 CLICK HERE to view
Photograph 2 CLICK HERE to view
Fleet number: RF315
Registration number: MLL 852
Route number: 136
Destination: Harrow-on-the-Hill

99713 Bristol RELH Bristol Greyhound
99714 Bristol RELH Bristol Greyhound

All three are shown as being ready for dispatch in January. I hope to publish details of the two RELH over the next few days.

SHOWBUS 2013 - NEW LOCATION
The Showbus website www.showbus.com reports the following:

"SHOWBUS is on the move! For 2013 we are taking the event to a wider audience in the Heart of England. Join us at Long Marston Airfield in Shakespeare country just south of Stratford upon Avon on September 22nd". It also reports that in 2014 it will return to Duxford.

Thursday 13th December 2012

FORWARD MODELS UPDATE
Many thanks to John Catchpole for providing me with a summary of details from the Forward Models November news sheet as follows:

The intention is that there will be a release of a further five models in Spring 2013. The reason is that the minimum production run has to be for 4,000 models, so 800 are produced for each variation. The Spring set are all based on the ‘New Look’ front, representing the 27’ long versions (same casting though!) which carried the later JOJ And MOF registrations:-

NDB-06 Birmingham Daimler MOF 225 on route 24 (this is now preserved and often appears at rallies)
NGB-07 Birmingham Guy Arab JOJ 935 on route 41
NGB-08 Birmingham Guy Arab LOG 301 on route 44
NGW-09 West Midlands PTE Guy Arab JOJ 613 on route 90
NGW-10 West Midlands PTE Guy Arab MOF 58 on route 16

Late in the year Forward Models propose to produce the exposed radiator version as a Daimler, thus allowing liveries in other fleets:-

EDE-11 Daimler CVD6 with ‘Birmingham’ body in Edinburgh madder and white
EDN-12 in Newcastle yellow
EDH-13 in Hull blue
EDB-14 a further Birmingham City Transport model (no other details known)
EDC-15 in Coventry maroon

Particular attention has been given to the production of the destination displays and following requests from modellers, they are proposing that waterslide transfer for these will be available separately in the New Year, and possibly other variations for Birmingham enthusiasts to customise for their favourite route.

ENSIGN BUS SELLING NORTHCORD MODEL COMPANY MODEL
Further to my news of 4th December, many thanks to Paul Smith for writing to advise me that model was advertised on an A board in the bus shelters and at the office window enquiry point which is manned by Ensignbus. Paul felt that the notice said "today only" being the Saturday of the heritage running day. If you know anything different please let me know.

Thursday 6th December 2012

KIRKCALDY & CENTRAL FIFE’S TRAMS AND BUSES

Author: WALTER BURT

Kirkcaldy Corporation Tramways began to operate an electric tram service in Kirkcaldy in 1903, connecting with the Wemyss and District Tramways Company service to Leven, further up the Fife coast, which began in 1906. In 1928 Walter Alexander & Sons introduced a motor bus service in direct competition with the trams, as a result of which the tramways dosed at the start of the 1930s. Following on from that, Alexanders’ buses operated services in Kirkcaldy and central Fife until they were absorbed into the Scottish Bus Group.

Using a mixture of colour and black and white images, Walter Burt, himself a bus driver based in Fife, takes us through the history of tram and bus services in Kirkcaldy and the surrounding area up to the present day, from Kirkcaldy Corporation Tramways and Walter Alexander through to Stagecoach Fife.

This book is :
• The latest title in Amberley’s extensive transport range.
• Author is an expert on the buses, trams and trains of Fife.

THE AUTHOR
Walter was born in Dunfermline. He is a Fitter/Turner to trade, having spent 14 years in Rosyth Dockyard. He also worked in the signalling centre at Waverley Station in Edinburgh as a Train Performance Clerk and within the main station as a Station Officer. He has been driving buses with Stagecoach Fife for 16 years, working from Dunfermline depot. He is the owner of Fife’s last Y-type Leyland Leopard, FPE1 89, which is currently undergoing restoration. He also runs the successful www.fifescottish.com website.

For further information contact Amberley Publishing on 01453 847800 or visit their website www.amberley-books.com

Wednesday 5th December 2012

A pre-production sample of previously announced model 38107 Bristol VRT - Devon general was on display and again I hope to publish photographs over the next couple of days.

CONFIRMED RELEASES FROM EFE
I can confirm that the following models were released at last weekends Manchester event:
20010A Leyland PD2 Greater Manchester Transport CLICK HERE
29009A GM Standard Fleetline Greater Manchester Transport CLICK HERE

EFE MODELS SCHEDULED FOR RELEASE
EFE advised today that the following models are scheduled for release next week (Week commencing 10th December). EFE further advised that there will only be on batch of releases during December:
14606 Leyland National MkI Short - Chiltern Bus CLICK HERE
16229 Bristol MW Bristol Greyhound CLICK HERE
31204 ERF KV 4 Axle Flatbed - British Road Services CLICK HERE
35803 SLF Dart 1 Door Maidstone & District CLICK HERE
38106 Bristol VRT1 Southdown CLICK HERE
38201 Alexander Y type Bus CENTRAL S.M.T. CLICK HERE

NORTHCORD MODEL COMPANY - MODELS ON SALE AT ENSIGNBUS
Many thanks to Steve Smithson for advising me that Ensignbus were selling UKBUS1053 at the Lakeside Bus Station Enquiry Office for £35 each. It was advertised on Sunday which was their heritage running day but there was no mention of “Today only” on the poster.

Tuesday 4th December 2012

December 2012 - News

This page last updated Monday, 25 February 2013