1:76th scale:
76LRT003 W Alexander Leyland Royal Tiger Q4/2013 RRP £14.95
76WFA001 Weymann Fanfare South Wales Q4/2013 RRP £14.95

1:148th scale
NPE006 Plaxton Elite Prospect Coaches Q4/2013 RRP £6.95
NPP002 Southdown Plaxton Panorama I Q4/2013 RRP £5.95
NUT002 London Transport Guy Arab Utility Q4/2013 RRP £5.95

EFE MODELS SCHEDULED FOR RELEASE
The following EFE models are scheduled for release week commencing 10th June:
28010 Daimler DMS Bus Bexleybus  CLICK HERE
32306 Bristol RELH Coach Southern National CLICK HERE
33105 RMC Open Top Routemaster Coach First London CLICK HERE

CORGI OOC RELEASES
Corgi have advised today that there are currently NO OOC buses scheduled for release during June.

Friday 31st May 2013

Wednesday 29th May 2013

Saturday 25th May 2013

NEW MODEL FROM BT-MODELS
John Ayreys website lists a new model from BT-Models which I somehow seem to have missed:
B017 Ford R Dominant - Smiths Happiway - Due May 2013

Friday 24th May 2013

Atlas Editions
4648501 Balloon Tram - Blackpool
Photograph 1 CLICK HERE
Photograph 2 CLICK HERE
4648502 Feltham Tram - London United
Photograph 1 CLICK HERE
Photograph 2 CLICK HERE

EFE
14016 Bristol FLF Lodekka Western National
Photograph 1 CLICK HERE
Photograph 2 CLICK HERE
14408 Leyland National MKI Short Manchester G.M.P.T.E.
Photograph 1 CLICK HERE
Photograph 2 CLICK HERE
34109 AEC RT Bus Greenline / Ensign
Photograph 1 CLICK HERE
Photograph 2 CLICK HERE

ATLAS EDITIONS GREAT BRITISH COACH COLLECTION
It looks like Atlas Editions British coach collection has been put on hold for the time being. The following letter was received today along with a complimentary pen:

"RE: Burlingham Seagull’ coach die-cast model
I would like to thank you for placing an order for the new and exclusive Burlingham Seagull die-cast metal model and to welcome you as a customer of Atlas Editions. I hope that you have had time to appreciate your new die-cast metal coach replica in detail and that you are enjoying it. We are unfortunately experiencing a delay with the production of the next coach model, the Bedford VAL Coach.

 As we always want to ensure our products are of the highest quality we have decided to delay the issue of the rest of this collection until we have everything perfect.

We know you must be disappointed and as a token of our regret please find enclosed a gift from Atlas Editions. Thank you once again for your understanding on this matter. As soon as we have any further news we will of course let you know".

Thursday 23rd May 2013

Tuesday 21st May 2013

4648501 Balloon Tram - Blackpool
Fleet number: 257
Destination: Fleetwood Market via Promenade

4648502 Feltham Tram - London United
Fleet number: 370
Route: 7
Destination: Sheperds Bush (Note: spelling is as shown on model)

Mine arrived this morning together a print of the Balloon tram, a DVD and information leaflets for both.

NEW TRAM MODELS ANNOUNCED BY ATLAS EDITIONS
Included with the Balloon Tram model reported above was a flyer listing 5 Tram models. Click on the links adjacent to each model to view a scanned image from the flyer:
Blackpool Brush Railcoach CLICK HERE
Hong Kong Tram CLICK HERE
San Francisco Cable Car CLICK HERE
Berlin Tram CLICK HERE
Paris Tram CLICK HERE

PHOTOGRAPHS OF RECENTLY RELEASED CORGI OOC MODELS
Click on the links below to view photographs of the two models released last week:
OM46605 New Bus for London Arriva London 'MAMMA MIA' - 1500 pieces
Photograph 1 CLICK HERE
Photograph 2 CLICK HERE
OM46606 New Bus for London Arriva London 'We Will Rock You' - 1500 pieces
Photograph 1 CLICK HERE
Photograph 2 CLICK HERE

2nd posting Monday 20th May 2013

UKBUS6034 & UKBUS6035 Alexander-Dennis Enviro400Hybrid

Stagecoach in Oxfordshire and Stagecoach in Manchester

Northcord Model Company is proud to release its first modified tooling on the former CMNL Enviro400 tooling.

This is launched on UKBUS6034, Stagecoach in Oxfordshire, and UKBUS6035, Stagecoach in Manchester. Both models feature the revised engine room that is reflecting the ADL hybrid driveline on the long wheelbase Enviro400 chassis. 

UKBUS6034 features Stagecoach in Oxfordshire 12002 (OU10 GGE) carrying the standard Stagecoach electric hybrid bus livery with distinct “for a cleaner greener Oxford” branding, working on route 1 to Blackbird Leys via Cowley Road.

Stagecoach in Oxfordshire 12002 OU10 GGE is one of 26 Alexander Dennis Enviro400Hs that entered service on local services in Oxford in July and August 2010. The vehicles were purchased ahead of the introduction of coordinated timetables and joint ticketing with competitor Oxford Bus Company from 24 July 2011. Initially they were used on route 1 to Blackbird Leys and route 7A/7B to Kidlington, and then additionally on route 8 to Barton and route 9 to Risinghurst from July 2011.

Funding from the government’s green bus fund covered the difference in cost between these electric hybrids and ordinary diesel buses, the distinct branding has been applied to highlight their environmental credentials. Additional environmental gains have been made by replacing higher frequency single deckers with lower frequency double deckers – but through coordination with Oxford Bus Company’s services the overall timetable is more frequent and attractive than before, and ticketing is made easier with the Oxford SmartZone range.

UKBUS6035 features Stagecoach in Manchester 12040 (MX60 BVG) carrying the distinctive Stagecoach electric hybrid livery working on route 43 to Airport via University.

The replicas feature excellent detailing, inside and out, such as realistic-looking handpoles and handrails. The Enviro400H model is a one-piece casting whose clean lines accentuate the windows and livery application on which all logos and lettering are clearly legible. 

The brand new UKBUS6034 and UKBUS6035 models are each based on a Limited Edition of only 480 pieces produced.

UKBUS6034 Alexander Dennis E400H - Stagecoach in Oxford
Photograph 1 CLICK HERE
Photograph 2 CLICK HERE

UKBUS6035 Alexander Dennis E400H - Stagecoach in Manchester
Photograph 1 CLICK HERE
Photograph 2 CLICK HERE

PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE TWO NORTHCORD MODEL COMPANY MODELS ANNOUNCED AS RELEASED TODAY
Click on the links below to view additional photographs of the two models announced above, taken by me:

UKBUS6034 Alexander Dennis E400H - Stagecoach in Oxford
Photograph 1 CLICK HERE
Photograph 2 CLICK HERE
Fleet number: 12002
Registration number: OU10 GGE
Route number: 1
Destination: Blackbird Leys via Cowley Rd
Quantity: 480 pieces

UKBUS6035 Alexander Dennis E400H - Stagecoach in Manchester
Photograph 1 CLICK HERE
Photograph 2 CLICK HERE
Fleet number: 12040
Registration number: MX60 BVG
Route number: 43
Destination: Airport via University
Quantity: 480 pieces

Monday 20th May 2013

Saturday 18th May 2013

I reported on Saturday last week that some traders have seen their orders cut back by 30%. One trader contacted me today and advised that his order had been cut back by 75%.

CONFIRMED RELEASES FROM EFE
I can confirm that the following models have now been released and are on sale:
29413 Bristol RELL D/P Coach Badgerline CLICK HERE
20454 Bristol VR3 West Yorkshire CLICK HERE

NEW KIT FROM KINGSWAY MODELS
Kingsway Models have announced the release of a  new bus garage kit:
"Now available from Kingsway Models is a 1/76 scale model of London Transport's BN Brixton bus garage. The card kit costs £16 including UK postage".
Photograph 1 CLICK HERE
Photograph 2 CLICK HERE
Photograph 3 CLICK HERE
Photograph 4 CLICK HERE
Photograph 5 CLICK HERE

Wednesday 15th May 2013

Monday 13th May 2013

CORGI OOC MODELS SCHEDULED FOR RELEASE NEXT WEEK
A reminder that the following Corgi OOC models are scheduled for release next week (Week commencing 13th May):
OM46605 New Bus for London Arriva London 'MAMMA MIA' - 1500 pieces
Photograph 1 CLICK HERE
Photograph 2 CLICK HERE
OM46606 New Bus for London Arriva London 'We Will Rock You' - 1500 pieces
Photograph 1 CLICK HERE
Photograph 2 CLICK HERE
Both models are reported as being allocated to the trade by Corgi. I understand that some traders have seen their orders cut back by 30%, even those who ordered models before Corgi's trade order cut off date.

CORGI WRIGHT ECLIPSE 2 - PHOTOGRAPH OF "FIRST SHOT" OF THE NEW CASTING
Click on the link below to view a photographs of a "First Shot" of the new casting which I have received form Corgi, CLICK HERE to view

Saturday 11th May 2013

To view photographs of the actual bus in service visit the Bristol VR Gallery page CLICK HERE

Sunday 5th May 2013

Saturday 4th May 2013

CONFIRMED RELEASE OF OXFORD DIECAST MODELS
The following models have now been released and are on sale:
NTR007 Edinburgh Tram CLICK HERE
76AEC013 AEC Matador Wrecker Bradford CLICK HERE
76OWB007 Bedford OWB Bertram Mills CLICK HERE

NEWS FROM CORGI OOC
A reminder that the following models are scheduled for release week commencing 13th May:
OM46605 New Bus for London Arriva London 'MAMMA MIA' - 1500 pieces
Photograph 1 CLICK HERE
Photograph 2 CLICK HERE
OM46606 New Bus for London Arriva London 'We Will Rock You' - 1500 pieces
Photograph 1 CLICK HERE
Photograph 2 CLICK HERE

Corgi have advised that both models have sold out and are being allocated to the trade.

CORGI MODELS OM40819A&B LODEKKA FS - WEST YORKSHIRE
The following text and latest pre-production photographs have been received today from Corgi:

"Corgi News is pleased to reveal the latest pre-production sample of the forthcoming dual destination West Yorkshire Bristol Lodekka. OM40819A is headed for Scarborough via York and Malton and OM40819B is bound for Leeds, stopping by Harewood and Spacey Houses.

Each destination has a limited edition of just 500 pieces.

The West Yorkshire Road Car Company existed from 1927, having previously been The Harrogate Road Car Company and The Harrogate & District Road Car Company. Operation of the former municipal services at Keighley and York, under joint agreements in which the Company provided the vehicles, were an interesting feature of the company from the early thirties.

In 1951, following its display at the Festival of Britain Exhibition, West Yorkshire took delivery of the second prototype Lodekka (chassis no. LDX002), as its fleet number 822, renumbered DX1 under the April 1954 scheme, it was registered JWY 712 and operated in the Harrogate area. It lacked the distinctively stylish fairing of the production models.

The company built up a large fleet of Lodekkas, all of which were rear entrance LD and FS models, with the addition of a short lived front entrance FSF from United. Lodekkas worked on town and inter-urban services. Two of the latter, Ripon and Scarborough have been developed into nationally recognised high profile routes. In August 1989 West Yorkshire Road Car Co Ltd. was sold to Yorkshire Rider, which included numerous services in the Leeds, Bradford and Otley areas".

Photograph 1 CLICK HERE
Photograph 2 CLICK HERE

Friday 3rd May 2013

There are a few items of interest in the Newsletter so I have copied the text below:

"The South East Bus Festival and Heritage Transport Show held at the Kent Showground near Maidstone on Saturday 6th April was a great day. The splendid and varied display of buses included a number of the featured London Transport Guy GS buses and there were plenty of free rides available on many of these displayed vehicles. There was a good attendance at the rally and it was a pleasure to meet so many of our Subscribers and hear what liveries they would like to see on our models. The general mood of visitors seemed to be upbeat and many were appreciative of the fact that we were continuing to put out a steady flow of models and we have found this optimism very encouraging.

With the general improving mood of collectors and the encouragement this is giving to us I can now inform subscribers that we have restarted our new model tooling programme and I am sure this news will please many of our collectors.

Over in China, the factories are still suffering with labour shortages and this is a continuing problem which is effecting production of not only models but items of all descriptions from clothing to industrial products and electronic gadgets.

With some model shops closing and others being reluctant to hold stock or take on new lines, it is very frustrating for us because our models need to be on display in shops for collectors to see and buy. So we are currently looking at ways to rectify this and get our models into a greater number and a wider variety of models shops.

An increasing number of collectors are contacting us, asking where they can buy our models and what shops stock our models so they can see what they are buying. If your local model shop or supplier has closed down and you are having difficulty obtaining any of our models, including those listed below then contact us directly on 020 8344 6720 for help".

Thursday 2nd May 2013

If you would like to purchase one of these models (available now while stocks last) they are available for £33.50 each inclusive of post and packing. 

Please make your cheque payable to "Paul Harrison" and mail to Paul at his address:
7 BLACKTHORN WAY
TOLLESHUNT KNIGHTS
MALDON
ESSEX CM9 8WD

The model will be sent when the cheque clears. Payment can also be made by Postal Order if preferred.

CONFIRMED RELEASES FROM CORGI OOC
I can confirm that the following models have now been released and are on sale:
OM41228A Wright Gemini Finglands
Photograph 1 CLICK HERE
Photograph 2 CLICK HERE
OM41228B Wright Gemini Finglands
Photograph 1 CLICK HERE
Photograph 2 CLICK HERE

Wednesday 1st May 2013

May 2013 - News

This page last updated Saturday, 15 June 2013