November 2003 - News
This page displays news for the current month. To view a previous months news click here
Do you have any news or information not listed here, if so please e-mail me

 

To View the Corgi OOC January to June 2004 High Quality Media images CLICK HERE

To View the Creative Master Northcord Ltd images Winter 2003 to April 2004 CLICK HERE

 

CONFIRMED RELEASE FROM CORGI OOC
I can confirm that the following models have now been released and are on sale:
OM43307 Plaxton Excalibur Dunn-Line
OM43308 Plaxton Premiere Tellings Golden Miller
OM44103 Optare Solo Reading Buses
OM45115 MCW Metrobus MKI GMT

CONFIRMED RELEASE FROM BRITBUS
I can confirm that the following model has now been released and is on sale:
N 6101 Metropolitan Manchester

CORGI OOC RELEASES WEEK COMMENCING 8 DECEMBER 2003
The following models are scheduled for release week commencing 8 December 2003:
 OM42503 East Lancs. Lolyne Nottingham City
OM43911 Daimler Utility Coventry Corporation

Friday 28 November 2003
TWO CONFIRMED RELEASES FROM EFE AND ONE MODEL DELAYED
I can confirm that the following models have now been released and are on sale:
 20631 Plaxton Pointer Dart Brighton & Hove
26703 Plaxton Paramount 3500 First Coaches

EFE advise that the following model which was scheduled for release this week has been delayed and will hopefully be released next week:
28604 GM Standard Atlantean GM Buses

Thursday 27 November 2003
CREATIVE MASTER NORTHCORD NEW PHOTOGRAPHS
New photographs of pre-production samples of the following models courtesy of Creative Master Northcord Ltd have been added to the Creative Master Northcord Ltd images Winter 2003 to April 2004 page:

UKBUS2007 Plaxton President Mayne, Manchester
UKBUS3001 Plaxton Dennis Dart MPD Cardiff Bus

 CLICK HERE to view

Wednesday 26 November 2003
NEW FEATURE ADDED TO SITE - CORGI CLASSICS LISTINGS
I have today added a new feature to the site, listings of post 1983 Corgi British Model Buses. The lists are currently  a "First Draft" and at this time there are many blanks and unknowns (as indeed there was with the 1/76th scale models listed when this site first went live). I am very grateful to those who sent details of models to me when I appealed for information earlier this year. I am particularly grateful to John Bennett for his assistance in collating all the information and sending it to me in a format that has made my job of writing the individual web pages significantly easier.

Please CLICK HERE to visit the Corgi Classics Index Page.

Please assist me in making these new listing a "definitive listing" for the benefit of other collectors. If you notice any errors or omissions please email me. Likewise if you have models in you collection whose details I have not listed then please email them to me. CLICK HERE to email. All contributions will be very gratefully received. I hope to make further amendments/updates to these pages in the near future.

Sunday 23 November 2003
CORGI OOC MODELS SCHEDULED FOR RELEASE WEEK COMMENCING 24 NOVEMBER 2003
The following Corgi OOC models are scheduled for release next week:
OM43307 Plaxton Excalibur Dunn-Line
OM43308 Plaxton Premiere Tellings Golden Miller
OM44103 Optare Solo Reading Buses
OM45115 MCW Metrobus MKI GMT

EFE MODELS SCHEDULED FOR RELEASE WEEK COMMENCING 24 NOVEMBER 2003
The following EFE models are scheduled for release next week:
 20631 Plaxton Pointer Dart Brighton & Hove
26703 Plaxton Paramount 3500 First Coaches
28604 GM Standard Atlantean GM Buses

Friday 21 November 2003
CONFIRMED RELEASE FROM EFE
You will recall that EFE model 26404 was advertised as a Daimler Utility but released with a Guy Radiator (see above link for a photograph of the model). EFE have begun distributing the reworked East Yorkshire Utility buses to those who asked to exchange their incorrect model and to subscribers who ordered one. I am grateful to John Bennett for advising me his model arrived this morning, mine has not yet arrived.

The reworked model has been issued as a Guy Arab Utility 2. Details as follows:
EFE stock number: 26313
Fleet number: 410
Registration number: GRH 194
Destination: Withernsea
The adverts are the same as the original release and the the box has a new label placed over the incorrect one. I understand from EFE that they have produced approximately 600 reworked models.

Tuesday 18 November 2003
CONFIRMED RELEASE FROM BRITBUS
I can confirm that the following model has now been released and is on sale:
N 6203 Metropolitan Tyne & Wear

BRITBUS UPDATE
I have today received the following update from Britbus regarding their model releases:
N 6101 Metropolitan Manchester - Left HK today by air for UK. Release date in UK not known but hoped soon. Quantity 1248 pieces
N 6004 Guy Arab Confidence - in production at this minute. Britbus expect to take delivery of the stock at their office in HK from the factory next Monday 24th November. Quantity  504 pieces.
N 6003 Guy Arab Southdown Britbus expect to take delivery of the stock at their office in HK from the factory 27th November. Quantity 1008 pieces
N 6207 Metropolitan Reading Britbus expect to take delivery of the stock at their office in HK from the factory first week of December. Production of this model started today. Quantity 1008 pieces.

Further updates and exact release dates in UK will be given as soon as known.

Monday 17 November 2003

**250,000**

I am very pleased to report that the site hit counter reached a quarter of a million this morning. Many thanks to everyone who has assisted me in making the site so successful. It is not yet two years old and as I have said many times before, has totally exceeded my expectations. Through it I have made many new friends with whom I am in regular contact. I am also very grateful to everyone who takes the time to write saying how much they enjoy visiting the site and acknowledging the work I put into it. It is really good to know that my efforts are appreciated by so many people.

I will be introducing a couple of new features shortly. Firstly I will be including listings for Corgi Classics buses and ancillary vehicles (1/50th, 1/64th and 1/72nd scale). Secondly I will be disposing of some surplus models from my extremely large personal collection and will be introducing a "For Sale" page.

NEW MODELS ANNOUNCED BY EFE
The EFE 6th subscriber mailing of 2003 arrived today, included are details of five new models not previously announced. These being:

20130 Bedford OB Coach Western
20431 Bristol VR3 Brighton and Hove
24903 Mercedes Beaver Metrobus (Minimetro)
29601 Leyland Olympian type B Capital Citybus
29802 Wright Dennis Lance Western National

I will bring further details of the above and photographs as soon as they are available.

Also included was a tooling update sheet showing very early samples of the three different Olympians, the Bristol RELH dual purpose coach, the Plaxton Panorama Elite with Bristol dome and the AEC Regal 10T10. CLICK HERE to view this sheet. Please note it is a large file and may take a while to download.

CREATIVE MASTER NORTHCORD LTD RELEASES WINTER 2003 TO APRIL 2004
Further to yesterdays press release, I am very grateful to CMN for sending me a selection of photographs showing some pre-production samples, some very early "First Shot" samples of the new castings and also some of the real buses being represented. CLICK HERE to view photographs of the models. Photographs of the real buses will be added to the Gallery over the next few days.

Saturday 15 November 2003
PRESS RELEASE FROM CREATIVE MASTER NORTHCORD LTD
The following press release has been received from Creative Master Northcord Ltd:

 

Creative Master Northcord Limited

News Release

CMNL Update

In its association with John Ayrey Die-Casts Ltd. as a wholesale distributor of CMNL’s non-ukbus products, John Ayrey has proved to be a dedicated and ambitious dealer.

Creative Master Northcord Limited and John Ayrey Die-Casts Ltd. are proud to announce an exciting development in this successful association whereby John Ayrey  will also market the ukbus product range in the UK, starting with ukbus 1012.

The expansion of their association comes at a particularly exciting time – concurrent with the expansion of CMNL’s product range which sees the introduction of 2 brand new castings – the hkbus 200x and ukbus 300x series.

John Ayrey Die-Casts Ltd. will have the honour of launching the first livery on each of these new castings, as well as what will prove to be a very popular livery on the ukbus 1012 replica.

Both companies are confident that there will be no difficulties for CMNL model collectors in sourcing these high-quality, collectable replicas. Collectors should ask their usual local retailer or mail-order supplier to pre-order stock from John Ayrey in the usual way.

CMNL hopes that collectors will also benefit from the planned reduction of the RRP from the current £29.99 to an anticipated £26.99 for the ukbus 100x/200x ranges. The anticipated RRP for the ukbus 300x range (single-model items) should be around £19.99.

Please note that John Ayrey Die-Casts Ltd supplies to the Trade Only, and will not accept enquiries from individual collectors.

Future releases for the period Winter 2003 – April 2004 :

ukbus 100x range : The Alexander ALX400/Dennis Trident

ukbus 1012 : Stagecoach Manchester 17711 (standard livery) – November 2003

ukbus 1013 : Dublin Bus - December 2003

ukbus 1014 : Oxford Park & Ride (929 – V929 FMS) - February 2004
ukbus 1015 : Stagecoach Park & Ride (Cambridge) (17007 – S807 BWC) - March 2004

ukbus 200x range : The Plaxton President/Dennis Trident

ukbus 2006 : Brighton & Hove (859 – Y859 GCD ‘Thomas Tilling’) – January 2004
ukbus 2007 : Mayne, Manchester (30 - MX03 KZN) - February 2004
ukbus 2008 : Reading (472 – PO51 WNG) - March 2004
ukbus 2004 : Lothian (5xx – T5xx SSG or V5xx ESC) - April 2004

ukbus 300x range : The Plaxton Dennis Dart MPD : NEW CASTING

ukbus 3001 : Cardiff Bus (188 – CE02 UUG) – January 2004

ukbus 3002 : First Group (tba) - February 2004
ukbus 3003 : Metroline (tba) - March 2004
ukbus 3004 : Stagecoach London/Stagecoach Provincial twin-pack - April 2004

JB 100x range : Mitsubishi FUSO MP Non-Step Citybus

JB1006 : Mitsubishi FUSO MP Non-Step Citybus / Sapporo City Bus – January 2004
JB1007 : Mitsubishi FUSO CNG Bus / Sapporo Citybus - February 2004.

JB 300x range : Mitsubishi Aerobus Coach

JB3002 : Japan Railway Highway bus – November 2003

hkbus 200x range : Leyland Olympian Coach : NEW CASTING

hkbus 2001 : Hong Kong Citybus (133 – ER 6824) ‘Big C’ livery - December 2003

hkbus 2002 : Bluebird Buses (13603 – VLT 37 – ex-CTB 137) - 2004

Please note that the release dates quoted above are anticipated completion dates, not necessarily when the models will be on sale at your retailer.

Friday 14 November 2003

CONFIRMED RELEASES FROM EFE
I can confirm that the following models have now been released and are on sale:
 16524 Leyland Atlantean MCW Wallasey Corporation
17504 Leyland National MK2 1 door long A Arriva Wales
26615 Plaxton Paramount 3500 Blackburn Transport

Thursday 13 November 2003

EFE DUE IN SHOPS SOON
EFE have advised me that the following models are in the process of being released by them and should be in the shops later this week:
16524 Leyland Atlantean MCW Wallasey Corporation
17504 Leyland National MK2 1 door long Arriva Wales
26615 Plaxton Paramount 3500 Blackburn Transport

The next batch of EFE models to be released is scheduled to occur week commencing 24 November. Further details will be given as soon as they are known.

Tuesday 11 November 2003

NEW MODEL ANNOUNCED BY EFE
EFE have announced details of the following new model:
GM Standard Atlantean
GM Buses
Stock number: 28604
Fleet Number: 7796
Registration number: UNA 796S
Route: 210
Destination: Piccadilly
Release date to be confirmed

BRITBUS MODELS ON THEIR WAY
Britbus have advised me that the following model has now arrived in the UK with John Ayrey the distributor:
N 6203 MCW Scania Metropolitan -Tyneside PTE

I understand that due to arrive this week is the following:
N 6101 MCW Scania Metropolitan - Single door Manchester PTE

Hopefully these models will be with us soon in the shops. Exact release dates are not known at this time.

I am also advised that the following Asia Bus model has also arrived at John Ayrey:
AS 1004 Metropolitan China Motor Bus MS 1 Blue/cream livery

NEWS FROM THE CORGI OOC JANUARY TO JUNE 2004 CATALOGUE
An extremely reliable source has advised me that the three Wright Gemini pre-production models
OM41201 Wright Eclipse Gemini (1 Door) 10.6m Wright Demonstrator
OM41202 Wright Eclipse Gemini (2 Door) 10.1m Arriva London
OM41203 Wright Eclipse Gemini (1 Door) 10.6m Travel West Midlands
shown in the official Corgi photographs on this site are are in fact made from resin. They are the first such samples to be made in Hong Kong and my source having seen and handled one further advises they look and feel like die-cast, except for the weight of course. They are of a significantly higher quality than those that used to be produced in the UK and looking at the extreme close up photographs I have published on the model pages listed above I am sure you will agree.

Saturday 8 November 2003

CORGI OOC JANUARY TO JUNE 2004 FURTHER PAGES CREATED AND FURTHER SPECIAL CLOSE UP PHOTOGRAPHS
I have today uploaded the remaining new pages for recently announced models, the links can be found on the Updates page. Following publication of the close up photographs of the Wright Gemini models on 4 November, I received a number of emails from people who really appreciated being able to see such close detail. I have therefore added further special close up photographs today for the following models:

OM41107 Leyland PD3/East Lancs Ramsbottom U D C
OM44008 Blackpool Brush Railcoach Sea Life Centre
OM44009 Blackpool Brush Railcoach The Laughing Donkey
OM44104 Optare Solo First Essex
OM99146 Midland Red Centenary Set D9 and C5

All the photographs displayed are strictly copyright Corgi OOC

Thursday 6 November 2003

CORGI OOC JANUARY TO JUNE 2004 PAGES CREATED
I have today created new pages for 15 of the models recently announced. The links for these can be found from the Updates page. The 3 Wright Gemini pages contain additional high quality close up photographs which show clearly exterior and interior fine detail. Click on the links on the Updates page to view. As always the photographs published today are copyright Corgi Classics Ltd

Tuesday 4 November 2003

CONFIRMED RELEASE FROM BRITBUS
I can confirm that the following model which was on limited sale at Showbus as a result of imports has now gone on general sale:
 N6202 MCW Metropolitan Black Prince

Monday 3 November 2003

APPARENT COPYING OF PHOTOGRAPHS FROM THIS SITE
It has been brought to my attention that a number of the official Corgi OOC photographs published on this site yesterday morning have been apparently copied by another site just a few hours after I published them.

The images I published were heavily edited by me prior to publication. The original Corgi Media files are in a format that is unsuitable for publication on a web site without prior editing. They are massive files not only in terms of file size but height and width etc. As part of my editing and most noticeable to viewers, is that I have removed in some cases a considerable amount of white background so that the picture of the model fills the screen allowing the details to be seen very clearly.

I must stress that these photographs must not be used without the express permission of Corgi Classics Ltd. In addition if you are sent copies of media files from Corgi but do not have the facilities to edit them and would like to use copies from my site then please EMAIL me for permission first. In which case British Model Buses must be acknowledged.

I am sorry to have to write such a note but it is not the first time that I have been made aware of photographs being copied from this site and published elsewhere in direct contravention of my or other contributors copyright.

In this case I am particularly angry as I returned from work on Friday evening after a very long day at 10.30pm to find Corgi had made the images available to me. I then spent a number of hours editing them (much to my wife's disgust) into the early hours of the morning. I was then up after just a few hours sleep to finish the job and publish them. I am sure that the majority of  people will understand my anger. To spend many hours of work preparing something only to find it is copied a very short time later is extremely frustrating.

Sunday 2 November 2003

CORGI OOC MEDIA PHOTOGRAPHS JANUARY TO JUNE 2004
The official Corgi Media photographs have now been added to the site. Please CLICK HERE or on the link at the top of this page.

Saturday 1 November 2003

November 2003 - News

This page last updated Monday, 25 February 2013

© British Model Buses 2003