NORTHCORD MODEL COMPANY - PRESS RELEASE
The following press release has been received this morning from The
Northcord Model Company:
UKBUS6514 ADL Enviro400MMC - First
Glasgow
Northcord Model Company is pleased to announce the release of UKBUS6514, the long-awaited, third release of the 10.5 metre single door casting of this distinctive, modern, double-decker in the United Kingdom.
UKBUS6514 represents fleet
number 33201HB (SK68LWN) that has 10.5 metre, single door bodywork and was
the first of 75 new buses for First Glasgow in 2018. 33201HB carries a full
and colourfully branded livery for route 75. The new buses formed part of a
£31m investment from First Glasgow covering 150 new buses over two years in
anticipation of meeting the annually increasing percentage of Euro6 buses to
meet the city’s Low Emission Zone requirement. By Hogmanay 2019 this
target requires 40% of the fleet entering or operating within the city LEZ
to be Euro6 compliant until reaching 100% by 2022.
33201HB was the star of the
high-profile new bus launch on an unusually dreich and sodden George Square
on 9th October 2018. The bus was placed inside a 20 foot-high structure
designed to replicate a model bus box. The new buses feature USB charging
points, extra padded ELeather high-back seating and free WiFi. The Euro VI
engine uses stop/start technology but the letters “HB”, that are
appended to the fleet number, do not reference any sort of “hybrid”
power source; they represent the formerly used term “highbridge” to
denote a taller bus than one that is “lowbridge”.
Apart from the presentation of
the 1:1 scale big model box at George Square, the mirrorless double-decker
bus made a great attraction at the launch. First Glasgow worked with
Alexander Dennis and 21st Century Technology on the trial of a camera system
which replaced conventional external rear-view mirrors (also colloquially,
and incorrectly, referred to as “wing mirrors”) with four cameras and
two interior displays. 33201HB was the first double-decker bus having this
system in the UK.
The first of the batch of 75
vehicles entered service on 10th October on route 75 between Castlemilk and
Milton via Glasgow City Centre, although 33201HB did not enter service until
later to allow time for driver familiarisation with the camera mirrors, and,
even then, it was allocated to a set diagram every day so that the number of
drivers was limited at first. During the summer of 2019 it was regularly
allocated to the X7 M&D’s Express route to Strathclyde Country Park.
The UKBUS6514 model represents its allocation to route 75, heading for
Castlemilk, a large housing scheme to the south of the city, developed by
Glasgow Corporation dating back to the 1950s to alleviate the slum
conditions in the inner city, particularly in The Gorbals, near to the home
depot for 33201HB. The side destination references Hampden Park, Scotland’s
national football stadium.
The driver rear-view camera, and
special, comprehensive livery and branding of 33201HB are 100% reproduced
onto the UKBUS6514 model in 1:76 scale. The stand-out features of the
branding are : the big “75” on both sides and rear, along with key
locations served “Castlemilk, Hampden, City Centre, Possilpark, Milton”
on the nearside, and the special banner-type “Your new buses have arrived”
decorations on both sides and rear.
Further additional details
carried by the model include the “Free WiFi’, “USB chargers”, “Comfy
seats” on the rear, and the special sunlight protection shades on the top
of both front windscreens.
The Alexander Dennis Enviro400 MMC UKBUS6514 is a one-piece casting whose clean lines accentuate the square, gasket-mounted windows and the livery application on which all logos and lettering are clearly legible. Another main feature on the UKBUS6514 model is its single tree protector at the front. The front dome on the model is significant, with curved windscreens on both upper deck and lower deck.
Northcord Model Company is also creating new design standards within the interior of both saloons. These features, inside the compartments, will represent the real, outstanding layout of the Enviro400 MMC, such as the extensive portrayal of handrails on upper deck and lower deck, etc.
The brand new 10.5 metre
Enviro400 MMC bus models will be distributed by John Ayrey Die-Casts Limited
(UK), Porte Publishing Company (Japan), 80M Bus Model Shop and Concorde
Hobby Shop (HK) respectively. The UKBUS6514 model is limited to 1200 pieces
worldwide.
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