EFE Zone News May 2008
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If anyone can supply reliable news stories about EFE or Gilbow models, then please feel free to drop me an email.

Thursday 29 May

London Transport Museum News

The LT Museum has sent out a newsletter to it's standing order customers, this contains details of several new EFE commissions for the Museum and a number of previously unannounced standard issue EFE models that are being planned for later this year. Museum Commissioned EFE Specials Two versions of the Daimler Fleetline DMS type both in plain LT red with yellow doors have been commissioned, the first DMS1644 will be on route M1 while the second DM1238 will be on route 207. In addition two variants of a Riverside single door Leyland Olympian will be produced, one on route N97 & the other on route N9. A limited quantity of two Arriva Routemasters will be made available for sale to Museum standing order customers, one is RMC1453, (this is a minor variation on the museum's own version released last year and will have private hire blinds), the other is a gold version of RM8 also with private blinds. Both of these models have been commissioned by Arriva and will be exclusively available to the general public from the Museum's shop, they will be released to coincide with an Arriva event planned for Saturday 26th July. The museum has commissioned a special model of an STL on route 8A as a contribution to the celebrations marking the centenary of Bow Garage. The models will be available from the Museum's stand at the Bow Garage Open Day planned for Saturday 28th June. Three more Victoria Coach Station Series models are to be produced, the museum has also now taken delivery of the long awaited Tillings Bristol RELH Coach and these are now being posted out to customers. A four car 1938 stock tube train set has been commissioned from EFE which reflects the stock numbers of the Museum's own preserved tube train set. A new EFE Bus Set is also now being planned and further details will be announced in a later newsletter. Models marked ** below are described by the Museum as 'Very Limited' or * 'Limited' Please note none of the catalogue numbers have been confirmed for these models yet. 27702A**  AEC STL Double Deck Bus - London Transport STL634 (route 8A Old Ford / Red) - Due 28th June at Bow Garage Open Day 15633A*    AEC RM Double Deck Bus - Arriva London RM8 (Private Hire / Gold) - Due 26th July 31703A*  AEC RMC Double Deck Bus - Arriva London RMC1453 (Private Hire / Red) - Due 26th July 25710A      Dual Door Daimler Fleetline - London Transport DMS1644 (Route M1 / Red) 25710B      Dual Door Daimler Fleetline - London Transport DM1238 (Route 207 / Red) 29608A     Leyland Olympian Double Deck Bus - Riverside Buses L299 (Route N9 / Red) 29608B     Leyland Olympian Double Deck Bus - Riverside Buses L301 (Route N97 / Red) 9993?    1938 Stock Tube Train Set (four carriages based on Museum's own preserved tube train) Victoria Coach Station Series 9970x     Bristol RELH Coach - Crosville CRG111 9970x** Bristol RELH Coach - Western National 9970x     Bristol RELH Coach - Red & White There are no current plans by the Museum to commission any special models from Britbus. EFE Standard Releases The museum has published some details of forthcoming standard release models which haven't previously been announced publicly by EFE. No release dates are given for these yet and details are limited. The Bristol Omnibus RELH coach will be a new casting variation with a T shaped front destination. 34203  AEC RLH Double Deck Bus - Samuel Ledgards 34301  Post War AEC RT Double Deck Bus (re-tooled) - London Transport / Green 31302  Daimler Fleetline B20 DM - London Transport / Red & white Route 231) 36001  Leyland RTL Double Deck Bus (re-tooled) - Chieftain Hamilton 20640  Dennis Dart Plaxton Pointer - London Busways 32401  Bristol RELH Coach (T shaped destination) - Bristol Omnibus / dual purpose livery

Confirmed Releases

The following models have now been released by EFE and should be available from your normal supplier shortly. 18611  Open Top Bristol VRT Series III - York Pullman 29618  Leyland Olympian - Tyne & Wear 31502  AEC Routemaster RM - Kelvin Scottish

Monday 26 May

2008 EFE & Corgi OOC Model Bus Reference Guide

Details of how to order the next fully updated edition of Anne Letch's annual model buses guide have been announced and are reproduced below. Please note these ordering details supersede those published in the last edition book, L.B.R.T. are no longer involved in the publication of the guide. A PDF format version of the above press release is available HERE

Monday 19 May

Scheduled Late May Releases

The following models are due to be released during the week ending the 31st May. 18611  Open Top Bristol VRT Series III - York Pullman 29618  Leyland Olympian - Tyne & Wear 31502  AEC Routemaster RM - Kelvin Scottish

Information kindly supplied by

Thursday 15 May

Code 3 Model Release

Fred De'Ath has kindly informed me of a code 3 EFE model he just received based on the recent Surrey Motors AEC Windover Coach produced for Sutton United FC. 80 of the original models have been re-worked with a Sutton destination and new numbered certificates by London Bus Retail. I believe these models were offered directly to LBR's regular customers. 20705A/1  AEC Regal Windover Coach - Surrey Motors / Sutton United FC

Saturday 10 May

Three New Models Released

The following models have now been released by EFE. 20135  Bedford OB Coach - Orange Luxury Coaches 20443  Bristol VRT Series III - Trent 32802  Ford Thames Trader 2 Axle Bulk Tipper Truck - London Transport

Wednesday 07 May

EFE 20th Anniversary Model Collection

The fourth EFE Subscribers' Newsletter arrived this morning and contains details of the first five models that are being specially re-worked by EFE to mark their 20th Anniversary. The models will be certificated and will only be produced in limited numbers exclusively for Subscription Service members. The first model to be offered to Subscribers E28004AS is a single door Daimler Fleetline DMS in the blue & off-white colours of Derby City Transport. Picture scanned from an EFE Release Sheet A further four models have so far be selected and these will be made available one at a time over a 12 month period. E23402AS Bedford TK Flatbed Truck - Fremlins colours E22515AS Alexander Y Type Coach - Premier Travel colours E26314AS Guy Arab II Utility - Stockport Corporation colours E16528AS MCW Atlantean Portsmouth Corporation colours The only new models mentioned in newsletter are those announced in the recent trade bulletin and outlined in the report below. EFE has however confirmed that it is currently making tooling for the new 1:24th scale RF and three new 1:76 scale buses, the identity of these will be revealed at a later date.

Tuesday 06 May

Six New Models Announced

The latest EFE trade bulletin contains details of 4 four new and confirms further details for two previously announced models. The models are all currently scheduled for release in June or July.

Picture of the models below can be found at

16801 - Alexander Daimler Fleetline Double Deck Bus (Flush Rear) Operator Travel De Courcey (New casting variation) Registration AJT147T Fleet No. -- Route No. S7 Destination Sandpits Lane Livery White with blue engine bustle, skirt panels, roof and upper decks window surrounds. Wide orange between decks band Adverts -- Release Expected July 2008

22516 - Alexander Y Type Coach Operator Baxters S.O.L. Registration EWS161D Fleet No. B161V Route No. B Destination Kirkshaws Livery Blue with dark blue skirt and cream waistband Adverts -- Release Expected July 2008

23707 - Alexander Daimler Fleetline Double Deck Bus (Rear Bustle) Operator Northern General Registration GCN803G Fleet No. 2173 Route No. 44 Destination Newcastle Livery Red with white between decks band Adverts Relax by bus (near side) & Shop at Binns (front) Release Expected June 2008

27623 - Wright Volvo Renown Single Deck Bus Operator Brighton & Hove Metro Registration R218HCD Fleet No. 218 Route No. 5B Destination Hollingbury Livery Cream & orange with black stripe & skirt Adverts -- Release Expected July 2008

24105 - Bedford TK 2 Axle Dropside Truck (Short Wheelbase) Operator Bus Eireann Support Vehicle Registration 163 WZA Fleet No. -- Livery Red with black chassis & white band around cab Load Two wood crates Release Expected June 2008

33501 - AEC Mark III 4 Axle Circular Tanker Truck Operator Express Dairy (New casting variation) Registration LLX 260 Fleet No. 1093 Livery Dark blue cab and mudguards with silver chassis and cream tank Load -- Release Expected July 2008

Friday 02 May

Large Model Sale

The RML2306 Preservation Group have asked London Bus Retail to sell a collection of mainly London related models on a commission basis. The list of near on 450 models includes EFE, OOC, Britbus, CMNL and some Corgi Classics items, further details & a list of all the models can be found by visiting Peter Coe's London Bus Retail website. RML2306 at the 2007 Showbus Rally with its Sinsheim advertising RML2306 won an EFE sponsored prize at the 2006 Showbus Rally whereby it would be decorated with special advertisements and then attended a rally at Sinsheim in Germany, unfortunately although it gained the advertisements problems with the gaining the necessary legal documentation prevented it attending the German event. EFE produced a replica model of the vehicle 31904A which was intended for sell at Sinsheim but these were eventually sold to EFE subscribers by the way of a lottery draw last September.

April 2008

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June 2008