Model Bus Zone News
January 2022
 December 2021  Model Bus Zone News Index February 2022 
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Friday 28 January Updated 4 February
Model Bus Scotland's Next Resin Kit
Pre-production samples of the next kit from Model Bus Scotland have now been produced.
The kit depicts the ADL Enviro 300 Man single deck bus as used by the Stagecoach Group.
Kits are expected to be ready for release this Summer & pre-orders are now being accepted from both members & no-members of the Model Bus Scotland Facebook Group, the price will be £45.00 plus P&P.

Update 04/02/22: Photograph of kit assembled & painted in Stagecoach livery added.



Further details regarding the group & placing a pre-order can be found on the Model Bus Scotland page.
Monday 24 January & updated 29 January
Northcord Models Press Release
The following press release has been issued today by Northcord Models.

NORTHCORD MODEL COMPANY - PRESS RELEASE
Date : 24th January 2022.
Production update

To our valued retailers and collectors : Herewith we itemise an update on likely release dates and status for announced models in the ukbus 6500 and ukbus 6800 range. In addition, two further future releases are announced.

Production delays due to shortage of appropriate labour in all factories in southern China are affecting many manufacturers and it is appropriate that NMC should advise you accordingly. Furthermore, the usual delays will be accommodated due to the return of factory staff to their provinces during Lunar New Year and the resultant need to recruit staff to replace those who do not return to the factories and to train their replacements.

The continuing influence of Covid is also having a negative impact on the timescale of our release schedule because of the inability to have face-to-face meetings at the production facilities which has slowed down the decision-making process in approving the minutiae of our models.

ukbus 6500 Range

ukbus 6526 – National Express West Midlands (6937 – SK68 MJE) : production is scheduled for completion by early January 2022.
Update 29/01/22: A further press release regarding the above model is expected next week. (W/C 31/01/22)

ukbus 6528 – Stagecoach London (11035 – SN18 KUB) : production is scheduled for completion by late February 2022.
Flickr photograph of bus (Link not endorsed by Northcord, model may carry a different livery)
ukbus 6525 – First Glasgow (33393 – SK19 EOD) : pre-production samples are being prepared with an anticipated production slot being available during early May 2022.
Flickr photograph of bus (Link not endorsed by Northcord, model may carry a different livery)
Update 29/01/22: According to wholesaler John Ayrey Diecast the UK RRP for the above pair of models will increase from the current £59.99 to £66.99.)

ukbus 6800 Range

The preparation of the new casting of ADL Enviro400 City on Trident 2 and BYD ADL Enviro400EV City is scheduled to be commenced in the second part of 2022. The newly developed comprehensive casting will initially include the following versions of Britain’s best-selling double-decker buses :

1. 10.8 metre 1 & 2 door BYD ADL Enviro400EV City
2. 10.9 metre 1 & 2 door Enviro400 City Trident 2-chassised to follow as a continuation of the previous Enviro400 MMC Licence Agreement

Northcord Model Company will make an announcement in detail about planned liveries and model dimensions nearer to its launch date. The range will be expanded with the shorter versions of each type in due course.

Northcord Model Company (NMC) ------The World’s Miniature Bus Co.
Saturday 22 January
Cornfirmed Northcord Models UK Release
The following model has now arrived in the UK and should be available from model retailers in the coming days.


UKBUS6524 Stagecoach North West (The Lakes Connection 555) - ADL Enviro400 MMC Double Deck Bus

Information kindly supplied by

Thursday 20 January
Bachmann Release First Motorised EFE Rail Tube Train Set
The first EFE Rail motorised set of London Transport Underground tube train carriages have now arrived in the UK and should be available from Bachmann appointed stockists shortly


Bachmann has utilised the original Gilbow/EFE body shell and interior tooling and modified them to accommodate the lighting, PCB and electrics, and built new underframes and bogies for the running gear which employ the latest motors and decoders.

The set depicts a 1960s London Underground Northern line set, Train No 40, working to High Barnet via Charing X (Charing Cross).


E99939 London Underground 1938 Tube Stock 4-Car Motorised Train

4 Car Sets contains:
Car A – No. 10292 Driving Motor Car
Car B – No. 012370 Trailer Car
Car C – No. 12134 Non-Driving Motor Car
Car D – No. 11292 Driving Motor Car

The UK RRP for the set is £349.95.

There's a great review from a former driver of the 1938 stock on the YouTube channel Barrie Davis Model Railways.
Friday 14 January
Omnidekka Models Update
The Corgi Quality Line Optare Solo models were delivered on the 20th December & Chris Cotton is now posting out the model orders, he doesn't expects to complete this process until the 29th January as there are several hundred model orders to package & post out.
Orders for these models are still open, they are priced £25.00 each, or £48.00 for both destinations Below are photographs of the final production models.

CP44101A Epsom Coaches Quality Line (K5 HAM) - Optare Solo Bus
CP44101B Epsom Coaches Quality Line (K5 MORDEN - Opatre Solo Bus




The following photographs show the final production versions of Metrobus Scania Omnidekka models ES-20A & ES-20B, these are now being shipped to the UK & Chris expects delivery at the end of February.
Pre-orders are now being accepted, the models are £50.00 each or £98.00 for both destinations.



ES-20A Metrobus (420 WHITEBUSHES) - Scania Omnidekka Double Deck Bus


ES-20B Metrobus (460 EPSOM) - Scania Omnidekka Double Deck Bus



For further details or to place orders for any of the above commissioned models, please visit the omnidekkamodels.com online store.
Thursday 13 January
Latest UK Brekina Routemaster Releases
The following Brekina HO scale models have now arrived in the UK and should be with model retailers in the next few days.


61110 London Transport/Greenline (RM1432 / 482 CLT route 721 London (Aldgate)) Long John Whiskey adverts - AEC Routemaster RM Bus (1:87th scale)


61111 London Transport/Greenline (RM1432 / 482 CLT route 721 London (Aldgate)) Mac's Adverts - AEC Routemaster RM Bus (1:87th scale)
Tuesday 11 January
Latest Model Releases From Corgi
The last of the OOC range models from the 2021 Corgi Catalogue are now in stock according to Corgi's online store, These should be with model retailers later this month.

The RRP for these models is now £45.99 on the Corgi site, at the launch of the 2021 catalogue 12 months ago, the original price was quoted as £38.99.


CC43515 Coca Cola - Blackpool Balloon Tram


CC44013 Coca Cola - Blackpool Brush Railcar
Monday 10 January & Updated 11 January
Corgi & Hornby New Bus & Coach Models For 2022
The Hornby Railways 2022 and first Corgi 2022 catalogues were announced today via the official websites.

There are two OOC Models for the period January to April. Neither model has the dual destination option usually found on other recent OOC issues.


OM46317 Blackpool Transport (Pontin's Holiday Club Livery / RM848 WLT 848 - Route 40 Pontin's) - AEC Routemaster Bus - Due April 22


OM46318 London Transport (1000th Routemaster / RM1000 100 BXL - Route 190 Old Coulsdon) - AEC Routemaster Bus - Due April 22

Corgi have further OOC models planned for later in the year, and will be returning some of the classic OOC tools from the archive to the range.

The RRP for this pair of models & the majority of existing OOC stock items on the Corgi website have been increased by further £4 to £46.99.

The Corgi video below is a preview of the latest catalogue, the OOC models section starts at 3:15.


The Hornby Railways Catalogue includes a single 1/76 scale coach model, this and several rail items duplicate models previously announced by Rapido Trains UK in 2021.

The model, which appears to be based on the OOC range Bedford OB Duple Vista Coach, is being branded under the Hornby Dublo range with special Hornby Trains on Film presentation box, the model is due for release in the Summer of 2022 and has a UK RRP of £24.49.


R7381 Hornby Dublo Diecast Bedford OB Duple Vista Coach 'Pearce & Crump, Mallingford'

These duplicate models give the impression to many that Hornby are targeting other companies that dare to enter markets that they traditionally consider their own. PR wise this doesn't do Hornby any favours in the eyes of many modellers & collectors.

There's been a response from Rapido Trains UK, they have an exclusive contract with StudioCanal, who are the rights holders to the original 1953 film.


Corgi previously produced a 1/50th scale version of this vehicle back in 1995 (33801). The last standard issue of an OOC version of the Bedford OB coach was nearly twenty years ago in June 2002!
Monday 10 January
Oxford Diecast Omnibus Range Upcoming Release
Next Oxford Omnibus Range release has been announced today among the planned new & re-issued models for January 2022.
N Scale

NLRT007 North Western FBB 603 - London - Leyland Royal Tiger Coach

This model should be available from model retailers later this month.
 December 2021  Model Bus Zone News Index February 2022