To our valued retailers and collectors :

Herewith we itemise an update on likely release dates and status for announced models in the ukbus 6200, ukbus 6500 and ukbus 6800 range. In addition, three 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.

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.

Furthermore, the deliveries are experiencing delays worldwide. Covid, Importing, and now a war in Europe have each impacted shipping badly.

ukbus 6200 Range (Alexander Dennis Enviro400)
ukbus 6201 – All Plain White : pre-production samples will be prepared with an anticipated production slot being available during late January 2023.

ukbus 6500 Range
ukbus 6529 – Stagecoach South (10945 – SN18 KNJ) The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee : models are now available in the UK.
ukbus 6530 – Go North East (6341 – YX20 OKA) xlines : models are currently being shipped to the UK.
ukbus 6527 – Stagecoach North Scotland (11173 – SK19 EKU) : production will be concluded by mid October 2022.


ukbus 6518 – Go South Coast (1560* – HF66 CGE) : production will be commenced shortly.

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 2023. 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.

Update 5 October: Graham White from OrientalModelBuses.co.uk has informed me that the Morebus depicted by model UKBUS6518 actually carries fleet number 1650 rather than 1560 mentioned above.

Following the significant success in launching the brand new casting of the Alexander Dennis Enviro400 MMC model in the liveries of National Express West Midlands, Stagecoach in Oxfordshire, Bluestar, Stagecoach West Scotland, Southern Vectis, Stagecoach South, Ensign Bus, Xplore Dundee and Stagecoach North West, Northcord Model Company is now releasing the sixteenth livery on the 10.9 metre long, single-door casting – ukbus 6530 in the livery of Go North East.

ukbus 6530 represents fleet number 6341 (YX20 OKA) that was new to Go North East in early 2020. 6341 carries a full and colourfully branded livery for Xlines working route X71, heading to Consett. Such unique feature, and the special, comprehensive livery and branding are 100% reproduced onto the ukbus 6530 models.

The stand-out features of the branding are : “TALKING BUS” and “WIFI USB” at the front; the big “Xlines” on both sides and rear, along with key locations served “fast into Newcastle, Sunniside, Stanley or Consett”, together with “bring your bike on board”, “comfortable, WIFI USB, talking bus, this is a low emission Euro 6 bus” with unique symbols respectively. Further slogans include : “take a ride on the green machine”, “super low emission engines & stop start tech for a greener city”, “frequent, rapid links from Go North East” together with an icon illustration of the city on the rear. Furthermore, a full-length destination display is carried on both sides, with the offside one mounted amidships.

As 6341 is carrying the registration number with “OK”, it will create additional interest to the model collectors far away from the Newcastle and North east area. The “OK” will recall the link to the OK buses from the same area.

The Alexander Dennis Enviro400 MMC ukbus 6530 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 ukbus 6530 model is its dual tree protectors 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 10.9 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 UKBUS6530 model is limited to 1008 pieces worldwide.

• Area Meetings, Events - Upcoming MBF area meetings & events.
• Editorial
• Cover Story - The 1829 Shillibeer Omnibus built by Terry Jones (see next article)
• Back to their Roots: Horse Power - Terry Jones describes how he built the 1880 Stage-Coach Civility & 1829 Shillibeer Omnibus horse drawn models.
• Mirfield Revisited - Colin Wood has also produced a model linked to Mirfield which was a theme of an article in a previous issue of the magazine.
• Welcome Aboard - three new members & one returnee.
• Leyland PD2 4-bay Orion - by Martin Hare - Martin converts a standard 5 bay EFE series 200 model to 4 bay window layout to represent Brighton & Hove 56 (WCD 56).
• Ancillary Vehicles by Michael Whent - Continuing the occasional series looking at his extensive collection of models. Micheal presents nine models based on various conversions undertaken on bus & coach vehicles after their retirement from passenger service.
• A Mystery by Dave Jessop - How did Dave's exclusively produced Eldorado fleet name transfers end up on a green Dinky model found on eBay.
• Memories of the Commer Avenger & Leyland Comet by Gordon Braithwaite - Brain's collection of sixteen scratch built Commer Avenger & Leyland Comet models
• Buses that Never Were! Part 6 by Robert Aveyard - What if Bradford Corporation had purchased Kingston-Upon-Hull style Roe bodied Sunbeam trolleybuses.
• Plan of the Month by Alan Johnson - This month 1/76 scale plan is the Leyland PD2 / Northern Counties Lowbridge as operated by PMT.
• Area News - This month there are reports & ample photographs from the latest virtual online & actual area meetings in the Dorset / New Forest, North Midlands, West, Anglia / South East, Greater Manchester & South Wales & Herefordshire.
• Product News - Latest kits news from the Little Bus Company
• September Model Supplement - A slight delay in the posting of the September supplement due staff holidays & printers.
• MBF Shop - The MBF Streetscene, Little Bus Company & Paragon range of white metal/resin parts & accessories, plus the MBF Streetscene 2K resin model kits that are exclusively available to MBF members.
• MBF Streetscene White metal Bus & Coach Kits - The former ABS white metal bus kits added to the MBF Streetscene range. These are available exclusively to members at low cost (from £5.00 to £35.00 - see the MBF page for a list of these model kits)
• The Back Page: Five photographs showing the rears of vehicles covering the 1960s to 1980s.

• Area Meetings, Events - Upcoming MBF area meetings & events.
• Editorial
• Welcome Aboard - Ten new members.
• Cover Story - Buses that never were, The Green E (see article below)
• Bristol K5 ECW Highbridge by Martin Hare - Martin uses parts from the OOC Bristol K & Weymann Trolleybus models to produce a Highbridge ECW Bristol K.
• Stagecoach in Skye by Sean Barrett - Six modern models modified to represent vehicles that operated of the Isle of Skye.
• Glasgow Weymann to Devon General Version by Tony Newbold - A conversion of Sunrise Kit 4, the Glasgow Weymann AEC, to produce one of the pair of similar vehicles delivered to Devon General in 1937.
• Members Services - Dinky Atlanteans for sale
• Buses that Never Were! Part 4 by David Rowe - David has produced a CIE Spa Road bodied Leyland in the dark green with light green relief. The real E class vehicles were only operated in either the red & cream or yellow when some became school buses. The Green "E" livery depicted was however applied to E106 (AZD 156) for use in the 1994 film War of the Buttons.
• Lining by Walter Brandli - A tip for applying horizontal lines using a pen and machine vice.
• Producing Adverts Part 1 - by Anthony Parker - A detailed guide on how to extract adverts from real vehicle photographs and produce scale versions for your models.
• N Gauge East Kent AEC Reliance Coach - by Ken Jones - Ray Rimes N gauge 3D printed coaches painted by Malcolm Hall and finished with transfers produced by Roy Finney.
• Another Top Tip - by Dave Jessop - Oxford Diecast Seed Trays! Don't need the display cases anymore, drill a couple holes in the clear tops, add soil & some seeds of your choice.
• Another OB - by Brian Groombridge - Brian has modified his Anbrico OB to add boot doors and space below the seats for some suitcases.
• Over to You - Some reader feedback on the Dartford Tunnel cycle buses.
• Plan of the Month by Dave Evans - This months 4mm plan is for the 1947 Morris Commercial with 1959 Stocker FC17F body (based on preserved Felix of Long Melford AJD 959).
• Area News - This month there are reports & ample photographs from the latest virtual online & actual area meetings in the Kent, Ireland, Yorkshire, & South Wales & Herefordshire.
• The London I Knew 70 Years Ago by Brian Minter - Brain's diorama is used to depicts various different periods in London's history with suitable buses & road vehicles from each era.
• Model Exhibition at the National Tramway Museum - Advance notice of the event that took place on the 21st August.
• MBF Name Badges - Members are invited place orders for MBF name badges.
• MBF Shop - The MBF Streetscene, Little Bus Company & Paragon range of white metal/resin parts & accessories, plus the MBF Streetscene 2K resin model kits that are exclusively available to MBF members.
• MBF Streetscene White metal Bus & Coach Kits - The former ABS white metal bus kits added to the MBF Streetscene range. These are available exclusively to members at low cost (from £5.00 to £35.00 - see the MBF page for a list of these model kits)
• The Back Page: Mike Leckey provides another set of four rear end photographs of vehicles that attended the 2017 Irish Transport Heritage Bus & Coach Rally in April 2017.