EFE 1/76 AEC RT - LT

EFE's old faithful RT was its first ever bus. when introduced, it was such a detailed model that it was such a detailed model that it virtually created the hobby of 1/76th scale bus collecting on its own.

But even something that set new standards in 1989 could be seen as tired by 1999, and the model was needing a new lease of life. And it has got one.

It has new under-chassis 'running boards'; side traffic indicators  tween decks; a new radiator; tided up casting around the driver's area.

These changes have really bought a new lease of life to the casting. The radiator makes it look most authentic with its masterful grille effect and tiny AEC/LT badge.

This model is of an unusual variant it features an off-side information panel (Routh 29) and roof mounted route code box as well. This combination was short-lived, but it did happen. Shop herehttp://www.amazon.co.uk/EFE-Anniversary-London-Transport-16405/dp/B00BVM1SNE/?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=6738

EFE 1/76 LEYLAND NATIONAL - BARTON

There's a real appeal to the Barton fleet, with plenty of people who have never had a ride on a Barton Buses vehicle still unable to resist models in the livery.

The Barton livery this National I appears in really suits the shape of the bus, and the archer logo is very well done.

A nice touch is the Barton logo on the drivers windscreen. There's no sign of any legal lettering on our pre-production sample, we rather think it should be for Trent, new owners of Barton. Shop here

EFE 1/76 XA ATLANTEAN - LT

The Atlantean was hardly an unqualified success for London Transport. In its short life it wore few livery variations, but XA18 is seen with open bullseye livery. It also features nice LT house ads for travel enquiries and exact fares.

The EFE advertisements feature a gold stripe, but the production release features the correct white stripe appropriate for the open bullseye era. Shop here

CORGI 1/76 PD2 ORION - PLYMOUTH

Plymouth had a long history as a loyal Leyland buyer, and in 1955 took delivery of  the then new and lightweight MCW Orion body on 90 new PD2s.

The Plymouth livery is well reproduced, and gives a really satisfyingly Corporation bus feel. The radiator is a bit bright but commendably thin, and both 'Cyder' and beer adverts lead one to think a holiday in Plymouth in the 50s must have been quite an affair. Charming stuff from OOC. Shop here

EFE 1/76 DAIMLER UTILITY MIDLAND RED

What a real delight this model is. It may only be a 40's bus, but in many ways it looks older, thanks to the old fashioned Midland lettering and the squareness of the Utility body.

Look up close, and it is yet another virtually new casting around the cab area. Of course the radiator is different from previous Utilities, but so also is the area below the driver's screen, with new positioning again for the cast-in headlights and the cover box.

The bonnet is the same length as the previous Mk I Arab, not the Mk II with the extended length. The mudguards are created in the plastic moulding used for the chassis, and follow a different pattern for the odd Mk II or curvier Mk I wings.

he fluted top of the Daimler radiator is nicely cast-albeit in plastic- and again there is the well-detailed interior roof. Shop here

BRISTOL REEL - EASTERN NATIONAL

EFE's version in Eastern National colours is superb. The cream band with black lining is spot on. The lettering and characteristic Eastern National fleet number plates are also excellent. But the best feature is, to this reviewer's mind, the cream windscreen surround.The Bristol RE with flat front may have been the unsung bread and butter stalwart of its time, but EFE has still gone to town on detail touches such as the cream band with black lining. Shop here

BEDFORD OB - BRITISH RAILWAYS

A Bedford OB in British Railways prettiest colour scheme - 'plum and spilled milk' - has the nostalgia alert signs flashing. This model is nicely finished, with 'Edmonton Victoria' destination symbols on the side and neat silver decoration. The radiator seems much more of a piece with the model than some previous OBs we've seen, and even sports a readable Bedford badge. Shop here

CORGI 1/76 LEYLAND PD3 QUEEN MARY OPEN TOP BUS - PEOPLE'S PROVINCIAL

This is Leyland PD3 Queen Mary Open Top Bus - People's Provincial, registration WOW 993T, fleet number 202, route 99C Solent Sea-Line (HMS Alliance, Stokes Bay, Lee on Solent, Bridgemary, Elson, Gosport Ferry). The neat open top Queen Mary casting looks good in the Gosport based fleet's 80's livery. Shop here

CORGI OOC - PLAXTON EXCALIBUR OXFORD LONDON EXPRESS COACH

The Volvo B10M Plaxton Excalibur is a striking coach, and it looks very impressive in Oxford CityLink livery.

Corgi has gone to a lot of trouble to reproduce the complex livery. There's an enormous of detail in the tampo printing. As well as the 'E' emblem and obvious Oxford London Express livery, the Oxford Bus Company logo is well done. And you can even read the details of the Five Star luxury Coach: 'double glazed windows, full air conditioning'

With the exception of a bit of a white smudge on the passenger door, this is certainly one of the most intricate and best executed liveries we've seen. Shop here

CORGI 1/50 DAIMLER GREEN LINE UTILITY

The Daimler CW is released in Green Line livery. It's as well moulded and detailed a body as any from OOC so far. Nice details include the noticeable ribbing between panels characteristic of the Utilities, the moulded battery box at the front and some careful detailing around the driver's door. It's plastic detail that makes the model, however. The interior seat moulding capture quite nicely the slatted seats that made such an impression (on their behinds) to war-time and post-war travellers.

The handsome Daimler fluted radiator is sadly black rather than gleaming metal this is totally authentic of course, the bus being delivered in 1945 when austerity measures were in full effect. The bus modelled is a CWD6 with a Duple body and smooth Daimler engine, rather than the Gardener engine of the earliest batch. Particularly to be commended is the tampo printing. The Green Line symbols are very nice done. Shop here

CORGI 1/76 VAN HOOL ALIZEE - GREENLINE

Arrival the Shires 4063 is a DAF SB3000 with a Van Hool Alizee body new to the private charter fleet of Grey Green Coaches at Stamford Hill on 1 August, 1994. Four identical coaches were transferred to ‘the Shires’ in 1998 for use on Green Line 758 between Hemel Hempstead and London, Victoria. The model is presented in the latest Green Line livery by Best Impressions which 4063 received in 2006. Registered M943 LYR, 4063 was one of the last coaches delivered to Grey Green before the business completed its switch to London contracted bus operation and was subsequently absorbed into Arriva London; ending a sequence of Grey Green registration numbers which began with SJJ 300, a Leyland Tiger Cub/ Harrington, in 1956. Smooth-riding and solidly-built, 4063 is likely to receive enhancements which will enable it to continue to run into London after July, 2008, when unmodified Euro 1 vehicles will be excluded from the London Low Emission Zone. Shop here

CORGI 1/50 BEDFORD VAL COACH

The Connoisseur Collection has been created to capture the golden days of public transport. Each release in this exclusive range of 1/50 scale, high specification models comes with it's own numbered Limited Edition Certificate and a unique replica cap badge of the era.It is in the livery of Yellowway. This is truly lovely model, with Corgi having captured the look and shape of the vehicle perfectly. Particularly pleasing is the ribbed chromework, which is such a distinctive feature of the actual coaches and which has been reproduced effectively on the model. Also good to see are the flush windows, with the window frames moulded on and then picked out in silver

The headlights are plastic fittings, while the rear lights have a good appearance. The windscreen wipers are separately fitted: the side mirrors are provided for the buyer to fit. The front wheels can be turned. Chassis detail is provided. The paintwork and decoration are both to a high standard.

The one disappointment with this model is the lack of detail in the driver's cab area, and indeed the driver himself looks out of place: indeed the model might well have been improved without a driver. However, it is altogether a fine model, which comes with a replica driver's badge. Shop here

EFE 1/76 LEYLAND OLYMPIAN TYPE B - CAPITAL CITYBUS

The H K bus market looked to London to expand its operations and the vivid colors of Hong Kong Citybus appeared on the streets of East London. We have many requests for this livery and fleet number 143, registered J143 YRM is working on route 86B to Dagenham Dock.Shop here

CORGI 1/64 LONDON 2012 GREAT BRITISH CLASSICS ROUTEMASTER

The double Decker bus was the official mode of transport for over 6,000 athletes during the 1948 London Olympics. Special services began on the 8th July and ran to the 21st August 1948,345,000 miles were covered. The London Transport Executive was formed in 1948, the year of the last Olympic Games hosted in London, as part of the government’s massive post-war nationalisation programme.

LT entered public ownership as part of the British Transport Commission which also owned the newly formed British Railways. The red double decker bus remains an iconic symbol of London and will be seen by millions of visitors to London during the Olympic Games. Shop here

CORGI 1/76 PLAXTON PANTHER ULSTER BUS TRANLINK BELFAST

The integration of Citybus, Northern Ireland Railways and Ulster Bus began in January 1995 when the government announced comprehensive changes to the provision of public transport. Among the many measures to be introduced was the new policy of co-ordination between the bus companies, Citybus (now Metro) and Ulster Bus, and the railway company, NI Railways. One aim was to improve services for the public by offering co-ordinated timetables. The organisation is now one of Northern Ireland’s largest employers with approximately 4,000 employees. Over 80 million passenger journeys are made on Translink services each year. Ulster Bus currently has 20 main passenger facilities across Northern Ireland employing 1,250 drivers and operating approximately 1,100 buses.

Every model in The Original Omnibus Company is recreated in 1:76 scale and includes a numbered, Limited Edition certificate. The range includes both modern and classic buses and coaches from some of the best known British manufactures and operators. Shop here

EFE 1/76 DENNIS DART/POINTER 'BADGERLINE'

Accompanying the Badgerline VR, this popular bus is a common sight in most urban areas. The large badger character on N240 KAE makes this bus unmistakable on route 332 to Longwell Green, which is displayed on the latest dot matrix type destination blind. The Dart/Pointer is in the yellow and green of Badgerline, complete with the badger motif on the sides and rear. Not also the route/destination indicators, shown in the modern digital style. Shop here

CORGI OOC : DENNIS DART 'FLAGSHIP'

The model livery on this new casting is Flagship as operated by Kingfisher Huddersfield. This is part of the FirstBus group, as indicated on the model with the company logo and the message 'Welcome to FirstBus' on the window adjacent to the entrance doors. Shop here

EFE 1/76 PLAXTON PARAMOUNT 3500 - BLACKBURN TRANSPORT

Blackburn Transport's striking green compass looks superb in this rendition; the high windows mean there's a big space for the superbly reproduced logo. The model was introduced back in 1999, but its excellent front glazing still make it a top class model. shop here

EFE 1/76 ALEXANDER Y TYPE - SELNEC CHESHIRE

This clessic vehicle shape is this time released in the simple but attractive SELNEC livery. This particular vehicle carries the registration number VDB 959 and fleet number 959 working route 124 to Hazel Grove. We caught sight of a pre-production model. Shop here

EFE 1/76 BRISTOL VR III - WESTERN NATIONAL G.W.R.

The Lizard is the ultimate destination of this vehicle on route 527. It carries the registration number VDV 141S and fleet number 941 and carries a G.W.R. house advertisement on its side for this beautiful county, llustrated is a pre production sample. Shop here