The bus - with the rapid expansion of the New Territories, and the opening of the first cross-harbour tunnel, KMB needed to acquire, at short notice, new buses. The supply of new double-deck buses from the UK, from which Hong Kong operators were obliged to use, was restricted following the introduction of one-man-operation in the UK and the subsequent bus grant which assisted these operators to replace their single-deckers with double-deckers. 

KMB were therefore forced to acquire 115 second-hand buses, from various UK dealers. These were to varying designs and included the first rear-engined buses for KMB. All received KMB fleet number commencing '2', denoting second-hand. 2L35 was originally new to East Midlands Motor Services in 1959 and entered service with Hong Kong in July 1973. It's life in service was short-lived, being withdrawn in August 1975. These vehicles carried a predominantly cream livery with a red skirt and a red band above above the front windscreen, similar to that applied to Ribble's 'Gay Hostess' vehicles.