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I would like to wish you a peaceful, 
happy and prosperous 2009



 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

31st December 2008

 
I have tonight added a new page to the Xtra section of the site which features the commencement of The Big Bus Company operations in Hong Kong, although the full service not expected to be launched until mid January. My thanks to Dennis Law and Alex Cheng for providing the photographs and information.
29th December 2008

 
My thanks to Neo Cheung for providing me with further details of the Kowloon Motor Bus 'Year of the Ox' Volvo Olympian, which is confirmed as carrying a product code of 92203. It is on route 3C to Tsz Wan Shan (North) and will be limited to 2,800.
28th December 2008

 
New pages have tonight been added for the three forthcoming 'Year of the Ox' models. The New World First Bus Enviro500 (80893), Citybus Enviro500 (80894) and Cars Workshop Volvo Olympian (92203 - assumed model no.)

 
Photograph courtesy and copyright of
Alex Cheng

In the next day or so I hope to be able to add a new page to the Xtra section of the site featuring the recently launched Big Bus Company operations in Hong Kong.

26th December 2008

 

 
 

I would like to take this opportunity
to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and
a Happy, Peaceful and Prosperous 2009

































 


 
Click on image for larger photograph
Photograph courtesy and copyright of
Alan W.L. Wong

Following yesterday's news of the model of the Kowloon Motor Bus 'Year of the Ox' model, I am able, thanks to Dennis Law and Alan Wong, to feature a photograph of the real thing. Volvo Olympian AV393 has been been decorated this year (it also carried the Year of the Dog livery back in 2006).

24th December 2008

 
Photograph courtesy and copyright of
80M Bus Model Shop

Following the report earlier this week of the possible release by Kowloon Motor Bus of a Leyland Olympian on route 70, this has now been confirmed. The Buses Model Co. Olympian (30103) represents S3BL410, which operated on the last day of route 70. It is limited to 1,800 pieces.


 
Photograph courtesy and copyright of
80M Bus Model Shop

Pictured above are the Citybus and New World First Bus 'Year of the Ox' models. Both feature Enviro500 models, namely 8103 on route B3 to Shenzhen Bay Port and 5508 on route 112 to North Point. Further details will be added shortly. Both are products of 80M and have product codes of 80893 (NWFB - 20024) and 80894 (Citybus - CM068). Both are limited to 1,500 pieces.


 
The 80M Bus Model Shop also has a small photograph of the forthcoming Kowloon Motor Bus 'Year of the Ox' model.
23rd December 2008

 
My thanks to Neo Chung for providing further details of the forthcoming Kowloon Motor Bus Mercedes-Benz O305, which are as follows:-
Model Code: DW10403
Route: 75K
Destination: Tai Mei Tuk
Fleet Number: ME16 (U)
Registration Number: DG316
Quantity: 1800 pieces
Released date: late December 2008
A further unconfirmed report is that KMB will issue a further Leyland Olympian model, details of which are believed to be as follows:- 
Prototype chassis : Leyland Olympian 11m
Prototype bodywork : Alexander RH
Fleet number : S3BL410 (L)
Registration number : FA9288 
Route number : 70
Quantity : 1800 pieces
Release Date : January 2009
20th December 2008

 
The on-line version of 'KMB Today' is now available and the page 25 gives details of the forthcoming Mercedes-Benz 0305. I can confirm that the quantity will be 1,800 pieces and it will retail for HK$298, but am unable to confirm fleet number or route/destination.

 
Photograph courtesy and copyright of
Dennis Wong

The Big Bus Company started their trial runs on Monday. Currently only the Kowloon Route (Non-Stop Circular) service is being provided at a special rate at this stage. The service is expected to officially be launched in January.

To-date four ex-New World First Bus Dennis Condors (DA class) have been put into service. They are, NR3807 ex-DA16, NR3574 ex-DA21, NR3633 ex-DA22 and NR4579 ex-DA27. 

I am reliably informed that at least two ex-Argos Dennis Dominators, FW7510 and FX5737, have also been purchased by Big Bus. They are currently receiving conversions together with former NWFB DA28.

My thanks to Dennis Wong and Dennis Law for providing the above information.

19th December 2008

 
Further to earlier news regarding the resin Kowloon Motor Bus MCW Metrorider, it has been confirmed that both of KMB's examples are to be modelled, AMR1 on route number 299 and AMR2 on route number 208 to Tsim Sha Tsui East. Each version will be limited to 200 pieces.

 

 

The Big Bus Company operations are due to start in Hong Kong tomorrow. Ten vehicles have been acquired and converted to open top sightseeing buses for use on two routes, one Kowloon side (blue route) and the other on Hong Kong Island (red route). Two vehicles confirmed so far have received new registrations, NR3807 and NR4579, former New World First Bus Dennis Condors DA16 and DA27 respectively.

14th December 2008

 
Concorde Hobby Shop are to release a resin Kowloon Motor Bus MCW Metrorider towards the end of January 2009. It is believed two versions will be issued, each featuring a different route number/destination.

 
The Club Busrama section of the Porte Publishing Co. website has details of another model release, this time a Hino Sélega  R FD for JR Bus Tohoku (JB2007).
12th December 2008

 
The Hong Kong Model Co. website has details of three versions of a resin China Motor Bus Guy Arab UF in its 'Coming Soon' section. It would appear that the three versions will each feature a different route number, namely 2, 5 and 10. 
10th December 2008

 
The scene at Sheung Shui on Saturday evening
Photograph courtesy and copyright of Dennis Law

A new page featuring the final day of Kowloon Motor Bus Route 70 has tonight been added to the Xtra section of the site. My thanks to all of you who sent me photographs of the various buses operating on Route 70, unfortunately I could not accommodate all of them. My special thanks to Dennis Law for providing the superb photographs on the final day.


 
Photograph courtesy and copyright of Wei Shen

Pictured above is SBS Transit's Scania N113CRB non-aircon (SBS 3635A on Service 6) which has been officially phased out today. It also marks the end of the single-deck non-aircon bus era in Singapore. The last ever trip of such a bus was performed by SBS 3626B on Service 6 on Saturday, 6 December 2008.

For those interested in Singapore buses, take at look at Wei Shen's excellent Fotopic site 'SBS 9199C Bus Gallery'. Further information on these Scania's can be found on this page of the site.


 
Two new links have tonight been added to the site.

The first, a Fotopic site, is entitled '58CLT - Transport Photos by Keith Wood' and it has recorded over 30,000 hits in the year or so it has been on line. Keith tells me that he has only just scratched the surface of his collection. The pictures have been taken over the past 25 years or so from around the UK and abroad (especially Hong Kong) although these are still on Keith's 'to-do' list! 

Click here to access this website

The second is a site entitled 'Transport HK', which also includes information and photographs of buses in Seattle, USA, and can be viewed by clicking on the screen shot of the web page below.

Click here to access this website

9th December 2008

 
The Citybus Enviro500 (80892) has now been released.

 
To mark the end of Kowloon Motor Bus route 70 tomorrow, I am planning a feature in the Xtra section of the site shortly. If you have any interesting information or photographs, relating to route 70, that you would like to share, please e-mail me.
5th December 2008

 
I have received confirmation that the Citybus Enviro 500 (80892) has today been made available to Citybus staff, so I assume its general release is imminent. 

 
Following the news about the Big Bus Company's Hong Kong operations (see below), I have been informed that services have NOT yet commenced, but are expected to in mid-December. It has been confirmed that several ex-New World First Bus Dennis Condors (DA class) have been sold to Big Bus and converted to open-top. They are believed to be undergoing the government's vehicle testing procedures. 

 

 
Dennis Dragon S3N359 at Jordan about to leave on route 70 to Sheung Shui 

Kowloon Motor Bus are to cease the operation of route 70 with effect from Sunday 7th December, the last departure leaving Sheung Shui in the evening of Saturday 6th December. 

I was fortunate to sample this route in its entirety last November, aboard the above bus, the journey taking around 1 hour 45 minutes, and all for under HK$9! The majority of this journey is included in the independent transport videos DVD entitled 'Kowloon Motor Bus - Riding Non-Air Con', issued earlier this year.

4th December 2008

 
Further photographs have tonight been added of the forthcoming Citybus Alexander Dennis Enviro500 (80892). Clarification has also been received over the quantity, which is now confirmed as 1,680 pieces.
 

 
My thanks to Dennis Law for advising that The Big Bus Company has now started operations in Hong Kong, details of which can be found on their website. 
1st December 2008
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