The model
- APEC released two further versions of this casting was issued on 18th November
2019 featuring AMN23 on route 60M to Tsuen Wan Station (63003) and this version. Being unlicensed
products they carry no
fleetnames or logos, however, these are included for the purchaser to apply.
The bus
- Fleet No. AMN29 (JV2347) is one of the 30 Berkhof bodied MAN 24.310 double
deckers bought by KMB during early 2000. Most of them were allocated as
scheduled buses on routes 60X (Jordan Road Ferry to Tuen Mun Town Centre)
and 260X (Po Tin to Kowloon MTR Station), with AMN28(JV2129) being an exceptional
case, as it has been allocated as a scheduled bus on route 67M (Siu Hong
Court to Kwai Fong MTR Station).
These buses were initially ordered by Citybus,
as a part of their proposed fleet expansion programme in the late 1990s.
However, around September 1999, Hong Kong's Transport Department imposed
a fleet quota on all franchised bus operators in Hong Kong, which seriously
affected Citybus's fleet expansion proposal. Therefore, Citybus was forced
to cancel the order for these new double deckers (together with at least
two Volgren bodied MAN 24.310 double deckers), when in fact Berkhof has
already built 32 of them! Meanwhile, Citybus has also gave up two 'optional
orders' for 20 Duple Metsec bodied Dennis Tridents and 20 Volvo B6LEs at
the same time.
As a result, MAN's dealer in Hong Kong had
to find a new buyer for these newly built buses. After a number of negotiations,
KMB decided to buy 30 of them. Of the two remaining buses, one went to
Kwoon Chung Motors, (registered as JN4886 in 2000, but was not put into
service until September 2001!) whilst the other was kept by Berkhof as
a demonstrator.
Interestingly, some of these buses still
had CTB's livery and interior specifications when they were bought by KMB.
KMB therefore had to make a number of modifications (including the addition
of headrests on almost all of the seats, a replacement of the seat cover,
and of course a repaint!) before they were put into service from 25th April
2000 onwards.
(This information has kindly been provided
by Dennis Law).
|