The model
- Robin Bennett kindly made me aware of this model on 22nd
December 2024 along with a pearlescent green example of sister
vehicle AP131 (BMCU104). At the time I was unsure of its release date,
but following an appeal for further information, I was contacted by
TY who confirmed not only the release dates of these two models
but also provided details of two other previously unrecorded
Centroliners, namely BMCU59M featuring AP108 and BMCU60X featuring AP132. My thanks to MSD Bus for allowing me to share their photographs.
* - model is an unlicensed release and carries no fleetnames or logos
The bus
- Kowloon
Motor Bus placed an initial order for 20 Neoplan N4026 Centroliners
and the first arrived in Hong Kong in September 1998. This bus was
allocated
Fleet No. AP1 and registered HY 1677. The Centroliner is a
12-metre
low-floor double-decker and like the Dennis Tridents, is powered by a
Cummins
M11-305E engine.
After a series
of trials, the Centroliners
entered service on 1 August 1999. The first route that these buses were
allocated was 296C, which runs between Sheung Tak in Tseung Kwan O and
Tonkin Street in Sham Shui Po. By mid 2003, over 160 such vehicles were
in the fleet. AP72 was first registered on 1st November 2000.
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