Down Memory Lane
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Singapore public transport has changed and progressed rapidly since its early days, from bus conductors to One-Man-Operated(OMO) ticket dispensing machines, farecard validators to the current EZ-Link cards. Bus technologies also changed rapidly to the current modern and comfortable public transport.
I'd like to find out what people missed about the good old days; be it interesting, pleasant or unpleasant memories...
Anything about Singapore's previous public transport can be discussed:
- services
- buses, bus-stops..
- etc...
cheers, and enjoy!
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any pics of the old buses?
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sometimes the air-con can be quite cold, miss the natural breeze at night when travelling in buses with no air con...
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What I missed....
- The old non-A/C Sentosa private buses during the 80s..
Back then, there was no road link to Sentosa; only by ferries or cable car. I missed those Sentosa buses with route no. 1,2, etc..(those buses were prob ex-SBS buses)??
They were of manual gear, and some exit doors at the rear were sealed up to install additional seats. The yellowish handstraps really attracted me too!
- CSS727 using one-door minibus with manual gear; from AMK to Airport during the early 80s... and I remembered CSS introduced svc737,747,757 to and from Airport is it??
- Buses with a ticket conductor in the early 80s...and they would come to u, punch a hole in your ticket...and they even provide change!! I was attracted to the double-sided stainless steel ticket holder that holds many different colours of tickets together using a special rubber band in the middle of the ticket holder and also the ticket puncher(resembles a plier).
- I even remembered taking SBS svc64 in the early 80s,,,and the driver drives into the fuel station midway to top-up the fuel!!!
- And the coin boxes on OMO buses in the early 80s...The top of the coin-box is made of transparent plastic. You drop the coins into the box with a cringing sound, as the coins land on the stainless steel horizontal surface of the coin box. Then the driver activates the lever; the stainless steel surface depress and the coins drop into the box! I've seen a couple of such coin-boxes on Scheme B buses...
- I remembered the early ticket machine since its introduction on svc 130...The ticket paper was white, thicker than the current ones, with a longitudinal rectangle shape..and when the ticket is dispensed, it is "protruded/cantilevered out" from the machine??....but this type of machine only serviced for a short period of time b4 being replaced by the normal one that was used till the late 90s.. -
Visit the following website...Originally posted by kopiosatu:any pics of the old buses?
http://www33.brinkster.com/busbuzz/bus_story.htm
There are a number of pictures of old buses...enjoy!
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ooooh the old coin boxes, then they had a metal arm... then when the coins fell through the arm would move too...
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I remember the B57s and Of1417s of the old days. Not to mention the Leyland Atlanteans. When I was a kid I used to enjoy taking Sv. 143 a lot, wonder if it was because of the 2-axle LOs or because it had new Superbuses at the time. Still remember the last stop along Teban Gardens Rd, the driver will chase pax down.
The memories.. -
Originally posted by SBS3688Y:
The private Sentosa buses were ex-SBS Merc LP1113s, based on a truck chassis, that is why they had the door in the middle. Sv. 170 buses used to do that, refuel at SBS Woodlands Depot (Turf Club/Kranji MRT), pity it has now been demolished.
[b]What I missed....
- The old non-A/C Sentosa private buses during the 80s..
Back then, there was no road link to Sentosa; only by ferries or cable car. I missed those Sentosa buses with route no. 1,2, etc..(those buses were prob ex-SBS buses)??
They were of manual gear, and some exit doors at the rear were sealed up to install additional seats. The yellowish handstraps really attracted me too!
- CSS727 using one-door minibus with manual gear; from AMK to Airport during the early 80s... and I remembered CSS introduced svc737,747,757 to and from Airport is it??
- Buses with a ticket conductor in the early 80s...and they would come to u, punch a hole in your ticket...and they even provide change!! I was attracted to the double-sided stainless steel ticket holder that holds many different colours of tickets together using a special rubber band in the middle of the ticket holder and also the ticket puncher(resembles a plier).
- I even remembered taking SBS svc64 in the early 80s,,,and the driver drives into the fuel station midway to top-up the fuel!!!
- And the coin boxes on OMO buses in the early 80s...The top of the coin-box is made of transparent plastic. You drop the coins into the box with a cringing sound, as the coins land on the stainless steel horizontal surface of the coin box. Then the driver activates the lever; the stainless steel surface depress and the coins drop into the box! I've seen a couple of such coin-boxes on Scheme B buses...
- I remembered the early ticket machine since its introduction on svc 130...The ticket paper was white, thicker than the current ones, with a longitudinal rectangle shape..and when the ticket is dispensed, it is "protruded/cantilevered out" from the machine??....but this type of machine only serviced for a short period of time b4 being replaced by the normal one that was used till the late 90s..
[/b] -
Not limited to just 170, but many buses that passed by the ex Somapah Bus Terminal (eg, SV 12) also stopped by Somapah to refuel.
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CLASSIC!!!
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i used to look out for volvo buses... where they would wrap the engine area with brown leather... and it was automatic then...
but TIBS had better buses than SBS then... -
I think those buses with "engine area wrapped in brown leather" were the Mercedes Benz OF1417 and not the Volvos. The Volvo B57 had metal engine covers.Originally posted by kopiosatu:i used to look out for volvo buses... where they would wrap the engine area with brown leather... and it was automatic then...
but TIBS had better buses than SBS then... -
If i not wrong, quiet a few of the Mercedes Benz OF 1417 were deployed on SV 130.Originally posted by Yusry:I think those buses with "engine area wrapped in brown leather" were the Mercedes Benz OF1417 and not the Volvos. The Volvo B57 had metal engine covers. -
was it mercedes?Originally posted by Yusry:I think those buses with "engine area wrapped in brown leather" were the Mercedes Benz OF1417 and not the Volvos. The Volvo B57 had metal engine covers.
hmmmmmmmm didn't have mercedes sign that time leh... more i remember its volvo.
automatic transimission? -
Yes, the Volvo B57 were SBS's first single-deck buses with Automatic Transmission, but the engine cover was completely metal about 1 m tall from the main platform.Originally posted by kopiosatu:was it mercedes?
hmmmmmmmm didn't have mercedes sign that time leh... more i remember its volvo.
automatic transimission?
The Mercedes Benz'es were the ones that had leather clad engine covers, but were manual transmission.
The Volvo B57 and some of the Mercedes Benz OF1417 shared the same body (New Zealand Motor Bodies), so you may have mixed them up. -
Oh yes, Somapah Bus Terminal had a refuelling point for whatever wierd reason. Anyone who is interested to know where it is can just visit Expo.Originally posted by Yusry:Not limited to just 170, but many buses that passed by the ex Somapah Bus Terminal (eg, SV 12) also stopped by Somapah to refuel. -
Perhaps a few B57s could have been refitted with the vinyl covering?Originally posted by Yusry:Yes, the Volvo B57 were SBS's first single-deck buses with Automatic Transmission, but the engine cover was completely metal about 1 m tall from the main platform.
The Mercedes Benz'es were the ones that had leather clad engine covers, but were manual transmission.
The Volvo B57 and some of the Mercedes Benz OF1417 shared the same body (New Zealand Motor Bodies), so you may have mixed them up. -
I've not seen/noticed these described Sentosa buses in the past..Originally posted by SBS9818A:The private Sentosa buses were ex-SBS Merc LP1113s, based on a truck chassis, that is why they had the door in the middle.
But I remembered those buses with exit door at the back(just infront of the rear bench seats), but were sealed up to accomodate another pair of seats. A couple of passengers can seat next to the driver, as there's a seat located just infront of the front door! The bus looks slightly shorter than the current regular sized SBS buses.
And I remembered these buses(eg svc262) also used to serve SBS in the early 80s b4 some of them end up as Sentosa buses.
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i only have some blurred memories of the old SBS bus...super lousy and noisy...no air con
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Supplementary Private Buses on SBS svc136
Back then, during the 80s and 90s...private buses used to join some SBS bus svc during peak hours. Such svc included SBS24,61,136...
Quite a different and unique experience travelling on different types of private buses serving SBS route136. I was a sec. student back then and only paid 20cents per trip (concession card is not accepted on private buses).
Those who long for such experiences can still hop onto the Scheme B buses along Shenton Way during evening peak hours. It ranges from the typical non A/C private buses to luxurious tour coaches!! -
Since there is a seat in front of the door it definitely has to be a Merc LP1113. The door was towards the center, right?Originally posted by SBS3688Y:I've not seen/noticed these described Sentosa buses in the past..
But I remembered those buses with exit door at the back(just infront of the rear bench seats), but were sealed up to accomodate another pair of seats. A couple of passengers can seat next to the driver, as there's a seat located just infront of the front door! The bus looks slightly shorter than the current regular sized SBS buses.
And I remembered these buses(eg svc262) also used to serve SBS in the early 80s b4 some of them end up as Sentosa buses. -
Originally posted by SBS3688Y:
Yes, SBS could not cope with passenger load during peak hours back in the 80's. I remember some of these private buses running on SBS routes.
[b]Supplementary Private Buses on SBS svc136
Back then, during the 80s and 90s...private buses used to join some SBS bus svc during peak hours. Such svc included SBS24,61,136...
Quite a different and unique experience travelling on different types of private buses serving SBS route136. I was a sec. student back then and only paid 20cents per trip (concession card is not accepted on private buses).
Those who long for such experiences can still hop onto the Scheme B buses along Shenton Way during evening peak hours. It ranges from the typical non A/C private buses to luxurious tour coaches!![/b] -
Right! There is one window frame at the front of the bus, followed by the entrance door. And the rear roor is located at the rear; in front of the rear bench seats.Originally posted by SBS9818A:Since there is a seat in front of the door it definitely has to be a Merc LP1113. The door was towards the center, right? -
I missed the old and small Serangoon bus terminal, which used to occupy the current car-park next to the bus-stop at Serangoon Gdn Circus.
The buses(eg svc101) used to park reversed the parking lots; while passing buses such as svc136 called at the current bus-stop, which's infront of the old bus terminal....
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Perhaps, perhaps, perhaps.Originally posted by SBS9818A:Perhaps a few B57s could have been refitted with the vinyl covering? It's beginning to sound like a song.