SBST ordered new buses to replace Mark twos
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Being the Australian bus spotter who provided the information, I can confirm that it is indeed 7204, and cross checking with my list of VINs for Olympians (reasons why I am a firm believer in checking VINs). ^tamago^, much appreciated for keeping my name off the quote until I chimed inOriginally posted by IsIsTRD:It is 7204. former SBST VO2x ,rego 7251 was the 2nd bus exprted to UK.
Also, because they were sold in around August 2000, it would definitely be SBS and not SBST who sold the units. -
A few things...Originally posted by supremebull:What type of air conditioning system do they use? for the VOs to have 2 axles only and be Air conditioned means the air con system used in the UK is different from those used in Singapore? Perhaps something with less 'cooling power' due to climate differences?
The deckers are usually of 2 axles due to how narrow the streets are in London. Hence they have 11m Darts and 10m Tridents and B7TLs. Also, because there is no airconditioning, but all buses have heaters. Heaters are located on one side along the bottom railings under the widnows. Tjhe Airbus vehicles had airconditioning, and had no rear widnow, and the lower deck saloon is considerably shorter than a standard 2 axle Olympian. However, the air-conditioning unit is smaller, and it is a Carrier unit. The unit is small and compact. -
Citaro can be offered with 280 BHP 6.37 litre engine, besides the 12 litre.
I suspect these new generation in-line 6 cylinder engines are similar to the 7 litre types now used in Malaysia by Handal Indah. Quite potent units i find the those in Malaysia despite their small cc !
I'm surprised you find the build & finishing quality of the Citaro bad ?
Did you ascertain if the Citaro you sampled used full original M-B bodywork, not just the front & rear sections, with the middle portion of the body coming from unknown (dubious ?) sources ?? Some O 405 in Hong Kong are like that.
In what way ? Too much squeaking, cracking & rattling noises ?? Inferior paintwork/fittings etc. ? If it appeared so, did you (in your observation) isolate the sources of such noises, meaning ascertain that such noises were definitely coming from the bodywork itself ? I've observed that quite often locally (non-original offered) fittings added on later tend to cause much if not all of any such noises. If still not the case, then i'll put it to lack of regular maintenence in tightening up loose ends, which with even the best bodywork around still ultimately does require such maintenence, which appears often neglected !
Of course there's some 'species' of bodywork like those from Walter Alexander & Duple Metsec, even Volgren that it's very much a hopeless case whereby inherent in their design such rattling, cracking & squeaking noises are there from brand-new day 1 !! Not much can be further done to tighten any loose ends to 'silence' these !! Their standard is 'like that' only !
The integrally constructed original bodied buses & coaches like M-B, Setra etc. does NOT tend to come with such noises & i find these definitely a class above any other. But like any good car, they still need some tightening up now & then, especially in a commercial vehicle where milleage goes to the millons of km in just a few years.
quote]Originally posted by Windy_hates_B10TLs:
Yusry and Suhirman,
Yes, they have a 6.33L engine. hseochin can also confirm this, I'm sure, since he is also pretty specced up on the buses. It is the equivalent of putting the 1.2L engine from a Lancer into a Tank! I personally find the build and finish of the Citaros pretty bad...a Custom Coaches CB60 body would be much more suitable, with the lower plastic content. The suspension is a little harsh, compared to the O.405, but the B12BLE is a vast improvement on previous Volvo air suspension. Even the Hino RM197K has a tiny 6.8L engine. The RM230 has a larger engine which sounds like it means business. the CM has a 13 litre naturally aspirated engine.
The Citaro's width is some 5mm wider than the standard citybus. The O.303s with the Mannheim bodies are very nice, and being a firm believe in the V8 engines they produce, I am disappointed at the lack of V8 option in the Australian market for the O.500RF coach chassis. I am even more disappointed at the lack of hub reduction, although the hypoid rear axle will make a similar (though quieter) whirring noise.[/quote] -
Mk III's will be the norm. AC Scanias will stick with bndep. Striders will be perm on svcs like 272, 274, 275 & 282 instead. The rest will most likely get Mk III's.Originally posted by iveco:Will 285 get perm Striders from now on or will SBST move the AC Scanias to BBDEP to cover for the Mk IIs?
For slbp, i believe O.405's and LO3x's will replace those Mk II's. -
Originally posted by Windy_hates_B10TLs:Being the Australian bus spotter who provided the information, I can confirm that it is indeed 7204, and cross checking with my list of VINs for Olympians (reasons why I am a firm believer in checking VINs). ^tamago^, much appreciated for keeping my name off the quote until I chimed in Also, because they were sold in around August 2000, it would definitely be SBS and not SBST who sold the units.
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Originally posted by hseochin:
I can confirm without any need to check that the body is Citaro. It comes complete with the Citaro badges on the ends, and the interior and seats are from the citaro. It is also the same as the interior of the fuel-cell citaros, which ARE an integral body and chassis. All of these demonstrators have the same body, seating arrangements and upholstery. The windows are by Daimler Chrysler AG. Like the fuel cell buses, these buses were assembled in Germany (Mannheim, I think) and imported (making full use of the exchange rate between the euro and GBP). I think the declining quality of these bodies comes with the constant rain, the use of salt on the roads for melting snow, and the bad roads, as well as the usage of aluminium body frames.
[b]Citaro can be offered with 280 BHP 6.37 litre engine, besides the 12 litre.
I suspect these new generation in-line 6 cylinder engines are similar to the 7 litre types now used in Malaysia by Handal Indah. Quite potent units i find the those in Malaysia despite their small cc !
I'm surprised you find the build & finishing quality of the Citaro bad ?
Did you ascertain if the Citaro you sampled used full original M-B bodywork, not just the front & rear sections, with the middle portion of the body coming from unknown (dubious ?) sources ?? Some O 405 in Hong Kong are like that.
In what way ? Too much squeaking, cracking & rattling noises ?? Inferior paintwork/fittings etc. ? If it appeared so, did you (in your observation) isolate the sources of such noises, meaning ascertain that such noises were definitely coming from the bodywork itself ? I've observed that quite often locally (non-original offered) fittings added on later tend to cause much if not all of any such noises. If still not the case, then i'll put it to lack of regular maintenence in tightening up loose ends, which with even the best bodywork around still ultimately does require such maintenence, which appears often neglected !
Of course there's some 'species' of bodywork like those from Walter Alexander & Duple Metsec, even Volgren that it's very much a hopeless case whereby inherent in their design such rattling, cracking & squeaking noises are there from brand-new day 1 !! Not much can be further done to tighten any loose ends to 'silence' these !! Their standard is 'like that' only !
The integrally constructed original bodied buses & coaches like M-B, Setra etc. does NOT tend to come with such noises & i find these definitely a class above any other. But like any good car, they still need some tightening up now & then, especially in a commercial vehicle where milleage goes to the millons of km in just a few years. -
There are some NAC Mk IIs on JIS routes. If the Mercs take over them, this would mean such services will become aircon ones.Originally posted by ^tamago^:For slbp, i believe O.405's and LO3x's will replace those Mk II's. -
Well itz obvious that it is just a matter of time that JIS will be PAC or FAC. It is hot and stuffy in the JIE area on a sunny day...worst is when the bus is crowded.Originally posted by iveco:There are some NAC Mk IIs on JIS routes. If the Mercs take over them, this would mean such services will become aircon ones. -
u must noe tat there are alrd CAC Mk II's running on JIS routes.Originally posted by iveco:There are some NAC Mk IIs on JIS routes. If the Mercs take over them, this would mean such services will become aircon ones.
in the long-term, LO3x's will take over and it is really a matter of time before JIS svcs and the whole of SBST gets air-con. alrd, the fares of JIS are pegged to air-con trunk fares up to the fourth band.
"If the Mercs take over them, this would mean such services will become aircon ones.": don't doubt tat JIS svcs will never get air-con. -
Really? Which JIS route is PAC? How long have those CAC Mk IIs been running on these routes?Originally posted by ^tamago^:u must noe tat there are alrd CAC Mk II's running on JIS routes. -
i saw 2 CAC Mk II's on 182 on my trip to BNL on 9815H on svc 157.Originally posted by iveco:Really? Which JIS route is PAC? How long have those CAC Mk IIs been running on these routes?
surprise! shld be cameo. -
Service 182 is not a JIS. JIS are 246, 249, 251, 252, 254, 255 and 257. Although services 78, 79, 98, 182, 192 and 193 ply Jurong Industrial Estate, they are not JIS.Originally posted by ^tamago^:i saw 2 CAC Mk II's on 182 on my trip to BNL on 9815H on svc 157.
surprise! shld be cameo.
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the fares of JIS are pegged to the NON-aircon trunk fares, since JIS services are NAC.Originally posted by ^tamago^:in the long-term, LO3x's will take over and it is really a matter of time before JIS svcs and the whole of SBST gets air-con. alrd, the fares of JIS are pegged to air-con trunk fares up to the fourth band. -
But for JIS, after the 13th fare stage, a flat fare ($0.98 ezlink, $1.10 cash) is charged.Originally posted by service_238:the fares of JIS are pegged to the NON-aircon trunk fares, since JIS services are NAC. -
Hmmm....what has happened to 79's sole NAC DM Mk2? I've not seen it since my ITP days last year. Seems the whole 79 fleet has become 0405s.
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I have not seen MK2s on service 79 for sometime. The fleet now has more Merc O405s.Originally posted by Halide:Hmmm....what has happened to 79's sole NAC DM Mk2? I've not seen it since my ITP days last year. Seems the whole 79 fleet has become 0405s. -
But tot LO3x will retired earlier than VO2x? Unless SBST decide to retire those VO2x first...Originally posted by ^tamago^:in the long-term, LO3x's will take over and it is really a matter of time before JIS svcs and the whole of SBST gets air-con. alrd, the fares of JIS are pegged to air-con trunk fares up to the fourth band. -
I thought VO2X younger than LO3X?Originally posted by lemon1974:But tot LO3x will retired earlier than VO2x? Unless SBST decide to retire those VO2x first...
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How many VO2X rite now? and how many buses serving JIS?
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Around 100 VO2X, only about 20 are doing 74 93 154 179. The others are all in SLBP doing JIS and 192 193.Originally posted by SBS9828X:How many VO2X rite now? and how many buses serving JIS? -
Eh? i thought only 98 VO2X because the other 2 were been sold.Originally posted by leeJZ:Around 100 VO2X, only about 20 are doing 74 93 154 179. The others are all in SLBP doing JIS and 192 193. -
Do you understand the meaning of "about 100" ? It is just a rough estimation!Originally posted by Volvo Olympian:Eh? i thought only 98 VO2X because the other 2 were been sold. -
Yes.. it is younger than LO3x.. That why i am asking how can LO3x replace those VO2x at the JIS, unless those non aircon VO2x are retired by SBST earlier..Originally posted by SBS3624G:I thought VO2X younger than LO3X? -
tis one is heard from SBST one. cannot confirm with u the source cos i dunno who passed tis info down.Originally posted by lemon1974:Yes.. it is younger than LO3x.. That why i am asking how can LO3x replace those VO2x at the JIS, unless those non aircon VO2x are retired by SBST earlier..
if VO2x move out of JIS, i have the feeling they may end up in currently NAC services like 91, 125, 186, 191 etc. even if the load does not justify, from former practices, SBST can do this. -
this is like what happened to Townlink 291.. they used to have Vo2x.. but later, it was replaced by LO3x.. Well.. actually.. VO2x and Lo3x.. nothing much different.. they are just 1 or 2 yrs apart only...Originally posted by lemon1974:Yes.. it is younger than LO3x.. That why i am asking how can LO3x replace those VO2x at the JIS, unless those non aircon VO2x are retired by SBST earlier..