Buses, trams, and shit

Simes · Token Bus Nut Joined: 12 Jun 2007 Posts: 84

Now this is my really old girl - mkI merc, was 1930 another Kingsgrove one, except it was sold to Fearnes of Wagga Wagga back in '90 or 91 - went and picked her up on the APEC weekend, these guys are a credit to the industry, they've been running buses since 1916, although it seems this is about to end Sad

They were great to deal with, they gave us spare parts for various Leyland chassis and for me, they topped up the coolant and the tank was full! (basically these have 200 litre tanks, what with the price of diesel...). This girl was the "spare spare" bus, in damn fine nick though.

The mark ones were a missing link between the leyland leopard body design and the VoV inspired mercedes benz body design of the mark twos and threes. Although I don't think it was intended that way, but alot of features in the mkI's carried over from the leopards, while others were started with the mkI's and carried on through to the II's

Down at Wagga Wagga when a mate checked it out for me

Got a spare weekend? Let's go get some buses....

Eventually I'm going to reinstall the side and rear desto displays and paint er up in this livery

Simes · Token Bus Nut Joined: 12 Jun 2007 Posts: 84

biqua · Diamond Bollocks Joined: 12 Jun 2007 Posts: 575

Simes · Token Bus Nut Joined: 12 Jun 2007 Posts: 84

Totally different look over here, at least in Sydney anyway
there's ya public transport commission mkI leopard all PMC bodied
http://pics-by-leopard1543.fotopic.net/p30273627.html
and ya PTC mkII leopard PMC and Smithfield bodied to the same design
http://pics-by-leopard1543.fotopic.net/p45016601.html

check out that page, he has alot of old Sydney pics
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Roller · Joined: 06 Dec 2008 Posts: 10

It's great to see the shared interest in the Sydney Merc's!!

My personal fetish was for the old Leopard's - I recall in 1993, Citybus on the Gold Coast operated a handful of those old Sydney girls ona routes between Southport and Broadbeach. They had an exhaust note that would put a horn on a jellyfish, and went very well for their age.

Being a good bus gunzel, I took a trip on one over this said route, and I'm sure the driver was doing everything he could to kill it. Held the accelerator flat to the boards through all gear changes, and slammed the gears straight through. When I used to drive similar beasts, I used to drive them like a crash box - and wait for the revs to die down a bit between gears. Not so in this case!!

In 2006 I bought MKIII Merc 2629, which I had viewed in a previous visit to Sydney. I paid about $6,500 for her. Drove her home ot Brisbane at 78km/h flat bikkies via the New England. Made it to Scone on the first afternoon - (had previously been awake all night before flying to Sydney). Next day made it to Toowoomba, an then home to Brisbane.

I was impressed with the little Merc. She had a small leak in the fuel tank where the straps held the tank in, and apart from that she was faultless. Only dropped down one gear up the Moonbi's. I found that the console for the coin tray was the right dimensions for iced coffee carton and smokes - well, it was only on trade plates and wasn't carrying anyone!! Shit-eating grin

Over the next three months, to get her registered in QLD, we had to go through quite a lot of bullshit, which we did reasonably well if I say so myself. We had to pull all the panels off to inspect the frame for rust. The frame was still like brand new underneath!!

After that, we had to put "roll-tops" on the seat bars, and a few other odds and ends, and we were on the road.

I leased it out with Red & White coaches of Sandgate, Brisbane, where it saw use on school runs, as well as the odd charter, and some rail replacement work. It was a favorite amongst drivers there too.

Sadly, due to some less desirable business outcomes in 2007, I had to sell her. Sisil's Buslines of Wynnum, Brisbane bought it, and painted it blood red, and still use her. Mainky on party bus type work.

When I bought it, I made sure we retained all its "Sydney" type features, because when it was planned that when she would be finished in service here, I would have liked to have seen her go to a museum or club, and go back into a "Sydney" livery. We kept the desto roll and equipment, and didn't alter anything inside or remove the centre door.

Anyway, here are a few photo's of the adventure....

Roller · Joined: 06 Dec 2008 Posts: 10

Roller · Joined: 06 Dec 2008 Posts: 10

And here is what the finished product looked like....

ninthnotch · Site Admin Joined: 12 Jun 2007 Posts: 2340

They used to have those buses when I were a rebellious little teenager in Victoria on Ventura buses: in winter the back seat was very desirable a/c of the warmness that would be present from the engine.
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Roller · Joined: 06 Dec 2008 Posts: 10

Ah yes. That brings back some good memories! Around the same era, Toowoomba operators bought up a lot of ex Adelaide MkI AEC Swifts, with the rear mount 690 AEC. Same deal.... in winter, always go the back seat..... and that sheila that went o the all-girls school up the road too, preferably Devil

Roller · Joined: 06 Dec 2008 Posts: 10

Roller · Joined: 06 Dec 2008 Posts: 10

Oh, and by the way - if its missing one of those front wheel "hub caps", I have one left over from my VAM I used to have. Cunts of things though - hard to keep them on the wheels.....

ninthnotch · Site Admin Joined: 12 Jun 2007 Posts: 2340

I'll have to get onto my dad's pooter to get the full set of them; it could be driven some years ago, but time (and access) has prevented any further work. I have the allocation document and the rego number now (MZS381) and now know it is in fact owned by VicTrack and allocated.
_________________
Get a fucken move-on
Have some fucken sense
Learn the fucken art of
Self-de-fucken-fence

biqua · Diamond Bollocks Joined: 12 Jun 2007 Posts: 575

I'm sorry, but if you want sexy old Bedford, you can't go past these little beauties:

http://www.omnibussociety.wellington.net.nz/fleet/3583.html

The one you showed above is similar, but completely different at the same time to a slightly later model operated by the NZRRS (New Zealand Rail & Road Services).
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Little one, we love you though we never met you. Rest peacefully.

Simes · Token Bus Nut Joined: 12 Jun 2007 Posts: 84

Comeng301M · Posted: Sun Dec 07, 2008 4:51 pm Post subject: