Monday, October 29, 2007

Getting 2413


When I read the news on the Australian Transport Discussion Board (ATDB) in late July that the remainder of Kingsgrove's mkII's were to be withdrawn, I toyed with the idea of getting one. It had to be an original Kingsgrove allocated mkII and I had always liked the look of the overhauled stock, so it had to be one of those. That ruled out 2361 and it certainly ruled out 2335, 2353 and 2357. I knew 2449 was not that crash hot mechanically and with it's McGarth overhaul from the mid 90's. 2413 would be the better choice.

Since the beginning of the year I had been thinking that I wanted to get myself a mkII, however I never gave serious thought to getting one straight out of STA service. Back in early 2007 I did find three for sale in Rockhampton, what was 2085, 2089 and 2417. Problem one, getting them to Sydney, also they had been converted to single door units. After the email communication seemed to die, I thought I'd wait for one to come up locally in private service. I got a rude shock when I saw the asking price when a large private company was selling a portion of their mkII fleet, $3000 more each than the ones in Rocky. No guarantees of a Kingsgrove original either. Also after asking around about 2417, it seemed as if I were to do what I wanted to do, restore a mkII to it's Chullora overhaul livery status. After seeing photos of 2415, 2419, 2429 and 2433 in the mkV livery, I thought 2417 would of had been treated similar. However after some investigation work by Graeme Knappick, it would seem 2417 missed out and instead received a hybrid repaint in the early 1990's - it was withdrawn after an accident in 1994. A bit of a let down there and wanting to be true to the spirit, I wasn't going to get a bus and take it back to a condition that it had never been in. I could hear the knitpickers criticisms already lol. I guess good fortune that the negotiations seemed to brake down soon after this discovery.
Over a few beers one night in April or May with Andrew Haviland we got talking, way back here he suggested 2413, I thought nahh. It seems when the top indicators were changed, it's past blue had come out. Bingo....
After a few rides around with Riad Chahal on 2413 and 2449, I knew 2449 was rough, not sure even if it had received a Chullora overhaul, but my guess was that since it had the McGarth overhaul, in the mid 90's, it probably did not get a Chullora one.
The McGarth overhaul involved painting the poles yellow, recovering the seats with a blue fabric trim and relaying grey/black floor vinyl, like the Scania's that were coming online at the time. Outside the bus got painted into corporate livery and the front replaced with a three piece flat front (which in my opinion looked ugly) and the rear light set up was replaced with oblong hella designline lights and brake lights added up top.
The blue fabric like that in the Scania's only lasted a couple of years, by the time 2449 was withdrawn I don't think there was any seats in this left in it. All had been replaced along the line with the more traditional tartan covered seats. The paint on the poles was peeling and it did not sound too good.

2413 on the otherhand was mechanically great, and the interior was in good condition, all that had really been done was the ceiling painted white and the grey cab repaint. In otherwords the basic STA treatment over the past 10 or so years. Oh yeah and an interloper seat second from the back on the nearside had crept in. Seemed to be from the later PMC mercs, someone had painted it black it seems, like the poles in 2449, the paint had worn off revealing the stainless steel underneath.

Sunday August 5th 2007, the date of the Kingsgrove tour, I had mentioned to a few people that I was giving serious consideration to the idea of buying 2413. Two people AH and RC in particular. Then on the actual day after riding it on the first leg of the tour I thought "yes, I got to do this" so by the time we had arrived at Taren Point, I decided to get both of their impressions, they both said it was a good one to get and gave me offers. AH went so far as to point out what needed attention, minor in the scheme of things. The tour progressed and after most had left, 2413 was taken out for some final runs around the local area and up to Tempe for dinner. It was remarked how good the interior was and the sound of the engine, smooth gear changes as well. RC was at the wheel and he "put it through it's paces" (yes, yes you did Riad!).

Tuesday afternoon. I make my first call to the company responsible for disposing of STA vehicles. Make it known that I am interested in 2413. Over the next couple of weeks I visit and meet the rep at Tempe, then the paperwork is organised. Money transferred and cleared. I organise a spot for it at a yard in the northern suburbs, a place where other people store their buses, lucky there was a space. Now time to pick her up.

Saturday 25th August 2007.

2413 is started up, taken out of the stack and driven north, both RC and AH commented on her condition, plenty of power and a smooth gearbox. Considering it had lived at Kingsgrove all it's life, it was probably the first time it had crossed the Harbour Bridge only not to come back in the same day. I'd expect it probably went over on charters and possibly the odd "as directed" working with the STA (see the pic of it in 1994 on a Waverley route). However it's new home for now would be on the Northern outskirts of Sydney.

Whilist at Tempe I had the opportunity to purchase the top front and side South West calico destination rolls. Once we got to the yard, AH found the front bottom one and had them in within half an hour! The top side one was installed a week or so later. (the cover's still off as well lol) Although they require some greasing..


2413 on the Warringah Freeway during the transfer trip to it's new home, Dean Jones

2413 and Dean Jones' ex m/o 7945 Premier Illawarra/John J Hill ex m/o2086 STA Waverley, 2086 had been there about a year with 2360, now 2413 has joined it. Dean Jones
Posted by at

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)