Even the Transport Minister noticed hehehehe
A shot with some of the George St lights behind
Outside the Queen Victoria Building on George Steet
Down at Circular Quay - 3092 had a set of early plastic destination rolls fitted for the night
Thursday, May 26, 2016
Last night of George Street........
On Friday the 23rd October 2015 the first section of George St was closed to traffic, just before the closure occured, 3092, the Sydney Bus Museum's AEC Regal IV 3197 and a Brisbane QBB bodied Volvo B10M did a few laps of George St and had a Friday night cruise around town
Photo: Andrew Chia LI-Peng
3092 hits the road.....
In the middle of last year I found myself doing something I thought I would never do, I registered a bus on full private registration.......
Why?
With the withdrawal of the Mercedes Benz O405 Mark V's continuing at a pace, some older members of the Newcastle mark 5 fleet had been sent back to Sydney to see further service, the talk had been that the mark 5s in Sydney would all go first, then Newcastle's fleet would go (it had been whittled down to about 30) after. However, Brookvale received the first Volvo B7RLE with Bustech VST bodies for State Transit, then word came that Newcastle was to get the next batch. 3092 was in Newcastle from 1994/5 until 2010, it was transferred from Kingsgrove to Newcastle via a refurbishment at PMC (it was never at Kingsgrove in STA corporate livery), also it was the oldest MarkV in Newcastle.
A running day was organised for the 29th August, billed as a farewell to not only the Mercedes Benz Mark V's but also the Mark II, III and IV's - the "old mercs", thought about a UVP, but seemed alot of effort for one day, also heavily restricted in terms of carrying people, so, I bit the bullet and readied 3092 for full registration, it will be eligible for HCRS registration at the beginning of 2017 (1987 chassis), 18 months of full rego does not feel as bad as say 5 years of it.
The running day involved using both preserved/restored Mercedes Benz's (mainly Mercedes Benz O305's) alongside two O405's that at the time were still in service (as it turned out, they were withdrawn a few weeks later) these buses being 3375 and 3380, while 3377 was on display at the front of Hamilton Bus Depot along with Volvo B12BLE, 1406 and Volvo B7RLE (Bustech VST) 2728.
After nearly 18 months of storage, 3092 starts to get some TLC
3092 acts as wash stand for Hong Kong MCW ML1
Sometimes it takes more than one wash!
What a shiny roof!
Cleaned up, nearly ready for inspection......
Got 3092 registered just in time for the weekend
A few photos from Newcastle
Inside the old workshops building - Hamilton was once much larger than it currently is and the Newcastle fleet had major work carried out in these workshops, however, the building suffered damage in the earthquake of 1989, and like in Sydney, with it's Chullora workshops, the Hamilton workshops were also shut down, but the building reused to stable buses in, half of Hamilton's yard is covered.
3092 in the Hamilton yard
3092 about to get a wash in the Hamilton bus wash
A marker instructing drivers where to stop to allow for fuelling, also seems to be the old workshop shower area too
The Sunday running day went off without incident, plenty of people took advantage of the free service, the buses performed two routes from Newcastle's past, the 427 Port Waratah to Hamilton Depot route and the 406 Newcastle East to Port Waratah....
Down at Port Waratah
Photo: Edison Kueng
Photo: Edison Kueng
Photo: Edison Kueng
3092 with 3380 at Port Waratah, thankfully 3380 has also been preserved
Services ended around 3pm and all the participating buses headed to Port Waratah for line up shots
Photo: Edison Kueng
The old 2728 with the new 2728.......
Why?
With the withdrawal of the Mercedes Benz O405 Mark V's continuing at a pace, some older members of the Newcastle mark 5 fleet had been sent back to Sydney to see further service, the talk had been that the mark 5s in Sydney would all go first, then Newcastle's fleet would go (it had been whittled down to about 30) after. However, Brookvale received the first Volvo B7RLE with Bustech VST bodies for State Transit, then word came that Newcastle was to get the next batch. 3092 was in Newcastle from 1994/5 until 2010, it was transferred from Kingsgrove to Newcastle via a refurbishment at PMC (it was never at Kingsgrove in STA corporate livery), also it was the oldest MarkV in Newcastle.
A running day was organised for the 29th August, billed as a farewell to not only the Mercedes Benz Mark V's but also the Mark II, III and IV's - the "old mercs", thought about a UVP, but seemed alot of effort for one day, also heavily restricted in terms of carrying people, so, I bit the bullet and readied 3092 for full registration, it will be eligible for HCRS registration at the beginning of 2017 (1987 chassis), 18 months of full rego does not feel as bad as say 5 years of it.
The running day involved using both preserved/restored Mercedes Benz's (mainly Mercedes Benz O305's) alongside two O405's that at the time were still in service (as it turned out, they were withdrawn a few weeks later) these buses being 3375 and 3380, while 3377 was on display at the front of Hamilton Bus Depot along with Volvo B12BLE, 1406 and Volvo B7RLE (Bustech VST) 2728.
I spent a fair few weekends getting it ready, cleaning it up (a bit of a big job) and getting new steer tyres for her - I had not done well in the "tyre lotto" sometimes you get a set that are near new or have enough to not worry - I had one near bald and the other with three quarters tread.....
Two new for the steers thanks!
After nearly 18 months of storage, 3092 starts to get some TLC
3092 acts as wash stand for Hong Kong MCW ML1
Sometimes it takes more than one wash!
Cleaned up, nearly ready for inspection......
Got 3092 registered just in time for the weekend
A few photos from Newcastle
3092 about to get a wash in the Hamilton bus wash
The Sunday running day went off without incident, plenty of people took advantage of the free service, the buses performed two routes from Newcastle's past, the 427 Port Waratah to Hamilton Depot route and the 406 Newcastle East to Port Waratah....
Down at Port Waratah
3092 with 3380 at Port Waratah, thankfully 3380 has also been preserved
Services ended around 3pm and all the participating buses headed to Port Waratah for line up shots
The old 2728 with the new 2728.......
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