Goings........

Over the past year or so, I have gotten rid of a few buses. I got involved in a charter business a while back, it worked for a little while, but then for various reasons, it folded up. Out of that I gained a pair of 1982 built Leyland Leopards - and in mid 2009 purchased a Scania K92, this bus turned out to be more a milestone than anything else. Power steering pump failures, fuel pick up failures and on top of that getting bogged in the yard and staying there until the ground softened up again. Then yes 2199 which I nearly put on in this business, but it never eventuated.
The decker became too far gone - the body became much worse and after one half decided to get out (after delivering very little) I was talked into letting it go for parts. Today it's engine and gearbox less in the yard.
The Canberra merc shed also started to become a bit of a worry, a couple of the pillars started to bow - plus another bus had come into the picture to replace it, ex m/o 1486 ex m/o 2202, had been withdrawn from Veolia Transport in August 2011, then a fellow preservationist had secured it - supposedly the transmission had blown up on it and he wanted it for the transmission sump on his mk1 shed (that we both use) ex m/o 9778 basically ex m/o 1789 way back when - it was the last mk1 Merc with any route operator in Sydney. I hear you say it should stay as a runner? However it was withdrawn after an accident with a motorbike, alot of the undercarriage has been damaged. It was auctioned off and towed to Oakville, unfortunately when it was being positioned, the transmission sump had a hole ripped into it.
So we have two sheds between us, of course they've become full of items gleaned since 2007

Here are a few shots of the buses

The Leopards 

This was TV 5400 - previously m/o 5260 at Westbus after I had 'dragged it out of the swamp', it was sold to another preservationist based down in the Wagga Wagga / Junee area and was eventually registered on historic plates

After a much overdue wash

And finally after leaving Sydney for Riverina region

Both photos - Matt Crouch

Nevertheless, it's twin ex TV 5402 - previously m/o 5245, it had failed it's HVIS inspection - the brakes were deemed too low, new pads purchased, but then the poor thing developed a problem with it's Clayton valve under the drivers cab - it's a piston that pops up into place when the bus starts and there's a little gasket that fills a gap when air is fully built up.
In typical 'each bus is individual' theme, you'd think it would be the same on both Leopards, no, on old 5400 the was a large checkerplate access hatch, on old 5402, there was one small one, we ended up making a much larger one, to make servicing this valve easier for the next person to do it
Then we started it up and she moved!
I still have this bus and I really want to get rid of it (any reasonable offer accepted ;) ) here's a picture of 5402 a few weekends ago - we started her up to gauge what she might need (brakes looked at really)

The Canberra Merc 

ex 646- ex ZIB 646, BUS 646 later m/o 6409 with Ruttys in Wollongong and ultimately with Premier Illawarra where I purchased it in July 2009, it came across from Terrey Hills to Oakville (so everything 'worked') in March 2010.

"The shed" with 2413 both at Terrey Hills, being prepped to goto Oakville

On it's way to Oakville - the photo taker was right, it was it's last run.....

Mat Barber

The spot where the shed ended up and stayed with ex 5400 beside and beside that, ex MO 0305 from Fearnes - with the mk1(mk2) shed off to the extreme left, from this pic, only ex MO 0305 and the mk1 shed remain where they are


During the parting out

 I'd emptied it out - either into the mk3 mk2 shed - ex m/o 1486/m/o 2202, or whatever was left in there - went with the bus! at this point I was thinking of the Canberra guys with their Canberra Merc #661 got them a few windows and my bus had retained it's original light cluster which they got

After this photo was taken - the rear door was cut off at the hinges and the big rubber bumper taken off in preparation for mechanical parts being removed

The void where engine, transmission and radiator once were

Ever wondered what was inside the hub of an O305 (and O405) ? That oily rod is the axle

My spare engine and transmission - this might head up to my parents place on the north coast (so I know where it is!) 

Other useful parts off this vehicle were....

A spare radiator, spare visco fan, spare diff (slightly higher speed @ 90k instead of 80k) spare steering box, spare adjustable steering column (turns out 3092 has one!) spare rear axle rods - never know....

Just a few more air valves to strip off and she'll be ready for her last skull drag.......

Bye bye Canberra Merc!!!!

Above 3 photos - Edward Parker

2199

I never really had any attachment to this bus - originally, I was going to try and run it on TV plates, but this never happened, when I got it, it had a few niggling issues and thanks to Ed P, these were fixed, it basically has strong mechanicals, the engine and transmission were rebuilt by Premier Illawarra in house. It received a coat of grey paint after it had a graffiti mural down one side - it was used by a local orchestra at the time - so probably that's why it was painted grey.
I had put feelers out and given what I had put into the vehicle, I wanted to get as much as I could of it back as I could, being originally a Newcastle bus, I aimed my feelers to there, it also nearly went to the bus museum as parts, but then someone who had been helping out my landlords with odd jobs around their fleet, made an approach and Ed P sweetened the deal a touch for me as well. It was sold to him and off my hands at least.
Just this month he and Ed P have painted it up in the mkII UTA livery and will have it's debut in Newcastle on the weekend of 16th and 17th November - particularly the 17th where it will join a few other Mercedes Benz O305's (possibly a MAN SL202 as well) on the Newcastle foreshore for the Mercedes Benz Classic Car Club's All German Day.

 Above - 2199 being readied for transfer from Terrey Hills to Oakville with a good clean


Left - 2413 and 2199, washed them both side by side

Below left- 2199 from the rear (compare to it's new look)

Below - interior of 2199

2199 resting at Oakville, with original headlight bezels, I put the more modern black ones on when I thought it had a chance to go onto TV plates










Taken a few weeks ago - 2199 nearly finished, looks great

There are some better photos of it on the new owners Facebook page
And whoops I cut the top off the front pic!

3026

I purchased this bus from the Manheim auction in November of 2012 - originally I was going to goto the auction with the aim of getting a mk4 to cannibalise for 3069 and 3037, however I saw this bus and it was all original on the inside, thought 'I can't let it go to be a motorhome - or worse, scrap!' so..... I bid for it - unfortunately it was the first of five over the block and nerves got the better of me and I bid too high (not too much but still) - I am currently in negotiations to sell it to someone who will preserve it.

And the interior time warp

 

 

The Decker

After hoping I could get this undercover (after being outside for 20 years), without the other party, I felt lumbered with the old girl. It was put to me that to restore it, it was too far gone, so the engine an gearbox were removed and sent to Tasmania to go into a Red Decker Co Atlantean while the 680 engine out of that vehicle was rebuilt (also was able to trade in back rent!). The landlords tried to sell it engineless - but had no luck, so it was towed back from the road and remains there......

So as I finish this post, I have had 11 buses ekkkkk only want to keep 4 really (ex 2202 might hang around while it still has a use)