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(mainly Mercedes Benz O305's) alongside two O405's that at the time were still in service (as it turned out, they were withdrawn a few weeks later) these buses being 3375 and 3380, while 3377 was on display at the front of Hamilton Bus Depot along with Volvo B12BLE, 1406 and Volvo B7RLE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.......
Tuesday, August 18, 2015
Progress with 2413
Lately I have been focussing on two areas - removing the trim around panels that need to be replaced (but not removing the panels yet) and storing those pieces and removing 'excess' lights or the ones not needed for the quick dart around the front of the storage yard
i.e the rego plate light and the upper indicators as well as the clearance lights - all probably went on when she had her McGrath repaint/refurbishment. Also taken to removing the cabling for the electric mirror (switch to go soon as well)
Pictures tell a thousand words
On the outside......
Notice all that "Mandarin Blue" under the school and the outline of the older style Hella 2134 style lights - 2413 being fitted out with a full complement of Hella 2136 style indicators (think of the type used for school lights commonly in NSW for a number of years)
She still has the retrofitted Hella light cluster lower down which is basically made up of the same types of lights as the school lights, except with two sets of red and a set of clear lenses for those other functions (brake, reverse, tail lights)
I was hoping to find a little bit of "Basilica Blue" under the front marker lights, having uncovered all these lights it makes me think that the lights that were to be kept were just masked up and painted around - the teardrop looking side marker lights (which I will reinstate) must have been looped off during preparation and the small clear marker lights added after paint.
For some reason during this time a fair few of the repainted buses lost their rear marker lights - this was not really addressed until the mid 2000's when they were all feverously refitted!
Inside
The 'safety pack' mirrors have been removed as well as anything else post 1990
I had not idea these mirrors went in so early
The blue is the original cab blue - looks like when the cab went grey, the Metagal type mirrors going in before the cab went grey.......
Needless to say, the cab has had a light sanding, more or less ready for painting.....
i.e the rego plate light and the upper indicators as well as the clearance lights - all probably went on when she had her McGrath repaint/refurbishment. Also taken to removing the cabling for the electric mirror (switch to go soon as well)
Pictures tell a thousand words
On the outside......
Notice all that "Mandarin Blue" under the school and the outline of the older style Hella 2134 style lights - 2413 being fitted out with a full complement of Hella 2136 style indicators (think of the type used for school lights commonly in NSW for a number of years)
She still has the retrofitted Hella light cluster lower down which is basically made up of the same types of lights as the school lights, except with two sets of red and a set of clear lenses for those other functions (brake, reverse, tail lights)
I was hoping to find a little bit of "Basilica Blue" under the front marker lights, having uncovered all these lights it makes me think that the lights that were to be kept were just masked up and painted around - the teardrop looking side marker lights (which I will reinstate) must have been looped off during preparation and the small clear marker lights added after paint.
For some reason during this time a fair few of the repainted buses lost their rear marker lights - this was not really addressed until the mid 2000's when they were all feverously refitted!
Inside
The 'safety pack' mirrors have been removed as well as anything else post 1990
I had not idea these mirrors went in so early
The blue is the original cab blue - looks like when the cab went grey, the Metagal type mirrors going in before the cab went grey.......
Needless to say, the cab has had a light sanding, more or less ready for painting.....
Things you find......
I tend to pop into the Sydney Bus Museum, Leichhardt from time to time and they have an excellent and wide ranging archive. One of the guys in there happened upon the collection of delivery dockets from Mercedes Benz, I managed to see for my own eyes 3069's 'birth certificate'
Here it is!
I'm hoping I am able to find this document for 1930, 2413 and 3092
Here it is!
I'm hoping I am able to find this document for 1930, 2413 and 3092
Wednesday, June 10, 2015
In case I thought I was the only one out there (mad enough to be) doing this.....
I just wanted to take the opportunity to plug and thank other guys out there doing a similar thing, they probably think I'm mad since they usually have the one bus, where as me, I have four sources of trouble whereas they have just the one.....
All things pre war
One guy who has been plugging away at it for a while has been the owner of 2716, a Willoughby based mkIII Merc O305 - however other life circumstances have meant that he's had to sell his beast, hopefully one day he finds himself in the position to have his own again someday.
Here's a link to his blog
Mercedes Benz 2716
Mercedes Benz 2716
Another owned Merc 2843, I was lucky enough to ride this bus on the HCVA Mercedes Rally of 2012 and I really hoped it would work out, however it seems in this case it was a mix of problems with the bus and problems with where he stored the bus, nevertheless he and the bus parted ways, but it's still out there
Then of course there is the owner of 2199 who also has Mercedes Benz 2817
And of course the owner of 3037!
All things pre war
Some other older bus blogs - indeed the one for 1379 inspired me to start this one!
The red and cream decker - Leyland TD4 1579
The red and cream decker - Leyland TD4 1579
And one for Albion 1615 which it would seem is in a hiatus
Enjoy!!!
Sunday, May 31, 2015
3069 gets her levels sorted out
For a while 3069 had problems staying level - for a while it was thought that an air bag had failed. I thought one Sunday I want to get her out, sort this and the idea was to give her a wash and take her for a short run
Thinking it was a failed air bag, when I scrapped the Canberra Merc, I saved an air bag
Turns out it was not a failed air bag
The levelling valve had popped off
No need for the air bag then......
It was these pictures from a couple of years ago that made me think 'hang on' since on the day we started her up - she was leaning in the opposite position with the nearside rear being down rather than up
After fixing the levelling valve
Thinking it was a failed air bag, when I scrapped the Canberra Merc, I saved an air bag
Turns out it was not a failed air bag
The levelling valve had popped off
No need for the air bag then......
It was these pictures from a couple of years ago that made me think 'hang on' since on the day we started her up - she was leaning in the opposite position with the nearside rear being down rather than up
After fixing the levelling valve
Post script to 2413's engine transplant
One thing 2413 had done for a long time...... every time the brakes were depressed, there'd be a hiss come from down the back near the engine bay
Turns out, it had been a air hose that had worn away.....
Another hose was sourced from ex 2202 - however it had previously been loose, under advice I cable tied it to the coolant pipe with a piece of floor rubber - also from 2202, so the rubber rubs away before the hose does
2413 Progress part 2
In the last post I focussed on the interior of 2413, cleaning and decal removal (all that remains is the fleet numbers on the front header), this post is from more recent activities with 2413 - removing the red line.
A few years ago I purchased a box of caramel wheels from a auto paint supplier in Victoria with a view to using these to get the red reflective 3M tape stripe that 2413 and 3069 have, 1930 being in a private livery does not have the red line - indeed it has no vinyls at all!
3092 had a late life refurbishment which involved a repaint into the 2nd version of the Corporate livery that - there is no red line.
I started using the caramel wheel on the ozito electric drill I purchased just for this job, but ummm yeah drill wasn't happy, while it would work, sometimes, other times it would not, maybe I had left the drill too long or it wasn't happy at the end of two extension cords.
Anyway I was soon schooled - use a razor blade!
I soon found out progress was much quicker this way and the next weekend instead of using one of these
I went hardcore - made even lighter work of it all hehehe
Note the strips of red stripe on the ground very satifying
The front was the only spot I persisted with the caramel wheel
View of the back - the line is still on the panel between the centre door and nearside corner because that one is to be replaced - it's the only spot where the corrosion over the wheel has turned the panel nearly to dust - on the nearside it's there, but still treatable. Also there is a deep scratch along the length of the panel (it would have been hidden by ads) which would need a fair amount of filling so with those two issues - easier to replace
Also the hatch below that panel will need to be rebuilt
The area below the drivers window also will be replace and the electrical hatch remade
Now time to get high on thinners as I remove all the goo
A few years ago I purchased a box of caramel wheels from a auto paint supplier in Victoria with a view to using these to get the red reflective 3M tape stripe that 2413 and 3069 have, 1930 being in a private livery does not have the red line - indeed it has no vinyls at all!
3092 had a late life refurbishment which involved a repaint into the 2nd version of the Corporate livery that - there is no red line.
I started using the caramel wheel on the ozito electric drill I purchased just for this job, but ummm yeah drill wasn't happy, while it would work, sometimes, other times it would not, maybe I had left the drill too long or it wasn't happy at the end of two extension cords.
Anyway I was soon schooled - use a razor blade!
I soon found out progress was much quicker this way and the next weekend instead of using one of these
I went hardcore - made even lighter work of it all hehehe
The front was the only spot I persisted with the caramel wheel
The area below the drivers window also will be replace and the electrical hatch remade
A view of the offside
Tuesday, May 19, 2015
2413 progess
Over the past few months I have been starting on preparation for paint on 2413, both inside and out.
First off I spent an afternoon cleaning the walls and ceilings in the bus, however there was about 7 years worth of dust that had blown in - I only really cleaned the front area when 2413 was transferred from Terrey Hills to Oakville in early 2010.
Then I started removing all the interior signs (decals)
Some of us don't have the time to remove decals before painting......
The original "Stand clear of inward opening door" decal painted over
The decal that would have been applied during it's Corporate refurbishment
After which, I started to remove things that had been added since the early 1990's at least. The ticket machine post next to the cab and the drivers console stand. As well as the cab door alarm (probably the last modification added to 2413 in 2004) this was removed by following the wiring from the magnet switch that had been installed in the cab door stop, back around the cash tray and to where the squark box was located. I unscrewed the dash and followed the cable back to where it appeared out of the main wiring harness - as thick as your wrist with who knows how many wirings all bundled together. I cable tied the 'loose' wire to another cable tie and secured the dash again.
The black conduit was added when the STATS system went in, in the mid 1990's, STATS is basically the ticket system used by the STA since the mid 1990s through to today (TravelTen and lately MyZone tickets), although as I type this, now it sits beside the new OPAL system. I'm not sure whether or not I should remove the conduit or not - or leave it.
Here's the look of the drivers area after I had finished
Eventually I'll remove the cash tray and replace the STATS green machine cut out so it resembles how they were before the green machines were fitted - also the rubber on top needs replacing and thankfully that style is still available!
Finally here is everything I removed - I'll keep the green machine fixtures incase someone else wishes to refit them on another project - but as far as I'm concerned, they're surplus
First off I spent an afternoon cleaning the walls and ceilings in the bus, however there was about 7 years worth of dust that had blown in - I only really cleaned the front area when 2413 was transferred from Terrey Hills to Oakville in early 2010.
Then I started removing all the interior signs (decals)
Some of us don't have the time to remove decals before painting......
The decal that would have been applied during it's Corporate refurbishment
After which, I started to remove things that had been added since the early 1990's at least. The ticket machine post next to the cab and the drivers console stand. As well as the cab door alarm (probably the last modification added to 2413 in 2004) this was removed by following the wiring from the magnet switch that had been installed in the cab door stop, back around the cash tray and to where the squark box was located. I unscrewed the dash and followed the cable back to where it appeared out of the main wiring harness - as thick as your wrist with who knows how many wirings all bundled together. I cable tied the 'loose' wire to another cable tie and secured the dash again.
Here's the look of the drivers area after I had finished
Eventually I'll remove the cash tray and replace the STATS green machine cut out so it resembles how they were before the green machines were fitted - also the rubber on top needs replacing and thankfully that style is still available!
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