Jump to content

Public Buses of Yesterday


SiLangKia
 Share

Recommended Posts

You mean you also taken before EVK41L bus?

 

I remember bus ride is smooth and comfort on this bus.

Yes. Ever seen people fell from the bus because no door or rather never close. The ticket conductor usually stood on the steps when it’s crowded.

↡ Advertisement
  • Praise 3
Link to post
Share on other sites

Supersonic

Born in the 90s, then may not able to ride on those buses in the 70s and 80s.

Sure or not, born in the 90s?
Link to post
Share on other sites

(edited)

There was also a quiant French bus called the Berliet, with the super long front overhang, and a raised head. I remember the gear lever was very long - from the driver's seat all the way to the back of the huge engine cover. Doesn't seem easy to engage gears.

 

My favourite SBS bus was the Japanese Nissan/UD. The engine was at the back, and if you sat in front, the bus was almost silent, and the suspension was nice and floaty, so unlike the crashy Leyland and Mercedes of the day. I used to live in Ghim Moh, and whenever I see the Jap bus, I will skip the earlier bus to wait for it.  [laugh]

 

I think in those days most buses were built over truck chassis, but the Nissan/UD was a dedicated bus platform, much like the buses of today.

 

All this in the early 80s.

post-2139-0-42459200-1528196599_thumb.jpg

Edited by Toeknee_33
  • Praise 5
Link to post
Share on other sites

Yes. Those Super long gear lever. I always hope to see it breaks whenever I sat in front...I turned evil because of the heat it generated..

  • Praise 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

Supersonic

There was also a quiant French bus called the Berliet, with the super long front overhang, and a raised head. I remember the gear lever was very long - from the driver's seat all the way to the back of the huge engine cover. Doesn't seem easy to engage gears.

 

My favourite SBS bus was the Japanese Nissan/UD. The engine was at the back, and if you sat in front, the bus was almost silent, and the suspension was nice and floaty, so unlike the crashy Leyland and Mercedes of the day. I used to live in Ghim Moh, and whenever I see the Jap bus, I will skip the earlier bus to wait for it. [laugh]

 

I think in those days most buses were built over truck chassis, but the Nissan/UD was a dedicated bus platform, much like the buses of today.

 

All this in the early 80s.

There's another French bus briefly in use in the late 1980s.

Google SBS30P.

  • Praise 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

(edited)

8. Leyland Olympian 2-Axle (1986 onwards) / Leyland Olympian 3-Axle (1993 onwards) aka Olympian 12 "SuperBus"

 

sbstransitleyland6958z.jpg

 

The 2 axle models shown above referred to models without the dual rear axle, found in the earlier non aircon olympians , with Bodywork by Alexander R. The last ones were retired in 2004

 

abt_memory_olympian12super2.jpg

 

The olympian 3-Axle referred to the later models which were air-conditioned and longer (at 12.05m vs 10.4m ) than earlier 2-Axle models, with Bodywork by Walter Alexander Royale. When this was introduced in 1993, it was nicknamed the Olympian 12 "SuperBus" as it was 12m long and the first double-deck bus to br fully air-conditioned, was quite a novelty when it was first launched. These ran till 2013

 

 

Interesting fact: SBS’ Leyland Olympian 3-axle buses were also the last Leyland Olympian bus orders fulfilled, rolling off the production line just before production of all Leyland buses ceased in 1993. The very last chassis produced (chassis number ON21080) was registered as SBS9168S.

 

With significant value to the local bus manufacturing heritage, the last Leyland chassis ever produced (SBS9168S) was repatriated back to the United Kingdom and preserved by local bus enthusiast Dave Rogers. It is registered in the UK as L888 SBS.

 

28189925294_49c7716073_b.jpg

 

source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/curly42/28189925294

 

15107501132_930a4a2493_b.jpg

source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/martin65/15107501132

 

 

 

9: Mercedes-Benz O405G (1996 onwards) "First Articulated (aka bendy) bus in South-East Asia"

 

838h_smrtmovingstories-2.png

838h_smrtmovingstories-4.png

838H.jpg

 

This was the first ever "bendy" bus in SG and SEA, and arrived in 1996, with this Hispano Carrocera "MKI" Bodywork model running till 2015. Attached above are pictures of the bus when it first arrived in SG, with Trans Island Livery, and attached below is a later pic of it in SMRT Livery, towards the end of its lifespan, still looking pretty good !

TIB838H-180-B-xs.JPG

 

 

 

The Hispano Carrocera "MKII" Bodied O405Gs ran from 2000-2017, while the last O405Gs ordered by SMRT which came in Hispano Carrocera Habit can still be seen today!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited by SiLangKia
  • Praise 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

Just remembered got one bus model, is the typical bus length, and also has 2 doors, but unlike the typical ones where the front door is in front, and the back door is almost at the middle of the bus, this bus:

- front door is in front

- back door is almost near the end of the bus, with only 2 more seats between the back door and the rear windscreen

 

dunno still got photos or not.

 

 

 

 

  • Praise 3
Link to post
Share on other sites

We all have relied / are relying on public transportation to get around our sunny little island. For most of us, before getting that driving license, the 2 door Mercedes (front door+back door [laugh] ) used to be our mode of transport growing up.

 

Was reading up on the different types of public buses in Sg and realised that we used to have a much less homogeneous range of public buses in the past, so I'm just posting a few to bring back memories and keep them alive! 

 

Do feel free to add on and share your fond memories of the buses in your life, and the memories associated with them :)

 

Mods please merge if there's a similar thread thanks, tried to find but can't 

 

 

65206475SLKhal_ph.jpg

 

Some units were first registered as early as 1967 onwards under the Hock Lee bus company, ran till 1987/88 before it left sg roads

 

 

 

 

5. Leyland Atlantean AN68/2R , 1977 onwards

 

abt_memory_leylandatlantean2.jpg

 

Ran till 2001, one of the first few double decker buses introduced in Sg, one in the pic is with Alexander L bodywork, registered sometime in 1982-1984

 

Oh my mama........ this surely brings back serious memories of childhood. Damn, I remember taking these in 70s when I was living in Bukit Merah and started studying in Jurong West while waiting for our new HDB flat.

 

I can still remember the sound of coins dropping and the ticket machine...

  • Praise 4
Link to post
Share on other sites

(edited)

Just remembered got one bus model, is the typical bus length, and also has 2 doors, but unlike the typical ones where the front door is in front, and the back door is almost at the middle of the bus, this bus:

- front door is in front

- back door is almost near the end of the bus, with only 2 more seats between the back door and the rear windscreen

 

dunno still got photos or not.

Hahahahah I'll see if I can find  [laugh]

Oh my mama........ this surely brings back serious memories of childhood. Damn, I remember taking these in 70s when I was living in Bukit Merah and started studying in Jurong West while waiting for our new HDB flat.

 

I can still remember the sound of coins dropping and the ticket machine...

Glad that this brings back some memories:) do share your experiences of these buses hahaha i super jealous cos never get the chance to take  :XD:

 

10: Mercedes-Benz OF1413 (additional post)

 

Posted this before alr, but was reading up more on it cos i found that it was on route 173 which services my area since many many years ago, even found an old pic of it outside what I think was the old Princess Elizabeth Estate Primary School (now a nursing home)

 

ORQ2a.jpg

 

SBS3066S was among the OF1413s that had Bodywork by Soon Chow and was first registered between 1967-1969 under the Green Bus Company, this batch (SBS3000G-SBS3136Z) ran till 1982

Edited by SiLangKia
  • Praise 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

Which bus it it that have the HUGE manual gear box between entrance and driver? The steps up is narrow even for a student like me then! Hahaha

 

And when driver change gear, wah damn loud one lor

  • Praise 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

Supersonic
(edited)

Which bus it it that have the HUGE manual gear box between entrance and driver? The steps up is narrow even for a student like me then! Hahaha

 

And when driver change gear, wah damn loud one lor

A lot of front engined buses in the 70s and 80s have such features. Edited by DACH
Link to post
Share on other sites

The 1st generation double-decker buses were terrible.

 

Bottom deck seats at the end were damn stuffy and hot!  [sweatdrop]

 

I remember my dad taking us for the first ride on bus 159(?)

 

All passengers on upper deck were so fearful when the bus made a turn . . . like going to topple  [laugh]  

  • Praise 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

Got photo of CSS bus? The one where the door is at the rear of the bus. The last row is a bench seat next to the exit/entrance. I used to seat the last row, cos easier to alight the bus.

  • Praise 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

(edited)

Got photo of CSS bus? The one where the door is at the rear of the bus. The last row is a bench seat next to the exit/entrance. I used to seat the last row, cos easier to alight the bus.

CSS is City Shuttle Service? The depot at Kallang?

 

 

https://www.google.com.sg/search?q=city+shuttle+service+singapore&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiJv8a0573bAhVMbn0KHV1oBwgQsAQITg&biw=1600&bih=771

Edited by Count-Bracula
Link to post
Share on other sites

CSS is City Shuttle Service? The depot at Kallang?

Yes. I know the terminals are at Sin Ming, St Michael's, Prince Edward, Chulia Street and Kallang. Not sure where the depot where they kept the buses. Only 10cents for students then. So my brother and i would take the various CSS buses from end to end. Sometimes, the driver/conductor give us free return ride so save us 10cents to buy 3 hacks sweets.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...