Past bus routes and deployment

last SG · 2009-08-18T22:50:31+00:00

Are there any bus ply Hu Ching Rd in the past?Thought saw a SBS bus pass by Jurong Town Pri Sch when i was a kid

The_Bus_Guide SG

1. When was Service 237 withdrawn?

Was Service 142 being reintroduced to amend the loss of 147 Potong Pasir Routes after Potong Pasir Iterminal was destructed?

142 and 147 had worked side by side in the 1980s. In fact, 142 used to start from Potong Pasir itself. As for the loss of 147, could it be a subtle act of 'retribution'?

Volvo Olympian SG

Is 118 withdrawn in 1990???

So 168 is the first air con service by SBS in 1984, and second is service 3 is in 1987(?), then third is service 118 (1988) and fourh is service 76 (1988) and then service 390 (198_?). Am I right???

I would like to ask,

which air con services in the late 1980s (before Scania N113CRB air con buses are introduced) uses the following air con buses???

- Leyland Victory

- Mercedes Benz O303

- Volvo B10M Vanhool demonstrator

- Nissan Diesel U31

When was the Leyland Victory and Mercedes Benz O303 air con buses deregistered??? I don't see them by the mid 1990s already.

Hmm, the VanHool, SBS9C was on 118? couldn't remember.
the Nissan UD services like 14, 15 use to have them.

Not to forget the Renualt PR100.3 model, SBS30P on Aircon Svc 3

vicamour SG

Hmm, the VanHool, SBS9C was on 118? couldn't remember.
the Nissan UD services like 14, 15 use to have them.

Not to forget the Renualt PR100.3 model, SBS30P on Aircon Svc 3

*Laughing...

Of course I know the famous Renualt PR100.3 model, one of the most mysterious demonstrator in SBS history, because of its famous story of its unknown disapperance. Although I had not rode in it nor seen it in person before.

Till now, I'm still wondering where it had headed too after a few months on service 3 in 1989.

The_Bus_Guide SG

*Laughing...

Till now, I'm still wondering where it had headed too after a few months on service 3 in 1989.

The Renault wasn't intended for SBS in the first place. It was actually being delivered to Australia but stopped over in SG for a short trial with SBS. After the trial, SBS says "Thanks but no, thanks" and the bus continued its journey down under where it is reported to be still running. I had seen the bus during its short stint but never rode it despite coming so close.

The same story applies to the Dennis Dominator DD; in this case, the bus was on its way to Hong Kong. Its demo period was at a time when I just learnt how to walk, so I never knew about its existance until about 10 years ago and had no clue of what it looked like until recently.

The_Bus_Guide SG

Is 118 withdrawn in 1990???

Hmm...I think it survived a bit longer. maybe 1991 or 92?

So 168 is the first air con service by SBS in 1984, and second is service 3 is in 1987(?), then third is service 118 (1988) and fourh is service 76 (1988) and then service 390 (198_?). Am I right???

Yes, the chronology is in that order.

I would like to ask, which air con services in the late 1980s (before Scania N113CRB air con buses are introduced) uses the following air con buses???

- Leyland Victory

- Mercedes Benz O303

- Volvo B10M Vanhool demonstrator

- Nissan Diesel U31

- The Leyland Victory were first used on 76 and 3. Also used on 390 and 8 as well as other services.

- The Merc 'O303' was actually an OF1413 with bodywork built locally by Chua Heng. It was first used on 168.

- The Volvo B10M Van Hool was first used on 3. It was then used on 118, 111 and finally 9 before resigning to become a training bus.

- Nissan U31SCN were first used on 3. Also used on 118, 13, 15 with small appearences on other services before becoming training buses.

When was the Leyland Victory and Mercedes Benz O303 air con buses deregistered??? I don't see them by the mid 1990s already.

Roughly in the beginning of the 1990s. I last rode the Merc "O303" in 1991.

Yep, the BACos were usually seen on 140 while the Metal Sections were last seen on 159 before they are all deregistered in the early 1990s. Leyland Olympians 2 axles were also introduced on 140 when new.

The DDs were redeployed to svs. like 140 and 141 due to poor response from svs. 86 and 6. Only sv. 159 was able pull in the crowds. (86, 6 and 159 were the first three DD routes)

I see. But when was service 86 withdrawn and why???

Sv. 86 was a semi-express service which charged a flat fare (40c initially but this became 70c by 1982, the year which I think it was withdrawn). It was intended for long distance commuters and hence does not cater for short distance travellers who consisdered its flat fare as excessive. There were also other services plying the same route and going to the same destinations which charged less.

vicamour SG

Same here. Somehow Dennis double deckers seems to be unpopular here. And same goes for the Scania BR112 double decker demo, returned to UK after a short period.

I think since the 1980s, Singapore and Hong Kong had already decided on the brands of their double decker fleets, Singapore - Leyland/Volvo, Hong Kong - Dennis. Till now we can only see majority Volvos in SBST and majority Dennis/Alexander Dennis in KMB/CityBus/LWB.

Same goes for the Leyland Leopard demo. It's demo period was also very short. I don't even know such a bus model exist till recently. Don't know what service it piled during SBS days in the 1980s.

SBS8533C SG

From vicamour:

"I thought service 4 was initially from Pasir Ris to St . Michael's terminal, when it was amended to Tampines interchange??? I can't recall.

Service 8 too was initially introduced as Pasir Ris to Toa Payoh. It was then shorten to Tampines interchange in 1993/1994. I remembered the Scania N113CRBs are newly introduced on service 8 in Pasir Ris interchange."

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service 4 was amneded to Tampines int in 1992.

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the SBS1Z to SBS8E were first deployd to 168 then later to 118 then again to 76.

SBS8533C SG

From vicamour:

"When was Princess Elizaberth terminal actually closed down for private housing development??? I still see public housing in the 1992 Singapore Street Diectory."

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It was closed down in the early 1990s. It was said that Princess Elizabeth Estate was slated for redevelopment in the next coming years and about 3-4 years later, the blocks in the estate began demolition and going by phasees. Think I've mentioned in the previous pages of this thread.

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SBS8533C SG

-duplicated-

SBS8533C SG

Just add on to it for the AMK services:

Service 138 from Ang Mo Kio to Shenton Way (a loop svc) was being converted into a semi-express service in 1981.

The_Bus_Guide SG

Same here. Somehow Dennis double deckers seems to be unpopular here. And same goes for the Scania BR112 double decker demo, returned to UK after a short period.

Same goes for the Leyland Leopard demo. It's demo period was also very short. I don't even know such a bus model exist till recently. Don't know what service it piled during SBS days in the 1980s.

All demonstrator buses are allowed to be used for 1 year; after which, if the operator doesn't buy the bus, it must be re-exported. This is the fate that has befallen to the MAN 18.240 at the moment. Other demos which were returned/re-exported after 1 year trial includes:

Leyland Leopard - Used on 148. Returned to UK and acquired by a coach operator.

Leyland National - Used on 143. Re-exported to Australia and became a school bus.

Leyland Olympian ONTL11.2R - Used on 162. This was one of the first 5 pre-production Olympians. Returned to UK, underwent modifications and was last owned by a bus operator in Oxford. The bus is now preserved at the Oxford Bus Museum.

The Scania BR112DH was one demo which stayed. I remembered having my first and only ride on the bus in 1988, when it made a sudden appearance on 187. It was soon gone from 187 and according to some enthusiasts, it was later deployed on sv.31 until its retirement. Some other demos which stayed until retirement were the Volvo-Ailsa B55, Volvo B10MD and Merc O305. Now, here's a mystery. The O305 had 2 demos, one with Willowbrooke body and the other Alexander. The Alexander demo survived up to 1993 at least and had stints on services such as 74, 111, 134, 165 and 166. However, I'm not sure what happened to the Willowbrooke demo. I've never seen it before, there wasn't much on record except that it worked on 165 and it seemed to disappear.

In the case of SBS, there seemed to be some kind of brand loyalty. In the 70s and 80s, the Leyland brand was a dominant force, with models such as the Viking, Victory, Atlantean and Olympian. I guess it was only natural that when Leyland was acquired by Volvo, the loyalty remained and we see an influx of Volvo products in the 90s; namely the B10M, Volvo Olympian, B10TL etc.

vicamour SG

From vicamour:

"I thought service 4 was initially from Pasir Ris to St . Michael's terminal, when it was amended to Tampines interchange??? I can't recall.

I don't know about its amendment to Tampines in 1992. But it's only for such a short period before service 4 was withdrawn in 1993.

From vicamour:

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Oh ok, no wonder I still see the public housing in the 1992 Singapore Street Directory. Maybe you can continue with the history of bus services in major new towns again, starting from the older towns like Clementi, Bukit Merah, Marine Parade, Jurong East, etc to the newer ones like Pasir Ris, Bukit Panjang, Bishan, Chua Chu Kang, etc. Thanks.

vicamour SG

Leyland Leopard - Used on 148. Returned to UK and acquired by a coach operator.

Leyland National - Used on 143. Re-exported to Australia and became a school bus.

I had never seen nor rode on the Scania BR112DH double decker demo before. I think it was based in the west and that's why. How was the ride??? As quiet as the N113CRBs???

Same as the Volvo Ailsa B55 demo, I had seen it quite a few times on service 65 when young but never got to rode it. Now regretted.

Not sure about the Willowbrooke demo of the O305, probably it had rarely been in service in the early 90s before deregistered. Heard it was on service 111 in 1988/89. Also never took the O305 demos before.

How about demos like the following and what services they served???

- Ford Type B-1617

- Isuzu BDTIZCHSS ->(exported after 1 year trial)

- Nissan UAZDN

- Mercedes Benz OF1417 (Supreme Star bodied demo)

- Hino AK176MA

SBS7382C SG

I don't know about its amendment to Tampines in 1992. But it's only for such a short period before service 4 was withdrawn in 1993.

do you know the routes and deplyments abt TIBS in woodlands?

Junyang700 SG

Woodlands used to have 1 bus interchange and 1 bus terminal.

169 - Woodlands To Ang Mo Kio
178 - Woodlands To Boon Lay
181 - Woodlands To Crawford Street (Current 961) (Via Upper Bt Timah Road)
182 - Woodlands To City (Via Upper Bukit Timah Rd)
856 - Woodlands To Yishun
SS7 - Woodlands To Choa Chu Kang

Feeder
372, 900, 901, 902, 903

950 - Marsiling To City (Via BKE)
951 - Marsiling To Boon Lay (Current 180)
952 - Marsiling To City (Via BKE)

I guess only. Was too young to remember everything. =)

vicamour SG

do you know the routes and deplyments abt TIBS in woodlands?

I guess it was answered below.

Buses used for TIBS in the 1980s (before Hispano DAFs are introduced):

Nissan UDs, 2 types, the U31URCN (Back sliding door type) and another variant U31__(Not sure) (Back folding door type, with super high front seats at the front wheel axles, seat hand grips all white, deployed on 856 before). Possible there is an air con version of the U31SCN(Not refering to CACs). UDs are mainly on 178.

Hino RK176 (shorter rounder Hinos), 2 types, 1 is the Back mid positioned folding door, another, AK176, is Back end positioned folding door, with front grille (the only TIBS bus model with back door at the back of the bus, before the last row of seats). I think 169 use this bus, since most bus services (160,161,164,167) along Sembawang Rd used them.

Hino HT228KA (angular designed Hinos), Back mid positioned folding door, deployed on 181 and 182.

Hino HT238K (angular designed Hinos), Back mid positioned sliding door, deployed on 181 and most Woodlands feeders.

Hino HT238K air con version (angular designed Hinos), Back mid positioned sliding door, deployed on 950 and 951 before.

182 went to New Bridge Rd, 950 to Shenton Way and 952 to marina Center.

Prior to handover to TIBS in the mid 1980s, SBS operates Woodlands New Town.

169 - Woodlands To Ang Mo Kio
178 - Woodlands To Boon Lay (When was 178 amended to Woodlands from Upp Bukit Timah Rd???)

180 - Woodlands To Anson Rd
181 - Woodlands To Crawford Street
182 - Woodlands To New Bridge Rd

204 - Woodlands To Sungei Kadut Ave (loop)
208 - Woodlands To Kranji Way

372 - Woodlands To Masiling Rd (Loop)

169 and 178 had double deckers before, which was the Leyland Atlanteans, with Alexander Walter L type bodies. Most services in Woodlands under SBS used the Mercedes Benz buses, DM bodied OF1413s, Soon Chow bodied OF1413s, etc. Possible there were also Volvo B57s in some Woodlands services during SBS days.

I hope SBS8533C will provide more historical info about Woodlands bus services during pre SBS days (before 1973), during SBS days (after 1973) and the period TIBS took over (around 1986/87).

Volvo Olympian SG

182 went to New Bridge Rd.

Prior to handover to TIBS in the mid 1980s, SBS operates Woodlands New Town.

169 - Woodlands To Ang Mo Kio
178 - Woodlands To Boon Lay

180 - Woodlands to Anson Rd
181 - Woodlands To Crawford Street
182 - Woodlands To New Bridge Rd
208 - Woodlands To Kranji Way

372 - Woodlands To Masiling Dr

I hope SBS8533C will provide more historic info about Woodlands bus services during pre SBS days, during SBS days and the period TIBS took over.

Hmm, 178 was until Bt Panjang Circus before it was extended to Woodlands in the 80's
Besides 208, there's also Svc 204 from Woodlands to Sungei Kadut Ave (loop)

vicamour SG

Questions about Volvo B57s:

1. What did the "7 Turbo 6" signage on the big front grille meant??? 7 litre engine, and 6 speed automatic???

2. Which were the Volvo B57s being to converted to have air con ducts for driver seats??? Regos???

3. Was there a B57 being converted to a full air con bus before??? If so, which bus (rego) was it??? Which depot did the modifications and it was based in which depot??? Which service it ran before???

4. Which were the last B57s being deregistered??? The ones based on Bedok North or Ayer Rajah??? Regos and year???

5. What happened to the Volvo B57 that involved in a serious accident in the late 1980s??? It piled on service 220, and crashed into many places around Bedok New Town before coming to a halt in Bedok Interchange. Was it scrapped or repaired??? Rego and year of the accident???

6. Why are the designs of the 2 batches of Volvo B57 different, as in the design of the top canopy of the raised front route display board, one flat, one rounded, when they were newly acquired in the 1980s???

7. What happened to the B57 Soon Chow built Dumple Metsec demostrator??? Is it exported after a year or it was with SBS throughout its lifetime??? When was it deregistered then???

8. I remembered that the interior of the B57s are fully wood panel designs from driver onwards to end. Anyone can confirm???

9. I saw a picture of a B57 chassis in Soon Chow anniversary book. It had a newer generation front rims, like those on the Volvo Olympian 2 axles. I am certain it is a B57 because of the front engine layout. Did SBS change this rims to the older designed ones when the bus was built up??? Why SBS did that???

10. The NZB and DM(demo) bodied B57s had center back service number holder. Was it used in public operations before??? If so, for how long??? Why was it not successful??? When was the year that they eventually put a SBS logo behind??? Same for the NZB and Hawke Mercedes Benz OF1417s???

10 questions about a bus model, and so as you can see, it is my favourite single decker during childhood times.

I would gladly appreciate to those who can answer my above quries about the Volvo B57s. Thanks a lot.

SMB66X SG

Last time the route that goes to Sembawang Road end is service 167 right?

Volvo Olympian SG

Last time the route that goes to Sembawang Road end is service 167 right?

Yes, and the old 164

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