Change in Service Plate Designs

ilovebuses SG

So the old old buses have those metal plates to the right of the entrance right? Then you also have those plastic put-from-inside types that came in, what? 95? 96.

Does anyone remember - in those days where SBS proclaimed their buses "AIRCON" in that blue sign, did that sign by the door also have the word "AIRCON" on it? Or was it only the service plate number on top of the bus that had that blue thing?

kuekj SG

I remember from my hazy memory (I was young then) that in the past, if it were a NAC bus, it will be white and green for the side desto. for the feeders that have green/white systems eg 231, the 231W will be completely white. just like what you see nowadays.

if it is a aircon bus, the top part is dark blue with the words printed in white. the bottom part color i cannot remember already. Embarassed

at one point, sbs(t) (cant remember is it before or after the rebranding to sbst) changed all its plates to shades of red, even for the buses with the green/white system. they just paint a light red to signify the green plate.

ilovebuses SG

You are right to say the aircon ones have the blue part on top - but those were the metal plates though. What about the plastic one? (the one where you put from inside)

If Scania buses (like some 502 and Turf City types) were first used in around 95, then how come there were these plastic service plates?

And what did these plastic service plates look like? Got aircon word? No aircon word?

Superbus SG

I believe you are referring to either the ex-Airbus Scania L113CRLs or the ex-Sentosa B10Ms. The ex-JIS O405s still uses the square metal plates.

Reason why these buses (L113CRLs and B10Ms) uses the rectangular destos is because, these buses used to have EDS (Electronic Destination Systems). The EDS were dismantled when the buses were taken out of the Airbus and Sentosa shuttles.

The old rectangular plastic aircon destos do have the word "AIRCON" below the service numbers.

ilovebuses SG

Ah... okay a bit clearer.

Actually I think it was the Merc bus I was talking about (the ones with the waves that some of you clarified for me).

Weren't the plastic destos (put from inside) introduced in late 90s, and not mid 90s?

I searched and it was practically IMPOSSIBLE to find any pics of those Merc buses (with waves) when they first served as SBS aircon buses. I still cannot picture how those old plastic destos look like with that word AIRCON... (anyone got picture?)

Plus I didn't even see any metal destos holder on these smelly Merc/former SBS buses that serve Turf City. I wonder why....

Airbus330Captain SG

You meant the coach style Mercedes O305 bus plus the Leyland Victory (Air Con) bus's plates ? I saw photos of them before , most probably in the history of Singapore buses book.

Superbus SG

The Mercedes Benz O405s did not use the rectangular plastic destos, not ever. The O405s when first served with SBS were in the old red-white SBS livery. Only when it was deployed on Jurong Island Services (JIS), it was painted into the red-white waves livery. At that point of time, the O405s were under SBS Leisure (SBSL). The SBSL-livery O405s did not serve the Turf City shuttles. Only the ex-Sentosa B10Ms and the ex-Airbus Scania L113CRLs served the Turf City shuttles.

Here is an example of the old rectangular plastic aircon desto, first introduced in 1993 when the Leyland Olympian Superbuses were put into service.

ilovebuses SG

Got Chinese road names too, yah? Just like nowadays.

Superbus SG

Yes, there was. I guess you know the reason why I omitted them.

ilovebuses SG

Yes of course.

Smile

Man, we really should have a bus museum....

delonchew SG

There was a VO3x on 12 that is still using the abovementioned side desto. I last saw it at PSR on Sat or Sun.

service_238 SG

Its either SBS 9448 or 9449. i saw it at tenah merah mrt. it had an ad

Superbus SG

Then it must be SBS 9449G, with PSC Hearts ad. SBS 9448J is in SBS Transit livery.

delonchew SG

The VO3x I saw was a 93xx.