Amendments to Express 520

last SG · 2003-09-20T22:30:24+00:00

Express 520 will be operating its last day of service on Saturday 23 August. I believe the reason why it is to be withdrawn is to reduce waste of resources,...

SBS3688Y SG

I never remembered svc 390 going to Sungei Rd...I don't know whether you've mistaken svc 23 for 390??

anyway; svc 23 plys bet Tampines interchange via PIE, Bendemeer Rd, Serangoon Rd, before looping at Sungei Rd; which's in front of Sim Lim Sq bus-stop before turning back to Little India...

SBS9818A SG

I know Sv. 23 route quite well, I take it often. Not sure about Sv. 390 though, will have to check it out again.

Yusry SG

The earliest I could recall (I think was in 1990 - I was only 9 yrs old then - just after SBS increased fares from 80c to 90c), Sv 390 plied between Changi Airport and Grange Road terminating at Pierce Road Carpark. I'm not sure when Sv 390 was amended to loop at Tomlinson Road.

Svc 23 used to loop at Tomlinson Road too before it was amended later on to loop at Rochor Canal Road.

Yusry SG

Svc 390 did use Mercedes Benz MB O405 (Walter Alexander bodies) for a while. I recall riding on them (Changi Airport - Tomlinson Road - back to Changi Airport for only 45cents) before validators were installed in them. (MB WAs had no floor riser where the validators were placed. Being young then, I remember my feet were hanging in the air)

Before that Volvo Mk IIs (both with Duple Metsec and Walter Alexander bodies) were deployed on Svc 390.

Earlier than that, I have no idea which buses were used on Svc 390. Perhaps someone older than me could answer that. Very Happy

off_service SG

I think they used the Mercedes O303 (refurbished coaches) and some Leyland Aircon buses.

Yusry SG

Oh yes. I remember those buses. They were the 1st and 2nd/3rd aircon bus models SBS had (Did the Nissans arriva before the Leylands or vice versa?). The Leylands were abundant on Svc 3 and the O303s made cameo appearances on Svc 7, which I had the opportunity to board only once.

These buses were different from the rest because the service plate were placed / elevated on the left of the dashboard rather than overhead.

Yusry SG

Edited duplicate post

off_service SG

The Leylands came before the Nissan Diesels. Sadly, I did not have a chance to take the Leyland buses.

SBS3688Y SG

Yes, svc 23 used to travel all the way to Orchard Rd, but I'm not sure if it looped at Tomlinson Rd. However, it was later shorten to loop at Rochor Canal Rd, coz the MRT line was opened between Tampines and Orchard.

Yes, Mercedes Benz MB O405 (eg SBS484M) later joined forces with the existing Scania N113OACs to serve svc390 (but no sure abt Volvo MK II deployment on this svc).

Svc 16 also uses a number of Scania N113 CRB and OACs during the route from Bt Merah-Airport. but most of the fleets on this svc are dominated by the Volvo families..

SBS9818A SG

Yes, Mk IIs and N113CRBs made their appearances on Sv. 390 as well. Before that I think they used CAC Victories.

SBS9818A SG

Correction. They are O302s, not O303s. Danny Chan made a typo in his book. Those SABS coaches are front-engined while O303s are rear-engined.

Yusry SG

The Victories - did they ever existed in single deck form? Or are they some other types of Victories (other than the double-deck Leyland Victories)?

SBS9818A SG

They are single-deck version of Victories.

kuang SG

Crying or Very sad It's a sad thing that Tibs don't have any more express services. It's a blessing and a misfortune. Why a blessing? Express services aren't exactly 'express' services if they fail to live up to their purpose of providing a fast and direct connection to whichever places they're serving. It's a misfortune as this proves that express services proved to be unviable for Tibs. But, ever since Express521 was amended and rebranded as sv963, things have been looking up for the service. New links are created for passengers of Woodlands travelling towards the direction of Bt Batok East, Commonwealth Ave West and Buona Vista.

SBS9818A SG

Yes, Sv. 963 has enhanced connections from Woodlands to these areas. Not to mention Bukit Panjang from Woodlands as well.

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