1225 and 1226 - Enquiry on PTC/UTA Mercedes-Benz O309Ds

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Randommann
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1225 and 1226 - Enquiry on PTC/UTA Mercedes-Benz O309Ds

Post by Randommann »

Hello all,

I would like to ask, out of interest, for more information regarding two Mercedes-Benz O309D minibuses (Numbered 1225-1226) in the PTC/UTA that has been lingering in my head for a long time now. From what I can find not a whole lot of information about the two buses is online.
There is a fairly empty page about them in the STA disposal list, but I got some more information about them from pictures in the John Burgess Files CDs where minibuses (Supposedly those) were used in Route 101 (Dee Why to Chatswood) which commenced in October 1978:
Front page of Route 101 pamphlet.<br />Image is a lower-resolution copy of a picture in the John Burgess Files.
Front page of Route 101 pamphlet.
Image is a lower-resolution copy of a picture in the John Burgess Files.
Bus Mini Rte 101 a m.jpg (83.18 KiB) Viewed 7815 times
I would guess they were brand-new for the service but I will stand corrected if otherwise.

I also found in another document in the CDs from the 50 year anniversary of government buses celebrations in 1982, which listed statistics of what/how many buses were in each depot at the time. According to this document (Whether it's accurate enough I don't know) the vehicles, listed under "Mercedes mini-bus" were at Newcastle:
1982 UTA bus statistics.<br />Image is a lower-resolution copy of a picture in the John Burgess Files.
1982 UTA bus statistics.
Image is a lower-resolution copy of a picture in the John Burgess Files.
Gov Buses 50 Years r m.jpg (108.96 KiB) Viewed 7815 times
Other than this information, I don't know much else other than 1225 being at Manions Coaches, Beaconsfield, Tasmania until 2003 according to disposal lists. If anyone has any more information about them, like their usage, their delivery and withdrawal dates, after-service life or even pictures of them, that would be much appreciated.

Thanks for viewing,
The Man of Randomness.
"100 speed limited... by drivetrain."

I will report and cover any significant bus events from the Armidale region.
LB608
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Re: 1225 and 1226 - Enquiry on PTC/UTA Mercedes-Benz O309Ds

Post by LB608 »

1225 & 1226 were used on Route 101 Dee Why Chatswood service plus a stock bus From Mercedes Registered m/o2634, they proved to be to small & where Transferred to Belmont depot for route 501 Belmont Jewells service again to small one (1225)was sold To Tempe Bus Service,as m/o600 then to Tasmania,as CG4671The other one Straight to Tasmania as BS3879,to unknown Fleetlines 2,17,37, & 38 Have pictures of 1225, New South Government Bus 75th Anniversity book has one of 1226.
Last edited by LB608 on Sun Dec 06, 2015 3:58 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Randommann
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Re: 1225 and 1226 - Enquiry on PTC/UTA Mercedes-Benz O309Ds

Post by Randommann »

Oh thank you LB608, that was a quick response!
I knew someone would know about them. On non-widespread topics like buses there seem to be many cases that even these days, minor details are not on the internet and only known in memory by some people or in some publications. This must to be another of those things!

I think I have a copy of the 75th anniversary of govt. buses book somewhere, so I'll have to start digging for that.

It looks like the lives of the O309Ds in government service were short and fairly unsuccessful, not unlike the later Mercedes-Benz LO814/Vario buses that were only in service for 2-3 years. Fits into the recurring trend with government fleets that mini buses aren't used for long I guess.

I also find it interesting to note the fleet numbers used by these, 1225 and 1226 - numbered just after the end of the Atlantean series which by 1978 the vehicles began their withdrawals if I remember right. This then must have been well after the plan to number all current/future DDs from 1001 to 1500. I suppose the Atlantean dispute and then the arrival of the first O305s put an end to that plan.

Again, thank you!
The Man of Radomness
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Re: 1225 and 1226 - Enquiry on PTC/UTA Mercedes-Benz O309Ds

Post by captainch »

THEY WERE sold to transic senic tours of tempe Sydney who owns route 129 rockdale to rozelle. then latter sold to tasmainia.
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Rick R
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Re: 1225 and 1226 - Enquiry on PTC/UTA Mercedes-Benz O309Ds

Post by Rick R »

They were ordered as service development buses. They were initially used on route 100 serving the War Veteran's Home at Collaroy Plateau, which became part of route 146, which is now part of route 179. They were then used for route 101 from Dee Why to Chatswood, as route 136 only operated from Manly to Macintosh & Cousins in Narraweena.

They proved to be too successful for their own good, and they needed to be replaced by full sized buses on both routes after a short period. Any further service development that happened in Sydney after that point was done by full size buses.

Following the tradition of sending anything odd to Newcastle, they continued their careers north of the Hawkesbury :P
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Re: 1225 and 1226 - Enquiry on PTC/UTA Mercedes-Benz O309Ds

Post by Rick R »

The Willoughby figures in the table includes North Sydney Depot. Good luck getting 203 buses into M unless you have a fleet of O309's or start stacking them on their ends :wink:

Ryde's figures would also include Leichhardt and the Newcastle figures would be for Gordon Ave & Hamilton.
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Re: 1225 and 1226 - Enquiry on PTC/UTA Mercedes-Benz O309Ds

Post by Randommann »

Rick R wrote:They were ordered as service development buses. They were initially used on route 100 serving the War Veteran's Home at Collaroy Plateau, which became part of route 146, which is now part of route 179. They were then used for route 101 from Dee Why to Chatswood, as route 136 only operated from Manly to Macintosh & Cousins in Narraweena.
This makes a lot of sense now that I read it. From that could I guess they were delivered earlier in 1978?
Rick R wrote:They proved to be too successful for their own good, and they needed to be replaced by full sized buses on both routes after a short period. Any further service development that happened in Sydney after that point was done by full size buses.
Following the tradition of sending anything odd to Newcastle, they continued their careers north of the Hawkesbury :P
So in other words, their quick success in their niche purpose made them unsuccessful, if you put it that way! I suppose their 'frequent replacement' from their operating routes made them unviable long-term vehicles.
I wouldn't say they were at Newcastle for too long either. Perhaps they were withdrawn a little later in the 1980s (An assumption).
Rick R wrote:Ryde's figures would also include Leichhardt
Ryde depot surely has grown since then given its higher total in its own right these days.

...On a different note I can imagine non-urban Tasmania where the O309Ds ended up would be a more ideal environment for these vehicles in the long term, given that there is less risk of 'too many passengers'.

Thanks again all, much appreciated.
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Re: 1225 and 1226 - Enquiry on PTC/UTA Mercedes-Benz O309Ds

Post by robert »

Rick R wrote:They were ordered as service development buses. They were initially used on route 100 serving the War Veteran's Home at Collaroy Plateau, which became part of route 146, which is now part of route 179. They were then used for route 101 from Dee Why to Chatswood, as route 136 only operated from Manly to Macintosh & Cousins in Narraweena.

They proved to be too successful for their own good, and they needed to be replaced by full sized buses on both routes after a short period. Any further service development that happened in Sydney after that point was done by full size buses.

Following the tradition of sending anything odd to Newcastle, they continued their careers north of the Hawkesbury :P
Small correction as to dates and route numbers. The 2 buses were used on 101 starting 23 October 1978, but, as mentioned, proved too small. They were then used on 102, Warringah Mall-War Veterans Home as from 23 April 1979. That was incorporated into 146 in 1983.
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Re: 1225 and 1226 - Enquiry on PTC/UTA Mercedes-Benz O309Ds

Post by 3808 »

When they moved from Brookvale to Newcastle, they were directly replaced by brand new Mk 2 mercs 1985 and 1986 (which would otherwise have gone to Ryde), When they were withdrawn from Newcastle, they were directly replaced by brand new Mk2 mercs 2099 and 2100 (which would otherwise have gone to Waverley).
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Re: 1225 and 1226 - Enquiry on PTC/UTA Mercedes-Benz O309Ds

Post by 3808 »

And Kingsgrove in the table would have included Tempe.
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Re: 1225 and 1226 - Enquiry on PTC/UTA Mercedes-Benz O309Ds

Post by boronia »

Was Tempe still operating in 1982?
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Re: 1225 and 1226 - Enquiry on PTC/UTA Mercedes-Benz O309Ds

Post by 3808 »

Tempe closed in the Greiner / Fahey era (1992).
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Re: 1225 and 1226 - Enquiry on PTC/UTA Mercedes-Benz O309Ds

Post by Fleet Lists »

Living in the Shire.
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Re: 1225 and 1226 - Enquiry on PTC/UTA Mercedes-Benz O309Ds

Post by Randommann »

3808 wrote:When they were withdrawn from Newcastle, they were directly replaced by brand new Mk2 mercs 2099 and 2100 (which would otherwise have gone to Waverley).
2099 and 2100 were new to Newcastle as per original allocations, but how could they have replaced the O309s when they were still in service in Newcastle in 1982 (When all the Mark IIs were already delivered)? Was the 1982 list incorrect or were they replaced in Hamilton and moved to Gordon Ave/Belmont?
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Re: 1225 and 1226 - Enquiry on PTC/UTA Mercedes-Benz O309Ds

Post by 3808 »

Perhaps they lingered there on other routes (or not seeing much in-service work at all). 2099 and 2100 were definitely diverted there when the patronage levels on the new minibus routes grew to levels that 1225 and 1226 couldn't handle.
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Re: 1225 and 1226 - Enquiry on PTC/UTA Mercedes-Benz O309Ds

Post by Randommann »

I think that would make a good explanation.
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Re: 1225 and 1226 - Enquiry on PTC/UTA Mercedes-Benz O309Ds

Post by Red and Cream »

Here are a couple of photos i captured of the minibuses when i was working at Brookvale Depot.
Last edited by Red and Cream on Thu Dec 17, 2015 10:47 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: 1225 and 1226 - Enquiry on PTC/UTA Mercedes-Benz O309Ds

Post by Randommann »

Oh that is brilliant! Thank you so much!
I think that "variation" of the Mark II livery on 1225 looks very good in my opinion. In fact possibly even better on a bigger bus.
Considering too that these entered service in October 1978, these also could have been some of the first (Alongside the first Mark II O305s) to be delivered with the two-shade-of-blue style.
"100 speed limited... by drivetrain."

I will report and cover any significant bus events from the Armidale region.
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Re: 1225 and 1226 - Enquiry on PTC/UTA Mercedes-Benz O309Ds

Post by Randommann »

Also a topic of interest regarding the description of the bottom picture (Doesn't relate much to the thread), in that you said you drove Atlantean 1059 during the HCVA tour in which 2634 was pictured.
I know 1059's current whereabouts - it is laying derelict on a property off the New England Highway near Bendemeer (A village between Armidale and Tamworth). You can see it as you drive past.
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Re: 1225 and 1226 - Enquiry on PTC/UTA Mercedes-Benz O309Ds

Post by 3808 »

Thanks Red and Cream! I had not heard of the hired third one (2634) until now.
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