Newcastle Transport Belmont Depot

[ScaniaGrenda]

Greetings all, I've been a little busy as of lately which is why I've been inactive but I got some photos that I wish to share of some Newcastle Transport Buses from the Belmont Depot.

First up we have m/o 5372 (Fleet 3559) Ex State Transit / Ex North and Western on a Volvo B10B chassis on a Custom coaches 238 body.


One of my most sought after buses was one of the 2 remaining Mercedes buses in the Fleet. Fortunate enough to see m/o 3406 on a Mercedes-Benz 0405N chassis with an Ansair Orana body here at the Belmont Depot.
This Mercedes is rarely seen these days out route services (Was operating the 29 to Stockland Glendale last Monday) I'm told and is mostly on School runs on from the Belmont Depot. Unsure of what m/o 3605 is up to tho.


And finally m/o 3878, a Volvo B10BLE on an APG Orana body.



Thanks for stopping by and viewing
(This thread is a repost submission due to a glitch with my internet browser on my end)

[Ikarbus]

Does anyone know that actual purpose of the order for the two Mercs 3405/3406? Were they some sort of prototype low floor?

I've never been on them or seen them on the inside.

[ScaniaGrenda]

Does anyone know that actual purpose of the order for the two Mercs 3405/3406? Were they some sort of prototype low floor?

I've never been on them or seen them on the inside.

Can't answer much for you but back in 2000 (One merc orana was made in 1996, the other 1997) These Mercedes operated in Sydney as the Airport Express busses and also performed Olympic duties during the 2000 Sydney Olympic games. Mr Kane took a photo in 2000 of m/o 3406 in it's airport express livery



I came across a photo on flickr of m/o 3406 taken in 2010, it mentioned the bus was to be transferred to Sydney STA depots but I don't know if that ever happened or it did but then was quickly sent back down. I'm sorta glad it stayed here so I could get a photo of it as you don't see any other similar Mercedes-Benz Orana buses running in Newcastle.

I may be wrong but these Mercedes 0405N's may be rare, maybe not chassis wise but body wise as I can't find any other similar buses to them that look like their low-floor like the Mercedes above is. I did find a Gallery photo (Posted below, again Taken by Mr Kane) for the Star Casino shuttle buses that they operated in 1997. They had Mercedes Ansair orana bodied buses but one; it's body appears to high floor from what I can judge from the photo and 2 the photo says it's on an Mercedes-Benz 0400 Chassis. Not 0405N.

[boronia]

IIRC 3405 and 3406 were ordered to provide some low floor capability on the AE service. When that ceased, they were sent to Newcastle.

Carbridge had 4 or 5 of those O400 Oranas. They initially operated shuttles from the temporary Casino to the CBD and Kings Cross. Also IIRC, they were originally all over black livery

[Ikarbus]

Cheers guys - I guess the low floor was ideal for AE services.

I forgot about those casino units, they were very smart looking indeed.

[burrumbus]

IIRC 3405 and 3406 were ordered to provide some low floor capability on the AE service. When that ceased, they were sent to Newcastle.

Carbridge had 4 or 5 of those O400 Oranas. They initially operated shuttles from the temporary Casino to the CBD and Kings Cross. Also IIRC, they were originally all over black livery

Evening Boronia.Carbridge had 8 of these Mercedes 0400/Ansairs.They were quality buses .They were sold as pairs to 4 different operators.Hope this helps.
Cheers-Allan.