Canberra Tour 27/03/10

[Lemon]

Date: 27/03/10
Start Time: 0930
Finish Time: Anytime between 1700 and 1800
Vehicles Used-Morning: 990 and 982
Vehicles Used-Afternoon: 390 and 374 (all vehicles subject to Operational Availability)
Cost: $15-$20, left over money to be donated to ACT Bus for further development
Itinerary:
0930: 990 Departs Cohen st Platform 3, we will not pick up anyone waiting at Lathlain st or Cameron Ave.
0945: 990 Pick up City Platform 10, 982 Depart Tuggeranong Platform 6
1000: Buses meet at the back of platform 9 at Woden
1010: Depart for tour of Stromlo, Weston Creek and Tuggeranong Suburbs
1130: Drive through tour of Tuggeranong Depot (subject to approval by ACTION), swap 982 for 374 here
1155: Depart for Belconnen
1230: Lunch at Westfield Belconnen, or Emu Bank fast food area in which case Aikman Drive layover will be used , 990 will be returned to the depot during this time and swapped for 390
1330: Depart for tour of Belconnen suburbs
1500: Make Way to Old Parliament House for a group shot
1530: Drive to Oaks Estate via Parkes Way and Oaks Estate Road returning via Canberra Ave, Causeway and old 83/237
1645: Arrive Woden, 374 returns to Tuggeranong, 390 returns to Belconnen via City
1700: 374 terminates at Tuggeranong, 390 sets down in the City
1715: 390 arrives at Cohen st Bus Station

[Bus 400]

I wonder if the tour could be for the 20th Anniversary of services to Tuggeranong Terminus (started 4 September 1989 I know). A tour of Tuggeranong Depot could be incorporated into this as Stage 1 of the Depot was also opened on 4 September 1989.

Even to accomodate everyone, the tour could once again follow the old 333 route (as per April 2009 tour but other way round).

[1whoknows]

Please do not double up with the Tassie tour which is also proposed for April but no date set yet (see that section).

[Lemon]

Okay, we will try to plan around the tassie tour but I will ask the organizers of that to try not to get it one the weekend I mentioned so that we don't clash with a Raiders home game.

Bus 400 we will be taking a bus from each depot and meeting in the City. We are hoping to have two drivers from each depot volunteer to do the tour. The tuggies bus will follow the old 333 to City West and the Belco bus will head to City West via Parkes Way if this goes ahead. After that is what's up for discussion.

[Two-Way]

Lets visit some private operators such as Transborder Express and Deanes Queanbeyan.

[Lemon]

I think we will stick with ACTION as we can get volunteer drivers meaning that the overall cost is cheaper. We might be able to organise a tour through the Transborder Depot but Deanes is out of the question as ACTION buses can't go into NSW.

[Two-Way]

Lost my interest then.

[Lemon]

Right well as I said we can organise a TBX depot tour but we can keep the cost cheaper with ACTION. Can't do anything about the NSW thing. Date wise how does March 6 sound to everyone. That is the Saturday of the long weekend. Alternatively and I can't believe I didn't think of this before how about the 27th of March the day before the Canberra Airport Open Day meaning that enthusiasts can visit both in one trip.

[Two-Way]

March 6 is not good there is a QLD tour that day.

[Lemon]

Ok, lets take the date out of the matter and set it for the 27th of March to coincide with the Canberra Airport open day on the 28th.

[Bus 400]

Would you be willing to include Woden Depot into the tour? As if you ask your regular driver of Bus 337 he can give you ideas about getting access to the old admin building before ACTION take more of it up (nothing illegal in gaining entry, but can't give too much away).

[Lemon]

The Woden storage facility will not be included in the tour. I am currently looking at having the regular driver of 337 to drive the tour along with three others that I have asked.

[Lemon]

Please refer to the following link and then post here. I want to get this organised before I go away at the beginning of January
http://actbus.net/forum/index.php?topic=2112.msg19023;topicseen#msg19023

[OLYMPIAN]

What are the 14.5s?
Scania? Volgren? CC?

[Volvo Super Olympian]

I would take a guess that they will be Evo 2, makes more sense when they've got such a big fleet of CC buses. I reckon they would look just like 9793 to 9816 in Hillsbus, Sydney fleet.

Although a Volgren one would be a fantastic option, the green livery should look pretty good with the CR228L.

[Bus 400]

As stated in Transit Australia (December 2009 Edition) the 14.5's are to be Scania K310 Euro 5 diesel. Custom Coaches have given confirmation that they are building these buses. The first bus should be due in the next few weeks & be in operation in January 2010.

[Lemon]

K320 in fact, Scania do not offer the K310 in Euro V.

As far as the tour goes, I have established that we can go into NSW so I am now working on a tour of the Deanes depot. We are also thinking that we may swap to two of the newer buses after the Queanbyan part of the tour, if we go into NSW with a bike rack bus we have to remove the rack and put a front plate on so it is a fair bit to do.

[Bidgee]

I'm interested in the tour, however I can't give you a 100% that I'll be there as it depends on what's happening.

[ajw373]

I wonder if the tour could be for the 20th Anniversary of services to Tuggeranong Terminus (started 4 September 1989 I know). A tour of Tuggeranong Depot could be incorporated into this as Stage 1 of the Depot was also opened on 4 September 1989.

Where pray tell is Tuggeranong Terminus? Do you mean the interchange or somewhere else?

[Bus 400]

On Anketel Street outside Tuggeranong Hyperdome (well that is where the picture is taken)

[ajw373]

On Anketel Street outside Tuggeranong Hyperdome (well that is where the picture is taken)

That's what I thought you were talking about, in which case it was opened in 1987 not 1989. I know because I played in the school band when the Hyperdome opened, I stopped playing in 1987 and the Hyperdome was my last 'gig'.

[Bus 400]

I'll blame to Transit Australia magazine (November 1989 Edition)

[Lemon]

Plans for the tour will be posted at some time early in the new year. The tour will not have any special name. At this stage we do plan on making a visit to Deanes (subject to approval) but TBX will not be doable because their depot is unmanned on weekends.

Bus wise, we are going to try and swap buses at some stage after the Deanes trip for two MAN buses (hopefully 374 and 390). Ideally we would like to take a 14.5m Scania but the chances of ACTION letting us do that are slim.

The tour will start at about 9am and go through to about 5:30-6pm. At this stage we plan to visit:
-Tuggeranong Depot
-Cotter
-Deanes Depot
-Former Belconnen Interchange Site

If anyone else has any ideas please post them here.

[ajw373]

I'll blame to Transit Australia magazine (November 1989 Edition)

Your probably half right. The actual on street terminus outside the Hyperdome most certainly opened in 1987 when the Hyperdome itself opened. If I am not mistaken though a temporary interchange opened in the same location few years later. So the article is probably talking about this. As to weather there is any value in visiting it, I would say no as there would be nothing what so ever to see.

[Bidgee]

If anyone else has any ideas please post them here.

Old Bus Depot at Kingston? Just a thought though.