An O-Bahn artic lost?

[Eagle Eye]

A couple of unusual sightings of an O-Bahn artic and an ex-O-Bahn artic down south in 2011.

An unknown Merc at Lonsdale stripped of parts and going nowhere fast, since identified as the prototype 545:

IMGP3743.jpg (136.58 KiB) Viewed 1736 times

1111 on a rare trip for an O-Bahn bus to Old Reynella Interchange, waiting to start a G21 back to the city:

IMGP3754.jpg (148.9 KiB) Viewed 1740 times

(See my later post below regarding the rest of the photos initially posted in this topic.)

[busrider]

I think the Merc artic being stripped for parts is 545...

[Hull Depot Approver]

"Eagle Eye says This has to be one of my all-time favourite shots, taken on Chandlers Hill Rd overlooking Happy Valley Reservoir"

100% aggreed ! That is awesome, the quality is top class ! Roll on 289 days time !!!!!

[STA 1440]

LOL I bet you got some strange looks from the local SouthLink operators!

[LowRider]

Very nice and interesting pictures! However, I wonder, did you have permission to stray so far away from your terminus? I wouldn't like to know the repercussions of your employer finding out you just waste their diesel and kilometres by straying off to places the bus shouldn't be going? Also, correct me if I'm wrong, but if you had an accident out there, wouldn't the company wipe their hands of it and say its your problem because you strayed off route? Just some food for thought.

[marc506]

I think the Merc artic being stripped for parts is 545...

bastards.

(1)501 and (1)545 where the prototypes and both have been lost for preservation.

[Eagle Eye]

I spoke to the driver today who I tagged along with on the day these photos were taken and while he was at first happy for me to post these photos, he has since kindly asked me to remove a few of them. (He is not a board member or gunzel but takes the odd photo with his own camera, and occasionally views the odd photo topic on here. Me on the other hand, I like to take as many photos as possible!)

I have joined this driver (who is a good mate of mine) a number of times in the past as he often drives to places I rarely or never travel/ride/drive etc, and will continue to in the future. However, with potential controversy being raised over these photos he has asked me to remove some of them, just in case. It just so happened they were some of the best and most scenic photos I have taken, hence my keenness to post them, however I respect his wishes and have acted as he wished.

Apologies for any inconvenience caused from this photo collection.

[Hull Depot Approver]

Such a shame Eagle Eye ! They where fantastic and it's such a shame that fellow "gunzel's" feel the need to pick fault with the in's & out's of where they were taken ! There are far more serious problems in this world to worry about than the odd bus photo here and there!

[busrider]

I was discussing this with another driver today, and considering the fact that there are practically no facilities at Old Reynella Interchange, if the driver had more than, say, 20 minutes time between runs to/from ORI, going somewhere else to use the facilities doesn't seem like a bad thing. Noarlunga isn't really that far away from ORI, and it has the facilities, and space to layover, that ORI just hasn't got. Also, considering some if the ridiculous dead running that LCB has scheduled (St Agnes to Brighton for a school run?!), this doesn't seem like a very big deal in comparison.

[CB80]

If you took your bus off-route without permission and had an accident you'd be stuffed. That's all there is to say on the subject.

[ScaniaK320]

And I think we will leave this now.

[jibb]

O-Bahn Scania Artics and Rigids seem to be used quite often on G20/21 trips and also School Bus runs in am and pm to/from Aberfoyle Hub.Strangely seems to be more from St Agnes than Morphettville.
Obviously they don't need all their O-Bahn vehicles in both peaks so they not only get used as I mentioned above,but on most other routes from time to time.
Since January there are more O-Bahn vehicles allocated to Morphettville.

[Route 506]

Such a shame to see 545 bus going to waste rather than being preserved somehow being the historical first merc artic .

So Old Reynella is where some of our missing 506 Routes have got to

I'm surprised they would use o-bahn buses much at Old Reynella but who knows these days with the new ideas and rosters.

[TA3001]

Is this bus still languishing in the same place today?

[LowRider]

Yep, 545 suffered a blown trans and was towed to the Lonsdale rail substitute yard and left down the bottom. Inside it is intact, it has no engine in it, it has no wheels on its trailer, and is missing a fair few rear end parts as well.