New here

[3575]

Hello everyone =)

I'm from Germany and I found this bord by Google when I searched for original Bus numbers.
I'm Bus fan for some years now and I'm very interested in the public transport anyway.

I'm 20 years old and I'm living in the capital of Germany, Berlin. We have many, many Buses and the largest Tram net in Germany. We also have the S-Bahn (urban rail) and one of the oldes undergrounds of the world (after New York, London and Paris =P ).

It's amazing seeing there are Bus fans all over the world, in Down Under, too.
I read some topics and was fascinated by so many photos from Buses I've never seen before, 'cause I've never been to Australia or New Zealand.
I'd like to find out more about your public transport, watching photos and of course I also would like to show some photos, if it's allowed. ^.^

Ok, too many "I"s, let's come to an end with this post. xD
If there are any questions, feel free to ask.

See you,
3575

PS: Please apologize my language, I'm still learning English, one more reason for me to surf in the English web as well.

[Randommann]

Hello 3575. Welcome to the forum! I hope you enjoy your time here.

I have heard that there used to be many Mercedes-Benz O305s and MAN SL200s with VoV-style bodies in Berlin. Is that true?
There are many Merc O305s and MAN SL200s here in Australia, and while some have VoV bodies (Such as the ones in Canberra and Adelaide), a lot have very different-looking styles (Such as Sydney's or Perth's Mercs).

[3575]

Thank you, Randommann!

First I must confess, I don't know what VoV-style means. ^^'''
Ich used Google, but I got no answer. Is is a special paint?

Actually we have no O305 or SL200 Buses any more in our public transport, it's a pity. ^^'
Even the later generations like O405 and SL202, and even O405N already are token out of service. Berlin only has new Buses like the Citaro family, Solaris Urbino or MAN NL263.

But fortunately we have got two clubs for old Buses and Trams. The supporters of this clubs still have got two O305 and one SL200 for special tours. There is a Bus route "218" only for historic Buses, travelling every day for anyone.

I'll go on reading the topics about the Australian towns to figure out more about VoV and other knowledge. x)

[Randommann]

Hello again!

It is a pity that the O305/SL200s are already gone in Berlin. There are still a few O305s in city route service left in Australia (Sydney still has about 130 left in service, out of originally 1300), although all will be gone in a few years. Many O305/SL200s have been bought from their original operators to be preserved, used for further service with private companies or are converted into motorhomes.

VoV is a certain bus body style/shape which I think is on all German Merc O305s and MAN SL200s, but I am not completely sure about that. Some Australian Merc O305s and MAN SL200s have a VoV body style as well, the most notable being the ones that used to be in Canberra, ACT. For example, ACTION 670 (An ex. Canberra O305), which has a thread in the "Photos-Sydney/NSW" section, has a VoV body shape similar to the German O305s.

There are many other body shapes on Australian O305s and SL200s though, the most notable being Sydney's and Perth's O305s (Which look very different to Canberra's/Germany's ones).

[User 6302]

Thank you, Randommann!

First I must confess, I don't know what VoV-style means. ^^'''
Ich used Google, but I got no answer. Is is a special paint?

Actually we have no O305 or SL200 Buses any more in our public transport, it's a pity. ^^'

VöV was a standard design routebus, which was a result of the cooperation between the German bus manufactores. You are probably a young busfan, since you do not know about the VöV bus. http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standard-Bus

In Portugal the same kind of cooperation took place. The Volvo B58 and the B59 built in the 1970's had the same bodydesign, built by Camo, Caetano, Mota and Utic.

Same thing in Holland with the standard Duvedec body, built by Berkhof & Hainje from 1989-2001.

The VöV front screens were used by the Danish bus factories, DAB & Aabenraa, for over 20 years.

It must be at least 10 years ago that the last O305 were withdrawn in Berlin.. A large number of them went to Sofia, Bulgaria, where the last ones lasted until 2010.

[AL]

For the Aussies, the Europeans have much stricter rules about emissions which I think in Germany now doesn't allow anything less than Euro 3 in public passenger use, ruling out most Aussie vehicles....

Such a rule here would be good for the environment and fleet ages across the board, and would have a much more measurable impact than the carbon tax.

[3575]

Hello again!

It is a pity that the O305/SL200s are already gone in Berlin. There are still a few O305s in city route service left in Australia (Sydney still has about 130 left in service, out of originally 1300), although all will be gone in a few years. Many O305/SL200s have been bought from their original operators to be preserved, used for further service with private companies or are converted into motorhomes.

VoV is a certain bus body style/shape which I think is on all German Merc O305s and MAN SL200s, but I am not completely sure about that. Some Australian Merc O305s and MAN SL200s have a VoV body style as well, the most notable being the ones that used to be in Canberra, ACT. For example, ACTION 670 (An ex. Canberra O305), which has a thread in the "Photos-Sydney/NSW" section, has a VoV body shape similar to the German O305s.).

Ah, ok, this explains anything!
Kim B10M 's advice "VöV style" with the Wikipedia link gave me all information, now I got it.

And yes, AL is right. As I wrote in another topic here, big towns in Germany have enviroment zones against fine dust. And old Buses like the O305, even O405 make too much of this dust, except you convert the Bus. But this would be too expensive. Anyway, Europeans love buying new things. xD

It's great to read that you have so many of these nice O305 Buses left! It must be really a good quality.
I didn't experience the time when these Buses (O305, O405, SL202 …) where driving on our roads. The oldest Buses driving for public transport in Berlin are not older than 11 years (MAN NL313).

[User 6302]

Berlin was one of the first cities in Europe to implement an emission-zone, so that all vehicles entering the city much meet the EURO 3 emissions. About the rules for citybuses in Berlin, I don't know how it works, but in Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Holland, most citybus-contracts are between 6-12 years now, and when contract ends, you can make a new bid in order to keep your contract, but it must be with new buses with the lowest emissions.

That is good for the environment, but it also means that bus companies got 8-12 year old buses in their yard that cannot be sold, as the 2hand bus market collapsed in Eastern Europe in 2008 due to the financial crises.

Anyway, that is not a problem in Australia, since the companies operating, mostly are owned by the municipality.

One out of many reasons why I like Australia, is the long lifespan of the buses, but if you care more about the environment, then I guess you will prefer to replace the fleets every ten years.

In Denmark, most older buses, lower than Euro 4 must have particle filters in order to drive into the cities.. That I support more than change the fleet often, but the filters cost time and money to maintain.

[krustyklo]

One out of many reasons why I like Australia, is the long lifespan of the buses, but if you care more about the environment, then I guess you will prefer to replace the fleets every ten years.

It still comes at a cost though. Unless the electrical energy used is 100% green then the energy use is not without cost. If, like Australia, manufacturers are in an area relying on coal powered electricity then there is still significant air pollution. That includes the bus, the steel, aluminium and other metals that go into the manufacture of it, the manufacture of plastic from hydrocarbons (ie oil) and so on. It would be interesting to see how the energy consumption and pollution from manufacturing a new bus compares to running an older bus for a few more years, and where the sweet spot is in terms of pollution. 12 years may be getting close, 6 years sounds a little short...

[3575]

This is an interesting thought! I think most people in our country don't think that far.
But you shouldn't forget this emission-zone rule also includes the cars, except the one which are historic (you recognize them by the "H" as last letter on the number plate, for example "B-CN2886H".
You enter this emission-zone by crossing the S-Bahn (urban rail) ring (a ring route around Berlin's city).

But I'll finish that now, it becomes too much off-topic. :/

[Daz]

I still like the two-stroke Detroit Diesel motor best.

Daz