My only ride on a Volgren CR221L-bodied O405NH was in Rottnest Island where ex-TransAlbany UQB804 used to operate the explorer shuttle before it was retired from service. Nowadays, the Rotto bus fleet is CR225L-bodied O405NH's and small BCI buses.
I wet to Rottnest in March 2019 and I didn't catch the CR221L then either. I managed to get an ex-Brisbane Volvo B10L, a CR225L Merc, a 12.5m BCI and a Hino high floor. It was a nice place to spend a day!
@@TalkingPlanning I'm glad you got to rode on some of those buses before it was withdrawn. A few of the ex-Brisbane B10L buses have been converted to party buses since then. Ironically, I went to Rottnest at that same time for a school camp (Between 12th-15th March 2019).
Any bus enthusiast has a soft spot for the Custom Citaros, no matter how slowly they climb hills... I remember hopping on a Mercedes O405NH Volgren CR221L back from the Easter Show in 2019, can't remember which operator but it smelled of cigarette smoke. Nice and loud though the driver ran quite a few red lights.
This isn't necessarily an enthusiast channel, but I get what you mean... I did enjoy a ride on the old Citaros! But preferably, with drivers practising safe driving habits
@@TalkingPlanning You should have seen the Hillsbus behind us, it nearly crashed into two cars. M/O 6037 although that's probably not going to be much use anymore.
You will soon find many of the Volvo B10BLE busses around are going to be retired soon too. Down at Transdev, we are replacing our older B10BLE and B7RLE fleet with much newer Mercedes OC500LE on the BusTech VST body. We also have a poorly kept secret of an Electric Optimus coming, but don't ask me when it is ready, we are still waiting for it
I'm not living in Brisbane anymore but I did manage to catch the B10BLE and B7 with Transdev before I moved to Newcastle! I'm keen to see some more electric stuff enter service so I can try it out!
B12BLE has a few more years left on it with us. The B10BLEs are going because they're approaching 20 years old, B7s will follow towards the end of 2024, B12s will likely be around up towards 2026/2027 (pending TransLink and their Electric/Alternate fuel bus plans)
Edit on older bus fleets being removed. Transdev QLD will be saying goodbye to the Volvo B7 fleet as well as all Millis-Tui and Express bodied coaches in favour of 14 BYD D9RA electric buses on the Optimus chassis by the end of 2022
This will probably be the last hornibrook 0405NH running, because 107 and 108 are probably going to be retired this year planned by hornibrook, hopefully I will be able to catch it on a school run before it gets sold! And these sound identical to 108 and 107
Yeah it'll be a sad day when this goes, as I've always liked the O405NH. That being said, I'm sure most passengers are keen to see shiny, new buses anyway!
They're not so rare in Sydney! Mercedes O500LEs with CR221Ls operate on Transdev NSW, with it being Charter or School services as there aren't Opal readers fitted on them.
Yeah I was last in Melbourne in November 2019 and I caught one Kastoria bus. Sadly, not the O405NH. These are probably even rarer in QLD than in Victoria though!
This bus has now been withdrawn and has a very happy new owner! Glad I managed to catch it when I did.
we still have a few here in perth i saw one few days ago
My only ride on a Volgren CR221L-bodied O405NH was in Rottnest Island where ex-TransAlbany UQB804 used to operate the explorer shuttle before it was retired from service. Nowadays, the Rotto bus fleet is CR225L-bodied O405NH's and small BCI buses.
I wet to Rottnest in March 2019 and I didn't catch the CR221L then either. I managed to get an ex-Brisbane Volvo B10L, a CR225L Merc, a 12.5m BCI and a Hino high floor. It was a nice place to spend a day!
@@TalkingPlanning I'm glad you got to rode on some of those buses before it was withdrawn. A few of the ex-Brisbane B10L buses have been converted to party buses since then. Ironically, I went to Rottnest at that same time for a school camp (Between 12th-15th March 2019).
Rottnest also has Optare Solo buses.
Any bus enthusiast has a soft spot for the Custom Citaros, no matter how slowly they climb hills...
I remember hopping on a Mercedes O405NH Volgren CR221L back from the Easter Show in 2019, can't remember which operator but it smelled of cigarette smoke. Nice and loud though the driver ran quite a few red lights.
This isn't necessarily an enthusiast channel, but I get what you mean... I did enjoy a ride on the old Citaros! But preferably, with drivers practising safe driving habits
@@TalkingPlanning You should have seen the Hillsbus behind us, it nearly crashed into two cars.
M/O 6037 although that's probably not going to be much use anymore.
You will soon find many of the Volvo B10BLE busses around are going to be retired soon too. Down at Transdev, we are replacing our older B10BLE and B7RLE fleet with much newer Mercedes OC500LE on the BusTech VST body.
We also have a poorly kept secret of an Electric Optimus coming, but don't ask me when it is ready, we are still waiting for it
I'm not living in Brisbane anymore but I did manage to catch the B10BLE and B7 with Transdev before I moved to Newcastle! I'm keen to see some more electric stuff enter service so I can try it out!
B12BLE has a few more years left on it with us. The B10BLEs are going because they're approaching 20 years old, B7s will follow towards the end of 2024, B12s will likely be around up towards 2026/2027 (pending TransLink and their Electric/Alternate fuel bus plans)
Edit on older bus fleets being removed. Transdev QLD will be saying goodbye to the Volvo B7 fleet as well as all Millis-Tui and Express bodied coaches in favour of 14 BYD D9RA electric buses on the Optimus chassis by the end of 2022
This will probably be the last hornibrook 0405NH running, because 107 and 108 are probably going to be retired this year planned by hornibrook, hopefully I will be able to catch it on a school run before it gets sold! And these sound identical to 108 and 107
Yeah it'll be a sad day when this goes, as I've always liked the O405NH. That being said, I'm sure most passengers are keen to see shiny, new buses anyway!
They're not so rare in Sydney! Mercedes O500LEs with CR221Ls operate on Transdev NSW, with it being Charter or School services as there aren't Opal readers fitted on them.
Cool! Sydney definitely has a bit more variety than Brisbane, so it doesn't surprise me. I think Melbourne is probably the capital of CR221L's though.
Also, you forgot to mention Transdev NSW uses Bustech bodies on their O405NHs.
This is in Melbourne what I'm talking about.
I see this bus in a kastoria livery and as they are rare I get on it whenever I can.
Yeah I was last in Melbourne in November 2019 and I caught one Kastoria bus. Sadly, not the O405NH. These are probably even rarer in QLD than in Victoria though!