Ex ARA 1592 (JL2163) at Runciman Motors

Acquired by Runciman Motors in January 2000, ex Auckland No. 1592 snapped standing in Masefield St., Upper Hutt, outside the Runciman Motors yard while on school bus duties to St. Pats.

 

Between 1973 and 1980 Auckland Regional Authority acquired 300 Mercedes Benz 0305 buses with New Zealand Motor Bodies B46D bodies built under licence to VOV - Verband Offentlicher Verkehrsbetriebe. Translated to Englsh VOV means German Union of Public Transport Companies. The VOV bus was a standard design developed in Germany 1967.

Two of the 0305 buses, including the doubly unlucky 1313 were destroyed by a fire at New Zealand Motor Bodies Takanini? plant while being repaired so only 298 were delivered under the contract.

The buses replaced by the 298 0305 and 96 0303 buses were 158 Daimler Freelines, 50 Leyland Royal Tigers, 106 Bedfords ( 73 SB3, 2 SB8 30 VAMs 1 VAL ) 1 Leyland Leopard, 2 Leyland Comets, 1 Mack CBLIRS, 2 NST/Macks and a Kea. The last four models were built or extensively rebuilt at North Shore Transports workshops.

New Plymouth City Council had frequently added a small order onto large orders placed by other municipal operators. In 1976 it obtained 4 buses to the ARA specification.

 

ARA No. 1592 CARJAM REPORT:

Make: 1979 MERCEDES-BENZ

Model: 0305

Colour: White

Second Colour: Blue

Plate: CRB884

Engine No: 009830

Chassis: 30700161019087

Seats: 47

CC rating: 11,045cc

Fuel Type: Diesel

Plates history:

JL2163 – 7 December 1979

CRB884 – 13 May 2005

Done