A couple of pics taken by Tim Williams when the O-bahn mercs were new.

Leader of the pack, STA 1501 as original seen at the old Hackney depot


rear view of 1501 at Hackney.


1512 showing how the buses ended up looking.


1510 seen at Victoria Sq, note rear dest blanked off.


1502, 1st of the artics at Hackney depot.


another view of 1502.


Thanks to Tim Williams for these pics, sorry it took so long to remember to post them.

Thanks for posting them up Inspector. It's nice to see when they were brand new and what they were like. Especially like the 2nd photo where in the background you can see a B59 in cirle line livery and in the far distent a SL200.

Desto wrote:Thanks for posting them up Inspector.

No probs but as I mentioned, thanks needs to go to Tim. He sent me these pics a couple of yrs ago to post but I misplaced them on the computer and have only managed to dig them up. Better late than never I guess.

Great photos Inspector.

When were 1501 and 1502 modified from the demo versions to the way they are today?

Route 723F wrote: When were 1501 and 1502 modified from the demo versions to the way they are today?

Not sure of dates but would have been extremely early in their life.

Route 723F wrote:Great photos Inspector.

When were 1501 and 1502 modified from the demo versions to the way they are today?

1502 just got remnumbered to 1542 and that was the starting number of the artics. It was never modified. Not sure when 1501 was modified though.

Desto wrote: 1502 just got remnumbered to 1542 and that was the starting number of the artics. It was never modified. Not sure when 1501 was modified though.

1502 was modified, it had the double indicators at the front removed as did 1501 and also had its electronic desto's removed. Also the tail lights and indicators art the rear were changed on both these buses.

The Inspector wrote:

Desto wrote: 1502 just got remnumbered to 1542 and that was the starting number of the artics. It was never modified. Not sure when 1501 was modified though.

1502 was modified, it had the double indicators at the front removed as did 1501 and also had its electronic desto's removed. Also the tail lights and indicators art the rear were changed on both these buses.

Forgot about them, thanks for the refresher.

I'm positive that 1502/1542 is todays 545. If not, could you clarify what number it carries now?

1502 did later become 1545 and now is 545, and yes had clearly modifed from its original condition.

Thanks for posting these great photos mate

It is nice to see what they looked like new and what they look like now.

One thing i did notice was the DOORS look like the 600s Square Box MERCs that we have here in perth which i never knew happened in adelaide so thats good.

And man what were they thinking with those DESTOs!

Cheers ,

Great Photo's.

it is so nice to see what they looked like back in the 80's
1545 has had a centre door installed.

I would have loved to have driven them when they were new.

Hazards & Dome wrote:

squeek229 wrote:And man what were they thinking with those DESTOs!

Cheers ,

I think they look alot similar to the Melbourne SL200 desto's

Anyone know the when the full size destos that the 0305's now carry became available? I wonder if 501/02 had the smaller displays initially because that's what was available when they were were built (anyone know the build dates of the two class leaders and versus the rest of the 0305s).

Great shots, these are far closer in looks to the european mercs than the Perth versions!!!

Awe inspiring pictures, thanks for posting them Scott! Does Tim Williams have any pictures of the MAN SL200's or Volvo B58 and B10M's in such pristine condition and if so could he post them here on the forum?

I do have photos of most earlier types when they were new - SL200's Volvos etc - but what I have got (but mostly slides) are pictures of MTT 401, 250 & 260 all new within Hackney - prior to service.

I laso have a lot of slides of the private operators in Adelaide from the 1960's until their demise, but the method I have of getting slides scanned in is not the best, despite having chosen a scanner with a special slide device.

I will speak to my son (who is in IT) to see what better alternatives there are.

But I can assure you these slides + a lot of MTT pictures will really interest a few gunzels !!

Look forward to seeing them Tim I was thinking that as the SL200's are now in their twilight years that it would be good to see them as delivered, with the trims around the wheel arches etc. I'll be waiting in anticipation!

Herbert wrote:Fantastic! Why, oh why, were they ever painted out of that beautiful livery?

Yes it was a shame to lose the O-Bahn livery even though it was just a re-colour of the STA corperate speed stripe livery as was the Bicentenial livery on the MAN SG280H artics. I wish they had a special livery for the O-Bahn all of its own.

Herbert wrote:Interesting to note 8310 in the background of the last photo - an ex-Briscoes Bedford VAM70, quite a contrast to the O305G.

Yeh those would have been the days to be in Adelaide witha camera, all the old private buses (Bedfords, Hino's, Albions, Commers, AEC's, some still in private liveries) running around for the STA. I wish I started photography back then.

Please,please re upload these pictures. Wanna see these classic pictures. Or send them to my email :
"bentleyv8t@hotmail.com".

bentleyv8t wrote:Please,please re upload these pictures. Wanna see these classic pictures. Or send them to my email :
"bentleyv8t@hotmail.com".

Try sending Tim Williams a PM asking if you can have copies sent, I wont pass other peoples pics around without their consent and its just as easy for you to ask for them from Tim than me to ask to send them on to you.

Also I dont keep other peoples pics mutch, I only had these to post on Tim's behalf.

How do i send one to Tim?

bentleyv8t wrote:How do i send one to Tim?

In this thread there is a post made by Tim,

simply click on his name, then click on "send PM"