Centralian wrote:The newest addition is 7384 MO, a Volvo B7R Euro 5. Snapped images of it today at Leura and Katoomba and operating the Katoomba - Springwood service, which does imply a Valley Heights based bus. Will post in my next BM postcard.

You beat me to it! I sighted it today operating a valley heights school service.

I noticed the a/c unit at the front appears different to that on the other SB50's with BMHS, which made me realise it was the new vehicle. Also double checked the Volvo B6 and yes it does look deregistered. Unusual in that they had repainted it into the new stripes colours which implied it still had some life with BMHS.

Centralian wrote:I noticed the a/c unit at the front appears different to that on the other SB50's with BMHS, which made me realise it was the new vehicle. Also double checked the Volvo B6 and yes it does look deregistered. Unusual in that they had repainted it into the new stripes colours which implied it still had some life with BMHS.

Yeah I also noticed that.

The Volvo B6 I have been told by one of the drivers that it has been Decommissioned, so your observations are correct.

Spotted 3712 MO the 'brown bus' at Valley Heights now sporting signage on the side. Just caught my eye in the depot as I was driving west and I thought it said 'Retro Tours' but I'll confirm in the next few days and get a snap - unless someone gets in earlier.

Retro Tours is confirmed in http://www.busaustralia.com/forum/viewt ... 42&t=77019

Some changes sighted recently:

- 3764 MO is now at Valley Heights depot
- 3740MO is now based at Katoomba Depot
-3746MO Is now at Valley heights depot again.

3722 MO- now based at Valley heights depot

One of the Howard porter trolley buses, is at valley heights, will try and confirm rego.

taptap23 wrote:3722 MO- now based at Valley heights depot

One of the Howard porter trolley buses, is at valley heights, will try and confirm rego.

The other one remains at Katoomba but appears to be unregistered.

The Katoomba fleet appeared from Monday with 'Opal Bus' stickers on most of the vehicles, assume same at Valley Heights and Emu Plains.

3757MO appears to be doing charters from valley heights depot again. Not sure what the jenolan caves run is now.

3761MO is de-reg

Thanks for the observations taptap23. I might have the terminolgy wrong, but apparently because the bus comes under their region contract funding they're been told not allowed to have it in Trolley Tours livery. I believe another vehicle will also be coming off the Trolley Tours livery. Opal Card also appears to have brought the 'hail and ride' type service they offered along their routes to an end. Pick ups and drop offs have to be at an Opal Card identified bus stop. Seniors might still get away with it until they too get their own Opal Cards, but will then have to hike to their nearest stop along the route.

Noticed based at Katoomba depot while the Leura Gardens Festival is on and providing shuttle services have been Retro Tours 3712 MO and TV 2094 mini Trolley.

Centralian wrote:. Opal Card also appears to have brought the 'hail and ride' type service they offered along their routes to an end. Pick ups and drop offs have to be at an Opal Card identified bus stop. Seniors might still get away with it until they too get their own Opal Cards, but will then have to hike to their nearest stop along the route.

I've heard that they will be putting new bus stops in certain areas around the mountains where they do Hail and ride currently.

Centralian wrote:Noticed based at Katoomba depot while the Leura Gardens Festival is on and providing shuttle services have been Retro Tours 3712 MO and TV 2094 mini Trolley.

Interesting! I might go to Leura Gardens just to go for a ride on them

Spotted today 1811 MO Volvo doing the run from Katoomba to Echo Point with Trolley Tours card on front windscreen/dash, but now in TNSW colours. So appears now back at Katoomba depot - photo soon. Also Retro Tours Volvo has now returned to Valley Heights depot after a stint at Katoomba for Leura Gardens Festival shuttles.

Still no obvious signs of ownership change.

Centralian wrote:Spotted today 1811 MO Volvo doing the run from Katoomba to Echo Point with Trolley Tours card on front windscreen/dash, but now in TNSW colours. So appears now back at Katoomba depot - photo soon. Also Retro Tours Volvo has now returned to Valley Heights depot after a stint at Katoomba for Leura Gardens Festival shuttles.

Still no obvious signs of ownership change.

Apparently a few more are to go into TfNSW Livery over the next month or so.

I also noticed new desto files are being put in to buses at Emu Plains and Valley Heights depots, this now allows the bus to display "Opal Bus" and the Route number is on the right hand side. Katoomba appears to not have been updated as of yet.

Sighted what looked to be 3703 MO being worked on at katoomba depot, looks like it might be getting registered again.

November 24 and still no obvious signs of new owners.

Centralian wrote:November 24 and still no obvious signs of new owners.

Yep taking a while,

There is a list of demands apparently- e.g new destos at Emu and Valley Heights (none at Katoomba yet), which had to be done before takeover. Although i had noticed that CDC had traffic info for the mtns on their website.

New ownership occured on December 1, 2014

Some observations over the last week or so at Katoomba depot:
3739 MO Volvo QCC Majestic appears to be based at Katoomba depot now, overnighting all this week and sighted out on the road in Katoomba.
7773 MO the re-registered Volvo B6 is also Katoomba based and doing school runs this week.
The two mini trolleys appear to have been put into hibernation in the corner of the Katoomba shed.
There appears to be fewer of the large Trolley's based at Katoomba only sighting one in the shed overnight, but I need to study that some more.
Route buses appear to be doing more of the shuttles to Echo Point and Scenic World.
Also full side and/or rear advertising is much more prevalent across the fleet at Valley Heights and Katoomba, probably Emu as well.
No yellow buses sighted to date at Katoomba.

Might take a while for CDC to move buses to BMT, as that is what happened when they took over Qcity...

R-C wrote:New ownership occured on December 1, 2014

That still does not appear to have been confirmed.

-3757 MO is now running out of Valley Heights depot again.
-3772 MO appears to no longer be running out of Katoomba depot, hasnt been sighted for some time.
-I suspect 3760 MO and 3762 MO may now be running out of Emu Plains as i havent sighted either of them at Katoomba or Valley heights depot doing runs or at the depot for ages.

With BMBC now takenover, there seems to be a lot less buses at Katoomba from what I've seen, the trolley tour now seems to be running with the ex BCC buses.

- 1810 MO,7010 MO,7773MO and 3724 MO no longer seem to be running out of Katoomba
- 3739 MO and 3772 MO are at Emu Plains
- 3740 MO is at Katoomba