New TV 644 with Blue Mountains Explorer Bus

[Centralian]

Captured on revenue service today is this new addition to Blue Mountains Explorer Bus at Katoomba.
After a delayed delivery it still has to be decorated by their sign writer, which I believe is happening next week. Brings back the plate TV 644
into the fleet, and will be fleet number 300. A name has been allocated for the vehicle in the fleet, but I'll wait until its official launch.

Open to correction, but is this the first new single (rear) axle double decker in Australia since Sydney's last
Leyland Atlantean was delivered back in the 1970's ?

TV 644 BCI FBC6108BRZI licensed to seat 78 passengers.

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rear view of the new BCI decker in service.

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starting to fill for the first scheduled trip today.

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another front view.

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Just editing in one more image I took this afternoon of the decker at Echo Point.

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[Swift]

These should be appearing - in TNSW livery!

[boronia]

Why?

[Free Lance]

Not on "TV" plates

[boronia]

Not on TfNSW contract

[Swift]

Why?

Yes it would be nice for Ryde depot to get some.

[OLYMPIAN]

It is the first two axle DD since the Atlantean

If is single rear axle DD, CDI is single rear axle

[Centralian]

It is the first two axle DD since the Atlantean

If is single rear axle DD, CDI is single rear axle

Hmm, I missed that in the question I asked. Yes, first 2 axle DD since the Atlantean.

[Centralian]

TV 644 now has all its Blue Mountains Explorer Bus markings applied and should be out and about.
I couldn't get a shot yesterday as it was still unfinished when I called, but there's a shot of it on their
Facebook page all complete.

[Swift]

They must be doing alright to be able to go the brand new route. I wonder if he'll get any brothers.

[burrumbus]

From observations ,Swift a very well operated service with excellent patronage.Nice to see them buying new for the service.

[boronia]

Being a BCI, it will probably work out cheaper for a few years than importing and trying to maintain second hand pommy stuff

[Swift]

I wish Sydney route services would get some. I'm guessing NSW being a restriction junkie, won't allow this spec of bus to be used on route service because they insist they know better than the rest of the world, what constitutes a safe bus.

[boronia]

They want buses for an expected chassis service life of 25 years.

Without being insulting, I do not think BCI could do that.

[Swift]

I was talking about any bus like the BCI, It can be a Bentley bus for all I care.

[Linto63]

Open to correction, but is this the first new single (rear) axle double decker in Australia since Sydney's last Leyland Atlantean was delivered back in the 1970's?

Fairly sure you are right.

[Swift]

Open to correction, but is this the first new single (rear) axle double decker in Australia since Sydney's last Leyland Atlantean was delivered back in the 1970's?

Fairly sure you are right.

Read further back.

It is the first two axle DD since the Atlantean

If is single rear axle DD, CDI is single rear axle

Hmm, I missed that in the question I asked. Yes, first 2 axle DD since the Atlantean.

[Centralian]

Here it is in full livery - great shot from Darrell which I couldn't match.

TV 644 with corporate livery applied.

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[burrumbus]

Thanks for supplying the shot from Darrell,Stefan..
Superb livery and branding for a well operated tourist service.Vehicles like this should generate more patronage.

[boronia]

I was talking about any bus like the BCI, It can be a Bentley bus for all I care.

I think the problem would be getting a suitable heavy duty bus within the two axle weight limit.

The Atlanteans just scraped in weight-wise, back in their day. Even allowing for increased weight limits now, a longer bus with air conditioning is going to compromise somewhere. Didn't WrightBus come up with a big 2 axle model a couple of years ago which was supposed to meet local specs - what happened to that?