Ex. UTA Mercedes O305 1932

[Randommann]

Hello all,

I am researching the full history of Ex. UTA Mercedes-Benz O305 Mark I 1932. I have almost got all of its basic history although I want to know some finer specifics about its past.

These are the things I do know about the vehicle:

-The bus was delivered in April 1978 to Kingsgrove depot.

-In November 1991 this bus was sold to Edwards Coaches, Armidale, along with 1818 and 1885 (Also Mark I buses).

-In 2003 this bus was sold again to the St. Kilda Hotel (A pub) in Armidale for use of transporting drunken people who are unable to drive. It is also used to transport people in St. Albert's College, a college in the University of New England. It was registered as YIA-162

-The bus is still there transporting drunken customers today and is not in very good condition, but is roadworthy.

Here are some of the questions that I would like to be answered:

-During its time with UTA, did the bus ever change depots? If so, to which ones and when did it change to that depot?

-What exact date was the bus withdrawn (I do know that it was aqquired by Edwards in November 1991)?

-What registration plate(s) did the vehicle have while it was with Edwards? Also, what runs\routes did it mainly do?

-What exact date was the vehicle sold to the St. Kilda Hotel (I do know the year was 2003)?

Any answers will be greatly appreciated and thanked.

One day I would like to get this bus and restore it to its condition and livery after the mid-1980's refurbishments.

Thanks,
The man of randomness

[Randommann]

Here is a picture of the vehicle in its current condition for those interested.

[LB608]

It was Reg. MO4697 With Edwards ,check the disposals list ,it all there

[Randommann]

Thanks very much for the info, LB608. I'll check there and see some details

[Randommann]

i had looked at the disposal lists and found 1932 in there. I found that there was a letter next to the date implying when the respective bus was withdrawn. I think those letters refer to which depot the bus was withdrawn from (Please correct me if i'm wrong).

The only problem was that there was no letter next to 1932's withdrawal date, which probably means that the depot from where 1932 was withdrawn from is currently unknown.

The withdrawal date read that the bus was withdrawn in August 1991, three months before Edwards bought it.

[Fleet Lists]

It is also represented in the photo gallery at http://www.busaustralia.com/gallery/dis ... ?pos=-3131

[fearnes3848]

From 1916 through to the last MK I 1965 were all based at Kingsgrove depot, 1932 was registered as MO 4697 during it's time in service with Edwards.

[Randommann]

It is also represented in the photo gallery at http://www.busaustralia.com/gallery/dis ... ?pos=-3131

1932 was in much better condition in the photo from the link in your post! Perhaps that one was taken just after St. Kilda bought it from Edwards....

[Randommann]

I talked to Mr James Cross, Operations Manager of Edwards recently. He said that 1932 was bought to do city route duties (Along with 1818 and 1885) and did them until 2000. I still don't know what it did between 2000 and 2003 though, but I think it could have been a spare bus during this period.

Apparently there was a fourth O305 bought by Edwards too, which I don't think was an Ex. UTA one (Although that latter fact may be wrong). Mr Cross said that it was sold to the New England Hotel, which reveals some answers from the thread about the New England Hotel Bus I put up earlier (Link: viewtopic.php?f=60&t=61314).
According to the father of The New England Hotel Bus' owner (Who My father knows quite well), it was sold to a person in Newcastle for a motorhome a few months ago.

[Randommann]

1932 was bought to do city route duties (Along with 1818 and 1885)

A picture and some history of 1818 can be found here:
viewtopic.php?f=42&t=63741

[Andrew]

Does the pub still use the bus? Although it doesn't look in great nick, it still appears serviceable from the limited bits we can see in your recent picture...

[Randommann]

Does the pub still use the bus? Although it doesn't look in great nick, it still appears serviceable from the limited bits we can see in your recent picture...

Yes, the bus is still being used. I occasionally hear it go past my house, especially around midnight, and sometimes the lovely noise of the engine is accompained by some squealing and wooing from drunk St. Albert's College students.

The bus isn't in very good condition, but I do agree that it still has its basic components working. I actually had a close look at it a while back and found some body rust towards the bottom of the bus, along with a loose side desto box seal, cracking front blinker covers and scratched windows. It also appears that some white from its previous Edwards livery is reappearing underneath the peeling black paint.
1932 is currently a perfect example of what drunk people can do to a bus over 8 years.

There is an earlier picture of 1932 at the St. Kilda Hotel looking much nicer than it is now, which should be found in the Bus Australia Photo Gallery. An above post from board admin Fleet Lists has the link to it.

As stated before, I wish to rescue this bus from its state of being beaten up by drunk people and restore it, either to its Edwards condition or its UTA condition (Provided I will be able to buy it and also that the engine is not sluggish).

[Jakesta Tagg]

Mate, I really hope you can rescue it, does it still have the fan forced jets in the roof over the seats?

[Randommann]

Mate, I really hope you can rescue it, does it still have the fan forced jets in the roof over the seats?

I don't think that the Jet Air Ventilation systems are there anymore, as I read that they were removed from all Mark Is during the mid-1980s Cholurra refurbishments.

[Randommann]

Yesterday, I found that 1932 was not parked at the St. Kilda Hotel.

However, when I went past the Edwards Coaches depot about half an hour ago, I saw 1932 in there parked behind some coaches!
Why do you think would it be in there? My guess is that it could not pass registration tests (What a surprise!) and is now getting some maintennence done to it by the Edwards mechanics in order to pass.

It might be a possibility too that it is being prepared for being sold... I hope that isn't happening!

[Ben O]

Probably more likely that Edwards do the maintainence for this vehicle.

[Randommann]

As of this evening, 1932 was not found at the St. Kilda Hotel nor at the front of the Edwards depot. It is probably now at the rear sheds of the depot, being stored there overnight.

Probably more likely that Edwards do the maintainence for this vehicle.

You are probably right there, as Edwards themselves did own it before (12/01/2012).

Addition: 1932 is at the front of the Edwards depot again today, therefore confirming it was stored in the depot's rear sheds last night (13/1/2012).

[Randommann]

1932 is still at the Edwards depot as of this morning.
While I was looking at it through the fence, I noticed that the bus was cleaned (It had some dust on it before; see the photo up top), recieved new blinker covers and got its destination rolls changed (For the first time in years) to:

THE ROCKS
NTH VIA CLAUDE ST

With the numbers showing "641".

isn't The Rocks a place in Sydney? An Edwards driver must have changed the desto to this for a joke!

The desto that displayed "THE ROCKS" must be a UTA destination roll. When Edwards used this for city runs, they must have kept the UTA desto roll and set it to blank, and just used the bottom roll (Which displays Armidale destinations).

[Randommann]

Today I was officially told by Edwards that 1932 is at the depot for maintainence, and the work has in fact finished. It therefore will return to the hotel soon.

As for captainch (and TOPS in general), I will take and post some better photos of 1932 once it comes back, as I won't have a fence in my way then!

[Randommann]

Hello All,

1932 has returned to the St. Kilda Hotel and I took some pictures of it yesterday for TOPS, who are currently looking for a Mark I and want to see whether 1932 has enough original features in order to be considered for their museum.

Below is 1932's front, with the offside visible. I believe 1932 still has its original headlight covers (Please correct me if i'm wrong), but one of them is slightly damaged. The No.3 box is not present, as Edwards removed it after they bought it. It had recieved new blinker covers to replace the old cracking ones while it was recieving maintainence at Edwards recently. Almost all of its Mercedes-Benz badge is gone, and only a tiny bit in the center is still there. 1932's front bumper bar is slightly damaged and rusted, and might need replacing. It has faded school lights, which will need removing if it ever goes into preservation.

1932frontleftcorner.jpg (148.7 KiB) Viewed 1525 times

Below here is another shot of 1932's front, showing the front door.

1932frontrightcorner.jpg (152.2 KiB) Viewed 1525 times

The next photo shows 1932's nearside towards the front. Before its recent maintainence at Edwards, the side desto box seal was loose and was falling off, but this has been fixed.

1932side1.jpg (138.56 KiB) Viewed 1525 times

This photo is another shot of 1932's nearside, showing the rear door.

1932side2.jpg (135.08 KiB) Viewed 1525 times

Next is a shot of 1932's nearside towards the rear.

1932side3.jpg (134.49 KiB) Viewed 1525 times

1932's rear. Obviously, the original round tail lights are gone and have been replaced by these rectangular ones, which was done by Edwards shortly after they bought it. Also, the rear route number box has been covered by this (now faded) "40 KPH" sticker, which was also done by Edwards. On a good note though, the rear Mercedes-Benz badge is still there in one piece.

1932rear.jpg (110.14 KiB) Viewed 1525 times

This next picture shows 1932's interior, taken from outside of the windscreen. The fan-forced jets still seem to be there (I was wrong, Jakesta Tagg), but I don't know whether they actually work. If I am correct, the seats appear to be the original ones (Again, please correct me if i'm wrong), and appear to be only be a little torn at most (That actually surprised me there).

1932interior.jpg (112.88 KiB) Viewed 1525 times

This is a shot of 1932's dash. I managed to take this one by sticking my camera through the gap of the open driver's window. Naughty, aren't I?

1932dash.jpg (115.57 KiB) Viewed 1525 times

A shot of 1932's front, taken from across Rusden Street.

1932frontacrossrusdenstreet.jpg (130.2 KiB) Viewed 1525 times

Then last (but not least), is a shot of 1932's desto blinds. As you can see, the one on top displaying "THE ROCKS" is a UTA destination roll. However, te one on the bottom (Displaying "NORTH VIA CLAUDE ST.") is an Edwards destination roll. Going around Australia's coast to The Rocks, are we?

1932desto.jpg (97.08 KiB) Viewed 1525 times

Anyway, I wish The Omnibus Preservation Society good luck in buying this vehicle if they ever decide to get it to complete their O305 collection.
1932 is one of the last 2-door Mark Is around, so it would be great if it ever goes into preservation.

Thanks,
The Man of Randomness.

[Ben O]

The immaculate 1 door Mk 1 at Jeffrey Buses Armidale would make a more refreshing and interesting addition to the preservation scene.

[Randommann]

The immaculate 1 door Mk 1 at Jeffrey Buses Armidale would make a more refreshing and interesting addition to the preservation scene.

I guess Jeffery's Mark I (1839) is in much better condition than 1932, but it would be harder to put it back in its UTA condition (Which is what the TOPS want) with the lack of a rear door. It would be a very good preservation example though if it was kept in its Francis/Jeffery condition, if that is what you mean. I wouldn't mind getting that bus if I couldn't get 1932 or 1818 and I had the chance.

[tbc1983]

I notice in the interior photo there appears to be air-con ducting with (Smith's?) nozzles, yet there is no air-con pod; was one originally fitted and then removed, or were the Mk1s like this??

Cheers!

[Randommann]

I notice in the interior photo there appears to be air-con ducting with (Smith's?) nozzles, yet there is no air-con pod; was one originally fitted and then removed, or were the Mk1s like this??

Cheers!

Hello tbc1983,

From what I know, all Mark Is were built with a system called "Jet Air Ventilation", which forces air through those nozzles to the passengers (A bit like cooling fans in cars before air conditioning). It is sort of like air conditioning, but like an "older version" and just forces the air from outside of the bus. 1932 never had proper air conditioning.

Thanks,
The Man of Randomness.

[Simes]

I notice in the interior photo there appears to be air-con ducting with (Smith's?) nozzles, yet there is no air-con pod; was one originally fitted and then removed, or were the Mk1s like this??

Cheers!

Hello tbc1983,

From what I know, all Mark Is were built with a system called "Jet Air Ventilation", which forces air through those nozzles to the passengers (A bit like cooling fans in cars before air conditioning). It is sort of like air conditioning, but like an "older version" and just forces the air from outside of the bus. 1932 never had proper air conditioning.

Thanks,
The Man of Randomness.

The mk1 mercs had fans in the front header - air was sucked off the windscreen through vents on the canopy and then pumped through the ducting in the saloon at least that was the theory - it never really worked and the fans went at overhaul time
Interestingly enough the mk2's also had these vents in the canopy when new, although they never received the fans
Here's an example caught by a fahrer of ze buses back in 2007
http://busaustralia.com/forum/viewtopic ... e+original