Look Back at Tourmasters [Part 1]

[venturatiger]

Hi there, here are some shots of Tourmasters from days gone by, feel free to add any info on previous or current history
Hope you enjoy
Regards Venturatiger

Kikalong 2000 parked in a side st. off Parramatta Rd. probably taken in 1999


Auzealand taken at Randwick racecourse on visit of Pope John Paul


Macs Tours


Ryan's of Bathurst was a regular visitor to Canberra


Australia Wide Coaches an Ex Countrylink Coach


Dubbo Coachlines in Melbourne for Phantom of the Opera

[STA 1440]

I've always been curios as to why some models have vertically laid headlights and others horizontally. Why is this?

[Stan]

Ohhh, LOVELY; what a GREAT post!!! Thankyou very much for posting those photos. I wish I could've had a drive of some of these oldies!

It's such a pity the early ones were built with recycled black Chinese steel and wouldn't last.

A mate of mine used to work for Deluxe; an older Tm was in for an annual inspection and the inspector noticed some rust on the edge of a stretch panel. He then instructed Deluxe to remove the panel. Of course, they questioned the motive of the inspector for ordering something like that on a 3 year old bus but eventually had to do it; when they did pull the panel there was virtually no frame left in places underneath, some areas had completely rusted away in less than 4 years!

All Australs built after July 1987? were built with Australian Galvanised steel.

I've always been curios as to why some models have vertically laid headlights and others horizontally. Why is this?

Older ones (pre 1987; with the narrow TV pod) have the vertical headlights, later ones are side by side.

Daz.

[MAN22360]

Attn Daz,
The jolly old tourmasters had the Vertical lights, these were carried over from the Domino Tourmasters.
Upon release of the Tourmaster V in 1987 all the remainder had side by side lights including Tourmaster, HD1, DD1, MD1, HD2 and Allstor
Have a jolly good evening
Daf and Peter

[escapes]

G'Day Venturatiger

I only have photo's of our MD1 in FLASH, thus the link.

One of the most reliable and certainly the most comfortable in chassis performance coaches we operate.

AAT & APT were stopped the other night on the way home from Kakadu, but the MD1, pulled out went around and made it home. The photos are of a couple of years ago during Cyclone Monica, all our K124 Scania's were parked up. But the MD1 (Ronnie), was enjoying the highway & water.

http://www.ntescapes.com.au/darwin/tours/wet_litch.html

Regards Escapes

[dl8v92]

hi all what a great topic you have done well but as i am not right up on austral's could you please tell me what a hd2 is an was there many sold what specs photos etc etc many thanks keep up the great work

[MAN22360]

A HD2 is basically an early highlander (Or a late HD1), Basicallt it had a higher font with two piece screens instead of three, the driver sat higher, not down in the little rabbit warren that was the HD1, so they didn't lose the passenger contact as in the HD1. Not sure how many were built though, obviously not many because they are very rarely seen.
Also, the AC unit was put on the roof which looks flippin ugly in my opinion, it looks like they forgot all about it and then when completed they thought "Gosh, we forgot the flippin AC where can we put it" "Blow it just shove it on the top"
From what I understand the HD2 was similar in spec to HD1 with 6v92 (DDEC3 ??) and old faithful 6 speed spicer
Attached are some pics of one found for sale.

[escapes]

G'Day MAN22360

Just with reference to HD2, chassis, my Austral starts with MD in the chassis number and is the same to the one pictured that you posted. I bought it off Cullens who bought it off Sidd Fogg's as new, who aquired it off Austral as it was distined for a Malaysian buyer. Thus it was one of the last ever built, before Austral went into recievership. It has a false set of 2nd stairs and half a second door, and the chassis is completely different in set up to every other Austral I have scene. With the chassis set up it seams, very similar to a Highlander opposed to a typical DC112.

Escapaes

[brendan lyons]

hi there the bus in the forum (mac tours) was actually with downtown limousines before he changed the signwriting to downtown coaches and most probably my dad peter lyons was driving that bus on that days cause he always drove that bus and that bus came from qld and the qld rego was 541-bas before it came tv 1080

[huppypuppy]

Dubbo Coachlines..... now there's a name I have not seen for yonks! I think the Dubbo Coachlines Tourmaster may be on a Merc O303/3 chassis, looking at the wheels on the steer axle!

The photo of the Australia Wide Tourmaster must have been taken in AWC's early days!

[jeffseele]

The topic which you have discussed is very informative as well as valuable for all...Thanks for providing this information for us....

[escapes]

Dubbo Coachlines..... now there's a name I have not seen for yonks! I think the Dubbo Coachlines Tourmaster may be on a Merc O303/3 chassis, looking at the wheels on the steer axle!

The photo of the Australia Wide Tourmaster must have been taken in AWC's early days!

G'day Hupypuppy, The dubbo oachlines is a DC chassis, as all 0303's were sold with a front cow that came to Australia, except maybe 1 being Sydney ay Tours Autobus, and this is AWC's 2nd coach, 1st was a 85/86 GM Austral