Melbourne Bus Link Volvo B10BLE's

[MAN 16.242]

Melbourne Bus Link Volvo B10BLE's entered service in 1999, at the time it wasn't sure whether should go with Volvo's or Scania's, so in 1999 MBL got 6 Scania L94UB's and 6 Volvo B10BLE's both with Volgren "CR222L" Bodies, it was later decided future purchases would be Scania. So these were the only Volvo's MBL ever run.

As some will already know they are up for replacement this year, and are being replaced by Scania 6 K280UB's, Yesterday (Thursday) was the last day for the Volvo's in service. Here are some pictures over the years of the Volvo's

A picture from the Graeme Bennett collection of MBL 363 when brand new.

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Once the last MK2's had been withdrawn from MBL, 355 was sent to Sandringham Depot, and would stay there for 2 years (Previously Volvo B10BLEs hadn't worked out of Sandringham). Here we see 355 on a 922 to St.Kilda.

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356 at the Williamston Road/West Gate Freeway bus stop, on its way to North Altona

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357 is seen here at Sunshine South on a 219 to Sunshine Park.

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357 is seen at Albion Station on a 216 short working to the City.

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361 at the Queen Vic Market, awaiting its departure time for North Altona.

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362 in Essex St, West Footscray on a 219 to Gardenvale.

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362 at Sunshine Station.

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363 on a rather wet and rainy day turns into French St Footscray on its way to Gardenvale.

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363 on a wet morning at Gardenvale Terminus.

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[MAN 16.242]

363 at North Altona Bus Interchange.

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363 at Sunshine Park and is ready to return to to the depot.

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357 and 362 at Footscray Depot.

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357 during its final days of service at Footscray Depot.

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357 during its final days of service at Footscray Depot.

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357 during its final days of service at Footscray Depot.

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[NL419]

I see 355 is the only Volvo to have a ( lets call it ) a Swish under the drivers window. Was this only on the older buses ? I had a bit of a Google and it seems only on all the old MAN SL200 has the livery like this ??

[system improver]

I see 355 is the only Volvo to have a ( lets call it ) a Swish under the drivers window. Was this only on the older buses ? I had a bit of a Google and it seems only on all the old MAN SL200 has the livery like this ??

I think you are right. The first Volvos and the first Scanias (352-360) had it i.e a swish, or set of brackets, under the driver's window and one, or an oppositie set of brackets, further down the body, but neither 361 nor 362 ever had it.

[CB80]

Interesting observation, I had never noticed that before. To be honest I think it looks better without the one under the drivers window.

[Apollo]

From memory the very first few CR222Ls which were delivered had the stripe under the drivers window and the MBL signage, rather than the big signage on the side. I presume it was designed for advertisments. Obviously the idea wasnt liked and the bigger signage was used.

Heres a couple examples of Scanias how they were for quite a while after the big signage was added.

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[stevegj52]

I never liked the front of these Volgren's or the same Merc Volgren's in WA,I would Imagine if you wanted to give them a refurb you would be able to fit a later Volgren Front? Were these a proto type or at the request of the operator?

[CB80]

Were these a proto type or at the request of the operator?

It was just a body style that Volgren offered at the time.

[cal321]

From memory, Melbourne Bus Link had exclusive use of this new body style for 12 months before any other operators were able to take delivery of this design.

[MAN 16.242]

From memory, Melbourne Bus Link had exclusive use of this new body style for 12 months before any other operators were able to take delivery of this design.

Yes that's pretty much right, first 12 months was exclusive to Melbourne Bus Link/Dysons.

[grenda bus 669]

great pics MAN 16.242 sad to see them go for such young buses.

grenda bus 669

[Mitch]

Why are these buses being retired at such a young age?

Thanks,
Mitchul [;

[Willie]

Because they are the oldest in their fleet.

[Mitch]

Well, that's fair enough and I understand that they're the only Volvos in the entire MBL fleet but surely they've still got a good five years in them.

I mean hell, there are buses that are reaching twenty-years old that are still running around on route service.

Thanks,
Mitchul [;

[busrider]

I think fleet uniformity would be a major factor - the vast majority of the MBL fleet appears to be Scanias, and these were the only Volvos they had... Melbourne's loss, Adelaide's gain I suppose!

[MAN 16.242]

Why are these buses being retired at such a young age?

Because they are the oldest in their fleet.

Well, that's fair enough and I understand that they're the only Volvos in the entire MBL fleet but surely they've still got a good five years in them.

I mean hell, there are buses that are reaching twenty-years old that are still running around on route service.

Thanks,
Mitchul [;

They are being sold simply because 6 buses have come up for replacement this year, and while the early Scaina L94UBs are the same age as the Volvo's are, it was decided to sell off the Volvo's instead of the early Scania L94UBs in the fleet, because these are the only Volvo's in a fleet that otherwise is all Scania(expect for some minibuses)
So yes as busrider has said fleet uniformity is a major factor.

[RailwayBus]

What a ridiculous situation.

[grenda bus 669]

what a weird company just because they are the only volvo buses in the fleet so they have to give it away.

grenda bus 669

[Artzy]

Goodbye Volvos.

[grenda bus 669]

oh well now their gone . but on the other hand they've got 6 new buses replacing them .

grenda bus 669

[cal321]

Interesting to see Melbourne Bus Link continuing their tradition of buying buses in batches of 6. The exception being 1999 & 2010 when they bought batches of 12! However, 6 seems to be their favourite.

Would this be the first "mass" withdrawal/sale of low floor buses in Victoria because of age? I know the odd one here and there has been sold (a couple of Panorama Irisbus low floors come to mind) but would this be the first withdrawal of low floors because they are the oldest buses in a Victorian fleet?

[MAN 16.242]

what a weird company just because they are the only volvo buses in the fleet so they have to give it away.

grenda bus 669

No, just because they are the only Volvos in the fleet is not only reason they are being sold, as said in my previous post was also cause 6 replacements were due this year, even if had no Volvos in the fleet, then 6 oldest buses still would of been sold instead.
And before anyone ask why Volvos were not kept as spares, school buses, etc. Unlike most other operators MBL doesn't have a School Bus only fleet, nor do MBL do much Charter work or Tram Replacement, and with no upgrade to services planned, it was most likely seen as no need to keep these buses as spares.

[Connex]

Pardon my ignorance, I haven't been watching the scene very closely lately, but what's to become of these six Volvos? Transferred to Dysons or sold off to another operator?

[MAN 16.242]

Pardon my ignorance, I haven't been watching the scene very closely lately, but what's to become of these six Volvos? Transferred to Dysons or sold off to another operator?

All 6 of them have been sold to Torrens Transit, SA.

[V981]

I think fleet uniformity would be a major factor - the vast majority of the MBL fleet appears to be Scanias, and these were the only Volvos they had... Melbourne's loss, Adelaide's gain I suppose!

So these are going to Adelaide?