Mercedes-Benz O305

Mercedes-Benz O305 is the first franchised bus model made outside United Kingdom and countries of Commonwealth of Nations. There were a total of 41 buses (ME1–41) introduced between 1983 and 1985. All of them were demolished in 2002 except that ME37 was preserved by a group of bus fans in Hong Kong.

Background and history

For a long period of time, Hong Kong franchised bus operators were required by law to purchase buses produced by Commonwealth countries. After repealing the requirment in 1983, Germany Mercedes-Benz supplied a two-axle 11 metre double-decker to Kowloon Motor Bus (KMB).

The O305 demonstrator was then registered as CZ 6686 on 4 August, 1983 and was allocated ME1 as the fleet number. Following the successful trials of ME1, KMB further ordered 40 buses (ME2–41) of the same kind in 1985, with improved frontal layout and ventilation system. All the 41 buses were fitted with Alexander R-type bodies.

KMB later adopted the policy of acquiring more 11 metre 3-axle double-deckers, but Mercedes-Benz finally did not provide a 3-axle version of O305. Thus there was no more Mercedes-Benz bus purchased by KMB other than these 41 MEs. Besides these buses, Singapore Bus Services also acquired 200 Mercedes-Benz O305 double-deckers with very similar specifications.

Service

Initially, the first bus ran on route 105, which was new, running between Lai Chi Kok and Sheung Wan. However, Cross Harbour Tunnel's environment is unsuitable for this model, so the bus and the production batch were redistributed to express routes from Yuen Long. The routes include 68 (cancelled in 1998), 68X, 68A and 68M. The buses were once renowned for its speed and power, with the max speed of at most 90 km/h. They had a unique livery designed by Kowloon Motor Bus.

As time goes by, in the mid 1990s, as the fleets of those routes they served were changed, the buses were no longer needed. The buses were redistributed to North District and Tai Po and served for the routes of the districts until their retirement in 2002. However, some of them still go to Yuen Long, serving for route 76K from Wah Ming to Yuen Long (West). On the other hand, the livery was changed to the standard livery of KMB non-air-conditioned buses.

The last months

In the last months of this model, bus fans went to roads along route 76K for taking photos of O305 still serving for the route. The last journey of the bus was done by ME25 on November 20, 2002, running on 70K. The journey was finished on 23:55 at Wah Ming Bus Terminus. This signs the end of Mercedes-Benz O305.

See also

• Scania N113
• MCW Metrobus
• Leyland Olympian
• Volvo Olympian
• Dennis Dragon
• Mitsubishi MK series
• Dennis Dart