THE SHOWBUS AUSTRALIA BUS IMAGE GALLERY
Ventura | Miscellaneous images in PTV livery
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 Relegated to the Rail Replacement this 2002 NCBC Downtown Citybus bodied Scania L94UB, 1202 (0159AO) is replacing a tram on the 8 to Toorak on St Kilda Road in November 2015.
Picture ref B1818 |
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 In March 2016 1174 (2652AO) was doing the Easter train replacement also on St Kilda Road. This Scania L94UB was also bodied by NCBC but in the earlier Buddina style in 1999.
Picture ref B2779 |
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 The 246 is a busy route skirting the east of the city along the congested Punt Road and Hoddle Street linking Clifton Hill with Elsternwick. Unsurprisingly at peak times the frequency and congestion means that consecutive buses catch up with each other. Seen approaching St Kilda Junction on Barkly Street in October 2016 are 2008 Designline bodied MAN 16.240 607 (7230AO) followed by 1998 Custom 550 bodied Mercedes O405NH 715 (1772AO).
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 Another Buddina bodied L94UB, 1176 (2668AO) was seen in April 2017 out of service at Box Hill Interchange.
Picture ref B6192 |
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 Another Designline bodied MAN 16.240, 594 (6858AO) was seen at La Trobe University in May 2018 on one of the services penetrating the campus. Off to the right is the Navya driverless bus being trialled on a campus based route. In addition to a conductor, when in motion it was accompanied by a car in front with a flashing light! Shades of the early motor cars which required a man with a red flag to walk in front.
Picture ref C135 |
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 A different style of NCBC body adorns this 1999 Scania L94UB seen in April 2018. It was St Kilda Road Easter track work time resulting in 1169 (2508AO) being used on tram replacement.
Picture ref C108 |
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 The destination lind suggests sister vehicle 1170 (2535AO) was working out of Moorabbin depot, probably replacing the 96. It is seen in April 2018 on standby at Luna Park in St Kilda.
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 The extensive Dandenong depot can be seen from the rail tracks on approach to the station from the city. In February 2024 the side yard was storing several Custom Endeavour bodied Scanias, which spent an inordinate amount of time there before finally entering service.
Picture ref D5748 |
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 A second view from the return train to Melbourne.
Picture ref D5754 |
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 In November 2024 following a fire bombing of a club on Chapel Street, the street was closed for several days whilst the building was demolished. The 78 tram service which runs the length of Chapel and Church Streets had to be replaced by buses. Clearly not from the end of life rail replacement fleet 1613 (BS10YU) is one of the fleet of fourteen Volgren Optimus bodied BTD D9RA which helped electrify services from West Heidelberg depot, so we have an electric bus replacing an electric tram. The BYD was not a regular on the replacement tram service and other buses used were from the rail fleet. As A class trams were the norm on the 78, and before that the W class, the late 2023 bus was undoubtedly the newest transport on Chapel Street in decades!
Picture ref P8734 |
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 Twelve earlier identical BYD electrics went to West Heidelberg in 2022. Seen out back of Dandenong depot in May 2023 is 1574 (BS08HO), the last of the bath. Making it are two newish Fuso Rosas, 1606 (BS07TE) and 1608 (BS07TF) - all three buses had been in the fleet for some months.
Picture ref D2722 |
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 A different angle on the trio.
Picture ref D2723 |
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