SHOWBUS AUSTRALIA BUS IMAGE GALLERY
Crossley Bus Lines
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 Queensland operator Whitsunday Transit appears to have been formed by an amalgamation of two companies: Sampsons and Crossleys. This Hino RG197/Custom Coaches is clearly from the Crossley's camp. Crossley's also operated in Sydney and 786EXN was loaned to the Sydney operation to help out during the 2000 Olympics - a fair way to travel. The Hino is obviously referred to by Whitsunday Transit staff as 786 from its destination display. The bus is seen doing its share of the work on the main Cannonvale - Shute Harbour service. Reference to the timetable showed that certain journeys were advertised as being worked by the fleet's easy access Bustech Mercs back in 1989 when this picture was taken. |
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What a history this Leyland Leopard has: it was new in 1975 to Wallace Arnold's London subsidiary, Evan Evans as HWU78N. It was fitted with a 46 seat Plaxton Panorama Elite III coach body. It was exported to Australia and at some stage rebodied with this Custom 53 seat bus body. It has passed through several Australian operators including Challenge Travel and here with Crossley's. It is seen in Bankstown. The bus subsequently passed on to another Sydney company, Transit First and with that operation to Veolia, being finally withdrawn in 2008.
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In contrast to the WA Leopard, this Leyland is more of a mystery, fleet number 37 (MO6434). It is believed to have a Sydney Buses Leopard chassis, possibly 780 (MO3780), rebodied by Custom in 1991.
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A second view of 37 showing the unusual advertisement display along its panels. The two photos were believed to have been taken over Christmas 2001 in Bankstown about a month after Crossley's had been taken over by Connex Southtrans. The fleet number had been applied by Connex. It was disposed of by Connex to Khoury (Harbourside Bus & Coach) of Riverstone as MO8991.
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 A better shot of this PMCA Commuter bodied Leyland Leopard, MO301, looking very Leyland Lynx like, about to leave Bankstown for the enchantingly named Picnic Point. Somewhat unbelievably the Leopard chassis started life as the underpinning of a JRA car transporter registered FSV862. In 1991 it gained the new Commuter body and rego MO6435 with MO301 being transferred in 1997. The bus passed to Connex with fleet number 15 when the company was bought out in 2001 and sold on to Hughes of Mullumbimby in 2003 as MO6065. |
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