SHOWBUS AUSTRALIA BUS IMAGE GALLERY
Illawarra Escape Tours
 |
 |
||
Page 1 |
| ||
Sadly Illawarra Escape Tours with its fleet of classic coaches is no more, the company sold out to Warrigal Charters of Port Kembla with just five vehicles on Tuesday 18 August 2015.
|
 October 2013 was a good time to visit Illawarra Escape Tours as gems like this 1975 Custom bodied Bedfort YRT, 3893MO, was withdrawn shortly after. All vehicles in the fleet were named and this is Buddy. Buddy was acquired from Stuart's Coaches in Worrigee, but was new to Symes of Tingah as MO7117. It has been given a CAT engine and Allison transmission. Buddy was sold in January 2014 to Glenorie Coaches but was seen converted to a motorhome at Forster in June 2015. |
 Probably already withdrawn in October 2013 was Buddy's buddy Barry, another YRT. Perkins powered Barry, otherwise known as 3310MO, is seven months older than Buddy and left the fleet a month after Buddy and was sold for non PSV use in West Wyalong. Barry came from Perrys of Temora in late 2012 with former identitiy MO4141 which it had with a string of previous owners in Temora, but it was new to Port Macquarie Bus Service as their 15 (MO7274). |
 With Isuzu being something of a successor to Bedford Down Under it was not surprising to find Custom bodied LT1-11P Eddy on the depot forecourt. Though Eddy's livery echoes that of Ventura it has not ever operated in Victoria. Eddy joined Illawarra Escape Tours from Hannaford's Coaches in Tamworth, where it was their 50 (3277MO) only three months before the photo was taken. Eddy was new to Murrays in Murwillumbah as MO1341 in 1988, but was sold for a motorhome conversion back in Murwillumbah in February 2015. |
 Noel is one of the big boys. The 1984 Denning Denair was new to Australian Pacific Tours as their 24 (CUX926), it then went on to AAT Kings Tours as their 36 (MO477) but joined Illawarra Escape from Sunstate Charters in Queensland, where it had been their 8 (708CPW) since 1997. Noel, TV4443 with Illawarra, was withdrawn in July 2013 but was still in the depot as seen in October. |
 Noel was probably keeping Dorothy company, a lady two years his senior but she outlasted him in the fleet by another two! Registered TV4442, Dorothy was ex Castlemaine Bus Lines but new to Port Macquarie Bus Service with rego MO9186. She was sold for non-PSV use in Gympie. |
|
|
||
Page 1 |
| ||