SHOWBUS AUSTRALIA BUS IMAGE GALLERY
Rockleigh Tours | doubledeckers
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Languishing in the yard in January 2013 was this former City of Oxford Northern Counties bodied Daimler Fleetline, which clearly had been active in the fleet at some stage. It is believed it was returned to serviceable condition.
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 The rear of the Fleetline displayed the UK registration MJO891H. Sadly this does not match any City of Oxford bus, but MJO391H was City of Oxford's 391. |
 Under a long term rebuild at the depot was a former UK MCW Metroliner coach. Acquired by Rockleigh via Ensignbus the MCW bodied coach was used for a while, before the extensive rebuild commenced. New to Eastern Scottish as XCMM193 (D193ESC) in 1986 for use on long distance express services, the coach later moved to NBC operator Northumbria as their 193. In its later days in the UK it was with independent Barker of Royden in Essex. About the only part of the original Metroliner's body to be retained will be the roof. Most of the new body parts have been sourced from New Zealand body builder, Kiwi. Kiwi had just supplied Rockleigh with a brand new Alexander Dennis Enviro500 and the rebuilt Metroliner was on course to be a twin to the Enviro. When it first joined the Rockleigh Tours fleet it was numbered 4 (3741AO). |
 Here is that Alexander Dennis Enviro500, 8774AO, resting at the depot on that beautiful day in January 2013. Rockleigh had been searching for a coach seated wheelchair accessible doubledecker. Both Volvo and Scania had been approached but in the end it was Alexander Dennis who stepped up to the mark. Rockleigh were keen for New Zealand builder Kiwi to body the chassis, New Zealand builders being adept at building lightweight bodies. The Australian company took some credit for introducing Kiwi to Alexander Dennis, with several hundred Enviro200 buses appearing in service in New Zealand subsequently finished by Kiwi. Kiwi also engineered the 2.55m wide UK chassis to meet Australian 2.5m maximum width limit. |
 The Enviro was first seen in November 2011 and this view has appeared in both Buses magazine and Bus and Coach Buyer. The coach had yet to receive its decals and had already been pressed into service. It was laying over on Beaconsfield Parade in South Melbourne having delivered a large school party to Luna Park in St Kilda. It was already booked for V-Line railway replacement work that evening. |
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