China brand public buses

A picture was taken in China, showing an Yutong bus painted in Singapore's bus operator SMRT livery.

It should be confirmed since the bus is painted into SMRT corporate livery. This will be the 2nd China-brand public bus serving in Singapore. It is also designed to suit the Wheelchair Accessible Bus and low-entry requirement.

The 1st China-brand bus which came to Singapore as a public bus, KING LONG, and it serves passengers at the Sentosa. Registered as PA8031M, in the orange Sentosa livery.

The news of the Yutong demonstrator was first reported in China's bus enthusiast forum 92bus.com and then to Singapore's bus enthusiast forum SGForums.com

If the picture and post is indeed accurate, SMRT has broken new grounds again by bringing in the first revenue service China-made city bus. TIll date, Singapore has got privately owned vehicles and tourist coaches (including the PA registered Sentosa King Long city bus) that are imported from China.

More information to be updated.

Nissan Diesel U31CRN Farewell Tour 2008

2 tours were held last year in 2008, on 15th November and 6th December respectively. It is estimated around 80 bus enthusiasts went for the tours on 6th December, with 2 types of Nissan Diesel U31CRN buses chartered, CSS185P (Original Aircon) and CSS194M (Converted Aircon).

These buses will soon be withdrawn from service totally. Out of the total 40 which were bought initially, it is left with a handful of 10 of them still in service, and they can still be found on services like 178 and 981. While the other U31CRN buses hibernates themselves in the depots, waiting for their expiry.

We wanted to charter the bus, before they face total extinction from service.

The main areas in the tour on 6th December:
> Geylang Lorong 1 terminal
> National Stadium
> Fort Road heavy vehicle park
> City Hall
> Sin Ming
> Serangoon Gardens
> Jalan Kayu
> Seletar Camp
> Yishun Interchange

These are some of the photos taken on 6th December 2008:

Before the tour:

Fort Road Heavy Vehicle Park:






Evening shot @ Sin Ming:

Driver's cabin:


Interior seating configuration:
1) Interior of an Original Aircon U31CRN

2) Interior of an Converted Aircon U31CRN:

Rear engine:

Again, I never fail to get a bus captain shot:

Group Shot: