KMB Mercedes-Benz O305 Double-deckers
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For a long period of time, Hong Kong franchised bus operators were required by law to purchase buses produced by Commonwealth countries. After repealing the requirment in 1983, Germany Mercedes-Benz supplied a two-axle 11-metre double-decker to Kowloon Motor Bus ("KMB").

The O305 demonstrator was then registered as CZ 6686 on 4 August 1983 and was allocated ME1 as the fleet number. Following the successful trials of ME1, KMB further ordered 40 buses (ME2-41) of the same kind in 1985, with improved frontal layout and ventilation system. All the 41 buses were fitted with Alexander R-type bodies.

KMB later adopted the policy of acquiring more 11-metre 3-axle double-deckers, but Mercedes-Benz finally did not provide a 3-axle version of O305. Thus there was no more Mercedes-Benz bus purchased by KMB other than these 41 MEs. Besides these buses, Singapore Bus Services also acquired 200 Mercedes-Benz O305 double-deckers with very similar specifications.

This page and the following contain photographs of all KMB's Mercedes-Benz O305 buses. Please click on the links below for the page with photographs of ME2-41. Click on the photographs on that page to view the enlarged version.

Photographs of: [ ME2-21 | ME22-41 ]

Above: ME1 (CZ 6686) is the first Mercedes-Benz O305 double-decker. The destination board is smaller than those on ME2-41. (1998/03/27)
Below:
Dash panel of an O305, which has a typical Germany style. (1997/06/08)

Above: Lower-deck interior of another O305. Note the raised ceiling at the back resulted from the raised floor. The raised ceiling, on the other hand, results in the raised floor on the upper-deck and ultimately no seat can be installed at the back of upper-deck. (2000/06/04)
Below:
Rear part of the Upper-deck. (2000/10/16)

Photographs of: [ ME2-21 | ME22-41 ]

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