Non-franchised Leyland Olympians in the Citybus fleet

The relationship between Citybus and Leyland Olympians started when Citybus imported the first air-conditioned Leyland Olympian in the world. This bus, came in 1985, was originally a ECW-bodied demonstrator for CMB, but for some reasons CMB did not have the chance to try this bus and it went back to Workington for experiments. When Citybus announced the order of this bus, ECW began to make great changes to this bus, including the new front panel, new windows, new seats and a new detached air-conditioner driven itself. This bus entered service on cross-border routes in 1985 and was allocated the fleet number C51, which later changed to 102.

From this year onwards, Citybus purchased more Leyland products, including three more 12m air-conditioned buses with ECW bodies of standard height (103-105) in 1986-87, seven second-hand Roe-bodied 9.7m buses (12-18) and two second-hand ECW-bodied 11m 2-axle buses (7,61) in 1989, which were later converted to open-top buses. Some of these buses are still surviving today, including 7, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18 and 105, which had been refurbished in 1996 and reappeared with a new front panel, a Cummins LTA10 engine, a ZF4HP500 gearbox, a new air- conditioner and a new interior.

Later starting from December 1989, before KMB handed in the report of the demonstrator AL1, had Citybus begun to buy more Olympians. The first batch of 12, i.e., 106-117, are equipped with ZF4HP500 gearboxes and Cummins LTA10 engines. They are special for their round-cornered windows. The next two batches are 118-170 and 171-204 with square-cornered windows, while equipped with Cummins LTA10 engines and ZF gearboxes (except for 145, 147 and 204 with Gardner LG1200 engines, which have not been adopted by Hong Kong bus companies). 120, 124 and 129 were destroyed in 1992 due to a fire incident in Fo Tan Depot while 122 was lengthened to 12m and rebodied. It now became 341. The insurance company paid Citybus with three new double deckers, 394-396, with the first two being 12 Leyland Olympians and the latter being the world's first 12m Volvo Olympian.

At the same time, Citybus also began to purchase Alexander-bodied 12m Leyland Olympians. 11 buses (330-340) were purchased and they came together with the 11m 171-204. They are very similar to the 11m ones, both in mechanical specifications, body configurations and interior configurations. Like the 11m ones, these buses are used to operate non-franchised routes and cross-border routes.

Citybus also managed CLP bus services in the early times. CLP had four single-door 12m Leyland Olympians and two single-door 12m Volvo Olympians. They are all equipped with Cummins LTA10 engines and ZF4HP500 gearboxes. After the closure of CLP bus services these buses became the properties of Citybus. They are given the fleet numbers 301, 306, 310, 312, 315 and 316 respectively.

Citybus purchased no more non-franchised buses since then, but in order to improve their service quality Citybus began to refurbish these buses since January 2000. The interior of these buses have changed quite a lot. The floor changes to a colour of grey. Continuous lighting systems are installed making the compartment brighter at night. Still, there are high-back seats, but the colour has changed.

When Citybus cut down their non-franchised business, a number of former non-franchised Leyland Olympians, including 106-110 and 118, 119 and 121, were switched to the franchised department in December 2001 and March 2003 respectively. New electronic route display screens were installed at the rear sides of these buses. Besides, some Leyland Olympians, including 105, 111-117 and 147, were leased to KCRC Light Rail for the temporary service of routes 505 and 506 from July 2002 to September 2003 when the West Rail was under construction. Their fleet numbers were changed to K105, K111-K117 and K147 respectively.

This page contains photographs of Citybus' non-franchised Leyland Olympians in service. Please click the photo for an enlarged version.

	107 107 is one of the very first 11m Leyland Olympians in the Citybus fleet. It is unique for its round-cornered windows. Date: 22/09/2001
	109 This advertisement has been on this bus for a long period of time, and the bus looks quite dirty despite the refurbishment done on the bus. Date: 22/09/2001
	121 After its switch to the franchised department, 121 was repainted, and, surprisingly, the pair of white lines which used to appear on the Citybus livery had disappeared! Date: 07/03/2003 (Photo by Andy Lam)
	Offside of 121. A new electronic route display screen had been installed in the rear. Date: 07/03/2003 (Photo fy Andy Lam)
	127 This Ocean Park advertisement is quite attractive, I think, but the top of the bus looks a bit dirty. Date: 22/09/2001
	189 All refurbished non-franchised Leyland Olympians do not have electronic route displays, althought they are repainted in the new Citybus livery. Date: 22/09/2001
	195 After refurbishment, 195 was repainted and this made the bus look very shiny. Date: 14/04/2002