The enforced coronavirus pandemic lockdown has actually allowed the fast-tracking of three key historic bus refurbishment projects of the Queensland Omnibus & Coach Society, costing in excess of $60,000.
In what has otherwise been a very challenging time for the bus industry, the COVID-19-related slowdown has enabled the society and Coachworks in Brisbane to tackle various aspects of the buses’ regeneration.
“The club is an important part of the industry and we are always happy to support them with their projects. The COVID-19 slowdown has meant that the timing of these projects is mutually beneficial. Our team always enjoy working on club buses and it’s a great talking point for our customers and suppliers when they visit our workshop,” said Coachworks General Manager Scott Isaacs.
QOCS President Nick Wilson commented: “Once again, we are extremely grateful of the support and generosity of Coachworks, who have made these projects possible in what has been and continues to be a very challenging time for the bus industry.”
1948 AEC Regal III Bus 80
The first project is the refurbishment of the society’s oldest bus: Bus 80 – the 1948 AEC Regal III built by Commonwealth Engineering – which served more than 20 years’ service with the Brisbane City Council.
This work includes replacing a number of body panels and attending to some other minor rust repairs, plus undertaking a complete respray of the Council’s original Aluminium-colour paint scheme. In fact, the vehicle was ‘soda blasted’ back to bare metal, which removed an estimated seven layers of paint applied during the past 72 years.
This work has been made possible by a Queensland Government Community Benefit Fund grant received in January 2020, for $19,000. Queensland’s Minister for Transport and Main Roads, Mark Bailey MP, has taken a particular interest in this vehicle and inspected the progress for himself at Coachworks on 28 May 2020.
1968 Leyland Panther Bus 498
The second project is the interior refurbishment of the society’s second oldest Brisbane City Council vehicle: Bus 498 – the 1968 Leyland Panther built by Athol Hedges.
The bulk of this work includes the replacement of the entire floor plus all of the interior side panelling from the top of the windows down. Once these repairs are complete, the vehicle’s white roof and top orange band will be repainted.
1983 MAN SL200 Bus 100
The third project is the respray of Bus 100 – the 1983 MAN SL200 with the one-of-a-kind Denning prototype body – back into the gold and white colour scheme the vehicle wore in 1985 to commemorate 100 years since the first tram services commenced operation in Brisbane, on 10 August 1885.
As it turns out, 2020 is the 135th anniversary of this occasion and QOCS is looking forward to marking this occasion with its friends at the Brisbane Tramway Museum.
