About 10 months ago (October 2009), I brought myself a second Citaro model, which was the first right-hand-drive (RHD) production model from Mercedes-Benz for First Manchester. Less than a month later, news was out that SMRT Buses had taken one (real) Citaro RHD, which was also fitted with a OM 906 hLA diesel similar to the First Manchester’s unit, with a Euro 5 version compared to Euro 2 of First’s unit. Most importantly, it has two doors, an urban use Citaro.

Given some tip-off by a visitor to this site, a few more Citaro RHD are destined for Singapore in the coming months. At this juncture, I decided to get another Citaro RHD model, again a one-door ‘sub-urban’ version, but with a larger radiator, then, in 2006, used for the OM 457 hLA. Presently, all Citaro buses use the larger radiator for greater energy efficiency, a practice since the advent of the Euro 4 model, hence identifying their engines is no longer possible by looking at the radiator itself.

This unit is owned by Arriva Guildford and West Surrey, which is based in Guildford, Surrey. It is located 43 kilometers south-west of London on the A3 trunk road linking the capital with Portsmouth. In 1974, the Provisional IRA carried out the Guildford pub bombing which killed five persons, in which four were off-duty British soldiers. The suspects arrested thereafter are known as the Guildford Four.

Pardon me for the history thing; when it comes to the UK, I always focus myself on the IRA and ethnic conflicts.

Bus services in Guildford is primarily served by Arriva with additional services by Countryliner, Safeguard and Stagecoach.

This Mercedes-Benz Citaro model depicts 3903/BX56 VTW, a O 530 Euro 3, fitted with a 300 PS OM 457 hLA diesel engine. One-door design, barrier-free access and ample amount of seats (42 seating), this Citaro also carries my favorite color of blue matched with grey.

What defines your Citaro? For me are the radiators. Facing the traffic-side for a RHD model, the large and horizontal radiator makes it easy to identify Citaro buses. Another model of bus that has these similarly big horizontal radiators are the Volvo Super Olympians (B10TL).

With the other Citaro models.

A comparison on radiator sizes.

Mercedes-Benz/Evobus/Daimler O 530 Citaro Euro 3
Chassis number: WEB62804023110741
Registration: BX56 VTW
Body and seating code: B42F
New: September 2006
Owner: Arriva Guildford and West Surrey, UK

Site Admin of Minibus Group, an Administrator of BusInfoHub, several bus enthusiasts and members of Friends of SMRT (FOSMRT) are invited to the launch of Southeast Asia’s first 100% low-floor Mercedes-Benz Citaro (O530) at SMRT Ang Mo Kio Depot on 9th March 2010. This historical moment marks the progress into a new era in Singapore bus industry, a full low floor, accessibility-friendly and *no internal steps bus.

Some quick facts of this bus:
1 driver, 39 passengers (including fold-up seat for two passengers) and 44 standing passengers.
Full low-floor along the corridor of the bus. One step to access rear section seats.
Fully built bodywork by EvoBus AG in Germany. Basically a one-through manufacture.
Large Gorba front display to enable passengers to spot the service number and route details.

Press Release:
SMRT: http://www.smrt.com.sg/Upload/201031010315179993.pdf

Articles written by enthusiasts on the launch:
BusInfoHub (affiliated): http://businfohub.com/cms/articles/specialfeature/smrtcitarolaunch

Photos taken during the event.

Mr Thomas Bauer, Senior Manager, Bus & Coach, Daimler SEA

Mr Wolfgang Huppenbauer, Executive Managing Director, Daimler Bus (Germany)

Mr Michael Gopfarth, CEO, Daimler SEA

Ms Saw Phaik Hwa, President and CEO, SMRT Corporation

Handover of key to Ms Saw.

Handover of Citaro model (scale 1:32) to Ms Saw.

Round of applause as the bus is driven in.

Demonstrating its wheelchair-friendly feature.

Executives from Daimler and SMRT impressed by the bus’ features.

Interior without stairs; guests move quickly towards the rear, demonstrating what the bus is designed to do.

Showcasing its full 11.9-meter length.

Two buses, decades apart. The step-bus Nissan Diesel U31 RCN (JDM: K-U31) and the Mercedes-Benz Citaro (O530).

I am very grateful to FOSMRT liason officer, Vivian, for finding two staff from Daimler Group SEA who could answer my technical questions. Excerpts.

Q: Why is the OM 906 hLA used on the Citaro instead of the OM 457 hLA that present OC500LE buses are using?
A: Citaro buses come with the smaller 906 as it is suited for the bus. The 457 is designed for sub-urban usage and has a larger power, while the 906 is sufficient for city usage.

Q: Fuel consumption wise, would it be lower and more effective than the 457?
A: This has to depend on many conditions. Different routes, different drivers will affect fuel consumption. At this point there cannot be a specific figure other than benchmark ones.

Q: In achieving this full low-floor design, the engine has to be shifted to the side. Does this mean more sophistication?
A: Yes, a total new design of the engine mounted on the left is what makes it able to achieve a full low-floor specification.

Q: What is special about the radiator system?
A: The radiator for the Citaro uses a hydraulic driven fan. The radiator is mounted on the outer frame, the intercooler on the inner frame. The fan is driven using hydraulic oil. This is different from magnetic driven ones on the OC500LE.

Q: The OM 906 hLA have more horsepower-per-liter compared to the 457. How different would this be in performance?
A: The 906 would be efficient and depending on its mixture method and its efficiency, it would be as effective as the 457.

Q: In the hot and humid climate of Singapore, does the cooling efficiency of the vehicle need special or larger cooling capacity?
A: The Citaro is sold worldwide. They even operate in Dubai, where its a desert climate. One size fits all.

Q: Gearbox of the vehicle?
A: ZF 6HP592C.

Q: Why not the Ecolife drive-line?
A: The Ecolife is suitable for countries with more terrain, and is fitted with the TopoDyn software system. in Singapore, a conventional drive-line is sufficient.

Q: Air conditioning unit?
A: Konvekta.

Q: Does IFS (Independent Front Suspension) make it a more comfortable ride for this bus?
A: You would have to ride it to find out. Basically it is better than a conventional suspension.

Q: Fuel capacity?
A: About 200 liters.

Regarding the secret of full low-floor…

Longitudinal, side mounted horizontal diesel engine.

Scania, Checkmate.

*No internal steps mean no step(s) along the corridor of the bus.

The Malaysia Travel Fair is on till today (18th October) and among the featured coaches is one ‘black horse’ (from what I can see of the numerous coaches there), Five Stars Tours’ MAN 24.480, 480-horsepower double decker coach. This by far the most powerful coach bodied locally and coupled with the cleanest engine of its class, an EEV rated inline-6 with maximum 2300 Nm of torque!

The rear portion of the coach with official badges. Coachwork by Soon Chow.

Special air scoop for this powerful machine! Integrating but not too elegant.

Site Admin at the wheel of the MAN 24.440 from the same company. Being a coach driver is an eye-opening job although more tiring than a route bus driver, but this would be the job that I don’t mind taking up in the future!

Friday also marked the delivery day of two new bus models to Singapore! Thanks to FS for making the delivery possible. One of them, a Scania N113 CRB double deck, is WC‘s birthday present. The other will join the bus models fleet in my depot. Here are some pictures of the new Citaro model.

The love of one-door buses can only be explained on these UK Citaros, which I name ‘Citaro Sub-Urban’. I would gladly have a two/three-door for urban and city routes but one-door buses look fierce and solitary in the countryside and meadows of England, and practically anywhere else in the world!

The air ventilation pods. This bus is technically non-air-conditioned.

The off-side showing the smaller radiator grill.

Side-by-side with the bluestar Citaro.

The different radiator sizes due to the different engines used! The bluestar unit a OM457hLA (11.9-liter), the First Manchester a OM906hLA (6.3-liter).

Look for the story behind this picture.

Spotted this rare guest to service 189 while on the way home. TIB838H was the demonstrator ‘bendy bus’ to Trans Island about 15 years ago. It was also the then-longest bus in Singapore, not to forget its the first of many articulated brothers to come to this Southeast Asia nation. Its condition today is already a far cry from when it was introduced; other than a dry sounding engine, there are holes in the joint fabric and sunlight comes through! On shift S103 today.

Another photo of a regular service 189 folk.

Check out the shiny Mercedes front badge! SMB15T is one of the OCs that I prefer on the fleet. After the accident, it seem to have gotten a bit ‘sick’ and has the hottest running engine around in the fleet (while sitting at the rear, it could be hot even in the morning or night). The best got to be SMB16R, but not captured today.

One of two batch 2 OCs on the service today. SMB71E is still quite new and here is a rear quarters view of it.

OC500LE comes in chassis form. But don’t you think its bodywork is a bit too high? I heard its about 3.6 meters. As compared to a shot of a model of a Citaro below, posed with the Hino coach…

The real-deal of the Hino coach is 3360mm. The Citaro can still clear the same amount with the ventilation pod. The Gemilang design for the OC is another 300mm taller than the two…

Small language lesson…

珍客万来 (日本語/Japanese. Pronounced ‘chi-n ki-ya-ku ba-n ra-i’) is sort of a custom phrase (I got the phrase/idea from another website) to describe the appearance of a rare guest. More often seen in literature-oriented media.

The much awaited models have arrived! Went to collect them on Saturday.

The box which the models came in from and the complimentary catalogue from Hattons.