I’ve written about Hong Kong double decker buses in Australia before, but it’s not the only place where retired Hong Kong buses are living a second life – a few have also ended up in the United Kingdom.
Kowloon Motor Bus MCW Metrobus Mk2
Photo by km30192002 (CC BY 2.0)
The first is ex-Kowloon Motor Bus MCW Metrobus Mk2 double decker S3M249, originally registered EL7659 but now with UK registration G899COY.
Built back in May 1990, it was retired in May 2007, and was later purchased by a Mr. Tsui Ka-ho for preservation, but due to Hong Kong vehicle registration rules, it could not be used on public roads, and so was shipped to the UK in 2023.
Citybus Leyland Olympian
Photo by km30192002 (CC BY 2.0)
And another is ex-Citybus Leyland Olympian double decker #152, originally registered ET778 but but now with UK registration H493XNP.
Delivered in January 1991, the downturn in traffic following the 2003 SARS epidemic saw a number of buses in the Citybus fleet sold to majority shareholder Stagecoach’s UK operation Megabus. However it never entered service with them, instead used as a parts donor. It was then sent for scrap, until it was purchased by UK bus collector Dave Rogers, who commenced restoration work on it in 2020, which was completed in 2023.
Citybus Volvo B10M/Van Hool Aizee
Photo by Pete Edgeler (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
And finally ex-Citybus Volvo B10M/Van Hool Aizee coach #1273, originally registered FC9356 but but now with UK registration XIL8125.
New to Citybus in 1992, it was withdrawn from service in Hong Kong 2004 and purchased by a UK operator, where it continued in service until 2020, which it was purchased for preservation by Dave Rogers, and repainted into the original Citybus livery.
Further reading
Citybus Leyland Olympian double decker #152 also stared in the Netflix television series The Crown, for an episode covering the July 1997 handover of the then-British colony of Hong Kong to the People’s Republic of China.
