Retired Hong Kong buses in South Korea

I’ve written about Hong Kong buses overseas a few times before, and this week we look at another country they’ve ended up – South Korea.

KMB bus S3M74 (DR4807)

MCW Metrobus S3M74 entered service with Kowloon Motor Bus in 1987 with registration DR4807, and was retired in 2004. It was later shipped to South Korea, and in 2009 was in use as a mobile restaurant in Incheon. During 2011 it was used for a British-themed promotion in Busan for a short period. By 2013 it was being prepared for use as a cafe at the ‘Samtan Art Mine’. It was then removed in 2022, and refurbished for sale.

Photo via China Motor Bus Memorial Page

KMB bus S3M147 (EE8847)

MCW Metrobus S3M147 entered service with Kowloon Motor Bus in 1989 with registration EE8847, and was retired in 2005. It was later shipped to South Korea for use as a cafe in Incheon, being damaged in 2007 when a small plane crashed into the bus. By 2010 it had been repaired and was open again as the “Munye2gu Village Bus” in Gunsan.

Photo via China Motor Bus Memorial Page

KMB bus S3BL1 (DJ9765)

Leyland Olympian bus S3BL1 entered service with Kowloon Motor Bus in 1986 with registration DJ9765, and was retired in 2003. It was then shipped to South Korea with bus S3BL1 and used as a mobile cafe, by 2009 it had been relocated to Busan, and by 2013 it had been moved to “Provence Village” in Paju as a British-themed cafe. It was then moved to the Gusan Motor Campground in Uljin County, but was destroyed by fire in February 2021.

Photo via China Motor Bus Memorial Page

KMB bus S3N174 (DW7114)

Dennis Dragon bus S3N174 entered service with Kowloon Motor Bus in 1988 with registration DW7114, and was retired in 2003. It was then shipped to South Korea with bus S3BL1 and used as a mobile cafe. By 2009 it had been relocated Busan, but by 2015 the bus had been abandoned. In 2017 it had been relocated to the Heyri Cultural and Art Village, in Paju. In 2021 it was moved to Gusan Motor Campground in Uljin County, and converted into a a holiday rental cabin.

Photo via China Motor Bus Memorial Page

KCRC buses #222, #223 and #224

Leyland Olympian buses #222, #223 and #224 entered service in 1990 with the Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation for East Rail line feeder bus service, and remain in service until 2009. They were then sent for scrap, until 2011 when they were sold to a restaurant owner and exported to South Korea. Bus #224 was later painted in special colours to promote the 2012 London Olympics, but the buses saw no further use, still stored in 2017.

Photo via China Motor Bus Memorial Page

Sources

• MCW Metrobus S3M74
• MCW Metrobus S3M147
• Leyland Olympian bus S3BL1
• Dennis Dragon bus S3N174
• Leyland Olympian buses #222, #223 and #224
• More photos of S3N174

Liked it? Take a second to support Marcus Wong on Patreon!