宇通ZK6128HG1 Yutong ZK6128HG1
編號 Class：AYT
二零一三年出版的《香港巴士回顧2012》曾經出現一架停放於宇通車廠的大型單層空調低地台巴士，是右軚駕駛並且配上我們常見的九巴香濱金色車身色彩，亦令很多人推測這架巴士是供應給九巴的樣板車，並於網上引起一番討論。不過，這架樣板車最終於二零一三年九月運抵澳門，並披上維澳蓮運車隊色彩進行不載客測試，而樣板車型號亦於同一時間曝光，是宇通ZK6128HG1，長度足有十二米。這架樣板車在澳門試行時一直未有領取正式行車牌照，只獲臨時車牌T380，編號為3088，除了外觀上有所改變，車內的原有座椅亦由九巴的標準顏色改成紅黑兩色。
好景不常，這架樣板車開始進行測試不久後，維澳蓮運宣佈破產，不過這架樣板巴士繼續留在澳門，隨後於十一月初，因應多方要求下於往返關閘及外港碼頭的3號線上作載客測試，測試完畢之後這架樣板車便退回廠方。正當大家開始遺忘這架宇通單層巴士時候，在二零一四年四月宇通安排了一架ZK6128HG1樣板巴士抵港，同樣鬆上了九巴的香檳金色彩，只是欠缺了啡色的裙腳。
當這架新車出現時候，不少人會認為這是前述的宇通樣板巴士，不過細心留意，這次九巴接收的樣板車跟澳門試行的那架有若干分別，首先車頂空調組件是九巴單層空調巴士的標準款式，另外車頭兩邊亦新增了日行燈。至於機械配搭方面，從歐五排放標準的康明斯ISL系列引擎，以及ZF Ecolife系列全自動傳動系統，到日本電裝空調系統，都不難在九巴車隊中找到。唯一跟現在九巴購置的新車不同，就是電子路線牌箱是磁控牌箱，由國內的鴻隆提供。宇通ZK6128HG1採用全低地台設計，低地台區域由登車門一直伸展至車尾，這是九巴車隊中第一架採用這設計的單層巴士。
經過八個多月測試及進行調整的工作，九巴最終於二零一四年十一月二十七日，替車隊內第二架中國製巴士登記出牌，隨於十二月十五日安排於北區循環路線70K上，聯同其他富豪單層低地台巴士及雙層巴士，服務乘客。隨後於翌年八月初，再被安排行走往返大圍鐵路站及大埔工業邨的72A路線。
這架獨一無二的宇通單層巴士，面對九巴車隊內大型單層巴士過剩，最終於二零一六年二月十五日除牌退役，在九巴車隊服務的日子中，除了70K及72A，還曾行走49X，73，85X及273四條路線。至於前述曾在澳門測試的樣板車，在運到本港代理停泊一段短時間後，已經被運返宇通車廠。
In 2012, a right-hand drive Yutong full-sized super low-floor single decker was observed in Zhengzhou Yutong Industrial Park, Zhengzhou, China. As the bus was painted with KMB standard champagne gold livery, most bus enthusiast believed that KMB would receive this demonstrator for testing. However, this bus finally was first appeared in Macau with Reolian livery in Sep ., 2013 and the model name ZK6128HG1 was first known to the public. As shown in the model name, this demonstrator is 12m in length. During the test run in Macau, the ZK6128HG1 demonstrator only received a temporary license T380 and fleet no. 3088, immediately behind the Yutong ZK6118HGE in Reolian. The KMB standard maroon colour seating was changed into red and black.
The trial in Macau initially not included putting the bus on revenue service, however, as request by different parties, this ZK6128HG1 finally serving on route 3 in early Nov ., 2013 though Reolian already declared bankrupt at that time. The demonstrator was returned to Yutong after the trial completed. When most of us did not remember the existence of this Yutong, another ZK6128HG1 decorated with champagne livery without the bronze band was delivered to KMB in Apr ., 2014.
This KMB demonstrator was with running light and Nippon Denso air conditioning unit which are different from the demonstrator tested by Reolian. This ZK6128HG1 is powered by Euro 5 Cummins ISL series engine with ZF Ecolife gearbox, a combination already seen on ADL Enviro 400. Flip dot display supplied by Hong Long was chosen instead of the orange colour LED display. The Yutong ZK6128HG1 is the first single decker in KMB with low floor area starting from the entrance to the rear part of the cabin.
KMB registered this Yutong ZK6128HG1 as TB4320 (fleet number AYT1) on 17 Nov ., 2014 and it is the second China made bus in the fleet. AYT1 serving on Norther New Territories route 70K along with other single and double decker since 15 Dec ., 2014 and then route 72A serving between Tai Wai Railway Station and Tai Po Industrial Estate since early Aug ., 2015.
Unfortunately, this sole Yutong single decker in the fleet was withdrawn on 15 Feb ., 2016 as a result of surplus of full-sized single decker in KMB fleet. Except 70K and 72A mentioned above, AYT1 also served route 49X, 73, 85X and 273 during it service life. To go one step further, the demonstrator evaluated in Macau were stored in the dealer in Hong Kong before sent back to Yutong.
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