富豪 B6LE Volvo B6LE

富豪 B6LE Volvo B6LE

編號 Class：VL

二零零七年六月，嶼巴車隊出現比較大的變化，為了迎接開辦往返元朗及西部通道的接路線開辦，引進一批一手及二手巴士，當中二手巴士就是本文主角─富豪B6LE。合共六架原屬城巴的富豪B6LE於二零零七年五月底轉售往嶼巴，全數配本地捷聯車身，並隨即駛往嶼巴小蠔灣車廠進行改裝工程，包括翻鬆嶼巴標準色彩，以及改裝電子牌箱等。全數改裝工作陸續於二零零七年六月中旬完成。全數六架B6LE於二零零七年六月二十七日投入服務，接替了因開辦西部通道接駁路線B2，被調走的猛獅NL262及NL263，行走往返逸東及東涌地鐵站的38路線。

富豪B6LE是嶼巴繼丹尼士飛鏢後第二款英國製造空調巴士，而嶼巴則是香港第三個富豪B6LE用家。早於一九九六年，嶼巴已經向城巴借用一架配Plaxton Pointer車身的富豪B6LE巴士作測試，當日試車路線由梅窩開始，經東涌道開到東涌碼頭，其後時間，一架九巴丹尼士飛鏢低地台巴士亦被借用，在同一路線上作測試。經過比較之下，當日新車訂單落入丹尼士手上，至於之後時間，富豪B6LE依然只得城巴垂青，未在其他巴士公司手中取得任何訂單。

隨著青年大型低地台巴士加入嶼巴車隊，富豪B6LE在嶼巴車隊中的重要性亦愈見減少，在二零一零年十一月二十九日，兩架B6LE(VL2及VL6)率先離開嶼巴車隊，而餘下四架B6LE則行走至二零一一年八月底，從前線中退下來，為富豪巴士於嶼巴車隊中的歷史劃上一個句號。

NLB introduced a batch of new and second-hand buses in Jun. 2007 for the commenced of the service between SWC and Yuen Long. Those second-hand buses are Volvo B6LE with local made Jit Luen bodyworks from City Bus. All Volvo B6LEs were undergone cabin refurbishment in Siu Ho Wan depot after had transferred from City Bus. The refurbishment works included repainted with NLB livery and electronic route display was installed. All NLB Volvo B6LEs started their service with 38, circular route linking Yat Tung Estate and Tung Chung MTR Station, since 27 Jun, 2007.

Volvo B6LE is the second British made air-conditioned bus model in the fleet. NLB is the third bus operator in Hong Kong operated Volvo B6LE while the other two were City Bus and China Motor Bus. NLB had a trial run with Volvo B6LE in 1996. A Volvo B6LE fitted with Plaxton Pointer bodywork was borrowed from City Bus and running from Mui Wo to Tung Chung Ferry passing through Tung Chung Road. A Dennis Dart SLF borrowed from KMB also had a trial run under the same routing later and Dennis won the order of 3 Dennis Dart SLF from NLB. For Volvo B6LE, it can only attract City Bus placed further order.

Two Volvo B6LEs, VL2 and VL6 left NLB fleet on 29, Nov., 2010 as a result of the commissioned of the full-sized YoungMan single decker. In the end of Aug., 2011, we saw the end of Volvo Bus served in NLB fleet after the withdrawal of the remaining B6LEs.

請按圖放大圖片 Please click the photo for an enlarge version