猛獅 RR8 MAN RR8

猛獅 RR8 MAN RR8

隨著車隊中的Super Pointer Dart及青年巴士陸續到達退役年期，珀麗灣客運亦著手安排接力車款，而在回應二零二二年十二月居民諮詢會中，珀麗灣客運便向相關居民代表表示，將會分階段購入不同新車替代，當中包括一架提供四十七個座位的猛獅Intercity新車，亦即是本文主角RR8。猛獅RR8在香港市場而言絕非新鮮事，配上不同廠家提供車身之後，主要用作旅遊客車之用。至於以城市巴士形式出現，亦早於二零一八年十二月藉著配順豐車身的RR8樣板車而登陸香港，這架樣板車披上了新大嶼山巴士車身色彩，說明車廠用意為嶼巴提供樣板車，期望從中可以進一步取得訂單，取代已達退役之齡的猛獅A51。可惜的是這個i構思得不到相關部門的祝福，幾經輾轉下這架樣板車得以落戶錦綉花園居民巴士線，隨後於二零二二年年中，再有九架配上改良版順豐Lion's Intercity雙門版車身的RR8新車，同樣獲安排行走錦綉花園居民巴士路線。

如前文所述，珀麗灣購入的猛獅RR8亦是經由馬來西亞順豐打造Lion's Intercity雙門車身，外觀上跟行走於錦綉花園的同型新車一樣，只不過採用了橙色Hanover電子牌箱，而載客量方面包括四十七個座位及二十一個企位，較錦綉花園的RR8多兩個座位名額。這架新車二零二三年四月下旬抵港，並於八月十五日作首次登記，車牌沿用當年車隊首架青年大型巴士PM6822，隨後於六日後首航NR330線。對比昔日的Super Pointer Dart及青年的低地台設計，RR8設計較流於傳統，乘客需要攀爬梯級才能走進車廂，因而招致服務水平下降的批評。對比車隊中其他旅遊客車，猛獅RR8仍然有其過人之處，首先配備了電子路線牌箱能夠清楚顯示路線資訊予乘客，而配用雙門設計車身，亦有助改善乘客流動，縮減上落客時間以提升行車效率。

隨著車隊中的青年JNP6122GR2陸續退下火線，珀麗灣再向猛獅購入三架RR8配順豐車身的新車，整體機械配搭與PM6822一致，採用原廠歐六排放引擎及ZF全自動波箱，頂置松芝空調系統則由主引擎驅動，唯一分別是PM6822前軸採用獨立懸掛系統，隨後的新車的前軸則採用傳統懸掛系統。這三架RR8新車自二零二四年一月到三月間到港並隨於四月底投入服務，一如珀麗灣客運傳統，全數新車車牌皆源自青年客車，當中HB9775及HC1387最初是配用在珀麗灣開國功臣，來自九巴的低地台版丹尼士飛鏢身上。

As the the Super Pointer Dart and YoungMan JNP6122GR2 reached their retirement age, PITCL had to look for replacement. As mentioned in a residents forum in Dec., 2022, PITCL will introduce a batch of 3 BYD B12A electric single decker together with a sole 47-seated Gemilang Lion's Intercity bodied coach, the MAN RR8. MAN RR8 was used as coach in Hong Kong market after bodied by different builders before the first with Gemilang Intercity bodywork as city bus demonstrator in Dec., 2018. This demonstrator was intended to be evaluated by NLB in hope of further order would be made for the replacement of those aging MAN A51. The evaluation was turned down by the Transport Department and finally find it home in Fairview Park for use on residential service under the Kwoon Chung Group ownerships. A further 9 MAN RR8 with modified Gemilang Lion's Intercity dual-door bodyworks were acquired for the use of residential service to and from Fairview Park in mid. of 2022.

Liked the MAN RR8 in Fairview Park, the MAN RR8 acquired by PITCL was bodied by Gemilang of Malaysia with Lion's Intercity dual-door bodywork and a amber coloured LED display was fitted. Total carrying capacity was 68 passengers with 47 seats offered. It was delivered to Hong Kong in the end of Apr., 2023 and first registered as PM6822, previous used on the first YoungMan in the fleet, on 15 Aug., 2023 and made it maiden trip on route NR330 on 21 Aug., 2023. Though MAN RR8 still retained the step-entranced design as other coaches in the fleet, in contrast to the Super Pointer Dart and YoungMan, the passengers flow within compartment and loading time were improved with the help of dual-door bodywork design and the electronic route display can provide clear route information to passengers .

PITCL took delivery of 3 more MAN RR8 as a replacement of the retired YoungMan in Mar., 2024 with mechanical driveline same as PM6822, a Euro 6 standard MAN engine coupled with ZF fully automatic gearbox and driving the SONGZ roof-mounted air-conditioning unit. The first MAN RR8 in PITCL was fitted with an independent suspension at the front axle but this was replaced by conventional front suspension on the following samples. All these 3 MAN RR8 was commissioned in Apr., 2023 with registration number previous used on the Young Man and for HB9775 and HC1387, first seen on the second-hand Dennis Dart SLF from KMB, the founding fleet of PITCL when established.

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