VDL DB300
編號 Class：AMC
九巴車隊於二零一四年先後出現了多張新面孔，其中率先於二零一四年一月二十七日抵港的，就是這架配用MCV車身的VDL DB300兩軸雙層巴士。
VDL是透過這架DB300首次進入本港專利巴士巿場，在此之前本港並未曾大量引進VDL產品。至於VDL本身是來自荷蘭，前身是DAF Bus International，曾經於一九九零至一九九三年獨立自DAF，成為United Bus集團子公司，隨著後者破產，DAF Bus International被VDL收購，VDL隨後收購同樣來自荷蘭的客車製造商Berkhof Jonckheere Groep，經過多番重組及合併，於二零零三年改名為VDL Bus International，並脫離了VDL集團。在五年之後，VDL Bus International正名為VDL Bus Chassis。值得一提地方是，前文提到的DAF正正是當年，本港其中一家主要巴士供應商，都城嘉慕倒閉時，聯同Optare購入都城型巴士生產權，繼而發展出DB250/Optare Spectra，以及後來的低地台版本DB250LF。
介紹過VDL基本背景後，再看看這架DB300，底盤是於荷蘭製造，然後送往英國由MCV裝配車身。VDL DB300不單是九巴，亦是全港第三款兩軸雙層低地台空調巴士，所配用MCV雙層車身亦是全港首見，而MCV本身早於二零一零到一二年替九巴提供七十套車身，安裝予富豪B7RLE底盤上。事實上，這次VDL向香港巿場提供新車，都是因為MCV希望打進本港雙層巴士車身巿場，而聯同VDL打造這架樣板巴士。機械配搭方面，基本上跟亞歷山大丹尼士Enviro400相近，歐五排放標準引擎來自康明斯，全自動傳動系統則是福伊特出品。至於載客量方面，VDL DB300是三款兩軸雙層巴士之冠，總載客量為九十八人，包括上層四十七個座位及二十五個下層座位，其中下層十個座位是位於低地台區域，為乘客提供最大方便。
經過近八個月時間準備及測試，這架VDL樣板巴士終於在二零一四年九月二十二日出牌，編號AMC1，車牌SY4050。AMC1於十月六日首航於過海隧道路線116，並隨於同月十四日獲安排服務於東區海底隧道路線606，與亞歷山大丹尼士Enviro400及富豪B9TL樣板巴士一起服務乘客。
In 2014, KMB received several demonstrators from different manufacturers and on 27 Jan., 2014, a VDL DB300 bi-axle double decker with MCV bodywork was delivered.
It is the first time of VDL entering the franchised bus market in Hong Kong and it was a rare sight of VDL products in Hong Kong in the past. Let's take a brief look on VDL, it is a Netherlands based venture and known as DAF Bus International before 2003. It was once independent from DAF as a subsidiary of United Bus Group. After the bankrupt of United Bus, DAF Bus International acquired by VDL. VDL further acquired another coach builder based in Netherlands, Berkhof Jonckheere Groep and after several restructured, VDL Bus International finally established and detached from VDL group in 2003. VDL Bus International finally renamed as VDL Bus Chassis in 2008.
In addition, it should be mentioned that DAF stated in the previous paragraph developed DB250/Optare Spectra and the low floor version DB250LF with Optare, after the design of Metrobus was bought from MCW, one of the main UK bus manufacturer in Hong Kong, when it declared bankrupt.
The chassis of VDL DB300 demonstrator for KMB was built in Netherlands and sent to UK for receiving it MCV bodywork, the first double decker bodywork supplied by MCV in Hong Kong. The VDL DB300 is the third 2-axle air conditioned super low floor double decker both in Hong Kong and KMB. The introduction of this prototype was initiated by MCV to promote it double decker bodywork, after successfully supplied 70 units of bodywork to KMB on their Volvo B7RLE, the full-sized super low-floor single decker. The mechanical specification is the standard of KMB with a Cummins Euro 5 emission standard engine and Voith fully automatic gearbox. VDL DB300 has the highest carrying capacity among the three bi-axle double decker in KMB fleet. It can accommodate 98 passengers with 72 seats (47 in upper deck) offered and 10 of them located at the low floor area in the lower deck.
This VDL DB300 registered as AMC1/SY4050 on 22 Sep., 2014, after almost 8-months preparation works and tests. It maiden trip was worked on cross harbour route 116 on 6 Oct., 2014 and finally deployed on Eastern Cross Harbour tunnel route 606 with other two bi-axle double decker demonstrators, the Alexander Dennis Enviro400 and Vovlo B9TL, since 14 Oct., 2014.
請按圖放大圖片 Please click the photo for an enlarge version
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
