The China Motor Bus MCW Metrobus numbered ML1 was the first ever tri-axle MCW Metrobus built by Metro-Cammell Weymann, in their Birmingham UK factory. It was also one of 2 prototypes before full production of the ML class for China Motor Bus.

 

This bus was the first tri axle double decker to arrive in Hong Kong in 1981, together with second prototype ML2. These 12-metre long vehicles were known as "Super-Metrobus". In return, CMB purchased an additional 82 Super-Metrobuses (ML3-ML84) between 1983 and 1988.

 

The intent of these high capacity buses was to find a solution to cope with the rapidly increasing population of Hong Kong and the increase in demand for cross harbour tunnel bus services that linked Hong Kong Island and the Kowloon Peninsula.

ML1 was passed on to New World First Bus on 1 September 1998 with the remains of the Hong Kong Island franchise. As promised by the new operator, all non air conditioned buses were to be withdrawn by 2000, which included ML1.

ML1 was purchased by Ensignbus in the UK together with the other 80 similar vehicles from the fleet. It formed part of a group of 40 which were shipped to Australia for a new life as private sighting buses, to cope with the demand from the 2000 Olympic Games held in Sydney. ML1 was then sent to Adelaide with it's roof retained.

It was withdrawn in 2005 and subsequently purchased and restored back into CMB livery by a member of Sydney Bus Museum. It was donated to the Sydney Bus Museum in 2018.

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Cantonese Translation

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            原屬中華巴士的ML1為英國巴士製造商都城嘉慕首批為香港度身訂造的12米三軸Metrobus雙層巴士的第一部。

            ML1的出現是當時人口膨脹，再加上連接港島及九龍半島的隧道巴士的需求日漸增多，應運輸署及巴士公司的要求，都城嘉慕為首家英國巴士製造商提供12米三軸雙層樣版巴士給香港試用 。

 

            ML1於1981年5月登陸香港，並在同年於過海隧道路線上投入服務。由於試驗結果非常滿意，連同及後的三門樣版ML2, 令車隊內的同款巴增加到84部 (ML3-ML84)。

 

            ML1於1998年9月1日連同餘下的港島巴士專營權過檔給新世界第一巴士公司。 由於新營運商答應會於接辦後取代所有非空調巴士。ML1 於2000年退役。 其高載客量的優點被英國Ensignbus巴士看中，同款巴士的80部，分別運往英國及澳洲。

 

 

其中ML1連同其他同款巴士，為數40部運往澳洲作觀光巴士，去應付當時前往於雪梨舉辦的奧林匹克運動會的遊客。 幸運地ML1沒有像其他同款巴士被改作開頂巴士，被運往南澳洲首都亞德雷德作觀光巴士。

 

 ML1於2005年退役,並由雪梨巴士博物館的其中一位會員購入，並將巴士回復於中華巴士服役時的狀態。巴士在2018年捐贈給雪梨巴士博物館。

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