ME30 was one of 40 double-decker Mercedes-Benz vehicles delivered in 1985, following an original prototype delivered to Hong Kong in 1983. These buses were in response to the rapid growth of population experienced during the 1980s, which placed increased demands on the public transport network in Hong Kong.

 

The Mercedes-Benz vehicles were the first buses to be delivered to a franchise operator in Hong Kong after the restriction of buying buses from Commonwealth countries was removed. The double decker version of the Mercedes-Benz O305 was originally designed for South Africa and Singapore.

 

ME30, together with the other 40 fleet members, was assembled in Hong Kong by KMB, with kits from Alexander in Scotland. This fleet was painted into a special livery. In the early stages of operation, these buses were largely used on the high demand cross-harbour tunnel bus services. Later in their career they were then transferred to the service linking Yuen Long in New Territory and Kowloon, due to their higher horsepower output.

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ME30 was withdrawn in November, 2002, and placed in temporary storage. It was then purchased by an Australian enthusiast, and was shipped to Port Kembla in March, 2009. Restored to as-withdrawn condition, ME30 was subsequently donated to the Sydney Bus Museum in 2020.

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Cantonese Translation:

九龍巴士ME30 – 平治O305雙層巴士 （亞歷山大車身）

 

          ME30 是九巴在1983年試用過的平治O305樣板雙層巴士之後在1985年訂購的40部同款巴士的其中一部。 這批為數41部的雙層版平表治O305巴士是在廢除專利巴士營運商必須購買英聯邦產品之條款後首次出現的產品。

 

        這款高載客量的雙層巴士原先是設計給南非及新加坡市場。  這款巴士的出現是為配合人口膨脹及新市鎮路線而設 。

 

 

         除了在1983年付運的樣版巴士是在英國蘇格蘭的亞歷山大廠房裝嵌車身之外，其餘40部量產型號都是在九巴屯門車身裝嵌廠內裝嵌來自英國車身廠家亞歷山大的車身散件。

 

        整批平治巴士投入服務初期車身油上特別色彩，以突顯其平治巴士的身份。投入服務初期通常行走連接港島及九龍的過海隧道巴士路線，後因其大馬力輸出的引擎而調派往連接新界元朗及九龍市區的快速巴士路線。

 

         ME30於2002年初退役，並被一位雪梨巴士博物館的會員購入。 在香港存放多年後，車主終於在2009年將巴士運往澳洲雪梨，並將其收修復至退役前的外貌。 巴士最後在2020年捐贈給雪梨巴士博物館。