中巴於八十年代一直鍾意於MCW Metrobus十二米為其新車,全數84部ML於失去專營權後亦售予新巴,但只行走一至兩年後退役。雖然車齡已十多年,但大部份的狀態仍然良好,適合繼續行走,最後由經營巴士買賣的英國公司Ensignbus購入並運往澳洲及英國等地,分別行走City Sightseeing 及The Bigbus觀光巴士路線。

倫敦

2006年,10部在澳洲行走City Sightseeing遊覽路線的ML被售予Arriva並運回倫敦,用作行走The Original London Sightseeing 開蓬巴士遊覽服務,由於當年運往澳洲的ML都屬於較早期無風機版本的那款(即ML44前),故此Arriva購入的亦全數屬於無風機的ML。

Big Bus的那一批ML已經於2009年被Volvo 兩軸B9TL取代。現時ML於英國主要行走Arriva的倫敦觀光巴士服務,其餘少量則屬不同的旅遊公司擁有。

下圖: ML64由Arriva購入,用以行走倫敦市CitySightseeing路線。 Ensignbus為這些ML改裝較闊身的上車門,又將登車的梯級修改為兩邊水平不一的多梯級登車道, 下層車頭亦補回一個與原來中巴時代那一款不同的的水牌。(Terry Wong攝)

下圖:ML54,車頭補回大型的MCW標誌。(Thomas Poch攝)

下圖: ML53由Big Bus購入,上層車頭仍保留著上蓋,但原來的通風系統已被拆除。(Terry Wong攝)

愛爾蘭

下圖:ML57曾被借調往愛爾蘭首都都柏林(Dublin),行走City Sightseeing Dublin的觀光路線,新登記車牌為87D39112。同被借往都柏林的還有ML54(E767 JAR).(Adrian Lemon攝)

下圖:後來ML57曾在都柏林被改為食品公司HB的市場推廣活動巴士,接載遊人往參加一活動。(Darren Hall攝)

黑池(Blackpool)

有兩部ML被調往黑池,行走SeaFront 12旅遊路線,兩車分別是ML77及ML81(F69 SYE),不過兩車的故事有點特別。

ML81

下圖:ML81(F69 SYE)原屬於Big Bus倫敦的成員之一,但於2009年間開始被停用。(Mark Seanor攝)

下圖:2013年被黑池一公司購入,經過維修之後終於再度出動,披著全車身廣告宣傳Pleasure Beach。原來的路線牌重現眼前。(Classic Buses & Catch22 Bus攝)

下圖:ML81(F69 SYE)披上SeaFront12的全車身廣告,與黑池其他巴士對比來說,這部12米3軸巴士實在是龐然大物。(Blackpooltrams攝)

ML77

2013年,黑池的Classic Bus North West公司購入此車及進行維修,貼上與ML81不同款的Pleasure Beach全車身廣告,用作夏季行走區內旅遊路線。(Classic Buses & Catch22 Bus攝)

下圖:攝於2014年9月,ML77於黑池行走來往Pleasure Beach的旅遊路線,客量看來不多。(Blackpooltrams攝)

最後兩車於2016年2月出售予匈牙利首都布達佩斯的City Sightseeing公司(按此瀏覽),繼續行走當地的觀光巴士路線,而黑池亦再沒有來自香港的3軸巴士行走。

至於倫敦,隨著英國收緊廢氣排放要求,CitySightseeing及Big Bus的ML陸續被運往美國三藩市及紐西蘭基督城繼續行走觀光路線,於2016年時倫敦街上只餘極少量ML仍在行走。2017年,所有ML均已離開倫敦市觀光路線。

資料表

下表是於2012年時轉載自Bus Datafile,還未有運往美國後的資料。有興趣的話按照英國新登記的車牌號碼,可以找到很多有關該車在英國時的圖片及資料。

  Fleet No. Reg No. New With-drawn Sold to Country Remark
1 ML15 CY7533 1983 2000 Australia/ Britain Sold to City Sightseeing(406) in Australia in 2000, sold from City Sightseeing to Original London Sightseeing Tour(EMB785, UAR772Y/NKJ785) in England in 2006
2 ML16 CY9368 1983 2000 Australia/ Britain Sold to City Sightseeing(407) in Australia in 2000, sold from City Sightseeing to Original London Sightseeing Tour(EMB779, UAR773Y/MXT179) in England in 2006
3 ML19 CZ664 1983 2000 Australia/ Britain Sold to City Sightseeing(415) in Australia in 2000, sold from City Sightseeing to Original London Sightseeing Tour(EMB784, UAR250Y) in England in 2006.
4 ML24 CZ3659 1983 2000 Australia/ Britain Sold to City Sightseeing(410) in Australia in 2000, sold from City Sightseeing to Original London Sightseeing Tour(EMB777/EMB776, UAR776Y) in England in 2006
5 ML25 CZ5554 1983 2000 Australia/ Britain Sold to City Sightseeing in Australia in 2000, sold from City Sightseeing to Original London Sightseeing Tour(EMB783, UAR247Y) in England in 2006
6 ML30 CZ9920 1983 2000 Australia/ Britain Sold to City Sightseeing in Australia in 2000, sold from City Sightseeing to Original London Sightseeing Tour(EMB776/EMB777, A735WEV) in England in 2006
7 ML31 CZ8947 1983 2000 Australia/ Britain Sold to City Sightseeing(401, MO176) in Australia in 2000, sold from City Sightseeing to Original London Sightseeing Tour(EMB782, A749WEV) in England in 2006
8 ML34 DA3002 1983 2000 Australia/ Britain Sold to City Sightseeing(425) in Australia in 2000, sold from City Sightseeing to Original London Sightseeing Tour(EMB781, A750WEV) in England in 2006
9 ML35 DA2952 1983 2000 Australia/ Britain Sold to City Sightseeing in Australia in 2000, sold from City Sightseeing to Original London Sightseeing Tour(EMB778, A737WEV) in England in 2006
10 ML43 DB1959 1984 2000 Australia/ Britain Sold to City Sightseeing(408) in Australia in 2000, sold from City Sightseeing to Original London Sightseeing Tour(EMB780, A755WEV) in England in 2006
11 ML45 DT4549 1987 2000 Britain Sold to Original London Sightseeing Tour(EMB764, E964JAR) in England in 2000
12 ML46 DT7029 1987 2000 Britain Sold to the Big Bus Company(ML949, E949JAR) in England in 2000
13 ML47 DT7256 1987 2000 Britain Sold to Original London Sightseeing Tour(EMB769, E769JAR) in England in 2000
14 ML48 DT9187 1987 2000 Britain Sold to Original London Sightseeing Tour(EMB771, E771JAR) in England in 2000
15 ML50 DU154 1987 2000 Britain Sold to the Big Bus Company(ML869, E869JAR) in England in 2000
16 ML51 DU1637 1987 2000 Britain Sold to Patron Travel, Flintham(E817JAR/OIL4201) in England in 2000
17 ML52 DU3481 1987 2000 Britain Sold to Original London Sightseeing Tour(EMB773, E773JAR) in England in 2000
18 ML53 DU4314 1987 2000 Britain Sold to the Big Bus Company(ML901, E901JAR) in England in 2000
19 ML54 DU3460 1987 2000 Britain Sold to Original London Sightseeing Tour(EMB767, E767JAR) in England in 2000
20 ML55 DU5325 1987 2000 Britain Sold to Top Line Travel, York(E811JAR) in England in 2000
21 ML56 DU7765 1987 2000 Britain Sold to the Big Bus Company(ML881, E881JAR) in England in 2000
22 ML57 DU8346 1987 2000 Britain Sold to Original London Sightseeing Tour(EMB768, E768JAR) in England in 2000
23 ML58 DU8506 1987 2000 Britain Sold to Original London Sightseeing Tour(EMB770, E770JAR) in England in 2000
24 ML59 DV471 1988 2000 Britain Sold to Original London Sightseeing Tour(EMB763, D553YNO) in England in 2000
25 ML61 DV542 1988 2000 Britain Sold to the Big Bus Company(ML764, E764JAR) in England in 2000
26 ML62 DV3433 1988 2000 Britain Sold to Original London Sightseeing Tour(EMB775, D675YNO) in England in 2000
27 ML63 DV2896 1988 2000 Britain Sold to Original London Sightseeing Tour(EMB772, E772JAR) in England in 2000
28 ML64 DV4883 1988 2000 Britain Sold to Original London Sightseeing Tour(EMB765, E965JAR) in England in 2000
29 ML65 DY8312 1988 1999 Britain Sold to Weavaway Travel(Joan of Ark, F215UJN/B10MSE) in England in 2000
30 ML66 DY6756 1988 1999 Britain Sold to Brylaine Travel, Boston(F165UJN/XAZ1314) in England in 2000
31 ML68 DY8172 1988 1999 Britain Sold to the Big Bus Company(ML153, F153UJN) in England in 2000
32 ML72 DZ1845 1988 1999 Britain Sold to Ensignbus(484, F84UJN) in England in 2000
33 ML73 DZ3015 1988 2000 Britain Sold to the Big Bus Company(ML16, F164UJN/B16BSS) in England in 2000
34 ML74 DZ3401 1988 2000 Britain Sold to the Big Bus Company(ML15, F355UJN/B15BUS) in England in 2000
35 ML75 DZ7066 1988 1999 Britain Sold to the Big Bus Company(ML20, F159UJN/B20DMS) in England in 2000
36 ML77 DZ7095 1988 2000 Britain Sold to the Big Bus Company(ML326, F326UJN) in England in 2000
37 ML78 DZ8263 1988 1999 Britain Sold to Brylaine Travel, Boston(F166UJN/XAZ1408) in England in 2000
38 ML80 EA1844 1988 1999 Britain Sold to Weavaway Travel(Ark Ade, F214UJN/B10MSC) in England in 2000
39 ML81 EA4389 1988 1999 Britain Sold to the Big Bus Company(ML69, F69SYE) in England in 2004
40 ML84 EA4952 1988 1999 Britain Sold to Mullanys Coaches, Watford(ML84, F97UJN/EBZ6295) in England in 2000

 

全文完

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