1973 MERCEDES-BENZ O305 #301
The first of a total of 298, our Mercedes-Benz O305, #301, later known as #1301, has had a colourful career and is ready to come home to Auckland and enjoy a well-deserved retirement!
#301 is the first of its model, produced in 1973 for the Auckland Regional Authority. Later re-numbered to 1301 in 1976. This was the beginning of what would become known as the iconic fleet of 'yellow buses' in Auckland.
In the 1990s, #1301, as it was then known, was retired from service with the ARA. It ended up with Bayes Coachlines in 1998 as their #77.
In the late 2000s, it was sold off as a Motorhome, passing to one other person as a motorhome and becoming known as H1KA and getting its distinctive green paint job.
We picked the bus up in 2021 to save the bus from an otherwise uncertain future. Eventually, we will return this bus to its original yellow, and we will see its original identity returned to the bus.
