Bendy Blitz: Mini-Marathon on SMRT's MAN NG363F(A24) on Svc 172 & 190
Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2018 10:07 pm
As it was my off day today, I decided to spend it hunting a bus on a service that I am accoustomed to seeing everyday: 172. The bus in particular is a MAN A24, the first bendy to make its appearance on 172 since the retirement of the many MB O405Gs that used to run on this route. At first, working with the assumption that it would pass by Tengah Airbase at 0630(Yes, I actually saw this at this timing on Monday,6/8) I started to camp(of course, at home) by studying the data from my bus app. However, none appeared. Just as I was losing hope, at 0830, a random check yielded the very thing I was looking for: a Bendy was approaching BS 30019(Opp Tengah Air Base) heading towards Boon Lay. Thus, I scrambled out of my house(which, thankfully, is a 2 min bus ride, or 5 min walking time, away from Boon Lay Bus Interchange) to camp out for this bus.
After a while waiting(patiently,spamming YT videos thanks to the free Wifi
) I spotted the A24 pulling in as 172, at the same time, my bus app indicated "Double, Double, Bendy on 172 and that was when I knew my hunt was successful. However, after the first 2 DDs(Incidentally,MAN A95 Batch 3s) departed, the Bendy disappeared from the app and the next bus was shown to be an SD. When the data changed abruptly, I contemplated switching to 187(due to the appearance of an ADL Enviro 500 Batch 2) when my bus app indicated an "Arr" Bendy at BS 22499(Opp Blk 662C). As if by coincidence, the MAN A24, SMB8032R, surprised me by pulling up at the berth for boarding and as the first passenger(naturally ) I managed to claim the front bench seat that I would always film at for MAN SD buses(A22,A24). As the bus was pulling out, the Enviro 500 on 187 was revealed to be SG5703K. The 172 trip was largely uneventful, throughout the trip, the bus was not very packed and seats were found to be plentiful and scattered. Due to the traffic and the low passenger volume, the joirney time was 45mins. For a brief period on Jalan Bahar, bus bunching was observed when the A24 kept catching up to the previous bus, a MAN A95 Batch 3, before it was finally lost at a traffic light. Another MAN A24 on 172 made its appearance which surprised me; I expected only 1 A24 operating on 172 at this time At CCK Interchange, it was revealed that SMB8032R, and possibly by extension the other A24, were split-shift buses; the Common Fleet Management System(CFMS) indicated "Bulim Depot"(BUDEP) as its next destination, to depart again at 1532H from BUDEP. So there goes my intention of taking this bus back to Boon Lay INT 
Upon pulling into CCK, however, I spotted another MAN A24 about to depart on 190. Since I had time on my hands, I thought "why not" and rushed to the 190 berth to wait for the 190, and sure enough, the A24, SMB8019E was next in line to depart.
Despite being in a poor position in the queue, I still managed to claim the front bench seat and set up to film the ride. Just some background info, 190 is among the most highly utilized routes, and for good reason: it is the fastest link between CCK and the City, and as such is a very popular option for many commuters. In fact, before BSEP, bus bunching is a very common occurence due to the high demand and passengers are unable to board the first or even the second bus more often than not and the situation can be summed up in this video, which was filmed at Thong Teck Bldg (BS 09213):
(Credit goes to the original uploader). Thanks to the introduction of more direct routes(such as 972, 171 and 700/A) and the opening of the DTL Stage 2 (Bukit Panjang to Bugis segment, spanning 16.6 km with 12 stations), demand on this route has somewhat eased up, but is still nevertheless very popular.
At departure, the bus was half full, there were still seats scattered here and there, but by BS 44261(Blk 270) the bus was very packed, up to the point where there was limited standing available. Thankfully, the bus started emptying as it passed through Orchard and by the time the bus passed Bef Neil Road(BS 10011) (and I do mean passed, not stopped) the bus was empty - one of the very few instances I encountered such a situation when the bus became an 18m long taxi , much less on one of the most highly used bus services in Singapore. It also helped that the bus driver stopped the bus for a while to allow me to take photos, seeing that I was a bus enthusiast
Since I had to go back anyway, I elected to wait out for the bendy to return to CCK, seeing that I had time. Unlike other bus services, with an average of 7 mins between the departure of 1 bus and the next, it was a 15min wait for the Bendy(which was the 4th bus in line) due in part to the demand of this route. The bus driver recognized me from the inbound trip and him and I chatted throughout the journey and he revealed that he has been driving since 1996, when he first started in SBS before transfering to TIBS and subsequently, SMRT. As such, his experience makes him one of the most experienced bendy bus drivers in SMRT and having driven the O405Gs many times, he has a liking for Bendys due to the engine power and the spaciousness of the cabin, among other reasons
The return trip was the exact mirror of the outbound trip; the bus was empty as it left Kampong Bahru Terminal, by the time it reached Orchard, it started to fill up until it was relatively packed as it left the Orchard district, then it emptied gradually at Bukit Panjang before filling up again slightly as passengers boarded for the final leg to CCK Interchange. As the driver mentioned, SMB8019E was a split-shift bus; the CFMS, just like the one on 172, displayed its depot(in this case,KJDEP) instead of "Kampong Bahru Bus Interchange" as its next destination; it was also revealed that SMB8019E was due to come out again in the late afternoon to conduct evening peak hour duties. After everyone had alighted, the driver even stopped the bus to allow me to take photos(thanks, driver) After the bus driver had let all the passengers off, he then drove the bus out of CCK interchange and towards KJDEP, marking an end to my marathon.
Ever since 1996, when TIBS (The predeccesor to modern-day SMRT Buses) brought in TIB838H for evaluation and thus ushered in a new era for the bus industry in Singapore, bendy buses have been an integral part of the bus industry in Singapore and until the introduction of the Alexander Dennis Enviro 500 and the MAN A95, were the only high-capacity buses in TIBS'(and subsequently SMRT Buses') fleets. A total of 315 buses were procured, in 4 main variants of bodywork, between 1996 and 2002. The legacy of bendy buses in Singapore's public transport network continued when, in 2013, SMRT acquired a single MAN NG363F (A24) demonstrator, SMB388S, to carry on the legend of TIB838H. This was followed by an additional order for 39 MAN A24s, delivered and registered in 2015.
However, with the lifespan of the O405s fast coming to an end, and which has already come for the earliest buses registered between 1996 and 2001, the days of the bendy bus in Singapore are limited. As LTA had decided not to purchase additional bendys due to a variety of reasons, be it the increased level of skills needed to operate a bendy compared to a rigid bus, or the length and turning radius which limits these buses to certain roads, or the increased amount of parking space needed compared to rigid buses, leading to less buses being able to be accommodated in a depot, it appears that once the final O405Gs have retired, the 40 MAN A24s procured between 2013-2015 will be the only buses to soldier on and fill in the gap that has been left by the departure of the O405s. The bulk of the A24 fleet has been assigned to KJDEP for feeder services operating out of Choa Chu Kang (30x) and WLDEP for feeder services operating out of Woodlands (90x, 91x), with 3 assigned to 858(+ 1 Split-shift bus) (For more information, see this article), and a further 10 (SMB8001E - SMB8010D) have been transfered to SBS Transit under BSEP and assigned to AMDEP for feeder services out of Yishun(80x,81x). Therefore, routes which rely heavily on bendys due to restrictions on DDs, such as 184, will face a deficit of buses following the retirement of the final few O405s left, unless SMRT decides to procure a second batch of A24s in the future, and might fall back to rigid single decker buses, with a drop in capacity, unless the route or route conditions are modified to allow the operation of DDs on these routes. Thus, it will indeed be the end of an era in the bus industry when SMRT bids farewell to the last O405s in 2019 or 2020 if LTA grants some buses a 1-year extension, as they have already done to some O405Gs.
While onboard the MAN A24s on 172 and 190, these are a selection of the noteworthy buses I spotted:
Alexander Dennis Enviro 500 MMC, Batch 2
MAN NL323F(A22) Batch 4 (Euro VI Specifications)
The front of SMB8032E
Side view
Rear view
Can you believe this was a 190 - even before the bus had arrived at Kampong Bahru???
Time for round 2!!!
The Mobitec ICU 402 EDS controller on SMB8019E - notice that it has been programmed to "OFF SERVICE"
Rear carriage of SMB8019E - Note the appearance of another MAN NG363F on Svc 300, a CCK-based feeder service, one of the services which the bulk of MAN A24s run on a regular basis
After a while waiting(patiently,spamming YT videos thanks to the free Wifi
) I spotted the A24 pulling in as 172, at the same time, my bus app indicated "Double, Double, Bendy on 172 and that was when I knew my hunt was successful. However, after the first 2 DDs(Incidentally,MAN A95 Batch 3s) departed, the Bendy disappeared from the app and the next bus was shown to be an SD. When the data changed abruptly, I contemplated switching to 187(due to the appearance of an ADL Enviro 500 Batch 2) when my bus app indicated an "Arr" Bendy at BS 22499(Opp Blk 662C). As if by coincidence, the MAN A24, SMB8032R, surprised me by pulling up at the berth for boarding and as the first passenger(naturally ) I managed to claim the front bench seat that I would always film at for MAN SD buses(A22,A24). As the bus was pulling out, the Enviro 500 on 187 was revealed to be SG5703K. The 172 trip was largely uneventful, throughout the trip, the bus was not very packed and seats were found to be plentiful and scattered. Due to the traffic and the low passenger volume, the joirney time was 45mins. For a brief period on Jalan Bahar, bus bunching was observed when the A24 kept catching up to the previous bus, a MAN A95 Batch 3, before it was finally lost at a traffic light. Another MAN A24 on 172 made its appearance which surprised me; I expected only 1 A24 operating on 172 at this time At CCK Interchange, it was revealed that SMB8032R, and possibly by extension the other A24, were split-shift buses; the Common Fleet Management System(CFMS) indicated "Bulim Depot"(BUDEP) as its next destination, to depart again at 1532H from BUDEP. So there goes my intention of taking this bus back to Boon Lay INT Upon pulling into CCK, however, I spotted another MAN A24 about to depart on 190. Since I had time on my hands, I thought "why not" and rushed to the 190 berth to wait for the 190, and sure enough, the A24, SMB8019E was next in line to depart.
Despite being in a poor position in the queue, I still managed to claim the front bench seat
and set up to film the ride. Just some background info, 190 is among the most highly utilized routes, and for good reason: it is the fastest link between CCK and the City, and as such is a very popular option for many commuters. In fact, before BSEP, bus bunching is a very common occurence due to the high demand and passengers are unable to board the first or even the second bus more often than not and the situation can be summed up in this video, which was filmed at Thong Teck Bldg (BS 09213): (Credit goes to the original uploader). Thanks to the introduction of more direct routes(such as 972, 171 and 700/A) and the opening of the DTL Stage 2 (Bukit Panjang to Bugis segment, spanning 16.6 km with 12 stations), demand on this route has somewhat eased up, but is still nevertheless very popular.
At departure, the bus was half full, there were still seats scattered here and there, but by BS 44261(Blk 270) the bus was very packed, up to the point where there was limited standing available. Thankfully, the bus started emptying as it passed through Orchard and by the time the bus passed Bef Neil Road(BS 10011) (and I do mean passed, not stopped) the bus was empty - one of the very few instances I encountered such a situation when the bus became an 18m long taxi
, much less on one of the most highly used bus services in Singapore. It also helped that the bus driver stopped the bus for a while to allow me to take photos, seeing that I was a bus enthusiast Since I had to go back anyway, I elected to wait out for the bendy to return to CCK, seeing that I had time. Unlike other bus services, with an average of 7 mins between the departure of 1 bus and the next, it was a 15min wait for the Bendy(which was the 4th bus in line) due in part to the demand of this route. The bus driver recognized me from the inbound trip and him and I chatted throughout the journey and he revealed that he has been driving since 1996, when he first started in SBS before transfering to TIBS and subsequently, SMRT. As such, his experience makes him one of the most experienced bendy bus drivers in SMRT and having driven the O405Gs many times, he has a liking for Bendys due to the engine power and the spaciousness of the cabin, among other reasons
The return trip was the exact mirror of the outbound trip; the bus was empty as it left Kampong Bahru Terminal, by the time it reached Orchard, it started to fill up until it was relatively packed as it left the Orchard district, then it emptied gradually at Bukit Panjang before filling up again slightly as passengers boarded for the final leg to CCK Interchange. As the driver mentioned, SMB8019E was a split-shift bus; the CFMS, just like the one on 172, displayed its depot(in this case,KJDEP) instead of "Kampong Bahru Bus Interchange" as its next destination; it was also revealed that SMB8019E was due to come out again in the late afternoon to conduct evening peak hour duties. After everyone had alighted, the driver even stopped the bus to allow me to take photos(thanks, driver
) After the bus driver had let all the passengers off, he then drove the bus out of CCK interchange and towards KJDEP, marking an end to my marathon.Ever since 1996, when TIBS (The predeccesor to modern-day SMRT Buses) brought in TIB838H for evaluation and thus ushered in a new era for the bus industry in Singapore, bendy buses have been an integral part of the bus industry in Singapore and until the introduction of the Alexander Dennis Enviro 500 and the MAN A95, were the only high-capacity buses in TIBS'(and subsequently SMRT Buses') fleets. A total of 315 buses were procured, in 4 main variants of bodywork, between 1996 and 2002. The legacy of bendy buses in Singapore's public transport network continued when, in 2013, SMRT acquired a single MAN NG363F (A24) demonstrator, SMB388S, to carry on the legend of TIB838H. This was followed by an additional order for 39 MAN A24s, delivered and registered in 2015.
However, with the lifespan of the O405s fast coming to an end, and which has already come for the earliest buses registered between 1996 and 2001, the days of the bendy bus in Singapore are limited. As LTA had decided not to purchase additional bendys due to a variety of reasons, be it the increased level of skills needed to operate a bendy compared to a rigid bus, or the length and turning radius which limits these buses to certain roads, or the increased amount of parking space needed compared to rigid buses, leading to less buses being able to be accommodated in a depot, it appears that once the final O405Gs have retired, the 40 MAN A24s procured between 2013-2015 will be the only buses to soldier on and fill in the gap that has been left by the departure of the O405s. The bulk of the A24 fleet has been assigned to KJDEP for feeder services operating out of Choa Chu Kang (30x) and WLDEP for feeder services operating out of Woodlands (90x, 91x), with 3 assigned to 858(+ 1 Split-shift bus) (For more information, see this article), and a further 10 (SMB8001E - SMB8010D) have been transfered to SBS Transit under BSEP and assigned to AMDEP for feeder services out of Yishun(80x,81x). Therefore, routes which rely heavily on bendys due to restrictions on DDs, such as 184, will face a deficit of buses following the retirement of the final few O405s left, unless SMRT decides to procure a second batch of A24s in the future, and might fall back to rigid single decker buses, with a drop in capacity, unless the route or route conditions are modified to allow the operation of DDs on these routes. Thus, it will indeed be the end of an era in the bus industry when SMRT bids farewell to the last O405s in 2019 or 2020 if LTA grants some buses a 1-year extension, as they have already done to some O405Gs.
While onboard the MAN A24s on 172 and 190, these are a selection of the noteworthy buses I spotted:
Alexander Dennis Enviro 500 MMC, Batch 2
- SG5703K, Svc 187
- SMB8032R, Svc 172
- SMB8034K, Svc 172
- SMB8019E, Svc 190
- SMB388S, Off Service, most commonly observed to be on 975B
MAN NL323F(A22) Batch 4 (Euro VI Specifications)
- SG1750A, Svc 851e
The front of SMB8032E
Side view
Rear view
Can you believe this was a 190 - even before the bus had arrived at Kampong Bahru???
Time for round 2!!!
The Mobitec ICU 402 EDS controller on SMB8019E - notice that it has been programmed to "OFF SERVICE"
Rear carriage of SMB8019E - Note the appearance of another MAN NG363F on Svc 300, a CCK-based feeder service, one of the services which the bulk of MAN A24s run on a regular basis
