Valentina R Photography

A very special post today!

Things have been happening behind the scenes for a while now, and I've been keeping a bit of a secret on socials for a couple of months now.

In late October, I found myself with the immense privilege of buying the last Hong Kong MAN NL262/R in existence with two of my mates.

Restoration has already commenced but will be dependent on time and money.

In the meantime, though, I get to say I own a bus, and I reckon that's pretty bloody good!

Howick and Eastern Buses №223 [MAN 17.223/Designline] seen at Manukau a few months ago.

Ritchies Transport №1455 [MAN 12.223/Designline] seen in Albany on a 917 to Birkenhead Wharf.

New to Birkenhead Transport as №12, it is now 23 years of age and shouldn't be doing urbans. In fact it's now 3 years overdue for retirement into a school bus.

Mahu City Express' Yutong ZK6121BEV (TCE12) seen at Albany recently.

Originally founded with twin Isuzu coaches, the company expanded its fleet with a Volvo and a BCI.

However, owing to the unique position they occupy, as the sole express service from Mahurangi to Auckland City, the company replaced their existing diesels with twin electric Yutong TCE12s.

Co-funded by EECA, they are the only two in Aotearoa.

Given the success of MEX, I can not help but wonder whether more services like this can be introduced.

Though not nearly as interesting as my last post, this was still pretty neat.

Due to what I suspect was a minor operational issue, one of the regular E500 MMCs for schools route 327*, was swapped out last week for a full liveried NX1 E500.

Specifically Ritchies №1364, which is one of a number of E500 MMCs fitted with internal bike racks as part of an ongoing trial.

Twins!

After having spent an inordinate amount of time trying (& failing) to spot these two I finally accomplished my mission last week!

Ritchies Transport №s496-7 were the only two Designline "Enviroline" bodied Scania K230UBs in Tāmaki Makaurau until November 2025.

I had originally spotted 496 in 2021 as a novice spotter in pouring rain. This had the unfortunate effect of making that photo a touch, unviable, and so I'd been searching for them since then.

For a long time, they were only doing runs on rare occasions, or they were doing runs while I was at work. Yet. A chance fleet allocation meant I got to ride 497 and spot her.

Imagine my surprise when I discovered that 496 was also at Albany. Of course, I did have to sit and wait for about 10 mins for it to do anything, but it was well worth it.

ADLs at Albany.

Tranzurban Auckland №3520 [BCI FBC6123 Citirider DD] seen laid up at Albany.

Ritchies Transport №570 [Scania K270UB/Kiwi Bus Builders] seen on a quiet 309 out of the city.

New to Ritchies in 2008, this is a former Northern Express vehicle.

It has been living out of Albany its entire life, until earlier this year when it was sent to South Auckland.

Astute viewers will note that this Scania has a very long wheelbase, especially compared to some of the others I've posted.

This is because it is a full 13 m long chassis. The longest you can get in Aotearoa*. The length being the product of the sheer amount of people being moved across the Shore.

Of course, it pales in comparison to Europe or China, where buses like the MAN Lion's City L A26 and Hunghai DD6141S02, which are 15 m and 14 m with ridiculous wheelbases were once common. But, it works for us. Unfortunately, none of our EVs are 13 m long. At most, they are 12.5, and this is proving detrimental to us.

Texel Air's ZK-TXA [Boeing 737-8BKF] seen on finals to AKL.

New to Air Berlin as D-ABBK in April of 2003, it served with them until 2016.

By December that year, it had been sold to Comair (t/a British Airways) of South Africa and re-registered as ZS-ZWU. It was operated on behalf of BA.

In 2023, it was cancelled from the South Africsn register and put on the Bermudan register as VP-BSM. Its new owner was Avolon Leasing, Ireland.

After being temporarily stored, the aircraft was flown from Vilnius, Lithuania, to Jinan, China, for complete conversion to a freighter.

The conversion was done by September 27, 2023, and the aircraft had come onto the American register as N739CE. The aircraft was then leased to Texel Air New Zealand and prepared for her ferry flight to Aotearoa.