Our Charter Fleet
Discover Our Heritage Charter Buses
1979 Bristol RELL Hess
Fleet # 538
Seating Capacity:
46
Our Bristol Hess is very unique being one of only two operational buses of this type worldwide.
538 was one of 96 chassis obtained by the Christchurch Transport Board between 1978 and 1981. They were bodied by New Zealand Motor Bodies in Christchurch using the Swiss designed “Hess” bodywork.
538 entered service with the Christchurch Transport Board in 1979
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1986 MAN SL202
Fleet # 612
Fleet # 614
Fleet # 620
Seating Capacity:
45
Our 3 MAN SL202s represent the mainstay of our Heritage Charter Fleet.
Christchurch Transport Board ordered a total of 58 MAN SL202s chassis from Germany between 1986 and 1990. They were bodied by Coachwork International.
612 is the class leader of this type.
All 3 of our SL202s entered service with the Christchurch Transport Board in 1986.
1990 MAN 22.240
Fleet # 675
Seating Capacity:
53
Our MAN 22.240 is very similar to our SL202s except bigger.
By the late 1980s the Christchurch Transport Board was on the lookout for a bigger bus for charter and tour groups. Designline build 9 of these buses for Christchurch. These were the last buses ordered by the Christchurch Transport Board, which was disestablished in the 1989 local government reforms.
Our 675 entered service with Christchurch Transport Ltd, later RedBus in 1990.
Our Film Fleet
Discover Our Heritage Film Buses
Our Film Fleet consists of vehicles that not currently roadworthy and must be viewed prior to confirmation of use.
All photos supplied do not represent the current condition of vehicles and for identification purposes only.
1952 AEC Regal Mk4
Fleet # 290
Date Range:
1952 - 1981
Our AEC Regal Mk4 is the class leader for the first of the Christchurch "Tram Replacement Buses" ordered due to the imminent closure of the Christchurch Tramway in 1954.
290 was bodied in England by Crossley Motors and imported complete.
Our 290 entered service with the Christchurch Transport Board in 1952 and was withdrawn in 1981.
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1964 AEC New Reliance
Fleet # 452
Date Range:
1963 - 1989
Our AEC New Reliance was one of 24 "Reliance" chassis obtained in 1963 due to the need to serve an expanding Christchurch.
Due to these chassis being a later batch of this model they are often referred to as "New Reliance" buses.
The bodywork was built locally by New Zealand Motor Bodies in Christchurch.
Our 452 entered service with the Christchurch Transport Board in 1964 and was withdrawn in 1989.
1975 Bristol RELL Mk I
Fleet # 480
Date Range:
1975 - 1989
Our Bristol RELL MkI was one of 25 of this type ordered in the early 1970s.
The RELL Mk I had kitset English bodies supplied by Eastern Coachworks of Lowestoft, England and were assembled by Hawke Bros, of Takanini, Auckland.
Our 480 entered service with the Christchurch Transport Boardin 1975 and was withdrawn from service in 1989
1977 Bristol RELL Mk II
Fleet # 510
Date Range:
1977 - 1990
Our Bristol RELL Mk II is part of the second batch of 29 Bristol RE buses obtained in 1977 and 1978.
These were bodied by Hawke Bros. by copying the Bristol RELL Mk I .
Mechanically the same as their predecessors
Our 510 entered service with the Christchurch Transport Board in 1977 and was withdrawn in 1990
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1951 AEC Double Decker RT
Fleet # 3132
Date Range:
NZ 1974 Commonwealth Games
London 1951 - 1979
Our Double Decker 3132 was part of London Transport's Post War modernization effort with over 4000 RT type buses to enter service between 1947 and 1954. The last RT bus was withdrawn in 1979.
Our RT 3132 was was retired in 1973 and was purchased as transport by the English Women’s Team to the 1974 Christchurch Commonwealth Games.
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Other Vehicles
Date Range:
1881 - 1969
As part of our wider collection of vehicles and through our contacts we have access to an extensive range of period vehicles.
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Steam Tram:
Kitson steam tram dating from 1881, in regular service until 1914
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Electric Trams:
Dating from from 1903 to 1955 (collection from around the South Island)
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Trolley Buses:
Dating from 1931 to 1986 (collection from NZ Wide)