Busways - MAN A69 18.320 (Custom CB80) Review | No. 1193 (m/o 6280)

Our journey today is onboard Busways Western Sydney's 1193 (m/o 6280), operating out of Mulgrave (Windsor) Depot. The bus is seen on a Route 730 for Blacktown, though I'm only onboard from Castle Hill to Norwest Station.
(My picture of 1193 wasn't great, so instead I've put a picture of fellow Mulgrave vehicle 1039 (m/o 5096) instead)

In 2012, a batch of 12 new MAN A69 18.320 HOCL-R-NL vehicles with the Custom CB80 body were delivered to Busways Western Sydney. 20 more vehicles would follow from 2013-2015, with slightly different interior specifications. Dating from 2014, 1193 is one of the second-batch MANs.

Possibly the most striking external feature of these CB80s is the unusual window line. The centre door is placed one row of seats further forward than usual - the same seating layout as used on Busways' MAN 18.320 Bustech VST vehicles. While this means that the steps up to the rear of the bus can be larger and less steep, not only does it give the bus a slightly odd appearance, but should the service become crowded it will be quite difficult for passengers in the rear to disembark at their stop.

These vehicles have the MAN D2066LUH 6-cylinder diesel engine with a displacement of 10.5 litres, capable of producing up to 320 hp at Euro V emission standards. A four-speed Voith DIWA transmission is fitted to all Busways MAN 18.320s, giving them a characteristic whistle when decelerating. While most buses from this era use Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR, AdBlue) to meet Euro V standards, the MAN 18.320 avoids the need for the costly additive by using exhaust-gas recirculation (EGR).

The odd window line is a feature shared by both batches of MAN CB80s. The differences between the two batches are as follows:
1st batch vehicles have smooth metal seat backs and internal panelling, while 2nd batch vehicles have studded stainless steel for easier cleaning
1st batch vehicles have Custom Metro seats (wedge-shaped seat tops) while 2nd batch vehicles have McConnell Metro bench seats (cylindrical seat tops, and staggered seat back design)
1st batch vehicles lack any luggage storage space, while 2nd batch vehicles have a small compartment between the offside wheelchair bay and the priority row
1st batch vehicles have round wireless stop bells, while 2nd batch vehicles have traditional wired stop bells.

And on the topic of the stop bells, the issues faced by the wireless units that I couldn't cover in the video were as follows:
The bells didn't always work - unlike wired bells, wireless units can run out of battery. Though the main issue with the CB80 bells was that people weren't pushing the button hard enough!
A phenomenon nicknamed 'ghosting' can occur if two Custom CB80s with wireless bells are side-by-side - if the button is pressed in one of the buses, it can trigger the stop light in the neighbouring bus!
The high-pitched sound produced by the original wireless bells is still within a human's hearing range and it sounds like a squeak. Unlike with wired bells, pressing the button while the doors are open (or after someone else has already pressed it) will still produce an irritating high-pitched sound, which can get on the nerves of drivers. Newer wireless stop bells send signals in the ultrasonic range, to avoid irritating people.

Wireless bells do offer benefits, however:
Less cost to install - no need to thread expensive wiring throughout the bus
More bells can be placed where necessary - with the Custom CB80, the stop bells in the wheelchair bay are normally placed on the window itself!

Chapters:
0:00 Intro
0:38 Wheelchair Bay
3:46 Rear Section
6:26 Back Row
9:16 Outro

References:
https://fleetlists.busaustralia.com/b...

All footage and images are from my personal collection.

Music:
In the Sky (Stock Audio)
Ice Tea (Stock Audio)


Edited with Microsoft Clipchamp