Volvo B59
Encyclopedia
The Volvo
B59 was a rear-engined bus chassis
produced by Volvo in Sweden
from 1970 until 1980, which features a 10-litre straight-6
diesel engine.
The first Volvo B59 was delivered to the Københavns Sporveje (The City Transport Authority in Copenhagen
, Denmark
) in 1970, and was fitted with a bodywork built by Aabenraa Karrosserifabrik, based in Aabenraa
. Originally ran as a prototype, it came later in ordinary service, as KS #531. It was bought by Volvo for preservation at the Volvo Museum in Gothenburg
, Sweden after withdrawal.
In Melbourne
of Australia
, the Melbourne and Metropolitan Tramways Board purchased 100 Volvo B59 buses with unique Ansair bodies. These buses were originally painted orange, however a majority of B59s were repainted into the Metropolitan Transit Authority's green and yellow livery during the mid to late-1980s and early-1990s. Most of these buses were retired by 2000 with most sold to party bus operators and companies in Queensland
.
South Australia was also a large recipient of the Volvo B59. 307 units entered service between 1977 and 1979 (1001-1307) with the State Transport Authority, 3 additional chassis were supplied. All were delievred in a striking silver livery, the only exception to their liveries are that of 1294-1304 which for a period of time became 294-304 (1300/300 the first to run the in this livery) and painted into Circle Line route 100 colours of orange and white, ex 1200 wore serco livery of blue, red, grey and white after privatisation in 1996 and ended service in 2000, later to be preserved, 1292 wore the Corporate livery of Transadelaide with blue and red speed stripes over a white base, any other liveries are all over advertising. 1002 returned to Sweden in the early 1980s to demonstrate how 'we do it'. Their final phasing out ended in 2003 after many years servicing Adelaide
streets, their red vinyl seats and silver bodywork saw a real era end when they left.
A trolleybus version of Volvo B59 was also built. A batch of 17 vehicles, fitted with Ansaldo
electric equipment and Mauri bodywork, was delivered to ATAM of Italian
city Rimini
between 1975 and 1978, for use on the Rimini–Riccione trolleybus line
.
Its successor was the Volvo B10R.
Volvo Buses
Volvo Buses is a subsidiary and a business area of the Swedish vehicle maker Volvo, which became an independent division in 1968. It is based in Göteborg....
B59 was a rear-engined bus chassis
Chassis
A chassis consists of an internal framework that supports a man-made object. It is analogous to an animal's skeleton. An example of a chassis is the underpart of a motor vehicle, consisting of the frame with the wheels and machinery.- Vehicles :In the case of vehicles, the term chassis means the...
produced by Volvo in Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
from 1970 until 1980, which features a 10-litre straight-6
Straight-6
The straight-six engine or inline-six engine is a six-cylinder internal combustion engine with all six cylinders mounted in a straight line along the crankcase...
diesel engine.
The first Volvo B59 was delivered to the Københavns Sporveje (The City Transport Authority in Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
, Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
) in 1970, and was fitted with a bodywork built by Aabenraa Karrosserifabrik, based in Aabenraa
Aabenraa
The city of Aabenraa or Åbenrå , with a population of 15,760 , is situated at the head of the Aabenraa Fjord, an arm of the Little Belt, in Denmark, 38 miles north of the town of Schleswig. Its name originally meant "open beach"...
. Originally ran as a prototype, it came later in ordinary service, as KS #531. It was bought by Volvo for preservation at the Volvo Museum in Gothenburg
Gothenburg
Gothenburg is the second-largest city in Sweden and the fifth-largest in the Nordic countries. Situated on the west coast of Sweden, the city proper has a population of 519,399, with 549,839 in the urban area and total of 937,015 inhabitants in the metropolitan area...
, Sweden after withdrawal.
In Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
of Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, the Melbourne and Metropolitan Tramways Board purchased 100 Volvo B59 buses with unique Ansair bodies. These buses were originally painted orange, however a majority of B59s were repainted into the Metropolitan Transit Authority's green and yellow livery during the mid to late-1980s and early-1990s. Most of these buses were retired by 2000 with most sold to party bus operators and companies in Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
.
South Australia was also a large recipient of the Volvo B59. 307 units entered service between 1977 and 1979 (1001-1307) with the State Transport Authority, 3 additional chassis were supplied. All were delievred in a striking silver livery, the only exception to their liveries are that of 1294-1304 which for a period of time became 294-304 (1300/300 the first to run the in this livery) and painted into Circle Line route 100 colours of orange and white, ex 1200 wore serco livery of blue, red, grey and white after privatisation in 1996 and ended service in 2000, later to be preserved, 1292 wore the Corporate livery of Transadelaide with blue and red speed stripes over a white base, any other liveries are all over advertising. 1002 returned to Sweden in the early 1980s to demonstrate how 'we do it'. Their final phasing out ended in 2003 after many years servicing Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
streets, their red vinyl seats and silver bodywork saw a real era end when they left.
A trolleybus version of Volvo B59 was also built. A batch of 17 vehicles, fitted with Ansaldo
Gio. Ansaldo & C.
Ansaldo was one of Italy's oldest and most important engineering companies, existing for 140 years from 1853 to 1993.-From foundation to World War I:...
electric equipment and Mauri bodywork, was delivered to ATAM of Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
city Rimini
Rimini
Rimini is a medium-sized city of 142,579 inhabitants in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy, and capital city of the Province of Rimini. It is located on the Adriatic Sea, on the coast between the rivers Marecchia and Ausa...
between 1975 and 1978, for use on the Rimini–Riccione trolleybus line
Trolleybuses in Rimini
The Rimini trolleybus system , also known as the Rimini–Riccione trolleybus line , forms part of the public transport network of the city and comune of Rimini, in the region of Emilia-Romagna, northern Italy...
.
Its successor was the Volvo B10R.