YN4397L - I Love Children Bus (Volvo B10M MK IV w/ DM3500 bodywork, ex SBS2744A)

Quite a long while ago, SBS Transit donated SBS7297R, a Volvo Olympian 2 axles non air-conditioned double decker bus to the I Love Children organisation, and it was converted into a mobile gallery vehicle to promote about parenthood.

Not around anymore - it's been scrapped.

 

The bus was retired and another replacement vehicle was donated by SBS Transit - this time round, a single deck bus in the form of a Volvo B10M MK IV with DM3500 bodywork.



Close enough. SBS2788Z.

 

And converted to the new MILK bus!




And hi there! On its first day and first display

So like its predecessor, most of the exterior of bus remains the same, though with modifications to accommodate for the mobile gallery setup. The exterior remain mostly unchanged, though with a new paint job. The doors now have a manual lock system so that people don't break in to the bus.



In general, not much has changed...But try to spot the missing feature on the bus. (Hint, no passengers are taking this bus anymore, so there's no need for the original bus cooling in the interior).

Though most of the original bodywork is retained, modifications were made to the bus.

Sutrak aircon system is removed, because it's too mainstream. Sort of.

The rear now houses a grille and an input for the power from an external generator.

 

While the rest are kept intact



Familiar bus is familiar

Unlike Molly the Library bus, the rear view mirrors are not replaced with the bigger housing type & two mirrors.

Its former identity still remains.

 

The rear, mostly intact, but with a grille and stuffs.

A new coat of paint - and the safety devices that keep the nuts tight from the SBS Transit days is retained.

Same for the rear axle & rim.

The wood flooring concept is retained, and now is in a much lighter colour compared to the Volvo Olympian wood flooring.



The flooring is now light brown wood style, and there's an additional step to compensate for the islands and engine hump which used to have seats mounted on it. It's to give it a flat floor in the gallery mode.

The identification plates.

For the chassis plate lovers.




The driver cab, minus the revenue equipments. The blue driver seat had been changed, complete with an armrest and a seatbelt. Yep, the Duple Metsec badge is still retained.

The whole interior is changed to a warm colour, to the tone of light orange.



Seat. With seatbelt. And armrest.

The Volvo B10M dashboard.

Everything is mostly retained as well.

Where the revenue service equipments & coinbox used to be.



And where the farecard reader and wires used to be.

Chassis plate at the top.



No more bus stopping.

Entrance!

And into the bus....

The interior of the bus. Yep, flat floor, 3 steps entry & exit.

The Doors Closing is removed.

Rear to front view of the gallery

An additional step after the standard 2 step from the original DM3500 body configuration.

 

And there you have it - the new I Love Children bus mobile gallery. For the appearances and its schedule, do check out this site @ http://www.ilovechildren.org.sg/bus-schedule/bus-schedule.html



In its display mode at Harbourfront



YM6115Z - I Love Children Bus

The Volvo Olympian 2 axle convertd to YK6115Z parked at Peck Seah Street.

This bus is the former SBS7297R (Volvo Olympian 2 axles) which was based at Ayer Rajah Bus Park. It was converted to MILK (Mainly I Love Kids) bus and registered as YM6115Z. It is currently with I Love Children organisation, a voluntary welfare organization. The theme for the bus is Parenthood planning.

EXTERIOR

A Volvo Olympian 2 axle with SBS Transit on revenue service.

The bumper was repainted.

The right side of the bus.

The non-airconditioned sliding windows are all replaced with wall blocks and vents and fitted with its own power converter to power the utilities inside the bus. The bus is airconditioned for comfort of the visitors, though it is not the regular bus air conditioner fitted on double deckers.

The rear of the bus.

The rear of the bus sees the lower deck's rear window replaced with a grille, presumably for the power converter's heat exchanger.

The features in the bus is powered by an external generator instead of the bus engine for power source.

Interior/ Lower Deck

Stepping on board the MILK/I Love Children Bus's lower deck brings a familiar sense of familiarity.

The empty spaces where the revenue collection equipment used to be.

For your safety, please stand clear of doors - the old SBS sticker.

A mat to welcome visitors on board. The original door system is also retained.

The driver's compartment.

The vehicle identification number plate of the bus.

The lower deck's interior is refurbished to blue, with home-type wooden flooring that replaced the original VO2X's flooring.

The lower deck's interior.

This was where the TransitLink farecard/ticket dispenser machine was located.

There is a speaker above the space.

The bench seats, validator space, signage box and windows have all been replaced by a table and a wall.

The Volvo Olympian's exit door system is retained. There is no difference in the external appearance of the door.

Though there are locking mechanisms to prevent the door from being opened from the outside.

Two manual locks ensure the doors stay locked and cannot be opened from the outside. The SBS & SBS Transit stickers are retained on the doors together with the door closing sign and door cock.

Towards the rear half however, the familiarity of a Volvo Olympian 2 axle's interior is gone.

An extra ladder installed behind the primary staircase that leads to the upper deck.

There used to be bench seats at this area, now replaced by wall.

Used to have bench seats too. Note the power outlet on the bottom right.

Towards the rear, the wheel arch floor space is reconfigured to be behind the steps and the two blocks on the left and the right.

Let's head upstairs!

The foot of the staircase on the lower deck.

Interior/Upper Deck

A view of the staircase. The walls are all pasted with information stickers, and the original staircase handrail is also changed.

Up the staircase. The fire extinguisher glass was cleaned up.

Following the footsteps.

The front windscreen and all of the windows are blocked off by the wall, and the original lighting positions seems to be retained.

A single bench seat installed. There used to be two front-facing seats here.

Front to rear after the staircase.

The ladder as seen on the upper deck to return to the lower deck.

Even though old buses are retired when reaching the statutory age of 17 years in Singapore, they have a new lease of life if sold off/donated to other organisations, serving a new purpose for the public.

Many thanks to I Love Children for allowing the photography of the ex-SBS Transit Volvo Olympian 2 axle YM6115Z on their event "I Love Children Bus Roving @ Peck Seah Street."