猛獅 NL263 MAN NL263

猛獅 NL263 MAN NL263

編號 Class：1 - 10，13，24 - 25

隨著中港交往日益頻繁，陸路口岸交通需求變得更為強大，落馬洲的過境穿梭巴士服務受惠於這個現象，每日都客似雲來，過境人士往往在繁忙時間，需花上兩小時候車都變成常事。新香港巴士意識到，單靠十架裝配Northern Counties單門車身的丹尼士飛鏢中型巴士，確實難以應付日益增長的客量。雖然從其他營運商長期借用兩架，配本地黃明車身的日野旅遊巴士，但由於同樣採取單門設計，面對大上大落及路程短的環境，顯然不是最佳選擇。另外，日野旅遊巴士還有一個缺點，高地台設計令上落都需要攀登梯級，為携帶大型行李的遊客帶來不便。

一九九八年城巴從德國猛獅引進了NL262大型單層低地台巴士，並且取得不錯的成績，而德國大型單層低地台巴士亦於三年之後，落藉於落馬洲穿梭巴士線。新香港巴士向德國猛獅購入十架NL262的繼承者，NL263大型單層低地台巴士，成為本港最先採用同型巴士的營運商。對比英國中型單層巴士，猛獅NL263的確有不少優勝之處，首先在長近十二米車身以及採用低地台設計下，總共可運載八十一位乘客，當中又以企位為主，雖然只提供二十一個座位，不過在這短路程的穿梭服務而言，更能切合營運需要。其次，NL263採用雙門車身設計，配合無梯級出入口，大大加快乘客上落所需時間，營運效率從而得到提升。

整體械配搭方面，NL263引擎沿用猛獅自家產品，並且符合歐盟三型排放標準，較丹尼士飛鏢更勝一籌，而全自動波箱則採用福伊特出品，由主引擎驅動的空調系統來自開利超卓，雙門設計車身方面則是由來自葡萄牙的Caetano設計及裝配。猛獅NL263亦跟當時的新巴士一樣，裝有電子路線牌箱。首批五架新車於二零零一年九月抵港，並迅即進行新車型所需的測試，最終在國慶假期前夕投入服務，大大紓緩了穿梭巴士於這個過境高峰期內的壓力。而排在隊末五架的NL263，亦自二零零一年年底至二零零二年初投入服務。全數猛獅NL263投入服務之初編號為11 - 20，緊接著原有丹尼士飛鏢，但大約一年之後兩者車隊編號互相對調。

自NL263投入服務後，新香港巴士肯定了大型單層巴士能夠在落馬洲穿梭巴士擔當重任，往後時間增購巴士加強服務時，再沒有任何中型單層巴士出現於購車名單上。踏入二零零六年，為數三架配用馬來西亞順豐車身的NL263加入新香港巴士，分別用作加強服務及取代因交通意外退役的丹尼士飛鏢(GL8510)。配順豐車身的NL263總載客量較Caetano車身的兄弟多出四人，成為新香港巴士中運載能力最高的車款，而車廂設計仍然維持多企位作原則，至於機械配置上，這批NL263則跟Caetano車身的大哥如出一轍。

經歷過十二年的服務生涯，首批五架NL263於二零一三年初進行車廂改裝工程，主要增加十個座位，同時減少企位數目，令總載客量減少至五十五人，不過在完成有關工程之後不久，這五架猛獅便退役，並由全新的猛獅NL323接棒，這亦成為日後大部份巴士退役前所做的動作。至於餘下的五架配Caetano車身的NL263，亦於二零一五年一月至八月分批由同廠的NL323取代。作為本港首家採用NL263的巴士公司，新香港巴士於二零一九年底至二零二零年將最後三架NL263巴士，換成符合歐六排放的猛獅NL323，自此之後NL263在本港服役的日子便寫下了一個句號。

Demand for shuttle bus service between Huanggang increased as a result of much frequent interaction between Hong Kong and mainland China. It was not surprised that commuters need to spend at least two hours to get on shuttle bus during peak seasons. The Dennis Dart midibus, fitted with single doorway bodywork supplied by Northern Counties, surely cannot satisfy the growing demand. Though a pair of Hino coach with local made Wong Ming bodyworks were hired, however, also restricted by the sole doorway designed, they would not be the right choice for this short-distanced shuttle service with high patronage. In addition, the high floor level of the Hino coach causing inconvenience to passengers with bulky luggage.

The introduction of MAN NL262, full-sized super low floor single decker, by City Bus in 1998 got a good result and finally we saw the successor of NL262, the NL263 full-sized super low floor single decker joined the the "Huanggang - Lok Ma Chau" shuttle service in 2001. NHKB was the first operator of MAN NL263 in Hong Kong and total 10 units were introduced. Within the 12m in length and low floor design compartment, total 81 passengers can be accommodated with 21 seatings plus 60 standees provided, more than almost one third of a Dennis Dart can be carried. To go one step further, dual-door designed can facilitate the flow of passengers and enhanced the operation efficiency.

Instead of engine from MAN, both fully automatic transmission unit by Voith and roof mounted Carrier-Sutrak air conditioning also came from Germany. The bodybuilder Caetano from Portugal which helping in the assembly of the Dennis Dragon and Trident of City Bus with bodywork kits supplied by Duple Metsec. Though it was not necessary to show any route details, electronic route display was fitted. The first 5 of the batch was delivered in the end of Sep., 2001 and commissioned just in time before the National Holiday and relief the pressure of the service. While the remaining NL263s finally joined NHKB between the end of 2001 and early 2002. The fleet number of the MAN NL263 were first classed as 11 - 20 and then exchanged with the Dennis Dart, re-classed as 1 - 10 during 2002.

After the commissioned of the MAN NL263, it was no doubt that full-sized super low floor single decker was suitable for this short-distanced service with high demand. When NHKB acquiring new buses, full-sized super low floor decker from Volvo and Scania were introduced. As a replacement of a Dennis Dart involved with a traffic accident, and also for service expansions, a batch of 3 NL263 bodied by Gemilang, a Malaysian bodybuilder, was introduced in 2006 and become the highest carrying capacity model in the fleet with 85 passengers (25 seatings and 60 standees) can be carried.

As reduced the cost for carrying Certificate of Fitness after their 12 years of service, NHKB decided to replace the Caetano samples with brand new Gemilang bodied MAN NL323. The first 5 were retired in Apr., 2013 and just before their withdrawal, their seatings were changed from 21 to 31 and total capacity reduced to 55 resulted. The remaining Caetano bodied NL263 was withdrawn between Jan., and Aug., 2015 which also carried out the same compartment modification and this was become a norm for the retired bus.

The first and the last, we saw the last MAN NL263 survived in Hong Kong was served with NHKB and finally withdrawn in early 2020. After the withdrawal of NL263, the NL323 was then become the main stream in the fleet.

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MAN NL263 with Caetano bodywork (1 - 10)