Hong Kong Bus Lovers Face Loss of $1M Classic Double-Decker Restoration

Two companions specializing in restoring old buses in Hong Kong find themselves compelled to discard their HK$1 million initiative aimed at bringing back a historic double-decker.

Terrence, together with his blacksmith companion Chung, who is employed in the automobile sector, had wished to refurbish an old China Motor Bus Company (CMB) vehicle at their workshop located in the northwestern part of the New Territories.

The former owner purchased it from a junkyard when it was decommissioned by New World First Bus approximately 20 years back — we acquired it in 2019," Terrence, who provided only his first name, mentioned to HKFP earlier this week. "The engine and transmission are still functional, but the chassis is severely deteriorated.

It's unfortunate, but unavoidable - I have to cut down on hobby-related costs as I grow older. Additionally, we must conserve our resources for bus restoration projects.

In a Facebook post They stated that "the bus will be considered for recycling if no one shows interest by the end of this month."

Transport revolution

In the 1960s, CMB enhanced its collection of vehicles by adding the Guy Arab, a contemporary model manufactured in Wolverhampton, England.

As per Terrence, a regional firm upgraded part of the fleet from single-level to two-story designs. These vehicles were subsequently put into service to address the increasing number of residents in the city.

CMB was the pioneer in bringing double-decker buses to Hong Kong. Nevertheless, its bus services ceased operation in 1998, and it shifted to property development.

The bus company was acquired by New World First Bus.

The New World First Bus placed the Guy Arab under consideration for the task of conveying tree-felling employees throughout the city. For as long as it remained in service until 1998, personnel utilized its open platform to trim excessively grown vegetation along roadways.

"The bus served as a police observation post at Victoria Park during each Lunar New Year," Terrence said to HKFP.

A 2022 scholarly study from the Education University of Hong Kong, authored by Chiu Chuk-yin, states that the future of CMB became determined in 1981 after Paliburg Investments made an aggressive attempt to acquire the company.

"From that point onward, CMB became more cautious in managing its bus operations, and its shortcomings were fully exposed following a deadly accident in 1982. During the bus drivers' strike in 1989, CMB was intended to be removed from the list of public transportation providers as the Hong Kong government ceased to view CMB as a dependable bus company," the article stated. said .

The decrease in "the number of bus routes in 1993 and 1995 marked the beginning of the conclusion of CMB's transportation services."

Vietnam Unveils $6.5B Rail Link: First in 70 Years from HCMC to Mekong Delta

A railway spanning 175 kilometers, valued at over VND171 trillion (US$6.5 billion), is being planned between Ho Chi Minh City and Can Tho, marking the Mekong Delta region of Vietnam with its initial train connection in almost seventy years.

The project management committee for the My Thuan initiative, responsible for preparing the preliminary feasibility report sent to the Ministry of Construction, has suggested financing the entire railway line using government funding. The route would start from An Binh Station in Di An District of Ho Chi Minh City and terminate at Can Tho Station in Hung Phu District of Can Tho, covering a distance of 175.2 kilometers across Ho Chi Minh City, Tay Ninh, Dong Thap, Vinh Long, and Can Tho.

Passenger services would operate at a maximum designed speed of 160 kilometers per hour, while cargo trains would travel at 120 km/h. There would be 12 stops and three maintenance facilities throughout the route. The initial stage would feature a single line using the standard 1,435 mm rail width, which would eventually be expanded to a dual-track system.

Can Tho is often regarded as the capital of Vietnam's Mekong Delta region, known as the nation's primary rice producer and a major contributor to its seafood and fruit exports.

The delta ceased to have a railway after the Saigon-My Tho line from the French colonial period shut down near 1958. Now, goods and passengers mainly travel through heavily crowded roads and rivers to get to Ho Chi Minh City and its harbors.

According to the board's research, the HCMC-Can Tho route is expected to manage approximately 1.46 billion tons of cargo and over 326 million passenger journeys each year by 2050, with rail potentially handling around 23 million tons and 16 million travels per annum.

A KTX train in South Korea travels at approximately 150-180 km/h. Photo by VnExpress/Anh Duy

The line forms part of a rail initiative Vietnam is advancing at an exceptional pace. At its core is the approximately $67 billion North-South high-speed railroad, a 1,541-kilometer route capable of reaching speeds up to 350 kilometers per hour, stretching from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City, scheduled to start construction by the end of 2026. Meanwhile, the broader national network strategy outlines 25 routes covering around 6,354 kilometers.

The HCMC-Can Tho route is a traditional rail system designed for multiple types of traffic, not an actual high-speed line, yet it follows the same key timeline as the main project: both aim to be largely completed by 2035.

Approximately 56% of the route would run over bridges or viaducts, primarily passing through city zones, densely populated regions, rivers, and locations where it connects with current facilities, whereas the rest, amounting to 44%, would be built on embankments where the soil is solid and flood risks are lower. The first phase bridges would measure around 6.5 meters in width, featuring span lengths ranging from 24 meters up to 450 meters. At the Hau River location, the rail system would use the upcoming Can Tho 2 Bridge. The track will be powered using 25 kV AC electricity, with commuter train operations utilizing decentralized power electric multiple units, cargo transport handled by engine-pulled trains, and full implementation of fiber optic communication along with digital signaling systems.

The advisor presented two financial alternatives. Constructing a shared road bridge spanning approximately 4.7 kilometers at the Hau River crossing would result in an initial investment of roughly VND171.3 trillion ($6.51 billion), whereas building an independent railway bridge would increase this amount to around VND175.11 trillion ($6.65 billion). Referring to the scale of Vietnam's economy and its ability to secure funds, the advisor suggested financing the project through government resources.

Having been under development for over ten years, the initiative has now entered its most advanced phase. It will be submitted to the National Assembly for investment policy endorsement in August 2026, with preliminary engineering designs completed during the first quarter of 2028, land clearing beginning in the same period, and a construction company chosen to commence work in the third quarter.

The railway system of Vietnam will manage the route upon its inauguration.