Renault Pr100.3

The Renault PR100.3 was a city bus marketed in Australia, it was an evolution of the Renault PR100.2. The Renault PR100.3 is known in other countries as the R312 Paris Bus. The bus, like the PR100.2, was a package with a standard R312 front, chassis and dash (with steering column) with choices of bodywork.

Australia

Only three operators in Australia purchased the PR100.3, ACTION buses (A.C.T) and Transperth (W.A), and also the late King Bros Bus Group which had its 25 PR100.3s being taken over by Busways. They are mainly on the North Coast of NSW but a few had made its way to Blacktown.

Busways

Busways inherited 25 units when King Bros went into receivership in 2003, 20 were Custom Coaches CB50-bodied, 4 were Custom Coaches 510-bodied and 1 was bodied by North Coast (NCBC) as a semi coach.

ACTION

ACTION purchased 42 PR100.3 buses, all with Austral Denning body. These buses look more like their European counterparts than the Transperth version. 40 of the buses are diesel powered (PR100.3), while a mere two are powered by gas known to ACTION as the PR100.3NGV. 7 of the buses are also wheelchair accessible, and are classed as the PR100.3a. Although the bus is marketed as a Renault, 6 of the wheelchair-accessible buses (all buses of the final order) have been badged as Mack, and not Renault. This includes an oval bulldog logo in place of the Renault diamond on the front, and MACK wording on the rear window above the Austral Denning wording. Bus numbering is as follows:

* PR100.3NGV: 990-991
* PR100.3: 992-999, 100-112, 114-125
* PR100.3a: 113, 126-131
**BUS-113 is the only official Renault badged PR100.3a. The reason for this is that the bus was originally a normal PR100.3. The bus was first placed in service on trial with Brisbane City Council Buses, and sported the orange, blue and grey of ACTION on the sides, with the white and yellow surround triangle of BCC Buses on the front. It was converted to a wheelchair-accessible bus after its service with BCC Buses. It was never in Canberran service as a normal PR100.3.

The PR100.3 in the A.C.T introduced a simplified ACTION livery based on a previous livery nicknamed the 'Z Stripe'. The PR100.3 livery is white above the window/door line, orange underneath with grey panelling at the bottom. Breaking the orange and grey is a light blue stripe which fits in with the exact size of the indented portion on the front and runs length and width of the body. Breaking up the light blue stripe is a small dark blue reflective stripe only found on the sides of the bus.

Both NGV buses all .3a buses have being modified-NGV buses have being converted to run on diesel fuel and the .3a's are no longer wheelchair accseible but keep the kneeling supension. 113 may still be wheel chair accsesible.

Transperth

There is only one PR100.3 in the Transperth fleet (owned by Path Transit), and has been built with a Volgren body. This bus differs in many ways from the ACTION fleet with the shape and design of the body and interior (looks less like the European R312) and has an evaporative cooler. The only similar feature is the dash, chassis, steering column and the R312 front.

This bus is numbered 1133 in the Transperth fleet and was offered for sale in 1993, but there was no buyer. The bus is technically still in service today, but, is normally used only when it is critically required as poor performance still haunts this vehicle. It is painted in Transperth corporate colours, green and white, and calls Malaga Depot its home.

The bus was converted to CNG usage by Transcom.

References

* [http://www.busaustralia.com/fleetlists/action.htm ACTION fleet list at Busaustralia.com]
* [http://www.perthbus.info/prequery.php?qid=10150&cid=10 Transpert Fleet List Bus 1133 PR100.3]
* [http://www.busaustralia.com/fleetlists/bus.php?flsummary=BUS Busways fleet list at Busaustralia.com]

External links

* [http://transporttoddmilton.fotopic.net/c478018.html seat transport galleries- ACTION buses]
* [http://actbus.bur.st/gallery/main.php?g2_itemId=41 ACT-BUS PR100.3 gallery]
* [http://www.action.act.gov.au/about.cfm ACTION Buses, About us (Bus Fleet Information PDF's)]