KMB Route 51

Route 51 in the New Territories is a bus service operated by Kowloon Motor Bus (KMB), between Nina Tower, Tsuen Wan and Kam Sheung Road Railway Station.

History

The route was started in 1961-06-24 as Route 26, when Route Twisk, originally a military road, was opened to the public. Originally KMB operated it as a test route only, but because of the positive response received, the route became a permanent route. Due to the steepness of Route Twisk, the route was served using Albions for a long period of time. At that time, the route ran between Jordan Road Ferry Pier and Yuen Long, and was initially an express route, having only two stops between Lai Chi Kok and Shek Kong, which were at Tsuen Wan Town Centre and Tai Mo Shan. On 1973-07-16, as part of KMB's bus service arrangement scheme, the route was renumbered 51, and service was cut back to Tai Kok Tsui Ferry Pier.

Since Route Twisk was the most direct route between Yuen Long and Tsuen Wan, Route 51 received a high level of patronage, and at one time congestion was observed. In a 1970s report by the Works Department, a capacity deficit of 15% was recorded at Shek Kong (towards Tai Kok Tsui) during morning peak hours (07:00-08:00 hours), and the deficit towards Yuen Long even reached 30% during 12:00 to 13:00. Even so, KMB could not alter the type of bus due to technical problems, and could only increase the frequency of the route as a solution.

On 1982-05-16 Tsuen Wan Line was opened, and Route 51 was cut further back to Tsuen Wan Station, the number being changed to 51M. After 50M and 68M started service, both using Tuen Mun Road, the role of Route 51 being a main route between Yuen Long and Tsuen Wan diminished, so the northern terminus was changed to Kam Tin on 1983-04-17 with Tsuen Wan bound diverted via Kam Sheung Road. On 1984-12-16 the Tsuen Wan terminus was changed to Tsuen Wan Ferry Pier with diversion via Tai Ho Road Flyover with the number changed back to 51.

In the late 1980s the Albions servicing on the route were aging and needed replacements. However, no other suitable single-deckers in the KMB fleet were available at that time. KMB turned to its double deckers, but again none was suitable for the steep inclination of the route. so KMB fitted a Cummins LT10 280hp engine and a manual decelerator into a 9.7m MCW Metrobus. The solution worked out, and KMB bought eight more 9.7m MCW Metrobuses (M81-M88) with special air-drawing fans to serve Route 51 with special limitation of 3 standing passengers for the safety issues.

After that, the buses that serving 51 were specifically altered, so other buses cannot run on the route, and if a bus on the route needed a repair, a replacement could not be found, affecting the frequency of the route. Later KMB fitted the Cummins engine into more Metrobuses for operating on the route due to high repair frequency of M88-M88.

On 1992-08-10 an special service, 51P, was started, from Shek Kong swimming pool to Tsuen Wan. In 1996 KMB assigned two air-conditioned Dennis Dart buses (AA) fitted with manual decelerators to Route 51. In the same year the District Councils of Tuen Mun and Yuen Long planned to divert Route 51 to Tai Lam Tunnel once it had been completed with terminus relocated to Sheung Tsuen via Kam Sheung Road, but after concerning the resulting lack of bus service on Route Twisk, a new route numbered 251M was started instead. Patronage on 51 dropped after that, causing the suspension of 51P service.

On 2000-03-19 the Tsuen Wan terminus was moved to a newly built one at Nina Tower.cite web|url=http://www.681busterminal.com/51.html|title=KMB Air-conditioned Route 51|author=Eric Lo|publisher=681 Bus Terminal|accessdate=2008-02-09] With over 25 years of stationing of Kam Tin Bus Terminus, it was relocated to Kam Sheung Road Railway Station on 2008-09-07 for facilitating West Rail Line commuters of Tuen Mun and Yuen Long for connection to Tai Mo Shan Country Park.

Fleet and route

The Route is serviced by Dennis Dart single deckers (AA) from Tuen Mun Depot (U).

The journey distance for both directions is 20.7km in 53 minutes time, via:cite web|url=http://www.kmb.hk/english.php?page=search&prog=route_no.php&route_no=51|title=Route No. 51|author=KMB|accessdate=2008-02-14]

Tsuen Wan (Nina Tower) to Kam Sheung Road Railway Station

*Tai Ho Road
*Tai Ho Road North
*Tsuen Kam Interchange
*Route Twisk
*Kam Tin Road
*Kam Ho Road

Kam Sheung Road Railway Station to Tsuen Wan (Nina Tower)

*Kam Ho Road
*Kam Tin Road
*Kam Sheung Road
*Kam Tin Road
*Route Twisk
*Tsuen Kam Interchange
*Tai Ho Road North
*Tai Ho Road

References