Photo: Graeme Farrar
In 1980 Bonnici Motors purchased 10 Leyland Leopard PSU3/2R coaches with air-conditioned Hawke/Bonicietti Supercruiser C45F bodies for Trans Tours work. These buses continued the Bonnici tradition of acres of polished metal. With take overs and shake ups in the industry these passed as a fleet to Midland Motors and then to H & H Travel Lines. In 1984 seven were operating out of Christchurch (101 to 107) and three out of Auckland (108 to 110). Did Newmans acquire all 10 buses in 1985 and what where there numbers in the Newmans fleet.
| # | Chassis Nbr/VIN | Year | Original Reg | Later Owner | # | Later Reg | Date | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Initially registered to Bonnici Coachlines Ltd, Auckland | ||||||||
| 101 | 7900961 | 8/8/80 | JQ7342 | Trans Tours Operations Ltd | 101 | JQ7342 | 16/11/84 | . |
| Newmans Coach Lines Ltd, Auckland | 191 | JQ7342 | 28/6/85 | . | ||||
| Kapiti Charter Services Ltd, Paraparaumu | . | JQ7342 | 4/6/91 | . | ||||
| Macdhui Contracting Ltd, Paraparaumu | . | JQ7342 | 4/6/91 | . | ||||
| Mana Coach Services Ltd, Porirua | . | JQ7342 | 21/1/99 | . | ||||
| D H Fraser, Waikanae | . | JQ7342 | 11/2/00 | Movan | ||||
| J L Gardiner, Levin | . | JQ7342 | 19/6/02 | Movan | ||||
| D W Gardiner, Levin | . | JQ7342 | 15/8/03 | Movan | ||||
| 102 | 7900822 | 21/8/80 | JQ7360 | Trans Tours Operations Ltd | 102 | JQ7360 | 16/11/84 | . |
| Newmans Coach Lines Ltd, Auckland | 192 | JQ7360 | 28/6/85 | . | ||||
| Hanham Buses Ltd, Albany | 16 | RS2249 | 2/12/92 | . | ||||
| Cesta Travel Ltd, Dunedin | 46 | RS2249 | 21/7/94 | . | ||||
| Southbus Ltd, Dunedin | 46 | RS2249 | 18/3/98 | . | ||||
| McGrath Buses Ltd, Taumaranui | . | RS2249 | 24/6/03 | . | ||||
| 103 | . | 1980 | JX7204 | Trans Tours Operations Ltd | 103 | JX7204 | 16/11/84 | . |
| Newmans Coach Lines Ltd, Auckland | 193 | JX7204 | 28/6/85 | Exported to Fiji | ||||
| Initially registered to Trans Tour Operations Ltd, Auckland | ||||||||
| 104 | PGY7901541 | 10/9/80 | JX7203 | Newmans Coach Lines Ltd, Auckland | 194 | JX7203 | 28/6/85 | . |
| Midhirst Motors 1974 Ltd, Midhirst, Taranaki | . | JX7203 | 11/12/91 | Operated by Bariball Motors | ||||
| Midhirst Motors 1974 Ltd, Midhirst, Taranaki | . | UM11 | 16/8/96 | Operated by Bariball Motors | ||||
| 105 | 7901544 | 3/10/80 | JX7223 | Newmans Coach Lines Ltd, Auckland | 195 | JX7223 | 28/6/85 | . |
| Pickering Motors Ltd, Opunake | . | JX7223 | 29/1/92 | . | ||||
| 106 | 7901542 | 3/10/80 | JX7222 | Newmans Coach Lines Ltd, Auckland | 196 | JX7222 | 28/6/85 | . |
| Midhirst Motors 1974 Ltd, Midhirst, Taranaki | . | JX7203 | 2/12/92 | Operated by Bariball Motors | ||||
| Midhirst Motors 1974 Ltd, Midhirst, Taranaki | . | UM5 | 16/8/96 | Operated by Bariball Motors | ||||
| 107 | 7901545 | 1980 | JY6467 | Newmans Coach Lines Ltd, Auckland | 197 | JY6467 | 28/6/85 | Exported to Fiji |
| Initially registered to Bonnici Coachlines Ltd, Auckland | ||||||||
| 108 | PSU3E2R7901547 | 31/10/80 | JY6483 | Newmans Coach Lines Ltd, Auckland | 198 | JY6483 | 28/6/85 | . |
| Kapiti Charter Services Ltd, Paraparaumu | . | JY6483 | 4/6/91 | . | ||||
| Macdhui Contracting Ltd, Paraparaumu | . | JY6483 | 7/7/98 | . | ||||
| Mana Coach Services Ltd, Porirua | 62 | JY6483 | 20/1/99 | . | ||||
| 109 | . | 1980 | JY6495 | Newmans Coach Lines Ltd, Auckland | 199 | JY6495 | 28/6/85 | Exported to Fiji |
| 110 | 7901543 | 11/11/80 | JY6501 | Newmans Coach Lines Ltd, Auckland | 190 | JY6501 | 28/6/85 | . |
| Ashburton Bus & Coach, Ashburton | . | JY6501 | 2/4/93 | out of use | ||||
Sunline Coachlines Ltd in 1984 purchased 3 ex-London Country AEC Reliance RP chassis. Hawke built Supercruiser bodies on these. These coaches had a short life with Sunline. Only one remains in service as a coach.
| # | Chassis Nbr/VIN | Year | Original Reg | Later Owner | # | Later Reg | Date | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ? | 7675 | 30/5/84 | LQ1860 | Nalla Holdings Ltd, Palmerston North | . | LQ1860 | 3/7/86 | Madge Coachlines |
| Bayes Coachlines Ltd, Albany | . | LQ1860 | 24/8/87 | . | ||||
| Bayes Coachlines Ltd, Albany | . | RD3840 | 22/1/92 | . | ||||
| A Jack, Katikati | . | RD3840 | 22/1/92 | Movan | ||||
| A Jack, Katikati | . | OWHOME | 17/3/99 | Movan | ||||
| I M Bartie, Papamoa | . | OWHOME | 19/10/04 | Movan | ||||
| ? | 7657 | 30/5/84 | LQ1859 | Nalla Holdings Ltd, Palmerston North | . | LQ1859 | 3/7/86 | Madge Coachlines |
| Nalla Holdings Ltd, Palmerston North | . | ND8256 | 10/6/87 | Madge Coachlines | ||||
| Madge Coachlines Ltd, Palmerston North | . | ND8256 | 24/3/88 | . | ||||
| Midhurst Motors 1974 Ltd, Taranaki | 12 | ND8256 | 20/11/00 | Barriballs | ||||
| Midhurst Motors 1974 Ltd, Taranaki | 12 | UM12 | 27/02/01 | Barriballs | ||||
| Tranzit Group Ltd | 472 | UM12 | 17/10/06 | |||||
| B T & M G Whiteman, Levin | UM12 | 20/7/07 | Movan? | |||||
| ? | 7652 | 30/5/84 | LQ1858 | Nalla Holdings Ltd, Palmerston North | . | LQ1858 | 3/7/86 | Madge Coachlines |
| Bayes Coachlines Ltd, Albany | . | LQ1858 | 24/8/87 | . | ||||
| A G Brougham Buses Ltd, Pukekohe | . | LQ1858 | 24/2/94 | . | ||||
| R J Charteris, Hastings | . | LQ1858 | 24/2/96 | . | ||||
| McGrath Buses Ltd, Taumaranui | . | LQ1858 | 24/2/96 |
1985 Four for Sunline Coaches Ltd on 3 axle Leyland Tiger chassis. Bodies were built by Coachwork International to a Hawke Specification. These coaches replace the AEC RPs in service with Sunline.
| # | Chassis Nbr/VIN | Year | Original Reg | Later Owner | # | Later Reg | Date | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 8400363 | 17/10/85 | MJ3838 | Parakai Travel Ltd, Auckland | . | MJ3838 | 17/8/95 | . |
| Madge Coachlines Ltd, Palmerston North | . | UG6895 | 30/5/96 | Uzabus colours | ||||
| 3 | 8400364 | 5/11/85 | MJ2142 | Omana Shuttles & Coaches, Puni, Pukekohe | . | MJ2142 | 28/1/00 | registered name Shutltranz Ltd |
| 4 | 8200692 | 4/12/85 | MK8249 | Reesby Buses Ltd, Rotorua | . | MJ2142 | 17/8/95 | . |
| Reesby Buses Ltd, Rotorua | . | UA808 | 14/2/96 | . | ||||
| Coachlines Southland Ltd, Invercargill | 28 | UA808 | 14/2/96 | IPT | ||||
| 5 | 8200693 | 17/12/85 | ML9907 | Nalla Holdings Ltd, Palmerston North | 614 or 615 | ML9907 | 18/7/86 | . |
| Allans Coachlines Ltd, Masterton | 8 | ML9907 | 27/10/87 | |||||
| Allans Coachlines Ltd, Masterton | 230 | ML9907 | ? | Operated by Tranzit |
One Wade for Blue & White Tours Whangarei. Later to Madge as 110
See Wade
Chassis numbers extracted from Sean Millar "New Zealand City Bus Fleets" 1980 "Auckland Bus Fleets" 1986.