The SAD TRUTH about Bus Preservation in Singapore (it's illegal)

Bus Preservation is a common practice in many countries around the world. It's the least we can do to pay tribute to these magnificent workhorses that have served us for decades. But what about in Singapore? Watch on to find out more...

*3 Aug 2020 Update*
In the video I mentioned that SBS9168S, a Leyland Olympian in the UK was the sole Singapore bus preserved in original condition for its heritage value. Now, SBS9844Z, a Volvo Super Olympian Volgren has been preserved as well in Hong Kong, bringing the grand total of properly preserved Singapore buses to 2, both overseas.

*5 December 2020 Update*
Another Volvo Super Olympian Volgren, SBS9817C has been "preserved" locally in a school for children with special needs. The bus is registered under the LTA's Deregistered Vehicle Keeping Scheme and cannot be driven. Yet another example of a bus being preserved for practical rather than heritage purposes. It's better than being scrapped though!

In addition to that, TIB1238H, a Mercedes Benz O405G Hispano Habit Bendy Bus has also been registered under the Deregistered Vehicle Keeping Scheme and currently is parking inside Woodlands depot in a drivable condition. Could that be the first and only bus preserved in Singapore for it's heritage value?

*15 May 2021 Update*
A Volvo B10BLE Volgren, SBS2989K has been "preserved" at Tan Tock Seng Hospital under the same Deregistered Vehicle Keeping Scheme for patient rehabilitation purposes. The bus cannot be driven, the keeping is still not for heritage purposes, and there is no news about TIB1238H's fate.

*28 August 2022 Update*
20 Scania K230UBs have been seleted and modified to become accomodation rooms at a "bus resort" at Changi Village. Most of the familiar interior features have been removed and the exterior is largely unrecognisable, and they cannot be driven.

*24 July 2023 Update*
A Volvo B9TL CDGE, SBS7376X has been "preserved" at ITE College West as a training classroom. It has been heavily modified and doesn't resemble it's original condition. And no, it cannot be driven.

 All video footage is filmed and edited by Maxson Goh aka glitchFan2428.

Names or watermarks for still photographs taken by others are retained for credit purposes.
Written & Narrated by Maxson Goh

No unauthorised use or duplication of the video is allowed.

Thanks for Watching and Please Leave a Like and Subscribe if you enjoyed the video :)

[hibye]

I was born in 2006 when I was going to school in 2013 I used to hear the sbst 0405s and B10M roaming around the household and these are the guys who inspires me to start loving buses and becoming an bus enthu

[theroaringolympianaxle]

I find it depressing our government is so stubborn about scrapping perfectly functional buses. I remember when Service 23 Volvo Olympians arrived at the bus stops downstairs, I could hear their roar from 23 stories away in my HDB. Living in the Indian village, buses were and are a vital part of how residents get around and get supplies from the rest of Singapore. It was particularly important for me as they were the only interesting thing I really had in my village. I live in a crossroad of buses, from SBS Transit like 23 and 65 to SMRT like 67 and 960. Everyday was bus heaven! Volvo Olympians, Leyland Olympians, Volvo B10Ms, Dennis Lances, Scania L113CRL, Mercedes Benz O405s and O405Gs and more came to the village in all directions. These buses took me to so many places here in Singapore and I cherish and dearly miss these good old friends of mine.

[xb]

Having that absurd rule that once a bus reaches 17 years of lifespan is completely unnecessary. Old bus does not lead to dangerous bus but it leads to memories. Have LTA not think about keeping Singapore's history? Buses always play a part in the country by serving the people and having to see old buses be scrapped, a lot of people will be upset to see their childhood bus be gone. I remember the times when I always take 960, 963, 171, 75 etc it will always be a 0405 CAC. The old Woodlands Interchange was like the home of old SMRT buses. Everywhere you turn and see is 0405 CAC's or Mk2 or I don't know. I didn't really took any old SBS Transit buses often because I live in Bukit Panjang and the place is mainly SMRT. I did remember taking a B10M, couldn't remember what model it was either a DM3500 or Strider, and I actually enjoyed it.


To hear LTA saying by 2020, all non-wheelchair accessible buses will be scrapped is really upsetting. We will no longer hear the 0405G Habit roaring through the roads of Singapore, no more VSO... It is really upsetting. Let us all have a moment of silence of silence as these buses are now history...

[hermanseville]

Loved this video.
Also about the portion u mention about security. Yes I agree at least one of us had a mishap with cisco or aetos stopping you and forcing you to delete your photos, sometimes in other circumstances they "invited" you over to their office and ask for your sd card and tell you that you need to delete all the photos you taken in the interchange. One of my HK friend had this experience few years ago while he was trying his best to ride the bendybuses at Woodlands. Ever since his encounter, his next few and future visits he decided to take photos on the roads on save pavement areas and a lowkey eye-spotting of the model his wanting to see. Some of the experiences I encountered back then were very traumatising and one of them forced me to leave the bus community. Also to sum up the current community, I noticed those people whom started the hobby during the same period as I am, about 75-80% of them had moved on to various hobbies or with their daily life. Although speaking as a person here who no longer chases "cameos" like every die hard bus fans from start, I still care about talking about those old buses that are already retired and shared stories of those memorable moments with colleagues and close peers. Had since moved on away from the bus community and even though I had no interest to chase anymore new or older buses in time to come, I still had one unfulfilled dream to be the owner/boss of one private bus company.
It was nice speaking my opinions out here to you. See you soon Maxson. Have a good year ahead

[aeroquestaquaclan]

4:07 is that the stop button or is that just some sound emitter?

[boiboiboi]

Then LTA in a corner: " *we will perserve 2 C151s as a memory of the trains who have served us for around 35 years.* "

[GTOChoppa]

I am a foreigner who lived in singapore for pretty much 7 yrs and these buses are the memories of when i used to live in SG. It hurts to see these buses being scrapped

[mdzl]

3:34 I remember when I was a young kid, with my younger siblings. Peering down and attracting attention of the driver.

Most of them would be angry at us, understandably for me when I grew older since any driver on any type of vehicle on the road needs their concentration while driving.

[shuchew]

where other buses scarpped at? wonder if i would still see 1 undergoing scrapping?

[warbler]

Let's get this to SG trending! BTW "they replied" is utterly misleading if all you end up getting is typical gahmen response.

[gavinalejar]

Yes. I totally agree. I want Volvo Olympians and Dennis Tridents to be preserved because I love them so much. I grew up seeing those buses around Clementi and Jurong

[anindrapratama]

Where I live over a span of only 15 years, TransJakarta have a really diverse fleet of buses often lasting less than a decade due to crap maintenance or problems with their contracts, often the buses are left to rot at empty fields or even bus terminals
And "old" BRT buses here often retire without fanfare although the Busway Fanclub managed to organize small farewells for certain buses like the last Silver Hino buses and the Inobus bendy bus, all which happened 2 years ago
Imo, one of the things that saddened me is the sudden retirement of the BRT's pioneering fleet from 2004 in December 2018, those are the buses I always remember from my childhood, they used to roam on Line 1 until 2012, and then relegated to Night owl services from 2014 until it's retirement and now they are rotting away somewhere with no plans for preservation

[certifiedbruh]

Well, the government just confirmed one thing: Singapore has no soul.
The government tries to avert this thinking by making fake-as-hell national day concerts no one asks for to show the world, but what we want is our nostalgia, to touch it, to get to experience it, not just remember it.

Heck care about the dragon playground. Preserving buses that onced served people living in the era of those playgrounds for the sake of nostalgia is more important.

[ryuzhaachmedarrafi]

If the Bus in Singapore are retired from service (example: Mercedes Benz O405G Hispano), can we buy that retired bus and use it for convert to RV and Import it to outside Singapore like Aussie or Indonesia? So it won't need to be scrapped. Thanks.

[dynamicleo]

Um, when woodlands regional interchange gonna open and when the new jurong east temp interchange gonna open?

[gamerdolphins]

In so sad after hearing this, I just miss the old, and comfortable seats

[FPs_transport_vids]

At 9:56 I have seen that bus here in the uk. It is kept in a place called the S.V.B.M = Scottish vintage bus museum.
It is in good condition so u should come and see it one time

[leylandjaw]

Actually in Hong Kong we are having a similar issue where old buses cannot be driven on the road again without a test plate and could only carry two passengers, their status are moving scrap metal and usually sat outside

[PolosLatinos]

Maaan! Thanks for having the courage of speaking up! Not easy in S'pore!
Next time I come to S'pore (after this coronanightmare ends), I'd gladly meet you!
I lived in S'pore between 1994 and 1996, and I still remember basically all kinds of buses running around the country. When I came in 2019, the only one I managed to see the red Leyland Olympian close to Orchard Rd :( It was so heartbraking for a nostalgic like me to see only modern buses.
Quest for modernization? Hmmm... Comparing Warsaw and Singapore in 1994-96 to nowadays, Warsaw made a huge step forward and all buses running are modern buses, a lot of which are Polish-made Solaris (a brand that did not exist back then. One of those, the Solaris Electric, was elected "bus of the year 2017"! Why didn't Singapore even purchase one? Even Dubai does!)
However, Warsaw still keeps some old buses and trams (sometimes even from the 30s, before Warsaw was entirely destroyed in WW2!) for exceptional occasions! Singapore makes a huge mistake (and absolutely non-ecological) in not allowing those buses to be at least exported instead of being scrapped.

[yasman]

9:05 I am 15 right now. I remember the old days when I used to ride 187 and 157 to my Jurong Central Market. I really loved the old buses, the way they looked. It's not about the age it's the aesthetics. The comfy seats in the olden days are no match for today's seats if you compare it. I am also still using this service 157 to go to my secondary school. I've seen many changes to the buses and I really hope that LTA changes their law. The most that I miss is the bendy buses. They are all a rare sight now.