Volvo Super Olympian

Photographs of 10.6m Super Olympians are shown on the following sub-pages:
Kowloon Motor bus Super Olympians in Tuen Mun Assembly Plant (2 pages)
Interior details of a Kowloon Motor Bus Super Olympian (1 page)
Kowloon Motor Bus Super Olympians (4 pages)

Photographs of 12m Super Olympians are shown on the following sub-pages:
Singapore Bus Services / SBS Transit Volvo Super Olympians (10 pages)

New World First Bus Super Olympians (8 pages)
Lower deck details of an NWFB Super Olympian (1 page)
Upper deck details of an NWFB Super Olympian (1 page)
New World First Bus Super Olympians promoting Routes in Junk Bay (1 page)
New World First Bus Super Olympians on new routes in Junk Bay (1 page)
NWFB Super Olympian promoting the use of ULSD (1 page)

Kowloon Motor Bus Alexander bodied Super Olympians (3 pages)
Kowloon Motor Bus Super Olympians serving 269D (1 page)
Wheelchair user on board KMB Super Olympian (1 page)
KMB Super Olympians with electronic destination equipment before registration (3 pages)
KMB Alexander bodied Super Olympians with electronic destination equipment (7 pages)
KMB Volgren bodied Super Olympians (1 page)
Alexander's 3000th bus supplied to KMB (4 pages)
Kowloon Motor Bus BeLeaf Super Olympian (1 page)
Kowloon Motor Bus Wright bodied Super Olympians (5 pages)
Interior details of a Kowloon Motor Bus Wright bodied Super Olympian (1 page)

Comparison of Super Olympian and Olympian

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Volvo Super OIympian is a three-axled double-decker derived from the OIympian. The project was launched in 1997 for a low floor double-decker to replace the existing Olympian. Unlike Dennis Trident, it is only available in three-axled verison of various lengths. It is because Volvo thought that its newly designed B7L double decker would be the successor of 2-axled Olympians. The Super Olympian, also known as the B10TL, is said to be specially designed for the situation in Hong Kong and Singapore. The operators need 3-axled double-deckers to support large number of standees and the 500kg air-conditioner. Therefore, an initial order of 60 was endorsed by Kowloon Motor Bus and 40 were followed by New World First Bus in 1999.

Unlike the Olympian, the radiator and the crock have been moved directly above the off side front wheel. The staircase was mounted directly behind it. However, similar engine cover and driver's panel are present. The vehicle is powered with a Volvo DH10A-285, with the maximum output of 285bhp and maximum torque of 1220Nm.

Although the first Super Olympian chassis arrived Kowloon Motor Bus in May 1999, the first Super Olympian in service was a 12m NWFB bus. The licence was issued on 14 July 1999 and the other buses have obtained licence by August 1999.

Singapore Bus Services (1978) Limited also purchased a Super Olympian. Unlike those in Hong Kong, it has Volgren CR222LD bodywork. It is the first super low floor double decker in Singapore. It entered service in November 1999.

Subsequent orders for the 12m Super Olympians have made up to more than 600 buses. Kowloon Motor Bus is operating a fleet of about 500. 25 of them have Volgren body, six with Wright body, and the remaining Walter Alexander ALX500. New World First Bus have 103 ALX500 bodied buses, while Singapore Bus Services have 21 Volgren bodied buses.

Kowloon Motor Bus is also the sole operator of the 10.6m Super Olympians. A total of 100 are ordered and more than 70 have entered service.

Super Olympians  were first manufactured in Irvine, Scotland. Since the closure of the plant, the production line has been moved to Wroclaw, Poland. The type may be replaced by a new chassis B9TL fitted with Volvo Euro 3 Engines, and the production line will be situated in the Renault truck plant in France.

Photographs of Volvo Super Olympian 10.6m

Photographs of Volvo Super Olympian 12m

Comparison of Super Olympian and Olympian

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Page created: 23 July 1999

Last updated: 27 December 2009