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Published: April 7th 2006
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Chong Fu Road depot
One of the multi-storey bus depots. I've enlarged the double-decker bus that is showing on one floor for scale. It’s too hot to sleep with the aircon off and too noisy with it switched on. I think I managed 6 hours and woke too late to find a bowl for breakfast - the jetlag is probably also playing a part here - hopefully one more night should solve that. Got slightly lost on the way to work to boot and arrived late (not good) to be shown around the depot. The Chai Wan facility is considerable and impressive in scale and equipment - the vehicle powertrain units (engines, gearboxes and rear axles) are overhauled here, stores for the New World First Bus and Citybus depots are held here, and a fleet of 400 vehicles are serviced and maintained. Operations in the building are divided into floors, with the ground floor used for washing and fuelling vehicles daily (some operate 24 hours with many different drivers, returning only for wash and fuel daily for periods of a week or more). The second and third floors are for the preparation and performance of the annual Certificate of Roadworthiness test, performed by the Transport Department. To maintain a high standard (and a high pass rate, 99%+) around 30% of vehicles are quality-checked before
Parts stores
Just one of the aisles in the stores - parts for 2000 buses here the test. There is also facility on these floors to perform running repairs following in-service failures and accidents. The depot space is sufficiently restricted to merit multi-storey bus depots but even so, it is still economic to operate some vehicles 24 hours and the company operates with only 5% spare vehicle capacity over their peak requirement. This must encompass all the vehicles undergoing repair, servicing or repaint as well as providing sufficient ready for service to cover any in-service breakdowns.
At lunch I am taken into Central by Kenny So and Paul Li, depots supervisor and the head of Operations and Engineering respectively, to meet Mark Savelli, the deputy MD for lunch. I am taken for dim sum in an exclusive gentlemen’s club. Mark is a former First company director and a colourful ex-pat character. We discussed ways that NFWB/CB could reduce their operating costs by engineering savings through lower standards, and he spoke of the need for aspiring trainees to be good politicians in addition to their technical skill. The restaurant is surrounded by Communist art in tribute to Mao Tse Tung, and the view from the observation balcony on the 13th floor is splendid in the truest
Vehicle body strip
At 11 years old, the bus body panels are stripped for inspection. sense of the word.
During the afternoon I spent time in the engine and gearbox overhaul unit with their manager, Tony. Their engine overhaul unit assembles smaller units, which have generally been overhauled by external contractors at a fixed price; starter motors, alternators and some mechanical injectors are an exception to this rule. A brief introduction to the stores finished my day; some of the figures associated with the business are staggering by First UK proportions: up to 150,000km/year per vehicle over an average 18 hour day. Each engine overhauled on average every seven years - 15 engines and 50 gearboxes overhauled in the shop each month. Each engine rebuild replaces 95% of the moving and wearing parts at a cost of around £4500. After 11 years service the body panels are totally removed to inspect the frame and replaced after an interior refit for another 4 years service before the bus is sold. Over 14,000 items are held in stores at a single time, and the stores are manned 24 hours for stock control. Of course, if you’re reading this and not interested in buses then your gast will not be flabbered.
The Chinese are considerable force
Annual gov't inspection prep
The bus running gear is stripped and inspected, some parts are replaced compulsarily. in the workplace. I join an introductory tour for new employees (conducted entirely in Cantonese) and, although I’m taller than most here, I sometimes have trouble keeping up as a slow trot becomes a fast canter without any discernable change in pace - much like the video for Jamiroquai’s “Travelling without moving” only without the need for silly hats. Their work hours are prodigious too - I get the impression some had been at work for hours when I arrived and none were showing the inclination to leave when I did at 6:30.
I’ve managed to unlock the spare phone I brought with me, so I now have a mobile number: 6702 7811. The international dialling code for HK is 852, but remember its seven hours and a day ahead of UK time and I work 9 til 6.
The evening brought nothing but report-writing and the purchase of a bowl and spoon on the way home - I can now have breakfast. I celebrate, of course, with a bowl of cornflakes and head for bed. Following today’s factory tour in Cantonese, today’s theme is “Carry on regardless” by the Beautiful South.
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Keir
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Great Blog
John - great reading about your travels. Have a good month - see you when you get back. Tip I learned from living in South Africa - if you get too hot and can't go to sleep, get into a cool-ish bath, and turn the cold tap on. You will slowly get colder and colder (you must be used to that by now). When you are too cold to shiver, get out and get dry-ish. Then get into bed, and you will fall asleep instantly. Good luck.