The latest updates in regards to which direction the society is heading.
Thanks to generous donations by our member's we have been able to acquire ex-Auckland Regional Authority #301, later re-numbered to #1301 in 1976. #301 is a 1973 Mercedes-Benz O305, the first of it's kind on the streets of NZ.
We have also acquired ex-Auckland Regional Authority #1091, thanks to the help of David Marsden. #1091 is a Mercedes-Benz O303, this model are colloquially known as 'Peanuts'.
For more information on our fleet, please visit 'Our fleet' page.
We welcome David Melville to our commitee as 'Associate Historian' following our Historian Paul Gourley stepping down due to personal reasons. He will be working with Paul to share the knowledge of the A R A with the society and our members.
We also welcome Christopher Bennett into the committee. He was previously working under a 'Management' title, however he has now taken up a full role as a commitee member, maintaining our digital and social platforms.
We are currently looking for a location or locations to house our vehicles in Auckland, but we are happy to look at all options. If you can assist or know of anyone who can, please get in touch with us at;
[email protected]
A must have for anyone interested in the A R A fleet. A full detailed account with background information, many photographs (black & white) and records by Sean Millar and our very own, Paul Gourley. This is the last print run and last chance to grab a new copy for yourself and your collection. A true documentation piece on the buses that moved a city through the years! Please contact James Peter to place your orders.
$20 plus postage ($7.20 pre-paid post bag tracking included, will fit up to two books).
7 days from today (1st September 2021) before the last print run.
ARA Heritage Buses are proud to announce that we have recently taken delivery of ex City depot then Diana Drive depot 1984 MAN 15.280 tow truck, which was new to the ARA with fleet number #582.
Many thanks to Ian Gordon at NZBus, who is the Chief Engineer Fleet and Infrastructure for facilitating the deal with us over the last four months. Also a massive thanks to the team at Turners Truck and Machinery in Wiri for welcoming us and helping us get the truck started today, albeit briefly, so we could hear the truck purr.
The next step for us is to get this to Wiri and give it a proper clean and some TLC. Watch this space! Our eventual goal is to restore this truck to it's original look, seen here thanks to a photo from the Paul Gourley Collection.
James Bailey of Fullers Group Limited (Waiheke Bus Company) has kindly donated to our society, one of his buses from the old fleet which has recently been replaced by new electric buses.
The bus is a 1994 MAN 11.190 new to Stagecoach as #503, serving in Wellington, later Papakura, and Auckland at Wiri Depot. It was driven by our members John Champness, Steve Barrack, and briefly David Marsden after its transfer up from Wellington. Although the bus was never associated with the ARA it is one well worth saving.
503 was transferred to Waiheke Island some years ago and became #210 with the Waiheke Bus Company (Fullers). This is where Miro E Wong, our youngest member at age 16 was introduced to this bus. Miro loved 210 so much after years of traveling on it, he decided he would save it from a horrible fate. Encouraged by myself and fellow member Nathaniel Engels (who was a big part in making this happen), and with his own enthusiasm, Miro approached James Bailey and the rest is history!
We have started to tidy up 210/503 (also known as Miro's Bus), its use will predominately be charter-related work and potential advertising campaigns/wrap jobs to help bring in funding for our older ARA fleet!
Many thanks and appreciation from us all, to James Bailey and Fullers Group Limited for their kind and generous donation to our society & charity.
We have just started a Givealittle page, for those interested in donating to a worthy cause feel free to check out the link: A R A Heritage Buses - Givealittle
Photograph of James Bailey & Miro E Wong taken by Nathaniel Engels
Fleet Servicing Ltd. 9 Enterprise Drive, Henderson, Auckland 0612
We have a specialist in the field of mechanical & coachbuilding restoration that will be working with us to achieve the best results. In many ways, Steven Hatch & Kevin Vipond of Fleet Servicing have been there and seen it all before. The pair have both worked for the Auckland Regional Authority (ARA), first at their Central workshops on Manukau Road, Epsom, and later City & Swanson Depot respectively in the fields, they specialize in now. The smallest of jobs to work on a larger scale, Fleet Servicing employs experts and simply will get the job done to a high standard of workmanship.
The society has great confidence for the coming months and years, we look forward to working together on our common goal and shared interest.
Hello all, we can happily share with you that we are now officially a charity, registered with Charity Services as of last week.
Our tax exemption status will follow, so those who expressed interest in making a donation or you wish to make one, you are more than welcome!
For our details, in order to make a donation, please click here.
For a donation receipt ($5.00 and above) please email us at: [email protected]