The sight of this repurposed Mercedes O305 by r0b0tr10t is a rolling embodiment of the phrase, “God is in the details.” That makes it ideal for its repurposing as what appears to be a mobile church of some variety, driving through Germany to rekindle people’s connection to their faith, emblazoned with the phrase, “Mensch, wo bist du?” or loosely translated using my limited knowledge of the German language, “Humanity, where are you?” With its fresh coat of paint vinyl, it looks almost current. It helps that the badges and trim were all retained; someone clearly loves this bus.
Busses are sometimes more fashion forward than private cars (think of GM’s “Silversides” and “New Look” busses as good examples); as devices seen all over the place and which remain in production for decades, they almost have to be. So it is with the O305, which I never would’ve guessed debuted in 1969 and remained in production until its slow replacement by the rather similar looking O405 through the mid ’80s. It almost looks like it could’ve been designed ten years later.
For those who can’t quite make out the script on the now-blocked rear window, it says, “I love you, I love you, I love you, God.” These appeals to humanity are complimented by the bus itself, which as a vehicle originally made for public consumption, also said a lot about its own stylists’ and operators’ ideas of an idealized society. Do you think such a utopian parallel endeared the O305 to this mobile congregation?
Related reading:
Bus Stop Classic: GMC TDH-4523 “New Look” Transit Bus – GM’s Greatest Hit No.11
What a catch of a catch phrase. “Mensch, wo bist du?” It means “Man, where are you?” as much as “Humanity, where are you?” in this context.
As far as buses are concerned: I get on the bus, and I get off the bus. The getting off part I like better and typically I know where I am.
Here’s the web site for the church (through google translate): http://www.google.com/translate?hl=en&ie=UTF8&sl=auto&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ecclesia-gemeinden.info%2Farbeitszweige%2Fbus
Thats not a paint job, the bus has been vinyl Wrapped.
I’m a Setra fan myself. Euro-bus styling & comfort astonished me when I first visited Europe in ’77 as a student. BTW, its Austrian operator is still in business:
http://en.richard.at/
Dr. Richard is not only around, it’s the biggest private bus & coach operator in Austria, having taken over quite a number of smaller companies. They also sub contract for the public transport operators and operate city routes in Vienna, see http://en.richard.at/ They kept some of the old vehicles which they rent out for special occasions: http://en.richard.at/coaches/vintage-busses/
Ummm…. I’m getting senile, somehow failed to notice the link you posted already, lol – sorry.
No problem; I made a gross understatement myself.
The inside of that bus was like a Mercedes. I’m glad European bus makers have a presence in the N.A. market now.
I was very surprised when I found a photo of a Belgian Van Hool in NYC.
(Photo: Adam E. Moreira)
Oh yes, I’ve seen a few of those, & Volvos, in Arizona as well. The U.S. truck & bus market is apparently much more international than before. Even earth-moving equipment is no longer a Caterpillar “monoculture”; I see Volvos working right near my home.
That Van Hool TD 925 Astron Mega Double Decker was only used as a Demonstrator Bus by MTA New York City Transit/Bus Company from the Spring through the Fall of 2008 to see and revisit the feasibility of operating Double Decker Transit Buses in NYC by the MTA. From 1976 through 1980, Several Leyland Double Deckers also operated in NYC as well like the one on this photo.
I never new that NYC tried double decker buses. I wonder what happened to them after the trial period ended.
This one is certainly not a demonstrator, driven by a Chicago operator according to the text on its side. (Maybe it’s the same bus….)
Double decker buses are very common equipment for long distance tour operators in Europe. Since many, many years. All bus makers build them.
The Leyland DD Buses were sold to Grey Lines in San Francisco, CA in 1980 while the Van Hool TD925 Astron Mega were returned back to Van Hool in the late Fall of 2008.
VanHool buses aren’t uncommon on the East Coast, or at least not in the part I’m familiar with. I first saw them in the mid 90’s in motor coach duty and they’ve been around ever since. These were of course single-decker models. The MegaBus coaches are the only double-decker I’ve seen over here with any frequency but I see those passing along I-95 through Richmond quite often.
I recognize that rather famous little graphic; here’s the version I used for my Autobiography:
Is your autobiography online?
On the right side of the page, along with the other Portals.
Yes, European bus design was more adventuresome and progressive than in America, from way back. I’d love to have a really comprehensive book on European buses. There’s probably one out there somewhere.
BTW, This was a former book-mobile, not a transit bus. I wondered about the raised roof, and the ministry’s web site confirms that.
A Büchereibus indeed. Those are very popular as mobile homes once pensioned off and hence not cheap in good condition. For more pics of typical European book-mobiles, see here: http://www.bus-bild.de/name/galerie/kategorie/bustypen~buechereibusse~alle.html
That would be a very thick book. In the sixties there were still dozens of bus makers in Northwestern Europe. The Netherlands and Belgium (two very small countries) may have had about 20 bus makers in the early sixties.
The companies used chassis and powerplants from renowned truck makers and built a bus, so they were literally “coach builders”. These specialists never built their own engines, axles or transmissions.
Here’s a nice classic, a 1965 Bova, as you can see based an a DAF chassis.
(Photo: Schepers Tours)
This US classic was owned by the same company. It was for special occasions. Either you were about to get married or you followed a hearse.
Here’s the link to their classic buses and US car:
http://80.69.82.234/~schepers/?page_id=145
Classy looking bus. Too bad more of those didn’t make it over the pond to be converted into motor-homes.
Yeah, that’s so American. Bus is short for “omnibus” which is Latin and means “for all” of us, not just a few tailgaters.
That’s tongue in cheek of course!!
Likely the text “Mensch, wo bist du?” is referenced from Genesis 3:9.
We have become to selfish. Too greedy and too stupid!
Mercedes O -Brother Where Art Thou- 305.
I remember visiting the Kennedy Space Center back in 1986 and touring the sites and Vehicle Assembly Building and the group was driven around the complex in a huge 2 story European bus, I think they were specially made for NASA, maybe by MAN?
Quite right, this Neoplan. (Neoplan is MAN’s bus division)
Thats the guy, I had forgotten about the weird dual steering front wheels!
Is that the bus they used (with some sheetmetal work) in “The Big Bus”?
Neoplan had their “Megashuttle” line of 2 story buses with dual front axles, so the NASA bus is not unique in that aspect. (Photo: Jans Deck)
I think these post date “The Big Bus” which was from 1976 or 77, these were 80’s vintage, they seemed almost new at the time I rode them.
The Fifth Avenue Coach Company ran many double deckers from 1907 to 1953. The early ones up to 1916 had French De Dion Bouton chassis’ with bodies mostly built to a modified London design in Philadelphia. From 1916 the company started building complete vehicles to its own designs and the last double deckers were the advanced rear engine Yellow Coach buses built in 1936 and 1938, which ran until 1953, five years before the UK built rear engine Leyland Atlanteans were first put into production. Three former Fifth Avenue Coach Company double deckers form part of the New York MTA vintage fleet but only one is currently operational.