SBS2989K – Volvo B10BLE preserved as TTSH Rehab Bus

A former public bus has been converted for patient rehabilitation use and preserved at Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH).

The bus is a former SBS Transit Volvo B10BLE CNG, registered SBS2989K. It is currently residing at TTSH’s loading bay beside Irrawaddy Road.

SBS2989K Preservation

In December 2019, it was announced that Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH) would soon be getting a decommissioned single-deck SBS Transit bus, slated to be part of a mobility circuit located at the hospital’s future Integrated Care Hub. Online sources previously indicated that SBS2989K would be the decommissioned bus slated for use at Tan Tock Seng Hospital.

The preserved Volvo B10BLE bus was registered on 18 July 2002 as SBS2989K (Chassis Number YV3R4E3102A008496), and was one of twelve CNG buses brought in by SBS Transit. The bus was de-registered on 17 July 2019 after reaching its statutory lifespan of 17 years.

The “TTSH Rehab Bus” bears a white vinyl wrap, advertising its role as a gift from SBS Transit and ComfortDelGro to help patients re-integrate back into the community. The vinyl wraps also cover sections of the bus where the destination signs would have been placed.

As a deregistered vehicle used for static display, the registration plates use white letters on a brown background, with a metal seal affixed to each plate.

Modifications

An air-conditioning unit is mounted on the front headwall of the bus. All revenue service equipment has been removed.

The TTSH Rehab Bus is also modified with a manually-operated wheelchair ramp and wheelchair backrest to aid with the patient rehabilitation process. Although Volvo B10BLE buses were low-entry, they were never fitted with wheelchair accessibility features during their operating lifespan.

To accommodate the wheelchair backrest and enlargen the existing standing area, a pair of seats were removed from the offside of the bus. A photo of the original standing area is in the gallery below.

In addition, a wheelchair bell was installed on the stanchion pole beside the wheelchair bay.

Future Plans

While the bus currently resides at TTSH’s loading bay beside Irrawaddy Road, it is expected to be relocated to TTSH’s Integrated Care Hub in the future, which is located approximately 300 m away. The new facility is due for completion in 2022, and the mobility circuit will also feature an old taxi (Hyundai Sonata) donated by ComfortDelGro.

A similar patient rehabilitation facility with public transport items is the Mobility Park @ Jurong Community Hospital, where mock-ups of a low-floor bus and train were commissioned and installed by SMRT in late 2015, as part of its corporate social responsibility initiatives.

Preserved Singapore buses

Leyland Olympian (SBS7196Z) – Children’s playbus. Static display at Pat’s Schoolhouse (Jubilee Park)
Nissan RX102K3 (STC 609) – LTA restoration; former Singapore Traction Company bus
Leyland Olympian (SBS9168S) – Bought by a private collector and shipped to United Kingdom; local registration L888 SBS.
Leyland Olympian (SBS6907X) – “The Red Bus” static display outside National Youth Council (Grange Road)
Volvo B10BLE Bus (SBS2988M) – Static display at St. Andrew’s Autism Centre
Volvo Olympian (SBS7227T) – Former student lounge at Temasek Junior College, scrapped in 2018
Volvo B10TL (SBS9817C) – Static display at APSN Chaoyang School (2020-2021)
Volvo B10TL (SBS9844Z) – Bought by a private collector and shipped to Hong Kong