TEMSA Opalin and TEMSA Safari HD are two new coach models on the Maltese market, launched on 23rd. April via United Equipment Co (UNEC) Ltd of Burmarrad.

This folder is for the notes made by visiting enthusiasts and can be read in conjunction with the images on this site.
The idea being that one can easily identify actual physical changes made to the vehicles by comparison with existing images.
We welcome other logs et al which we would appreciate being sent after you have visited Malta/Gozo.

No this is not part of the new 'Community Bus' Fleet but the 2003 Carnival where the route buses and the carnival floats just pretend each other does not exist as they co-exist in the Bus Station with services running normally.
If this was in the UK? Well all I can say is Elfan Safety lot eat your heart out!!!!!!!

It was I think December 1992 that I first spotted a bus in the scrapyard. The roof could be seen over a tall wall and with its sun visor and framework attached to the roof I took a photo from across the road. I also stuck my camera over the wall whilst standing on an adjacent low wall and although I couldn’t physically see the items myself I recorded an aeroplane jet engine surround and a scrap airport fire tender.
It was to be many years, probably ten before I returned to Malta and I made a beeline for this yard to try to identify the bus. No joy, as last time, the gates were locked. A few more years passed and then I started going to Malta regularly, up to four times a year. I often returned to the yard but it was always locked although the bus by the wall appeared to have been set on fire in the meantime and very little remained of it. Each visit I would look through the gates but the yard seemed to remain pretty static.
In January this year I made another visit and this time visited a scrap yard nearby to see if they were responsible for the yard. No, not theirs, but they did point me to another gateway where access could be made into the yard had anyone been there. Again, no joy… Every day I returned to chance my luck someone was there and eventually, to my amazement the gate was open… I got off the bus at the next stop and literally ran back to the gate! No need, the guy inside wasn’t going anywhere. Now, my Maltese is non existent and trying to explain to a native working on a truck I wanted to photograph the derelict bus took its time… I had to show him the photos on my camera of derelict buses I had taken earlier in the week and convince him there was a bus in the yard. Half an hour and I was off, round the yard with my camera that is…
First thing I did was head straight to the burnt out bus I had seen all those years ago. Hmmm… No identifying that one.!! I might be good, but I’m not that good!! Turning round I noticed I had walked past what I assumed was a Strachan bodied Bedford (see photos ). Round the back of a pile of scrap I went and there I could see perched on the top a Debono bodied Dodge which I later identified as bus 1842 (later Y-0406). I wish I’d had a machete with me now as battling through the undergrowth was no easy job. A number of photos were taken of the bumper, grill, bonnet and windows which led me via the Bonnici and Cassar book to the decision this was bus 1842.
After taking photos of a couple of boats and an ex Gozo fire tender I headed back towards the gate I came in. I was chuffed to bits I’d found two further buses in the yard, especially when as far as I knew then no one knew about them. Just before going down the slope back into the bottom yard I noticed a Marshall bodied bus on my right totally surrounded by scrap. A photo was taken but all that could be seen was its roof so I looked for something that would elevate me for a better photo. A-ha, a wall, and even better it was part collapsed to allow me to climb it like stairs. A better photo of the Marshall which turned out to have once been Z-2112 and once worked in the Dry docks was taken.
As I had an elevated position I decided to have a further scour of the yard. This is where I nearly fell off the wall. I won’t repeat what I thought but needless to say I was gobsmacked to see two ex LT AEC Swifts, an AEC Reliance and a Leyland Tiger Cub all parked neatly side by side. Getting onto the wall was easy, but getting off was another problem as I was shaking with excitement by now… At first glance all I could see of the Swifts was red paint and I thought these may have been two that had never entered service in Malta. Eventually I managed to get off the wall with all my faculties intact and I headed over to the four buses.
Entering through the emergency offside door of the first Swift its fleet numbers (SMS314 and E314) identifying it as originally EGN 314J were still prominently displayed in the cab. Walking back along the bus produced the front lower panel with Maltese registration M-1591 still fitted with the original EGN 314J registration plate underneath it!! The back of this bus has been seriously damaged by having a tanker trailer thrown onto it sometime in the distant past.
Time to move now to the next Swift. This one was more intact and still proudly displayed the numbers (SM13 and E13) in the cab identifying it as originally AML 13H. For some reason that registration sounded familiar but it was not until I returned home that I realised why. For years and years AML 13H was credited as being the bus now running as DBY 321. Looking back to MTN 17, under vehicle updates on page 18, DBY 321 was there recorded as being now identified as originally EGN 152J.
Parked next to this Swift was new to Halifax, but acquired from West Yorkshire PTE Pennine bodied AEC Reliance ECP 952D. This bus along with the Swifts and the Leyland Tiger Cub described below were all believed to have been used by the Maltese Government for transporting workers involved in the construction of the Freeport.
The fourth and final bus in this part of the yard was new to Doncaster Corporation as fleet number 32 registered 432 MDT and later taken over by South Yorkshire PTE. A number of this batch were exported to Malta although number 33 is fully restored in Doncaster livery and preserved by Doncaster Omnibus & Light Railway Society.
Unknown to me there is or at least was a further bus in the yard recently which only became known to me following the article on this yard in MTN20.
Watch this space, because I will be back in Malta next month and now I know where to get hold of the yards owner, subject to it having not been cleared by then , I’ll be back with my camera in my hand!!
Paul Emery - 23rd June 2010

Buses and coaches present at the 2010 Rally held at Pembroke Luxol grounds.

Buses and coaches present at the Rally held in Ta Qali.

The Malta Historic Vehicle Trust was established in February 2007 by means of statute by Mario Zammit, George Said, Malcolm Mifsud and Martin Galea with the objective to acquire, restore and exhibit to the public vehicles that have a historic and social significance to Malta in mind.

If anybody can provide any additional information about the images in this folder would they kindly send to either the yahoogroup or directly to the web site using the 'leave a message' link. This can be found towards the bottom of the menu on the right hand side of the page.

Chris Cassar's unique party Routemaster bus.

This is a Transport Malta [the new mega authority that replaced ADT] scheduled service and is run on behalf of Cancu Supreme Travel by Lepeirks Travel.

Buses and other former PSV's currently available for sale.