In 1997 Christchurch Transport Ltd (later Redbus) leased 30 MB0305 buses from Ritchies to cover a shortage of buses. The Ritches/CTL numbers for these
buses were 412, 413, 414 (NP) 416, 420, 421, 425 (ARA), 426, 428, 429, 430 (NP), 432, 433, 434, 436, 437, 438 (ARA), 444, 445, 446, 447 (SYDNEY),
456, 457, 458, 459, 460, 462, 463, 464, 465 (Canberra)
In 2000 Redbus acquired Astro Coachlines. Part of the package was an MB0305 that had started as ARA 1378 later becoming Ritchies 418, Astro 399 and
finally Redbus 209. Photo Nick Stoneman
