dublincoach.ie

Kopparberg Strawberry and Lime

These lads seem to be running a regular service and are kept going.

But I cant help notice nearly every bus they have has something wrong with it.

Those large double decker yokes bearly lit up on motorways

Engine bay open while driving flapping around

Unwashed and parts missing inside them

Were they done on a very bad budget or what's the story. Seen one once where the rev counter was broken completely !

Trebor176

The double deckers (Neoplans) were originally on the Oxford Tube service (between Oxford and London), and we imported here once their time was up on the service, so they have been worked quite hard. They seem to be in poorer condition compared to the immaculate coaches. I'm speaking from an external point of view, as I have never travelled on one, so I have no idea what they are like on the inside. My sister travels on the double deckers regularly, and doesn't mind them at all.

Kopparberg Strawberry and Lime

I was on one before.

Bits of trim hanging from roof, panals missing

outside not much better

Rev counters not working etc.

mind you they have very decent bused around dublin. 2012 setras etc.

patrickbrophy18

Dublin Coach are something of a sister company to Aircoach. I know this because I was talking to an employee back when they were advertising the short lived "Atmospheric Tours" service which used to do loops around Dun Laoghaire, Sandycove, Dalkey and Killiney. Recently, they had one of their old fashioned buses parked outside Caviston's in Glasthule. Being the wishful thinker that I am, I went over to talk to the driver as I thought they were introducing a new service for the area. They weren't. Anyway, during the conversation, he told me that the person running Dublin Coach still had a stake in Aircoach.

In the process, he said that Dublin Coach and Aircoach swap coaches between each other and other coach operators (especially, those in First Group) every 5 or so years. Given that I work out in the Citywest direction, I often see the Neoplan coaches deployed to their N7/M7 routes. From seeing them up close on many occasions, I would say they have changed hands at least once prior to their Dublin Coach acquisition. The same thing goes for the different routes operated by Dublin Coach and Aircoach. Recently, the Aircoach Caetano Levante's (which previously operated on their Dublin - Cork Express route) were partially deployed to the Dalkey/Killiney route. This move may have been carried out to replace the outdated Scania Irizar Century's as I haven't seen them on the Dalkey/Killiney route in well over a month. I could be wrong about this part.

devnull

patrickbrophy18 wrote: »

Anyway, during the conversation, he told me that the person running Dublin Coach still had a stake in Aircoach.

He doesn't, John O'Sullivan sold his remaining stake in 2005 two years after he sold the majority stake to First.

In the process, he said that Dublin Coach and Aircoach swap coaches between each other and other coach operators (especially, those in First Group) I would say they have changed hands at least once prior to their Dublin Coach acquisition.

Those Neoplans have never worked for First, they are ex Oxford Tube. Whilst some of the Setras that are operating for Dublin Coach now did operate from Aircoach before, they did not go there direct, they were returned off lease to Mercedes and Dublin Coach then took them on.

Dublin Coach do have some 11 year old Bendy Buses that used to operate for First London, but these came from Dawsons Rentals, who First returned the vehicles to after Boris banished bendys from the city. They were sitting in Dawsons for a long while before Dublin Coach leased them in the last 12 months.

Recently, the Aircoach Caetano Levante's (which previously operated on their Dublin - Cork Express route) were partially deployed to the Dalkey/Killiney route.

The Levantes were only ever a short term solution for Aircoach on the Cork route since they needed some toilet equipped coaches. They had 10 new coaches delivered for the Cork route earlier this year, freeing the Levantes up to replace the Scanias.

This move may have been carried out to replace the outdated Scania Irizar Century's as I haven't seen them on the Dalkey/Killiney route in well over a month. I could be wrong about this part.

They have left the fleet and have been auctioned off.

Kopparberg Strawberry and Lime

That was another silly one I thought was bendy buses on the m7 route with standing passengers !

Saw on broke down on the side of the m7 too !

foggy_lad

Kopparberg Strawberry and Lime wrote: »

That was another silly one I thought was bendy buses on the m7 route with standing passengers !

Saw on broke down on the side of the m7 too !

I had a good look inside one of those buses at the red cow stop last week and it was literally full of seats, there were seats packed in everywhere, so many seats there was scarcely room to stand, and two wheelchair/buggy spaces so it is possible that they have been re-rated as seated passengers only vehicles to allow them utilise higher speeds along the M50/M7

Kopparberg Strawberry and Lime

foggy_lad wrote: »

I had a good look inside one of those buses at the red cow stop last week and it was literally full of seats, there were seats packed in everywhere, so many seats there was scarcely room to stand, and two wheelchair/buggy spaces so it is possible that they have been re-rated as seated passengers only vehicles to allow them utilise higher speeds along the M50/M7

Aye. Cos I know myself if there is standing space or designed to carry standing passengers its limited to 65kmh so that would be bizzare !

AlekSmart

foggy_lad wrote: »

I had a good look inside one of those buses at the red cow stop last week and it was literally full of seats, there were seats packed in everywhere, so many seats there was scarcely room to stand, and two wheelchair/buggy spaces so it is possible that they have been re-rated as seated passengers only vehicles to allow them utilise higher speeds along the M50/M7

It appears a "Grey Area" has suddenly developed in relation to this...(usually meaning NOBODY can give a definitive answer,but equally won't commit anything to paper).....It was known in the Financial Sector as the "Whatever ye think yerself,Willie" policy....:P

It could be 65 KMh....or 100KMh....or maybe 80KMh....depending on ...

1huge1

Kopparberg Strawberry and Lime wrote: »

That was another silly one I thought was bendy buses on the m7 route with standing passengers !

Saw on broke down on the side of the m7 too !

The long bendy buses are been transported to Limerick from what I gather to use on routes around the city, they are really competing with Bus Eireann in Limerick. I've seen a few of them in use around the city recently with the Dublin Coach logo on them. In all the times I've used their M7 express, they've never used the bendy ones on the motorway.

The M7 Express from Limerick to Dublin is always packed, I use it all the time and the coaches all seem to be in great nick, they rarely operate the double decker buses on the Limerick route in my experience.

Goes to show, since Bus Eireann have improved their Limerick-Dublin service in the meantime.

foggy_lad

AlekSmart wrote: »

It appears a "Grey Area" has suddenly developed in relation to this...(usually meaning NOBODY can give a definitive answer,but equally won't commit anything to paper).....It was known in the Financial Sector as the "Whatever ye think yerself,Willie" policy....:P

It could be 65 KMh....or 100KMh....or maybe 80KMh....depending on ...

I'm not sure which department is responsible for rating the vehicles for the number of seats and standees they are designed for but I would imagine the D.O.E. would have a big part to play. If rated to carry 0(zero) standees these coaches will be capable of at least 80kph legally and may also be able to travel at speeds up to 100kph as long as there is no bar on articulated coaches travelling at the higher speed.

cdebru

One of these route 300 broke down on the quays last night , around Capel St bridge, either the hazard lights weren't working or the driver didn't have the sense to turn them on, either way not very professional.

They look rough but a good service other than that.

sleepyman

1huge1 wrote: »

The long bendy buses are been transported to Limerick from what I gather to use on routes around the city, they are really competing with Bus Eireann in Limerick. I've seen a few of them in use around the city recently with the Dublin Coach logo on them. In all the times I've used their M7 express, they've never used the bendy ones on the motorway.

The M7 Express from Limerick to Dublin is always packed, I use it all the time and the coaches all seem to be in great nick, they rarely operate the double decker buses on the Limerick route in my experience.

Goes to show, since Bus Eireann have improved their Limerick-Dublin service in the meantime.

I've gotten it a few Fridays & they seem to lay on the double-decker then because of the huge numbers.Any other time it's just a single-decker

1huge1

sleepyman wrote: »

I've gotten it a few Fridays & they seem to lay on the double-decker then because of the huge numbers.Any other time it's just a single-decker

Yes that would make sense, especially for students at UL travelling on Fridays and Sundays.

eclectichoney

Does anyone know whereabouts on Westmoreland Street the Dublin Coach stop is (direction: Dublin to Limerick)

Thanks in advance!

AlekSmart

eclectichoney wrote: »

Does anyone know whereabouts on Westmoreland Street the Dublin Coach stop is (direction: Dublin to Limerick)

Thanks in advance!

It's the spot which has SEVEN seperate Bus-Stop Poles and a single Bus Bay all fitting seamlessly together (At least they do in the incredibly fertile mind of Dublin City Manager,Owen Keegan)

And then people ask "How did the Garth Brooks situation get to THIS stage".......simples...It's how we do it round these parts....:D