Throwback Thursday

Csalem

This week we go back twenty-four years to the year 2000 and to ME 25 parked on Store Street, opposite Bus Aras. 

ME 25 was new to Dublin Bus in 1994. Initially delivered in City Imp livery (and used on City Imp routes), it was repainted in 1999 into this version of the Airlink livery, and branded "Hotelink". At least two other MEs were similarly treated, and they were used on new route 61A which ran between a variety of hotels and Bus Aras. This route started on the 14th June 1999 and was withdrawn on 17th October 1999.

Less than two months later, on 6th December 1999, new route 321 started. That is the route being displayed here on ME 25. It ran from Amiens Street (opposite Connolly Station) to the Mater Hospital, which explains the paper "Hospital" destination in the windscreen of the bus. The route operated every 15 minutes, Monday to Friday. But like Hotelink route 61A, this one did not last long either. It was withdrawn on 1st April 2000. 

ME 25 was repainted back into City Imp livery. It was withdrawn by Dublin Bus after 2001, and was operating a town servce in Tralee by 2004. It spent around decade there, providing a local service around the Kerry town.

This part of Store Street is now home to tram tracks as part of the Luas Red Line.

14/03/2000

https://flic.kr/p/2pDpJaF

Csalem

This week we go back forty years to 1984 and KC 75 at the route 27A terminus on Gardiner Street.

Route 27A started running between the city centre and Kilmore in 1967. It reached Coolock around 1983, and Beaumont Hospital in 1988. The route ceased to operate in 1996 when changes took place to route 27. However, it returned to the network in 2011 when it replaced route 42B under Network Direct. This new route operated from the city centre to Blunden Drive via Harmonstown.

KC 75 was new to CIE in March 1984, about three weeks before this photograph was taken. It remained in service until around the year 2000 when it was withdrawn. Although it spent most of its working life in Clontarf Garage, its final years were spent in Donnybrook Garage.   

22/03/1984

https://flic.kr/p/2pEFtoC

Csalem

This week we are going back twenty-one years to 2003 and MV 77 at the Blanchardstown Shopping Centre. The bus is dressed for route 270.

This route started operating between Dunboyne and the shopping centre, going via Littlepace, in September 2000. It has remained pretty consistent since then. Only major changes were in 2006 when the bus stops at the Blanchardstown Centre were relocated, and in 2019 when Go-Ahead Ireland took over the operating of the route.

MV 77 was new to Dublin Bus in 1998. Between 1997 and 1998, Dublin Bus received 25 MV-Class minibuses, the last minibus fleet delivered to the company. The following year would see the WV-Class midibuses start to arrive. MV 77 was withdrawn around the end of 2006, and was subsequently sold on to another Irish operator. It did around another decade in service during its second life.

Although the bus is in City Imp livery, neither route 270 nor any other of the local Blanchardtsown routes were City Imp routes.

28/03/2003

https://flic.kr/p/2pG1cEa

Csalem

This week we are going back nine years to 2015 and to EV 86 in Howth village. The bus is operating a service on route 31 to Dublin city centre.

CIE took over the operation of route 31 from the GNRI in 1958. For many years the route terminated behind the church in the background. Around 1975, certain departures on the route operated to and from Howth Summit, and in 2005 that became the primary terminus for the route. The route ceased to operate in 2021 when it was directly replaced by route H3 under Bus Connects.

EV 86 was new to Dublin Bus in 2008 and it is still in service. It has always operated out of Clontarf Depot,

05/04/2015

https://flic.kr/p/2pHqAVs

Csalem

This week we are going back twenty-six years to 1998 and RH 174 parked on Eden Quay. The bus is dressed for route 77A.

The 77A started running between the city centre and Tallaght in 1972. Initially its southern terminus was at St. Maelruen's Park, but between 1973 and the mid-1990s it moved to Bawnville Road, Bolbrook, Old Bawn Road, and finally The Square Shopping Centre. In 2011, under Network Direct, the 77A was extended beyond The Square to Citywest, where it still terminates today.

RH 174 was new to Dublin Bus in 1993. It was withdrawn in 2006 and sold on to another operator in the United Kingdom, where it provided at least another decade of service for a variety of owners.
The bus is in the new "core" livery for Dublin Bus which was introduced around the end of 1997. This marked the end of two-tone green livery on Dublin Bus, as exemplified on the bus stop and the buses in the background. Green would not return as the main livery for buses in Dublin until 2021.

11/04/1998

https://flic.kr/p/2pJyeWF

Csalem

This week we are going back twenty-eight years to 1996 and to VA 2 on Abbey Street. It is at the terminus of route 66.

VA 2 was one of 10 VA Class buses delivered to Dublin Bus in 1996. They were similar to the AD Class. Those had an Alexander body on a DAF chassis, whereas the VA Class had the Alexander body on a Volvo chassis. All ten were delivered in CitySwift livery, though did a few years later receive the new yellow / blue Dublin Bus livery. The class was withdrawn by Dublin Bus in 2006, with them transferring to Bus Eireann. Some went to Cork, and some stayed in the Dublin area. They were used on public services by Bus Eireann, sometimes causing confusion. For example they were used on the Balbriggan town service while still wearing the Dublin Bus livery. Eventually they moved to school services and some were sold on to other operators.
Except one bus that did not have this second career with Bus Eireann was VA 2. In 2003 it was the victim of an engine fire and was burnt out while operating a service on route 76 in Neilstown.

The DUTC started running route 66 between the city centre and Maynooth in 1934. Around 1988 some departures started terminating on Straffan Road in Maynooth, but around 1996 it became the full-time terminus for the 66. The route ceased to operate in November 2021 when it was replaced by route C3 under Bus Connects. The C3 still uses Straffan Road as a terminus.

Middle Abbey Street is no longer a terminus for bus routes.

18/04/1996

https://flic.kr/p/2pKV4W2

Rawr

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122035971#Comment_122035971

I remember the single-deckers being a bit of a rarity on the 66 Routes. 66s were almost exclusively double-deckers.

You’d sometimes get one of these single-deckers on an early morning 66B or the Xpresso varient of the 66B.

Csalem

This week we are going back sixteen years to RV 326 on O'Connell Bridge with a service on route 46E.

This route was introduced following the opening of Stillorgan Quality Bus Corridor (QBC) in 1999. Initially it operated in peak-hours between the city centre and Newtownpark Avenue in Blackrock. Certain services operated to Heuston Station, and certain services went via Stillorgan Village. In 2002 it was extended to Blackrock Station. Then in 2010 it was cut back to operate only in the morning-peak from Blackrock to Mountjoy Square via the Stillorgan QBC, with no return workings in the evening.

RV 326 was new to Dublin Bus in 1997, and was the second last Olympian delivered in the two-tone green livery. It was withdrawn in 2008 and sold on to an operator in the United Kingdom.

24/04/2008

https://flic.kr/p/2pMqiuw