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Throwback Thursday
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It is 2013 and Grafton Street is still home to a bus stop. AX 639 is seen at the terminus of the 84X prior to departing for Newcastle in County Wicklow. The route was introduced in May 1996, and unlike other Xpresso's, it was an all-day service. It was designed to provide a quicker journey time between Kilcoole / Newcastle and the city centre compared to the more traditional 84. That latter route took a more meandering way to the city going via Bray, Donnybrook and Ballsbridge. In 2012 the 84X terminus was moved from Eden Quay / D'Olier Street to this bus stop on Grafton Street outside Trinity College. This stop was also served by the 11. When Luas Cross City works reached here in January 2014 the 84X relocated it terminus to Hawkins Street.
AX 639 was delivered new to Dublin Bus in 2006 and was allocated to Donnybrook Garage where it remains to this day. 12/12/2013
Throwback Thursday (205) by Cathal O'Brien, on Flickr 0 -
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A trip back 23 years to route 230. RA 249 is seen at the 230 terminus in Dublin Airport. Behind it is .the road ramp down from the departures area of what is now Terminal 1, but back then was the only terminal in the airport. This terminus was the furthest from the main door of the arrivals area. The direct express bus to the city centre was the closest, followed by the routes such as the 16 or 41. Nowadays those last two routes go some distance away from the terminal building, on the other side of the multi-storey carpark. Where the 230 is in the photo is approximately the area where Aircoach goes from, a private operator that started around 1999.
Route 230 connected the airport with Portmarnock going via Swords and Malahide. It started in 1991 but in 2008 it was merged with the 102 and extended to Sutton. In 2018 this 102 was taken over by Go-Ahead Ireland.
RA 249 was delivered new to Dublin Bus in 1995. It remained with the company until around 2016, but spent those last 10 years or so as an open-top bus in the tour fleet.
Dublin Airport 14/12/1996
Throwback Thursday (206) by Cathal O'Brien, on Flickr 0 -
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Like last year, we are going back to Skerries in 1985. KD 315 is seen parked in car park at Skerries Station on Christmas Day. Up until the early 1980s, bus services operated across the city on Christmas Day. This practice still continues in other cities around the world, including Britain, but on the island of Ireland there are no scheduled bus services on Christmas Day. With the introduction of 24-hour bus routes in 2019, maybe Christmas Day routes will soon return.
The 33 connects Dublin city with north county Dublin towns of Lusk, Rush, Skerries and Balbriggan. It can trace its roots back to bus services set up by the Great Northern Railway (Ireland) and which were taken over by CIE in 1958. In 2018 Go-Ahead Ireland took over the operation of the 33A between Dublin Airport / Swords and Skerries / Balbriggan.
KD 315 was delivered new in 1983 and remained in service until around 2000.
Skerries Station still has a shed where Dublin Bus outbase some of the buses used on the 33. 25/12/1985
Throwback Thursday (207) by Cathal O'Brien, on Flickr 0 -
It's worth noting that Christmas Day services in The U.K. are few and far between,with the Scottish city of Edinburgh having the most comprehensive and longest running services on the day.
Even LONDON (The NTA's favorite "model") is without TfL bus services on the 25th.
It's equally important to note,that Dublin's Christmas Day services,operateing between 1000 and 1800,ended due to a dispute between Inspectors and CIE concerning pay,whilst Bus Crews did turn up for work on the day,but could not be issued with vehicles or duties.
Hum Bahbug
Men, it has been well said, think in herds; it will be seen that they go mad in herds, while they only recover their senses slowly, and one by one.
Charles Mackay (1812-1889)
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punisher5112 wrote: »Absolutely ridiculous if services were brought back.... It's the only day in 365 days I'm garanteed off....
We need to be making life easier not worse.....
Will ye whisht outa that....your guaranteed day off will be just grand....the amount of volunteers for work that day will see you home'n dry.
Mind you,a bit of an oul Bus Service on Christmas Day would be making life easier for other people,who can't afford a Car or extortionate Taxi fares in order to do what the rest of us do without thinking..visit graveyards,inlaws,old pals or deserted city streets....or,God forbid...Go To Work !!!! :eek:
This Christmas Day was the same as always...Mammy,Daddy and a chizzler or two trudging along the Finglas/Coolock/Tallaght Roads,as the Taxidrivers circled like Vultures about to pick the carcass clean....
Happy Holiday
Men, it has been well said, think in herds; it will be seen that they go mad in herds, while they only recover their senses slowly, and one by one.
Charles Mackay (1812-1889)
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This week we are sort of doing a sequel to Throwback Thursday (204) as we revisit D 756 a month after we last saw it. For December 1988 it was repainted as the Dublin Zoo Santa Bus but it finished its duties on that before the end of the month (and year). After returning very briefly to regular duties it was sent off again to receive a new all-over ad. This time for Pelican House, the Irish blood donation service. D 756 was delivered new to Dublin in 1975 and was withdrawn four years after this photograph was taken, in 1993.
The bus is making its way down O'Connell Street and is passing the Savoy Cinema. On this day it was showing "Who Framed Roger Rabbit?" a film that was initially released in the United States in the Summer of 1988. Unlike nowadays, major American releases could take a while to get to these shores. The Savoy is also showing "Cocktail" starring Tom Cruise, another Summer 1988 release.
Beside the cinema is Pizzaland, a chain of restaurants that first opened here in 1976, but closed in the 1990s. 02/01/1989
Throwback Thursday (208) by Cathal O'Brien, on Flickr 0 -
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It is 1984 and we are coming to the end of days for the C Class in Dublin. C 165 is seen beside C 162 on Townsend Street. C 165 is operating a service on route 47. The bus, a Leyland Leopard, was delivered new to CIE in 1966. It was first allocated to Ballina before moving to Galway in 1971. It finally reached Donnybrook Garage in Dublin in 1972. In early 1984 new Bombardier single-deckers were being delivered to Dublin and by February 1984 all the C Class buses in Donnybrook were gone. A month later in March Clontarf Garage withdrew the last two C buses in Dublin. The class would live on for a decade or more with Bus Eireann on school duties.
The 47 group of routes connected the City Centre with Whitechurch, Tibradden and Rockbrook going via Rathmines and Rathgar. The routes were withdrawn in 1999 but the number was resurrected for a new route in the early-2000s.
This stop on Townsend ceased being a terminus for buses when the 61 relocated to Eden Quay around 2015 during Luas Cross City works.
09/01/1984
Throwback Thursday (209) by Cathal O'Brien, on Flickr 0 -
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It is 1989 and KD 22 has just completed a journey on route 31 from Howth Summit. This route can trace its origins back to the bus service operated by Great Northern Railway (Ireland), even through they also ran a parallel rail service to Howth village. In 1959 the GNR(I) was absorbed into CIE and the 31 joined the Dublin City Services. Traditionally the 31 terminated on Marlborough Street and started on Lower Abbey Street but in 2014 the terminus moved to Talbot Street as this part of Marlborough Street was taken over by Luas Cross City works. This exact location is now the Marlborough tram stop on the Green Line. The bus stop it is parked at is actually the set-down stop for the 33, 33B, 41, 41A, 41B, 41C and 60. These were all Swords Road routes that terminated on Eden Quay.
KD 22 was delivered new to CIE in 1981 and remained in service until the late 1990s. It spent most (if not all) of its working life in Clontarf Garage.
The ad on the side of the bus is advertising the power of ... advertising on a bus. The pub in the background does not seem to be lacking in advertising on its frontage.
Finally it is worth noting that because it is a dual-door bus, the front doors have stickers saying "Entry Only" while the middle doors have signs saying "Exit Only". The Olympians in 1999 were the last dual-door buses delivered (apart from 15 AVs for Airlink in 2000) until the GT Class arrived in 2012. Since then, all double-decker buses delivered to Dublin B us have been dual-door.
16/01/1989
Throwback Thursday (210) by Cathal O'Brien, on Flickr 0 -
32419 on the 130A:
32419 Amiens Street 17/01/2020 by Cathal O'Brien, on Flickr
SP 80 on the 132:
SP 80 Bus Aras 17/01/2020 by Cathal O'Brien, on Flickr
Confusing me of a Friday!0 -
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This week we go back to 1992 and RH 24 on the 41C to River Valley (or Rivervalley as it says on the destination). The bus is seen loading up on Eden Quay which for many decades was the terminus for Swords Road bus routes such as the 33, 33B, 41, 41A, 41B and 41C serving places like Balbriggan, Skerries, Portrane and Swords. When construction work started on the Luas in early 2000s these routes migrated to Lower Abbey Street and to the former terminus of 51A outside the Irish Life Centre. The route of the 41C used to follow the 41 to Swords Main Street before turning left to River Valley, whereas the 41 turned right to serve north Swords. With the development of that town in during the Celtic Tiger era, both routes were extended to Swords Manor, with River Valley becoming a through route for the 41C. The 41C was also removed from Dublin Airport.
The bus is in an all-over ad for Harp Lager. When delivered new in 1990 it was in Dublin Bus green. Before the end of 1992 it was repainted into Wedding Bus livery. The bus was withdrawn in 2002 but went on to have a further career in the Isle of Man before moving to England and serving within the fleets of Go North East and Arriva. 23/01/1992
Throwback Thursday (211) by Cathal O'Brien, on Flickr 0 -
RH 3 makes a stop on St. Stephen's Green as it operates a service on route 10 in June 1990. This bus had been delivered new to Dublin Bus three months earlier and had only gone into service in May. The Olympians were the first new double-deckers ordered by Dublin Bus. Deliveries started with the RHs in 1990 and concluded with the last RVs in 1999, with some RAs in between. In total Dublin Bus received 640 Olympians over that decade, allowing for the withdrawal of the Atlanteans and VanHools, and most of the Bombardier KDs. RH 3 had a long life with Dublin Bus, lasting about 25 years as it spent the last decade or so of its career as an open-top tour bus.
RH 3 is seen here in its as-delivered Wedding Bus livery. This was an initiative of Dublin Bus were people could hire a bus to transport their wedding guests. The last two vehicles in Wedding Bus livery were VG 9 and 10, and both were repainted into standard livery in 2017. The first bus was KD 366 in 1989.
Route 10 was one of the more famous bus routes in Dublin, connecting University College Dublin. The cross-city route on the southside with the Phoenix Park on the northside. It was removed from the network in 2010 through the Network Direct review of the network. 27/06/1990
Throwback Thursday (181) by Cathal O'Brien, on Flickr
I never noticed it at the time it was posted, but what is the livery on the KD behind RH3?0 -
I also, don't want to interfere too much in this thread posting out of sync, but it's probably the best place for this picture:
RHD, CIÉ livery, change box...?
What the? I'm assuming a demo mocked up by Van Hool for CIÉ as part of the creation of GAC?
https://web.archive.org/web/20191223195101/https://www.vanhool.be/en/history/1967-1974
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Also, something that has always bugged me but have never thought to ask; what is the metal plate (that alway reminded me as some sort of trolleybus pantograph attachment) on top of D606?
Pic from https://mobile.twitter.com/myDublinbus0 -
BonnieSituation wrote: »I never noticed it at the time it was posted, but what is the livery on the KD behind RH3?
Throwback Thursday (77) has the answer.
Throwback Thursday (77) by Cathal O'Brien, on Flickr 0 -
BonnieSituation wrote: »I also, don't want to interfere too much in this thread posting out of sync, but it's probably the best place for this picture:
RHD, CIÉ livery, change box...?
What the? I'm assuming a demo mocked up by Van Hool for CIÉ as part of the creation of GAC?
https://web.archive.org/web/20191223195101/https://www.vanhool.be/en/history/1967-1974
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Also, something that has always bugged me but have never thought to ask; what is the metal plate (that alway reminded me as some sort of trolleybus pantograph attachment) on top of D606?
Pic from https://mobile.twitter.com/myDublinbus
More details on the VanHool single deck prototype here:
https://flic.kr/p/d1SUYm
The piece of metal on the roof of D506 is an antenna for the radio system.0 -
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Something we have not had in Throwback Thursday before, a training bus. Not only that, but a bus that did not spend most of its passenger service career in Dublin. D 481 was delivered new to CIE in 1973 and went into service in Galway, in the west of Ireland. There it remained until 1987 when it came up to Dublin to join the training school in Phibsborough, getting a repaint too into this red and white livery. Time was spent in Conyngham Road and Donnybrook before the bus was finally withdrawn in 1992 and sold for scrap.
In 2020 Dublin Bus has approximately 2,500 drivers for a fleet of approximately 1000 buses. It has a small fleet of about 20 buses dedicated to its driving school where new drivers are trained on the buses and older drivers are periodically tested. The current fleet is made up of ALX 400s.
In the background it is worth noting the shop renovation taking place which was for a Burger King restaurant. The first branch opened in Grafton Street around 1981 but this was the first one to open on the main street of the capital. O'Connell Street 29/01/1988
Throwback Thursday (212) by Cathal O'Brien, on Flickr 0 -
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It is the last (or second last) year of the millennium and RV 403 is standing in the rain on Abbey Street. The bus is seen after arriving with a 43 from Swords. The 43 route number was first used in 1925 when the DUTC launched their first bus route. It ran between the city centre and Killester. The route was subsequently merged into the 54 and 54A around 1939. The number was resurrected in 1985 for the current route which runs to Swords via the Malahide Road and Kinsealy. Whereas the 41 and 41C terminate in west Swords, the 43 terminates on the eastern side in Swords Business Park. Also, unlike the 41s which operate out of Summerhill Garage, this route operates from Clontarf Garage. Over the years it has had termini on Beresford Place, Abbey Street and Eden Quay. Currently it uses Talbot Street.
RV 403 was delivered new to Dublin Bus in 1998 and was withdrawn in 2008. It then moved to the UK and was in service on their school duties until at least 2018, working in the Birmingham and Daventry areas.
Although this livery had been around for around 2 years at this point, it is worth noting the bus stop is still in Dublin Bus green. 06/02/1999
Throwback Thursday (213) by Cathal O'Brien, on Flickr 0 -
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It is 1982 and the 54A is on the northside. KD 78 is seen on Abbey Street, near the junction with O'Connell Street. The 54 and 54A were a cross-city route that ran from Killester to Cherryfield Road (54) and Templeville Drive (54A). Initially operated jointly by Ringsend and Clontarf Garages, it transferred to Summerhill in 1971. By 1980 the 54 was operating from Donnycarney to Kilnamanagh, while the 54A was only running to Lower Abbey Street, as seen here. In 1994 the route moved to Donnybrook Garage, and around that time it was also extended to The Square in Tallaght. The 54 was abolished. The 54A is still with us in 2020, running from Pearse Street to Kiltipper Way, via Tallaght.
KD 78 was delivered new to Summerhill in 1981. It spend all its working life in that garage, eventually going for scrap in 1997.
Sean Graham Bookmarkers have been around since the 1970s, and although no longer at this location, still do have a presence around Ireland. 14/02/1982
Throwback Thursday (214) by Cathal O'Brien, on Flickr 0 -
This week we are returning to 2000 and the era of demonstrators. 99 D 76023 was a Volvo / Plaxton President, and was one of number of low-floor buses trialled by Dublin Bus. 1999 had seen the last step-entrance buses delivered to Dublin Bus in the form of the Volvo Olympians. An example of this bus can be seen in the background. By this point accessibility had become a much more important issue, and all future bus orders for Dublin Bus would be low-floor, Ultimately it was decided to go with Alexander bodied buses on Volvo chassis, starting with the AV class in late 2000. However in 2005 some tri-axle Enviro 500s were delivered from Alexander Dennis, and the bodies of these buses borrowed some stylings from the Plaxton President. For many years they operated from Dun Laoghaire the 46A, and other routes.
This bus went on to a long career in the UK, joining Sullivan's once its career as a demonstrator was over. It remained with Sullivan's up until at least 2017, with the registration X15 JOP.
Currently in 2020 Dublin Bus have some hybrid buses on trial, with CO2 emissions becoming the issue of the day, like accessibility was twenty years ago. 20/02/2000
Throwback Thursday (215) by Cathal O'Brien, on Flickr 0 -
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It is 1984 and KD 92 is seen on Eden Quay displaying route 65A, a route which I don't know a lot about. What I do know is that it was part of the 65 group of routes and that it ran from the City Centre to The Embankment pub, just past Tallaght on the road to Blessington. The regular 65 continued on south to serve either Blessington, Ballympre Eustace or Ballyknockan. Due to the length of these routes, in the peaks they operated minimum fares. A number of longer distance ion the routes charged these slightly higher fares in order to discourage passengers from using the routes for shorter journeys, thus allowing people going further afield an opportunity to get on the bus. The 65A was withdrawn from the Dublin Bus network in 1994, around the same time the nearby Citywest development was taking off. It was not until 2012 that the 65B was extended from Killinarden Heights to Citywest.
KD 92 was delivered new to Dublin in 1982 and operated out of Ringsend Garage. It was withdrawn and scrapped in the 1990s. 27/02/1984
Throwback Thursday (216) by Cathal O'Brien, on Flickr 0 -
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True but Baltinglass is way beyond the territory of Dublin Bus.
Territories adjust,and are redefined over time,whether by natural development or by imposed change.
Take,for example,Dáil constituencies which can be redrawn to reflect demographic changes..
Just ask ex-TD Noel Rock
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/some-political-winners-and-losers-from-the-boundary-changes-1.3136913
Many of the professional Nay-sayers appear to conside 2040 in the same way as they considered Stanley Kubrick's 2001 A Space Odyssey....science-fiction at it's best.
However,they need to realize that this is 2020 already and stuff is going to happen rather soon....
https://www.rwnowlan.ie/project-ireland-2040/Phasing
While the challenge to achieve the population increases and resulting housing targets is already daunting, the task is even greater if the phasing of the NPF is considered. In the first eight years of the 23 year plan period, it is envisaged that close to 50% of the population increase of the total period will be achieved. So, while in the case of the Eastern and Midlands Region the total target is to increase the population by ca. 500,000, half of that increase is to be achieved by 2026 while for the State close to half of the one million additional people will need to be accommodated by that year.[12] The NPF is therefore clearly ‘frontloaded’.
As a rule,we often go to extremes in order to rationalize why NOT to proceed with any major project,many hours spent on research,consideration and reports to reassure us of why it;s best to stick with what we know......It'll be grand.
So,Fast-fwd to 2040 and revisit Baltinglass perhaps ? Men, it has been well said, think in herds; it will be seen that they go mad in herds, while they only recover their senses slowly, and one by one.
Charles Mackay (1812-1889)
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A trip back to the last century this week as we see KC 117 at Dublin Airport. This bus was one of four buses (KC 116-119) that was done up for the express service between the airport and Bus Aras, the central bus station in Dublin. Later the route was extended to Heuston Station. The buses differed from regular members of the KC class by having no middle doors and better seats They entered service on the route around 1986 and remained in service until 1999. In their last few years KC 116 and KC 117 were painted in the new Airlink livery, the brand applied to the route with the arrival of the AD class buses in 1994. KC 118 and KC 119 rejoined the normal fleet in 1994, and had a centre door fitted as well as being painted into Dublin Bus livery. In 1999 the route gained some RV double-deckers, low-floor double-deckers in 2000 (AV Class) followed by newer ones in 2009 (VG Class). To date those are the newest buses the route has received.
This week (in 2020) National Express started three new services between Dublin Airport and the city centre under the brand name Dublin Express. Aircoach have also been providing a similar service for twenty years. Dublin Airport, 06/03/1999
Throwback Thursday (217) by Cathal O'Brien, on Flickr 0 -
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This week we are going beyond Dublin to the County Kildare town of Celbridge. KD 53 is seen about to turn onto Main Street in Celbridge, from the Maynooth Road. It is operating a service on route 67 to the City Centre. This route used to terminate at the Salesian College to the west of Celbridge, towards Maynooth. Certain services continued on to Maynooth as the 67A. In 2010, under the Network Direct changes to the bus routes, both routes were combined into an extended 67 to Maynooth. 10 years on this is still the routing we have today.
KD 53 was delivered new to CIE in November 1981 and passed to Dublin Bus in 1987. It was built by Bombardier at their Shannon plant in County Clare. 15/03/1996
Throwback Thursday (218) by Cathal O'Brien, on Flickr 0 -
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With the coronavirus situation developing across the world, I like many people, have been working from home this week (and at least next week too). Home is Balbriggan, and chance would have it that it is the turn of a Balbriggan photograph this week.
RH 131 is seen loading up at the 33 terminus in Balbriggan with a working back to Dublin. Unusually, this is the 16:15 departure which goes via Portrane. One outbound bus from Dublin also went via Portrane in the mornings. The usual 33 route was to go straight on from Swords to Lusk, Rush, Skerries and Balbriggan. The deviation vie Donabate and Portrane started in 1966 when a new secondary school opened in Rush and it was a way for Donabate students to get there and back. Traditionally students going to Skerries or Balbriggan from Donabate would get the train. In 2002 the afternoon trip via Portrane on the 33 was cancelled, and a private school bus filled the gap. In 2003 the morning trip from Dublin was shortened to Skerries. In 2018 when Go-Ahead Ireland took over the 33A, the Portrane 33 was renumbered 33E and was operated by Phibsborough Garage. In January 2020 the 33E switched back to Summerhill Garage.
The original 33 terminus was on the other side of the road (where the photographer is standing). In the early 2000s it relocated from where the bus is in the photo to further south along this road, opposite Ss Peter and Paul Church. All three stops are also Bus Eireann stops on route 101 between Dublin and Drogheda.
RH 131 was delivered new to Dublin Bus in February 1992. It was withdrawn in 2005 and joined the Dualway open-top tour fleet in 2006. It was withdrawn after 2013.
19/03/1992
Throwback Thursday (219) by Cathal O'Brien, on Flickr 0 -
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This week we go back to 1998 and the era of many brands within Dublin Bus. City Swift was introduced in 1993 based on the concept of providing frequent services on core routes. The first route to go over was the 39 between the City Centre and Clonsilla. Overtime the concept was rolled out to routes 13/A, 25A, 40, 41/B/C, 46A, 51B, 77, 78A and the 27. The 27 changed-over in May 1996 and RA 273 was part of the batch of buses delivered to Clontarf for the service. It is seen parked on Talbot Street near the 27 terminus prior to departing with a working to Coolock. The City Swift concept only lasted just over a decade, but the 27 route is still with us. In 2011 under Network Direct, it was merged with another ex-City Swift route (the 77) to become a cross-city route from Clare Hall to Jobstown. It stopped serving Talbot Street at that time, moving instead to the quays.
RA 273 remained with Dublin Bus until 2008, when it was sold to Dualway's and joined their open-top tour fleet. By 2016 it was withdrawn. 26/03/1998
Throwback Thursday (220) by Cathal O'Brien, on Flickr 0 -
It is 1984 and KC 14 is seen at the 80 terminus on Ormond Quay. This route can trace its history back to the DUTC and even before that. The route ran from the city centre to Clonsilla via Castleknock and Luttrellstown. As the 39 provided a more direct route to Clonsilla, Luttrellstown was often used as the destination on the bus. In 1984 the route was run out of Conyngham Road Garage and ran Monday to Saturday. The route was withdrawn in 1993 when CitySwift started on route 39. By then the 80 was departing from Middle Abbey Street along with the other Navan Road routes. The routing of the 80 has mostly been replaced by a combination of the 37 and 239.
KC 14 was delivered new to Dublin in October 1983.
The building beside the bus was for years the Zanzibar and then Bondi Beach night clubs. With a prime location beside the Ha'penny Bridge, it is now being turned into a hotel. 01/04/1984
Throwback Thursday (221) by Cathal O'Brien, on Flickr 0 -
This week we go back to 1998 and the era of many brands within Dublin Bus. City Swift was introduced in 1993 based on the concept of providing frequent services on core routes. The first route to go over was the 39 between the City Centre and Clonsilla. Overtime the concept was rolled out to routes 13/A, 25A, 40, 41/B/C, 46A, 51B, 77, 78A and the 27. The 27 changed-over in May 1996 and RA 273 was part of the batch of buses delivered to Clontarf for the service. It is seen parked on Talbot Street near the 27 terminus prior to departing with a working to Coolock. The City Swift concept only lasted just over a decade, but the 27 route is still with us. In 2011 under Network Direct, it was merged with another ex-City Swift route (the 77) to become a cross-city route from Clare Hall to Jobstown. It stopped serving Talbot Street at that time, moving instead to the quays.
RA 273 remained with Dublin Bus until 2008, when it was sold to Dualway's and joined their open-top tour fleet. By 2016 it was withdrawn. 26/03/1998Throwback Thursday (220) by Cathal O'Brien, on Flickr
The move of the 27 to Cityswift also meant changes to the routing and the scrapping of the 27A and 42C if I remember right, with the 27 taking on elements of both, terminating in Clare Hall rather than the Greencastle Road in Coolock.0 -
It is 1996 and AD 53 is seen in Dun Laoghaire on the decidedly non-City Swift route 45A. Route 45 started between the City Centre and Bray (going via Blackrock) in 1927 and lasted until 2012. The 45A started running between Dun Laoghaire and Bray (via Sallynoggin and Shankill) in 1942 and still with us today. For many years it terminated at Ballywaltrim, but in 2015 it swapped terminii with the 145 and moved to Kilmacanogue. In 2018 Go-Ahead Ireland took over operation of the route. One notable feature of the route was one departure a day in each direction that went via Shanganagh Cliffs in Shankill, That still continues under Go-Ahead Ireland but is now designated route 45B.
AD 53 was delivered new to Dublin Bus in 1994. They were Alexander bodies on DAF chassis and operated throughout the city, mainly on CitySwift routes. Some were also bought for Airlink and route 90 Stationlink. Although it is in CitySwift livery, AD 53 is unbranded as Donnybrook only had one CitySwift route (the 46A) and that was unsuitable for single-deckers. Hence these buses appeared on a variety of other routes, such as the 45A. In 1999 it and AD 54 were placed onto the icon Shuttle to Leopardstown but it only lasted until late-2000. AD 53 ended its career in standard Dublin Bus livery. Withdrawals of the ADs from Dublin Bus started in 2004 and finished in 2005, with most ending up on Bus Eireann school services.
It is worth noting the footbridge in the background. This was the main entrance / exit to the station and platforms in Dun Laoghaire. A man used to stand on the bridge to check tickets. Now a more substantial structure straddles the railway. 09/04/1996
Throwback Thursday (222) by Cathal O'Brien, on Flickr 0 -
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