Provincial Past

I can't remember full circumstances. I think BE needed to get their hands on a large number of buses as quickly as possible for the school fleet, and the opportunity to buy 300 second-hand from Singapore seemed like a good deal.

2001 finds VR 20 parked at the bus station in Drogheda.

This was one of 55 VR Class coaches delivered to Bus Eireann in the year 2000. They were similar to the VP Class, except they had lower bodies and were mainly used on commuter routes. VR 20 was unfortunately involved in an accident in 2005, and was withdrawn the same year.

The bus is displaying route number 100. This was a common route number used on services between Dundalk or Drogheda and Dublin. Today it is used on services between Drogheda and Dundalk.

28/01/2001

1990 finds EVH 6 parked on "The Ramp" at Connolly Station in Dublin.  

This bus was new to CIE in 1986, and spent most of its career on Expressway duties. It spent its final years on school duties in County Cork (based out of Skibbereen Depot), and was lasted noted there in 2004.

The bus is branded for an Expressway service between Ennis, Shannon, Limerick and Dublin. Limerick, Shannon and Ennis are still connected by Expressway route 51/X51 but the service between Limerick and Dublin last ran in 2021.  

10/02/1990

1986 finds the remains of E 164 in the depot yard in Donegal.

E 164 was new to CIE in 1964. It was withdrawn in 1984, and spent some time in the late-1960s on hire to the County Donegal Railway.

The ad on the side of the bus seems ambitious for this vehicle.

Behind the bus is school bus SF 32.

26/02/1986

1986 finds M 156 at the railway station in Skerries.

This bus was new to CIE in 1972. It was re-engined in 1980, becoming MD 156. Bus Eireann sold it to the Irish Army in 1990.

A number of provincial buses were observed at Skerries station that day, presumably doing rail replacement services. Currently Skerries only has one provincial service which operates during the week, at term time, to the college in Dundalk.

17/03/1986

1995 finds KC 102 in Galway, operating one of the city services. This bus was new to CIE in 1984, and was withdrawn by Bus Eireann in the early-2000s.

City services in Galway today are operated by double-decker buses. This side of Eyre Square is no longer served by buses.

08/04/1995

1997 finds VP 35 at the bus station in Limerick, dressed for route 51.

VP 35 was new to Bus Eireann in 1996, and was withdrawn in 2001. It was sold on to an operater in United Kingdom, and was still in service in England in 2024.

Expressway still operate route 51 between Cork, Limerick, Ennis and Galway. The bus station in Limerick moved to the other side of the railway station in 2024.

21/04/1997

1993 finds KR 105 at the station in Waterford, dressed for a service to Tramore.

KR 105 was new to CIE in 1985. By 1996 it had joined the Bus Eireann school fleet. It was withdrawn around 2006.

Bus Eireann still operate route 360 between Waterford and Tramore, as well as route 360A.

29/04/1993

Wrong thread

1987 finds KR 179 at the bus station at Parnell Place in Cork.

This bus was new to CIE in 1985. Early in 1998 it transferred to Ballina, and was withdrawn around 2007.

The bus is operating a service to Monkstown. Bus Eireann still serves Monkstown with route 216 that terminates there, and route 223 which runs to Haulbowline.

19/05/1987

2002 finds PD 46 at Shannon Airport with a service on route 344 to Ennis.

This bus was new to Bus Eireann in 1992. It was withdrawn in 2008 and subsequently scrapped.

Route 344 operated between Ennis and Shannon Airport. It ceased in 2014 when it was merged with route 343 to form a new route from Ennis to Limerick via Shannon Airport. In 2024 route 343 was split again, with it only running between Limerick and Shannon Airport, and route 330 operating between Shannon Airport and Ennis.

04/06/2002

1990 finds Bus Eireann D 671 parked on Oliver Plunkett Street Lower in Cork.

D 671 was new to CIE in 1975. It was withdrawn by Bus Eireann in 1993 and was subsequently scrapped. It spent all of its life in Cork, although it did attend the Dublin Bay Rally two weeks after this photograph was taken.

16/06/1990

1983 finds C 119 at the bus station in Dundalk. This bus was new to CIE in 1965. Initially based out of Broadtsone in Dublin, ut moved to Dundalk in 1971. It was withdrawn in 1985.

02/07/1983