Dublin Coach Experience Discussion Thread

d51984 · 16-01-2020 9:06pm

Nope. Belfast is like the 46A of Dublin bus.

belfast stephen · 16-01-2020 9:08pm

d51984 wrote: »

New double deck plaxton elite coaches on way for Belfast run. This will cascade the Belfast coaches down and hopefully withdraw all the setras. They need a few more new units for the Portlaoise route though. Would single deck coaches work on this route?

I heard that it was scania double Deckers Coming for belfast route

devnull · 16-01-2020 9:09pm

d51984 wrote: »

Nope. Belfast is like the 46A of Dublin bus.

If the competition dropped off the route, that would probably change though.

Have to feel sorry for the long suffering passengers on their other routes who have to deal with all of the vehicles that are heavily getting on in years whilst Belfast gets new ones every year to fight a bus war with Aircoach on the route, although Aircoach Panthers are hardly luxury, it has to be said.

Odyssey 2005 · 16-01-2020 9:10pm

devnull wrote: »

If the competition dropped off the route, that would probably change though.

Have to feel sorry for the long suffering passengers on their other routes who have to deal with all of the vehicles that are heavily getting on in years whilst Belfast gets new ones every year to fight a bus war with Aircoach on the route.

And they are on the best road in the country..

d51984 · 16-01-2020 9:13pm

Deffo Plaxton elites, theres a photo on Flickr of one complete. Ill try find it again.

devnull · 16-01-2020 9:17pm

d51984 wrote: »

Deffo Plaxton elites, theres a photo on Flickr of one complete. Ill try find it again.

They already have a 162 reg Plaxton Elite.

d51984 · 16-01-2020 9:19pm

Yea they bought that 2nd hand.

punisher5112 · 16-01-2020 9:21pm

Wonder are they going for plaxton as that's what aircoach are using....

devnull · 16-01-2020 9:23pm

punisher5112 wrote: »

Wonder are they going for plaxton as that's what aircoach are using....

My Plaxton is bigger than yours, etc!

punisher5112 · 16-01-2020 9:23pm

devnull wrote: »

My Plaxton is bigger than yours, etc!

Oh it's like that is it:-)

punisher5112 · 16-01-2020 9:24pm

See aircoach is 20 years in existence.
Obviously not always under First but started up by DC owner.

ExoPolitic · 16-01-2020 10:19pm

Curious, where does DC have outstations? I know there's one in Waterford on the Tramore Road, I drive past it every day, usually one or two coaches parked up in the yard. One for breakdown coverage and one for the late night terminator and early morning start from Waterford.

belfast stephen · 17-01-2020 12:04am

d51984 wrote: »

Deffo Plaxton elites, theres a photo on Flickr of one complete. Ill try find it again.

that was 2nd hand coach bought from the UK was new in 2016 and is a lovely coach to travel on

p_haugh · 17-01-2020 1:21am

ExoPolitic wrote: »

Curious, where does DC have outstations? I know there's one in Waterford on the Tramore Road, I drive past it every day, usually one or two coaches parked up in the yard. One for breakdown coverage and one for the late night terminator and early morning start from Waterford.

Well I think they use part of the quick park they run in Dublin airport to park up coaches as well.

lab man · 17-01-2020 7:40am

p_haugh wrote:

Well I think they use part of the quick park they run in Dublin airport to park up coaches as well.

small place in ennis 2 or 3 busses always left there

road_high · 18-01-2020 3:42pm

end of the road wrote: »

tbh i would be surprised if the dublin cork via waterford service would get any through patronage, but you never know i suppose.
i would reccan the journeys are dublin kilkenny, dublin waterford, kilkenny waterford, waterford cork.
i think and it's just a guess, that the service is just a combination of 2 services, dublin waterford and waterford cork, for whatever reason. probably to allow the usage of less vehicles and drivers, i presume dublin cork via waterford isn't a very frequent route?

I’ve gotten it once from Kilkenny down to cork. Long enough journey in itself on their ****e buses but lots of passengers stayed on all the way to cork. Well over a dozen at least that day. They’d have had to get on either in Dublin City centre or the Red Cow luas

road_high · 20-01-2020 11:32am

When i got it back from Cork the bus took a very circuitous route in Waterford- turned left after WIT/old Waterford Crystal site and up through older housing estates and by the Super Valu and down into the Quays- does it normally do this? I'd have assumed it would take the normal route into the city via Manor st as that would be much quicker I'd imagine?

LineOfBeauty · 20-01-2020 11:39am

Mixed experiences. The few times I've traveled with them they've been late by at least 15 mins, maximum 35 mins. The drivers are odd, on one long trip to Dublin we had a young guy who looked like a skater absolutely tearing it up the motorway, an old lady behind me was fit to lose her life, shouting loudly (well within earshot of the driver) about how the driver is mad and she's never taking this bus again!

On the flip side, I was once stuck in the middle of nowhere, stormy weather, stood at a bus stop for a Bus Eireann bus that it seems wasn't going to arrive only for a Dublin Coach to pull up, asked me where I'm going, told me to hop on and drove me into the city centre for free. Really cool thing to do!

road_high · 20-01-2020 11:48am

LineOfBeauty wrote: »

Mixed experiences. The few times I've traveled with them they've been late by at least 15 mins, maximum 35 mins. The drivers are odd, on one long trip to Dublin we had a young guy who looked like a skater absolutely tearing it up the motorway, an old lady behind me was fit to lose her life, shouting loudly (well within earshot of the driver) about how the driver is mad and she's never taking this bus again!

On the flip side, I was once stuck in the middle of nowhere, stormy weather, stood at a bus stop for a Bus Eireann bus that it seems wasn't going to arrive only for a Dublin Coach to pull up, asked me where I'm going, told me to hop on and drove me into the city centre for free. Really cool thing to do!

Yes the timetable often runs late. Especially on the run up from Cork it seems to get tipped out of kilter very easily. I wouldn't like to be commuting with them for work where you are tied to time.

Agree re the drivers, they are odd. They seem to be on edge sometimes, almost entirely foreign- id' say they're very strictly monitored cash wise as I've seen one double check where people were getting off and the ticket they had- one lad had to get off as he planned to stay until next stop and hadn't paid for that far (and must have had no cash!). No codding them

LineOfBeauty · 20-01-2020 11:54am

road_high wrote: »

Yes the timetable often runs late. Especially on the run up from Cork it seems to get tipped out of kilter very easily. I wouldn't like to be commuting with them for work where you are tied to time.

Agree re the drivers, they are odd. They seem to be on edge sometimes, almost entirely foreign- id' say they're very strictly monitored cash wise as I've seen one double check where people were getting off and the ticket they had- one lad had to get off as he planned to stay until next stop and hadn't paid for that far (and must have had no cash!). No codding them

It's an eclectic mix is the best way to sum them up. There's one older, Eastern European gentleman who is something else, I'd have loved to have been a fly on the wall and seen the reaction when he showed up for his interview.

road_high · 20-01-2020 12:03pm

LineOfBeauty wrote: »

It's an eclectic mix is the best way to sum them up. There's one older, Eastern European gentleman who is something else, I'd have loved to have been a fly on the wall and seen the reaction when he showed up for his interview.

I'd say it's extremely hard to recruit in Ireland (especially for a company like DC). A few weeks ago driver on mine was a very well spoken middle class Irish guy which was quite a shock, very much the exception.

Kopparberg Strawberry and Lime · 20-01-2020 12:58pm

LineOfBeauty wrote: »

The drivers are odd, on one long trip to Dublin we had a young guy who looked like a skater absolutely tearing it up the motorway, an old lady behind me was fit to lose her life, shouting loudly (well within earshot of the driver) about how the driver is mad and she's never taking this bus again!

The old woman in this case needs to go away and not distract the driver on a motorway at high speed. Doing what she does only annoy drivers more and aggravate them.

There's no such thing as a bus flying up the motorway in the way described. All coaches are limited to the same 100km/h as each other. Only incredibly slight differences based on tyre wear.

If I were to drive my bus in accordance to the old people like her looking over my shoulder all day we'd be driving miss Daisy around the country side all day at 60 kmh , stopping for tea and biscuits every 30 mins. Them days are gone. People have places to be !

punisher5112 · 20-01-2020 1:01pm

Kopparberg Strawberry and Lime wrote: »

The old woman in this case needs to go away and not distract the driver on a motorway at high speed. Doing what she does only annoy drivers more and aggravate them.

There's no such thing as a bus flying up the motorway in the way described. All coaches are limited to the same 100km/h as each other. Only incredibly slight differences based on tyre wear.

If I were to drive my bus in accordance to the old people like her looking over my shoulder all day we'd be driving miss Daisy around the country side all day at 60 kmh , stopping for tea and biscuits every 30 mins. Them days are gone. People have places to be !

Only issue is I've seen these coaches going a lot more then 100km/h

LineOfBeauty · 20-01-2020 1:10pm

Kopparberg Strawberry and Lime wrote: »

The old woman in this case needs to go away and not distract the driver on a motorway at high speed. Doing what she does only annoy drivers more and aggravate them.

There's no such thing as a bus flying up the motorway in the way described. All coaches are limited to the same 100km/h as each other. Only incredibly slight differences based on tyre wear.

If I were to drive my bus in accordance to the old people like her looking over my shoulder all day we'd be driving miss Daisy around the country side all day at 60 kmh , stopping for tea and biscuits every 30 mins. Them days are gone. People have places to be !

Personally I didn't mind so much and was rather enjoying the sense of panic created by this woman who thought she was in some kind of death-trap but it was a combo of speed and a couple of dodgy overtakes that set her off.

Muller1991 · 20-01-2020 1:19pm

Kopparberg Strawberry and Lime wrote: »

The old woman in this case needs to go away and not distract the driver on a motorway at high speed. Doing what she does only annoy drivers more and aggravate them.

There's no such thing as a bus flying up the motorway in the way described. All coaches are limited to the same 100km/h as each other. Only incredibly slight differences based on tyre wear.

If I were to drive my bus in accordance to the old people like her looking over my shoulder all day we'd be driving miss Daisy around the country side all day at 60 kmh , stopping for tea and biscuits every 30 mins. Them days are gone. People have places to be !

Fair enough about distracting the driver , But I've seen a DC go well above 100kmph on many occasion. Last week for instance I was doing 100 and one overtook me on the M50, It was going at least 120-130 kmph

Kopparberg Strawberry and Lime · 20-01-2020 3:40pm

The speed on a coach/ bus is calibrated legally but they can be off due to various different things such as tires etc.

A coach I drive tomorrow could be set up to 100 km/h and if I take out the GPS for speed only and use it , it may show me doing 97kmh or 101kmh depending on the bus.

Again could be down to things such as tyre wear and calibration etc.

I've often sat in the car on a road at 100kmh and been over taken by a bus that seems to be moving a fair whack faster but when you crack out the GPS again the car is reading differently on the dash than the GPS. The dash could show 100 when infact you are only doing 95.

All these factors play a part so I wouldn't assume they aren't limited just like that.

bikeman1 · 20-01-2020 5:01pm

Kopparberg Strawberry and Lime wrote: »

The speed on a coach/ bus is calibrated legally but they can be off due to various different things such as tires etc.

A coach I drive tomorrow could be set up to 100 km/h and if I take out the GPS for speed only and use it , it may show me doing 97kmh or 101kmh depending on the bus.

Again could be down to things such as tyre wear and calibration etc.

I've often sat in the car on a road at 100kmh and been over taken by a bus that seems to be moving a fair whack faster but when you crack out the GPS again the car is reading differently on the dash than the GPS. The dash could show 100 when infact you are only doing 95.

All these factors play a part so I wouldn't assume they aren't limited just like that.

In my car 127 kph on the digital display is 120kph on the GPS, so that is true that there is a variation on the speedos.

Jamie2k9 · 20-01-2020 10:00pm

road_high wrote: »

I'd say it's extremely hard to recruit in Ireland (especially for a company like DC). A few weeks ago driver on mine was a very well spoken middle class Irish guy which was quite a shock, very much the exception.

They have quiet a few Brits as well

road_high wrote: »

When i got it back from Cork the bus took a very circuitous route in Waterford- turned left after WIT/old Waterford Crystal site and up through older housing estates and by the Super Valu and down into the Quays- does it normally do this? I'd have assumed it would take the normal route into the city via Manor st as that would be much quicker I'd imagine?

Where did they come out one of the narrow streets or over rice bridge to turn back.

Before Christmas one turned over by the station and did a 360 outside the bus station to access the stop blocking the while place up instead of going 300m or so to the roundabout and turning.

road_high wrote: »

Like what? BE already chopped the X7 giving DB a free hand to Kilkenny and the DC route seems to be doing very well now. I would like to see some of the X/4 's serve Kilkenny but appreciate people in Waterford like a direct run up the M9 if possible.

Most route 4 don't use the M9 these days.

They have noticed the level of KK-Waterford traffic and possibly adjusting route 40 to cater and putting newer buses on the route.

Time will tell but I think to little to late...

road_high wrote: »

Wasn't there a 2.00am service from the Airport that went via Kilkenny- is that gone now as well, can't see it on the timetable.

EDIT- Sorry that was JJ Kavannagh I was thinking of!

The 02.30 BE called Kilkenny-Carlow-Airport for a few years. It was dropped when they extended 4 to New Ross to fill in for the cancellation of cross country Waterford-Dublin.

road_high · 20-01-2020 10:34pm

I’m rubbish on Waterford street names but it came down the hill past the Aldi with multi storey car park down a narrow street and right into the Quay and back down to the roundabout and around towards the M9 direction. I really assume that is not the approved route? Maybe there was a crash or something he was avoiding but on everyday route it made absolutely no sense to be trapsing a large coach through residential streets with lots of parked cars.

91wx763 · 21-01-2020 4:06pm

road_high wrote: »

I’m rubbish on Waterford street names but it came down the hill past the Aldi with multi storey car park down a narrow street and right into the Quay and back down to the roundabout and around towards the M9 direction. I really assume that is not the approved route? Maybe there was a crash or something he was avoiding but on everyday route it made absolutely no sense to be trapsing a large coach through residential streets with lots of parked cars.

The Glen into Penrose Lane you mean. W1 and W5 go down there too.

91wx763 · 21-01-2020 5:44pm

And the 1645 off the WIT to Dublin (05 decrepit Setra with mismatched tinted/not tinted windows) has just left at 1641, passengers jogging in the Cork Road to try catch it up in the traffic.

punisher5112 · 21-01-2020 6:07pm

91wx763 wrote: »

And the 1645 off the WIT to Dublin (05 decrepit Setra with mismatched tinted/not tinted windows) has just left at 1641, passengers jogging in the Cork Road to try catch it up in the traffic.

Tinted were original so any get broke they replace with clear.

Seen a few 2004 like that too.

dzilla · 22-01-2020 12:37pm

Jamie2k9 wrote: »

Where did they come out one of the narrow streets or over rice bridge to turn back.

Before Christmas one turned over by the station and did a 360 outside the bus station to access the stop blocking the while place up instead of going 300m or so to the roundabout and turning.

Winterval maybe?? The mall does be blocked

ExoPolitic · 22-01-2020 1:17pm

road_high wrote:

Iâ€™m rubbish on Waterford street names but it came down the hill past the Aldi with multi storey car park down a narrow street and right into the Quay and back down to the roundabout and around towards the M9 direction. I really assume that is not the approved route? Maybe there was a crash or something he was avoiding but on everyday route it made absolutely no sense to be trapsing a large coach through residential streets with lots of parked cars.

Yeah, they do that to avoid the gridlock on parnell Street at busy times. Lots of the city buses take that route.

JeffK88 · 24-01-2020 10:19pm

Lads, just asked a driver of a DC to turn off the heat today on a bus and he did. Plus turned on the aircon bonus.. I guess you can just ask rather than bake alive

Grab All Association · 24-01-2020 10:37pm

LineOfBeauty wrote: »

The drivers are odd, on one long trip to Dublin we had a young guy who looked like a skater absolutely tearing it up the motorway, an old lady behind me was fit to lose her life, shouting loudly (well within earshot of the driver) about how the driver is mad and she's never taking this bus again!

There’s a missed opportunity to quote lines to her from the movie Speed.

There's a bomb on a bus.
Once the bus goes 50 miles an hour,
the bomb is armed.
If it drops below 50, it blows up.
What do you do?
What do you do?

Nigel Fairservice · 24-01-2020 11:35pm

JeffK88 wrote: »

Lads, just asked a driver of a DC to turn off the heat today on a bus and he did. Plus turned on the aircon bonus.. I guess you can just ask rather than bake alive

DC tend to over do the heat. I always try to have water on DC for this reason.

punisher5112 · 25-01-2020 12:19am

Grab All Association wrote: »

There’s a missed opportunity to quote lines to her from the movie Speed.

There's a bomb on a bus.
Once the bus goes 50 miles an hour,
the bomb is armed.
If it drops below 50, it blows up.
What do you do?
What do you do?

Pop quiz hot shot....

If only they turned the fog lights off everything would be fine...

colm_mcm · 25-01-2020 12:22am

Nigel Fairservice wrote: »

DC tend to over do the heat. I always try to have water on DC for this reason.

Helps with engine cooling.

Nigel Fairservice · 07-02-2020 8:06pm

We are broken down on the edge of a roundabout just outside Waterford. Do they not maintain these things at all? I think this is the third breakdown since June. This is on top of the bus arriving 15 minutes late at the pick up point in Kilkenny.

punisher5112 · 07-02-2020 8:17pm

Nigel Fairservice wrote: »

We are broken down on the edge of a roundabout just outside Waterford. Do they not maintain these things at all? I think this is the third breakdown since June. This is on top of the bus arriving 15 minutes late at the pick up point in Kilkenny.

Seems the standard features of putting your life in their hands.....

patrickc · 07-02-2020 8:24pm

Nigel Fairservice wrote: »

We are broken down on the edge of a roundabout just outside Waterford. Do they not maintain these things at all? I think this is the third breakdown since June. This is on top of the bus arriving 15 minutes late at the pick up point in Kilkenny.

what bus is it/year?

I've noticed newer coaches on this route all week. the oldest being 2010 which is new for that route!

punisher5112 · 07-02-2020 8:30pm

Haven't seen the Chinese coach in a while???

Nigel Fairservice · 07-02-2020 8:36pm

I think it was a Setra coach. Not sure of the year. Our replacement coach arrived. That's water between the glass on the bus in the picture. I uploaded from my phone. The orientation is wrong but you get the idea.

Uploaded a screen shot of photo instead. Orientation correct in that one.

WishUWereHere · 07-02-2020 9:06pm

Nigel Fairservice wrote: »

I think it was a Setra coach. Not sure of the year. Our replacement coach arrived. That's water between the glass on the bus in the picture. I uploaded from my phone. The orientation is wrong but you get the idea.

Uploaded a screen shot of photo instead. Orientation correct in that one.

Thirty minutes from breakdown to replacement coach arrives. That’s quick, they got a depot down there?

devnull · 07-02-2020 9:11pm

punisher5112 wrote: »

Haven't seen the Chinese coach in a while???

It's no longer licensed for service and hasn't been for a while.

Nigel Fairservice · 07-02-2020 9:13pm

WishUWereHere wrote: »

Thirty minutes from breakdown to replacement coach arrives. That’s quick, they got a depot down there?

I think the replacement coach came from Kilkenny.

embraer170 · 07-02-2020 9:15pm

When are the new coaches arriving?

punisher5112 · 07-02-2020 9:30pm

devnull wrote: »

It's no longer licensed for service and hasn't been for a while.

It's a 2014 though isn't it?
To expensive for parts maybe?

punisher5112 · 07-02-2020 9:30pm

embraer170 wrote: »

When are the new coaches arriving?

They'll only go on Belfast.

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