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Throwback Thursday (278)

This week we are going back twenty-nine years to 1992 and MW 2 on College Street. The bus is operating a service on route 83. This route started in 1936, running between Dublin city centre and Kimmage. By the late-1980s the route was in decline and a decision was taken to revitalise the route. In April 1992 the City Imp brand was launched on the 83. The regular buses were replaced by mini-buses in a bright yellow/red livery. The frequency of the route was increased to every 8 minutes in the peak and 12 minutes in the off-peak. Also between Kimmage and Rathmines "Hail n' Ride" was introduced, where passengers could board the bus anywhere along the road as long (at or away from bus stops) as long as it was safe for the bus to stop. The City Imp concept was rolled out to other routes around the city but the 83 was the only one to keep its original route number. Around 2000 these routes had become successful again, and the minibuses on the 83 were replaced by standard buses, with the route losing its City Imp identity. In 2003 the route was merged with the 134 and extended north to McKelvey Avenue in Finglas. A year later it was extended further to Harristown Garage. In 2021 it still operates from Harristown to Kimmage via the city centre.

MW 2 was one of ten MW class minibuses delivered to Dublin Bus in 1990, originally for Localink services. They lasted in service around a decade and most went on to find careers elsewhere.

This location on College Street is now the Trinity tram stop on the Luas Green Line. 06/05/1992

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Uploaded on May 6, 2021
Taken on May 6, 1992