Throwback Thursday (365)
This week we are going back a mere five years to 2018 and Dublin Bus WS 2 at the bus terminus in Dundrum. The bus is seen prior to departing for Glencullen on route 44B. This route started operating between Glencullen and Dublin city centre in 1953. In 2001 some short workings were introduced so every service did not go all the way into the city, with some terminating at Dundrum, Eglinton Road, Sandyford, Ranelagh, Kilcross and Dundrum. In 2009 the route was rationalised further, with only the Dundrum to Glencullen part kept, with a few services in the morning and a few in the afternoon, weekdays only.
As the route makes its way up part of the Dublin mountains, only single-deckers can be used on it. In recent years it has been the last outpost for single-deckers within the fleet of Dublin Bus. Up until December 2017 three WV Class buses outlived the other members of the fleet to operate the 44B (though they also popped up on the 59 and 111 as only one bus is needed to operate the 44B). However, as they were sixteen years old at that time, they needed replacement. Dublin Bus purchased two StreetLites from Wrightbus, WS 1 and WS 2. These were the short-wheelbase version of this type. Bus Eireann operated the mid and full length version (WM and WL classes) and Go-Ahead Ireland also received 40 full-length versions to operate the orbital routes in and around Dublin (It is unknown why the 44B was not included with the tender for the orbital routes that Go-Ahead Ireland won). The WS Class entered service in December 2017 and in 2021 they were repainted in the new TFI green / yellow livery. Although bought for the 44B, they have turned up on other routes occasionally. For a period before Covid-19, one was a regular performer on the 61 in the morning, which brought the Dublin Bus single-decker into the city centre.
19/01/2018
A video recorded in Dundrum in August 2021, which includes a WS, can be found here: youtu.be/biUpDr-i6XI
Throwback Thursday (365)
This week we are going back a mere five years to 2018 and Dublin Bus WS 2 at the bus terminus in Dundrum. The bus is seen prior to departing for Glencullen on route 44B. This route started operating between Glencullen and Dublin city centre in 1953. In 2001 some short workings were introduced so every service did not go all the way into the city, with some terminating at Dundrum, Eglinton Road, Sandyford, Ranelagh, Kilcross and Dundrum. In 2009 the route was rationalised further, with only the Dundrum to Glencullen part kept, with a few services in the morning and a few in the afternoon, weekdays only.
As the route makes its way up part of the Dublin mountains, only single-deckers can be used on it. In recent years it has been the last outpost for single-deckers within the fleet of Dublin Bus. Up until December 2017 three WV Class buses outlived the other members of the fleet to operate the 44B (though they also popped up on the 59 and 111 as only one bus is needed to operate the 44B). However, as they were sixteen years old at that time, they needed replacement. Dublin Bus purchased two StreetLites from Wrightbus, WS 1 and WS 2. These were the short-wheelbase version of this type. Bus Eireann operated the mid and full length version (WM and WL classes) and Go-Ahead Ireland also received 40 full-length versions to operate the orbital routes in and around Dublin (It is unknown why the 44B was not included with the tender for the orbital routes that Go-Ahead Ireland won). The WS Class entered service in December 2017 and in 2021 they were repainted in the new TFI green / yellow livery. Although bought for the 44B, they have turned up on other routes occasionally. For a period before Covid-19, one was a regular performer on the 61 in the morning, which brought the Dublin Bus single-decker into the city centre.
19/01/2018
A video recorded in Dundrum in August 2021, which includes a WS, can be found here: youtu.be/biUpDr-i6XI