Throwback Thursday (425)
This week we go back twenty-four years to the year 2000 and to ME 25 parked on Store Street, opposite Bus Aras.
ME 25 was new to Dublin Bus in 1994. Initially delivered in City Imp livery (and used on City Imp routes), it was repainted in 1999 into this version of the Airlink livery, and branded "Hotelink". At least two other MEs were similarly treated, and they were used on new route 61A which ran between a variety of hotels and Bus Aras. This route started on the 14th June 1999 and was withdrawn on 17th October 1999.
Less than two months later, on 6th December 1999, new route 321 started. That is the route being displayed here on ME 25. It ran from Amiens Street (opposite Connolly Station) to the Mater Hospital, which explains the paper "Hospital" destination in the windscreen of the bus. The route operated every 15 minutes, Monday to Friday. But like Hotelink route 61A, this one did not last long either. It was withdrawn on 1st April 2000.
ME 25 was repainted back into City Imp livery. It was withdrawn by Dublin Bus after 2001, and was operating a town servce in Tralee by 2004. It spent around decade there, providing a local service around the Kerry town.
This part of Store Street is now home to tram tracks as part of the Luas Red Line.
14/03/2000
Throwback Thursday (425)
This week we go back twenty-four years to the year 2000 and to ME 25 parked on Store Street, opposite Bus Aras.
ME 25 was new to Dublin Bus in 1994. Initially delivered in City Imp livery (and used on City Imp routes), it was repainted in 1999 into this version of the Airlink livery, and branded "Hotelink". At least two other MEs were similarly treated, and they were used on new route 61A which ran between a variety of hotels and Bus Aras. This route started on the 14th June 1999 and was withdrawn on 17th October 1999.
Less than two months later, on 6th December 1999, new route 321 started. That is the route being displayed here on ME 25. It ran from Amiens Street (opposite Connolly Station) to the Mater Hospital, which explains the paper "Hospital" destination in the windscreen of the bus. The route operated every 15 minutes, Monday to Friday. But like Hotelink route 61A, this one did not last long either. It was withdrawn on 1st April 2000.
ME 25 was repainted back into City Imp livery. It was withdrawn by Dublin Bus after 2001, and was operating a town servce in Tralee by 2004. It spent around decade there, providing a local service around the Kerry town.
This part of Store Street is now home to tram tracks as part of the Luas Red Line.
14/03/2000