View allAll Photos Tagged Throwback
This week we are only going back eight years to AV 364 on route 120 to Ashtown Station. The bus is seen crossing Reilly's Bridge over the Royal Canal. This bridge dates to the 1790s, and provided bit of a bottle-neck on the Ratoath Road in more recent times. Not only was this a narrow hump-bridge, but behind the bus was a level crossing over the Dublin to Sligo railway line. In 2013 construction started on a new, wider, bridge that went over the railway line and canal, just to the east of this location. When it opened in 2015, the level crossing and the 18th Century bridge closed to traffic, and the 120 used the new bridge.
Route 120 itself started in 1993 as a City Imp route to Ratoath Road, using mini-buses. In 2004 it was extended to Ashtown Station (the actual stop being a small distance from the station), and around this time double-decker buses started to replace the minibuses on the route. In 2011, certain morning and evening departures were extended to Ballsbridge.
AV 364 was delivered new to Dublin Bus in 2004. It was withdrawn in 2018, and sold on to an operator in the UK.
24/03/2014
Back in my "Designing Women" days twenty years ago or so.
I just adored the women on that show especially the lovely tall blonde Charlene played by Jean Smart. Back when I was still figuring out who and what I wanted to be, LOL.
It took me a while to develop my own sense of style, back in this period around 2000 there was a lot of copycat dressing and emulation going on. It would take a couple more years before I really broke out.
These days I pretty much go my own way😋
This week we are going back nine years to 2015 and to EV 86 in Howth village. The bus is operating a service on route 31 to Dublin city centre.
CIE took over the operation of route 31 from the GNRI in 1958. For many years the route terminated behind the church in the background. Around 1975, certain departures on the route operated to and from Howth Summit, and in 2005 that became the primary terminus for the route. The route ceased to operate in 2021 when it was directly replaced by route H3 under Bus Connects.
EV 86 was new to Dublin Bus in 2008 and it is still in service. It has always operated out of Clontarf Depot,
05/04/2015
Slightly over-inflated careerwoman from back in the day.
From the looks of things, this must have been about the time I discovered how to create the illusion of cleavage.
Oooops! Caught by the camera being overtly feminine on the bed. A break for a pink maid and well deserved !
This week we are going back thirteen years to 2009 and RV 586 in Drumcondra on route 116. The 116 is one of those peak-hour only routes that has a complicated (and confusing) history. It started in 1999 running between Whitechurch and the city centre, using the new Stillorgan Quality Bus Corridor. From then it started to expand, with variations serving different places and using different routings. From 2000 one of those variations was Clonskea to DCU (Dublin City University) in Whitehall. This lasted until around 2010. Now the 116 only operates once more between Whitechurch and the city centre.
RV 586 was delivered new to Dublin Bus in 1999. It was withdrawn in October 2012 and sold on to another Irish operator.
08/04/2009
This week is a short hop back eight years to 2015 and to VG 17 on O'Connell Street. The bus is operating a service on route 140. This route started running in February 2008, initially between St. Margaret's Road in Finglas and Wilton Terrace. Whereas the traditional 40 routes went via the estates of Finglas and Drumcondra, the 140 went via the Finglas Road and Phibsboro, providing a more direct and quicker service. In October 2009 it was extended at its northern end to the new IKEA store. Under Network Direct in December 2011, it replaced the southside part of route 128, with its terminus being moved to Palmerston Park in Rathmines.
Like route 140, VG 17 was also new to Dublin Bus in 2008. It is still in service today.
The bus has an ad on its side for the fifth Mission : Impossible film, Rogue Nation. Currently the seventh film in the series is being shown in cinemas, Dead Reckoning Part One.
14/07/2015
This week we are going back twelve years to 2013, and to AV 349 in Blackrock with a service on route 46E to Mountjoy Square.
Route 46E was introduced following the opening of Stillorgan Quality Bus Corridor (QBC) in 1999. Initially it operated in peak-hours between the city centre and Newtownpark Avenue in Blackrock. Certain services operated to Heuston Station, and certain services went via Stillorgan Village. In 2002 it was extended to Blackrock Station. Then in 2010 it was cut back to operate only in the morning-peak from Blackrock to Mountjoy Square via the Stillorgan QBC, with no return workings in the evening. The route ceased to operate in January 2025 under the E-Spine changes of Bus Connects. Those changes took place on a Sunday, but as the 46E was a weekday only route, its last day was meant to be Friday 24th January. However, a red warning for Storm Eowyn saw bus services cancelled that morning. So the last day of the route was actually Thursday, 23rd January.
AV 349 was new to Dublin Bus in 2003. It was withdrawn in 2018.
The end of the 46E saw the end of Dublin Bus's association with this terminus at Blackrock Station. It is still used by routes 114, L26 and S6, but these are operated by Go-Ahead Ireland.
27/02/2013
Matched HELM SD40-2's are seen passing under the B&O signal bridge at Great Cacapon, WV. These signals were ripped down within the following year.
This week we are only going back a short four-year hop to 2018 but to a sight that did not last very long. Go-Ahead Ireland 11562 is seen on Sheriff Street operating one of the many papal shuttles that operated from around the city to the World Meeting of Families in the Phoenix Park. For this event, most of the shuttle services were operated by Dublin Bus. Translink Metro (from Belfast) operated one from M3 Parkway to Fairyhouse and Go-Ahead Ireland operated this shuttle to Dublin docklands. This was the first service to be operated by Go-Ahead Ireland in Dublin, as route 175 did not start until September 2018, and the first routes from Dublin Bus did not transfer over until October 2018.
The buses used that day were in the new Transport for Ireland livery that was due to roll out across the country. However, when the 175 started in September, the buses had received a yellow front following feedback from disability groups. That version of the livery was replaced in 2021 by a new yellow and green livery.
11562 was delivered new to Go-Ahead Ireland in 2018. It was part of a batch bought new for the tender it had one, rather than part of the SG batch that transferred over from Dublin Bus.
Although the number of participants at the papal mass in the Phoenix Park were not as high as expected, a very large public transport operation successfully took place that day.
26/08/2018
1939 Zephyr, split rear windows
Every year on the third Saturday of August the Mid-State Cruizers Car Club hosts our annual Car Show At The Atascadero Lake Park.
This week we are going back six years to 2016 and AV 378 on Collins Avenue with a service on route 31D to DCU. Route 31D started in October 2016, along with the 42D and 70D. These three routes operated one return trip Monday-Friday during college term time. The 42D ran from Portmarnock via Malahide and the 70D from Dunboyne via Cabra. The 31D ran from Baldoyle and went via Raheny, Killester and Collins Avenue. In May 2022 it ceased to operate when Bus Connects introduced new route N4 along Collins Avenue, and passengers from Baldoyle could travel by H1 or H2 to meet the N4 in Killester.
AV 378 was delivered new to Dublin Bus in 2004. It was withdrawn in 2018 and sold on to another operator in the United Kingdom.
01/11/2016
This week we are throwing back twenty-six years to 1990. D 513 is seen parked on O'Connell Street outside what is now Penneys. This bus is adorned in ads with a large McDonald's ad on the side. Last year ads of this size made a return to Dublin Bus, but now cover some windows. The ad of 1990 did not do that. The front of the bus also has an ad for pork sausages. Sadly buses today do not have ads on the front. This bus entered service in 1973 and was withdrawn less than a year later in June 1991. 01/09/1990