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This week are going back to 1988 and to KD 85 at Donabate railway station. It is displaying route 33B although it may be on the 33C, although both routes were very closely related. The 33B connected the city centre with Portrane via Swords and Donabate. Overtime the city centre connection was reduced, with only two services from Dublin and four services to Dublin in 1988. Most departures went to / from Swords. By the early 2000s the route was solely confined to Swords to Portrane via Donabate. In 2018 the route transferred to Go-Ahead Ireland.
Route 33C ran between Donabate Station to Portrane Hospital. It was removed from the network at the same time as the 33B was cut back to Swords. The 33B was also diverted to serve Portrane Hospital.
KD 85 was delivered new to Dublin in 1982. It was destroyed in a fire by vandals at Skerries station in 1989. 25/06/1988
A short hop back to 2012 this week. RV 560 is seen at Dublin Airport with a 16. This was in its final days in service, and was the last high-floor bus in service with Dublin Bus. Once it was withdrawn the entire Dublin Bus fleet became 100% accessible.
In the background is Terminal 2 which at the time had only been officially opened two years previously. An Aer Lingus aircraft can also be seen landing in the background. In 2019 this airline is due to undergo a rebrand, so will we lose the distinctive green livery?
Finally, from the start of December 2018 this bus area is shared with Go-Ahead Ireland who operate the 33A and 102 from here. As a consequence the 16 has seen an increase in services.
Dublin Airport, 06/12/2012
It is the year 2000 and GAC Bombardier KC 197 is still in service, but not for much longer. The bus entered service in 1982 five years before Dublin Bus was incepted, and eight months later all Bombardier buses had been withdrawn by Dublin Bus.
KC 197 operated out of Clontarf Garage and is seen here operating route 53. This is one of the shorter routes in Dublin, operating from the City Centre to Dublin Port via East Wall. Journey time is under half an hour. The bus is seen here at a terminus on Abbey Street. The bus stop has the 51A on it, and the 53 traditionally operated from Beresford Place. Today the route goes from Talbot Street, and this terminus is used by the 33, 41/A/B/C. Abbey Street, 07/03/2000
We have a first for Throwback Thursday this week - a picture taken after I started doing Throwback Thursday. What was once the present, is now the past.
AV 415 is seen crossing D'Olier Street as it heads from Fleet Street to Townsend Street. This bus was delivered new to Dublin Bus in 2005. During its career it has operated out of Conyngham Road and Ringsend garages. In February 2019 it became the last AV in service at Ringsend.
Here it is seen operating route 56A which connects The Square, Tallaght, with Ringsend. Along the way it passes the Go-Ahead Ireland garage at Ballymount, a bus company that started to take over a number of Dublin Bus routes in 2018 and operate them on behalf of Transport for Ireland. This company was announced as the winner of this contract in 2017.
Finally AV 415 is seen in an all-over ad for Lucozade Sport. In June 2015 it received an all-over ad for Coca-Cola. Then around September 2015 it received this Lucozade ad which, as we can see here, it maintained for over 6 months. The Lucozade ad was also on a VG, the first time a non-ALX 400 received a wrap. In 2018 they started to appear on EVs too.
07/03/2016
A trip back in time this week of twenty-six years to 1990. KD 1 is seen at a bus rally in the Phoenix Park. This was the first of 366 KD buses delivered to CIE between 1980 and 1983. These buses were built in Shannon by Bombardier and an extra one was built for and shipped to Baghdad. KD 1 itself was built in Hamburg in Germany by FFG. The last KD was withdrawn by Dublin Bus in 2000. KD 1 was based in Donnybrook Garage and that is reflected in the scrolls for route 8 in the photograph. This was the first route to have a KD operate on it. In light of recent sporting events, the ad for the World Cup in Italy is quite topical. Phoenix Park 30/06/1990
This week we are back in Dun Laoghaire, this time to see KC 87 on the 111 in 1990.
At this time the 111 was only four years old. It was one of a number of routes designed to connect in with the new electric DART train service. These DART feeder services included the the 88 in Howth, the 102 in Sutton, the 101 in Harmonstown, the 103 in Killester, the 90 at Connolly, the 52 at Sydney Parade, the 113 and 114 in Blackrock and the 111 in Killiney. The 111 connected Dun Laoghaire with Loughlinstown Park going via Sallynoggin. Over the years the route saw its frequency cut-back as the DART feeder concept slowly faded away. By 2009 it was a peak-hours only service, Monday to Friday. However, in 2015 a reorganisation of the Dun Laoghaire network took place, and the 111 went through a remarkable transformation. The 111 was rerouted to run from Brides Glen Luas stop to Dalkey, via Loughlinstown, Sallynoggin and Dun Laoghaire, as well as regaining an all-day timetable. Until 2018, the new timetable was Monday-Saturday, but when Go-Ahead Ireland took over the route, it became a seven-day operation.
KC 87 was delivered new to Dublin in 1983.
Finally, this area around Dun Laoghaire station has changed a lot over the last thirty years, with the buildings in the background replaced by an apartment and office block, the bus stops and shelters and have also been replaced, and most of the buses that park here now are operated by Go-Ahead Ireland. The 46A is the only Dublin Bus route to stop here.
Dun Laoghaire, 17/04/2020
This week we are only going back five years, and one year after this series started, to 2017 and GT 147 on route 9. There is nothing overly spectacular about that - route 9 having started in 2011 running between Limekiln Avenue and Charlestown. The interesting thing here is the via being displayed on the destination - the bus is showing "City Centre via Carrigstown". You would be hard-pressed to find Carrigstown on a map of Dublin, for it is the setting of the RTE soap-opera "Fair City". This television show started in 1989, set within the fictional Carrigstown located in north Dublin near Drumcondra. In the early days of the show Donnybrook Garage (located across the road from the RTE studios) used to provide a City Imp minibus for scenes shot on the exterior set, with the bus dressed for the fictional route 16B (I believe) to Carrigstown. In more recent times, it has been served by route 9 as seen on the bus display here, and on the bus stop used on the Carrigstown set. Here the destination is making an unusual appearance on the real streets of Dublin's fair city.
GT 147 was delivered new to Dublin Bus in 2013 and is still in service today.
College Green, 10/06/2017
It is 2001 and P 4 is seen on O'Connell Street with a 122 to Ashington. The bus had been delivered to Dublin Bus in 1993 for use on CitySwift route 39 to Clonsilla. However as the CitySwift routes became more popular, they transitioned over to double-deck buses, freeing up the single deckers like the P class. It was not just the CitySwift routes that became more popular, but so did the minibus operated City Imp routes. Therefore the P class were repainted into City Imp yellow/red and transferred to those routes, like the 122. Around the same time, some midibuses were purchased, like the WV in the background of this photo.
The 122 runs from Ashington off the Navan Road to Drimnagh Road via Cabra and Rialto, and still runs today. But it too has now gone over to double-deckers. The route no longer stops outside Easons though,but instead on Upper O'Connell Street. The P Class buses were withdrawn in the early 2000s and transferred to Bus Eireann where they were used on school services.
O'Connell Street, 10/01/2001
A lot has changed in the thirty-five years since this photograph was taken. D 172 is seen parked at the 83 terminus on College Street. The bus was delivered new to Ringsend Garage in 1968. It was withdrawn in August 1983 and sold for scrap in 1984.
The 83 was a route that was in decline throughout the 1980s. In an attempt to revive its fortunes in the early 1990s it was the first route converted to City Imp. The double decker buses were replaced by minibuses which operated at frequent intervals. The strategy was a success and by the early 2000s double deck buses were back on the route. It was also extended across the city, operating from Kimmage to Harristown.
In December 2016 this location on College Street became the Trinity stop on the Luas Green Line. This tram route connects Broombridge with Brides Glen. 10/05/1983
Like last year, we are going back to Skerries in 1985. KD 315 is seen parked in car park at Skerries Station on Christmas Day. Up until the early 1980s, bus services operated across the city on Christmas Day. This practice still continues in other cities around the world, including Britain, but on the island of Ireland there are no scheduled bus services on Christmas Day. With the introduction of 24-hour bus routes in 2019, maybe Christmas Day routes will soon return.
The 33 connects Dublin city with north county Dublin towns of Lusk, Rush, Skerries and Balbriggan. It can trace its roots back to bus services set up by the Great Northern Railway (Ireland) and which were taken over by CIE in 1958. In 2018 Go-Ahead Ireland took over the operation of the 33A between Dublin Airport / Swords and Skerries / Balbriggan.
KD 315 was delivered new in 1983 and remained in service until around 2000.
Skerries Station still has a shed where Dublin Bus outbase some of the buses used on the 33. 25/12/1985
L-R A900 (2008) with Minolta AF 35-200mm Zoom xi, A100 (2006) with Sony DT 18-55mm SAM II zoom, R1 (2005) with integral Carl Zeiss 24-120mm Vario-Sonnar lens.
This week we go back to 2012 and to a bus route no longer operated by Dublin Bus. AV 76 and AV 395 are seen at Dundrum, both on route 161. This route connects Dundrum with Rockbrook via Whitechurch. This route commenced in 1999 and originally terminated at Nutgrove Shopping Centre. It was operated by mini-buses but in later years it has become a double-decker route. Although the route destination is shown as Rockbrook, the bus route actually continues on along Tibradden Road for the bus to turn around near Marlay Park. From January 20th 2018 Go-Ahead Ireland took over the route and single-deckers returned to the route.
AV 76 was delivered to Dublin Bus in 2000 and AV 395 in 2004. By 2014 AV 76 was operating the UK, while AV 395 finished its days in Summerhill, being withdrawn in 2018.
24/01/2012
UP 3488 leads an MVPPR past Kay Siding in this scene from 2008. Kinda cool to see the rebuilt Dash 2s coming back now, but these were the days.
Throwback Thursday this week is going back to 1982 and the end of rear-entrance buses in Dublin. RA 138, R 1 and KD 52 are seen on Drimnagh Road at the terminus of the 23 while on a special run to mark the end of these buses. The actual last day was over a week later on the 2nd April.
The 23 eventually became route 123 under the City Imp brand and extended to Kilnamanagh Road. 27/03/1982
This week we are going back twenty-six years to 1995 and to RH 143 on Eden Quay. The bus is in an all-over ad for AIB (Allied Irish Banks). The bank is one of the largest banks in Ireland and was founded in 1966 after the merging of three other banks. During the financial crash in 2010 the bank was nationalised by the Irish government, who still retain a majority stake in it in 2021.
RH 143 was delivered new to Dublin Bus in 1992. It was withdrawn in 2006 and sold to an operator in the UK. It spent most of its working life in Dublin operating out of Donnybrook garage. It received this all-over ad in 1994 and remained in it into 1996. While painted like this it did spend some time operating out of Phibsborough Garage.
Route 84 connects Dublin with towns in north Wicklow such as Greystones, Kilcoole and Newcastle. It started running to Kilcoole in 1936 and Newcastle in 1946, and is still operating to this day. However, journeys to the city centre are operated by limited stop route 84X. The northern 84 terminus was moved to Blackrock in 2012, after having been moved from the city centre to UCD in 2010 during the first phase of Network Direct. 08/04/1995
Currently in 2016 the centre of Dublin is being dug up as part of Luas Cross City. Work started just over a year ago and is now substantially complete. This week we are going back thirteen years to when the first Luas lines were being built. In this shot the Red Line can be seen under construction on Store Street as it makes its way from Abbey Street to Connolly Station, AV 117 is picking up passengers outside Bus Aras as it operates route 747 to Dublin Airport. At the time the destination was shown in a variety of languages. The route is still running today but by VG-class busses in a two-tone green livery. 21/09/2003
This week we are going back to 2003. That was the year when then Special Olympics came to Dublin. The games took place in a number of venues around the city from the 21st-29th June. Dublin Bus provided a shuttle bus service between the venues with the Red and Yellow routes running from the Phoenix Park. The WV-class of buses were used as they were low-floor and easily accesible which resulted in some unusual buses on the routes the WVs normally operated on.
WV 25 is seen at the Phoenix Park terminus while operating the Yellow Route. 22/06/2003
This picture was intended for Throwback Thursday last week. But Flickr was down when I tried to upload it on May 23, so I'll add it now. This was taken in December 2010 while we were visiting my Father in Illinois. As you can see, both of my kids were wearing winter hats at a restaurant.
I set up this account to upload photos from our trip to Australia 9 years ago, a trip for my 40th birthday! It is oddly reassuring to see that my hair was thinning even then!!!this was taken the day before my birthday. A week after we returned we left London for good.
I wonder where we'll be for my 50th?
A trip back to 2011 this week to see AV 120 on the 16A to Nutgrove. It is seen passing through Drumcondra on Dublin's northside as it heads south. AV 120 was delivered new to Dublin Bus in 2000. It was part of an order to operate Airlink services between Dublin City Centre and Dublin Airport. AV 116 to AV 128 were delivered in the special Airlink livery, while AV 129 and AV 130 were delivered in standard Dublin Bus livery. However all of them were delivered as dual-door buses. These were the last dual-door buses delivered until 2012 when the GT class started to arrive. Since then, every double-decker bus delivered to Dublin Bus has been dual-door. The arrival of the GT class in 2012 also heralded the beginning of the end for the AV class. AV 120 itself was withdrawn in 2013, having joined the regular fleet around 2009 when new VG-class buses arrived for the Airlink. And now in September 2019 the last of the 448-strong AV class is about to be withdrawn. The extremely similar AX-class will continue for a while, but the AV holds the distinction of being the first class of low-floor double-decker bus in the Dublin Bus fleet.
The 16A used to run from Nutgrove on the southside to Dublin Airport on the northside. It was merged with the 16 (Ballinteer to Santry) in 2012 under Network Direct, with the route going from Ballinteer to Dublin Airport.
Drumcondra, 11/09/2011
If you'd been stood in this exact spot oooh say er, in about 1997, this would have been a passenger train. A class 37 and a motley looking collection of mk2's.
Similarly back then, there was a little bit of a shortage of rolling stock. But instead of slashing the service and playing the 'poor us' game, someone got off their backside and did something about it.
Just saying...
3Q95 Crewe-Bangor, which I think was an ultrasonic test train, saunters into the down passenger loop at Rhyl on 19 May 2021.
Leading the way is 37612, a long term hire loco for Colas from the Harry Needle fleet. There's some history here, released into traffic as D6879 in October 1963, the loco was a solid South Walian for many years and there's a good number of pictures about of the loco on passenger duty on the South West Wales branches as 37179, a number carried from late 1973.
The loco was selected for a 1980's refurb, re-numbered to 37691 in 1987 and then spent time with Trainload Coal and Railfreight General before being selected for the EPS (European Passenger Services) fleet, further modified in 1995 for use on Nightstar work and re-numbered again to 37612.
Batty as it now sounds, the idea was direct sleeper trains through the tunnel from both Plymouth and Swansea to Paris and Brussels were to be hauled from the west to Dollands Moor by pairs of EPS 37's, running with Nightstar stock powered by a generator van converted from a mk3 sleeper.
Despite the conversions and the newly built Nightstar stock being in place, it never actually happened. Via Rail Canada came along and stole the stock for sixpence (almost literally...), the generator cars were quietly forgotten about and most if not all of the twelve class 37/6 locos were sold to the the fledgling Direct Rail Services, an operation established by BNFL (British Nuclear Fuels) to shift nuclear material around the country after the privatisation of the Railfreight operations.
Twenty years of DRS use ended in 2017 when DRS had one of their periodic clear outs and the loco was obtained by HNRC.
We've another Q train due tomorrow, the four-weekly visit of 1Q30 and it should be two red class 43 power cars. Pity the sky won't be quite so blue...
Throwback
"We met at the wrong time. That's what I keep telling myself, anyway. Maybe one day years from now, we'll meet in a coffee shop in a faraway city somewhere, and we could give it another shot."
This week we are going back to 1998 and to KC 121 on Marlborough Street. The bus is dressed for route 42B. This route can trace its origins back to 1958. Initially it terminated in Artane but in 1966 it (and the 42A) was extended to Harmonstown. In the early 1980s it was extended to Blunden Drive and there it remained until 2011, although its routing around the Harmonstown area varied over the years. In September 2011 the 42B effectively became the new route 27A.
KC 121 was delivered new to CIE in 1985. initially it was based in Dundalk Garage, but over its career it operated out of five more garages. In 1986 it moved to Dublin and went to Conyngham Road, 1994 to Summerhill, 1997 to Clontarf, and 1999 to Donnybrook. In 2000 it then returned to the provincial fleet and became a school bus based out of Tralee. It is also worth noting that in 1994 it was stolen and extensively damaged but was repaired by Louth Commercials.
10/01/1998
had to dig really deep into the archives for this one. Taken on a 4mp Cannon camera around the early 2000's in my blue lace nightie. Sorry about the quality but it is old.
This week we are throwing back to a throwback! In 2011, Dublin Bus was still undertaking the Network Direct re-organisation of the bus network in the capital. In August of that year it made its presence known to routes 19 and 19A. These were considered some of the premier routes in the city, up there with the 3, 10 and 46A. However Network Direct took no prisoners and the 19 from Jamestown Road to Bulfin Road was abolished and the 19A from Jamestown Road to Limekiln Avenue regenerated into the 9. The last day of both routes was Saturday 27th August, but on the Wednesday before a special run was organised with preserved Leyland Olympian RH 7. It is seen here at the Bulfin Road terminus of the 19 before heading cross city to Finglas.
Incidentally, this was also the day Steve Jobs resigned from Apple. 24/08/2011
It's 1983 and D 279 is seen at the 62 terminus in Kilmacud (or is it Stillorgan?). This terminus is located just off the Lower Kilmacud Road, but is just behind the Stillorgan Shopping Centre. However the route more appropriately served the Kilmacud area, so the destination on the front of the bus is probably the right choice. A number of routes have terminated over the years, the 52, 62, 64, 64A, 46B and most recently the 11. With the rerouting of the 11 to Sandyford Business District during Network Direct, this terminus is no longer used, but the 47 and 75 still serve the Lower Kilmacud Road.
The 62 operated from the City Centre to here via Ranelagh, Clonskeagh and Goatstown, and ceased in 1999 when it was merged with the 11.
D 279 entered service in 1969 and was withdrawn in 1985. 17/02/1983
Phil Boldman was in charge of keeping Conrails Danville secondary clear of snow between Schneider, Indiana and Danville, Illinois. Fortunately, he took shots along the way.
This photo is looking south at the Iroquois River bridge on January 15th, 1982. Note that the bridge over the river is a double track bridge. The NYC had 2 tracks over this bridge between Morocco, Indiana and Sheff, Indiana, up until sometime shortly after the "Egyptian" stopped service.
Snowplowing CR's Danville secondary, formerly NYC's Egyptian Line
January 15th, 1982
Looking south at the Iroquois River
Kentland, Indiana, MP 58.48
This week we are going back thirty-two years and a look at a future that could have been MD 1 is seen on Marlborough Street after arriving with a service on route 32. MD 1 was one of two demonstrators evaluated by Dublin Bus in late 1988 as it considered what new buses to purchase to modernise its fleet. The bus was an MCW Metrobus with a Cummins engine. The bus was used in all Dublin Bus garages during its time in Ireland. When it returned to the UK it was sold to Stevenson's. MCW were obviously keen to get the contract to supply buses to Ireland as they painted the bus up in Dublin Bus livery. The second demonstrator was a Leyland Olympian and it came in an all white livery. However, between 1990 and 1999, 640 Olympians entered service with Dublin Bus, compared to 0 Metrobus's. The streets of Dublin could have looked very different if the order had gone the other way.
Route 32 can trace its origins back to the Great Northern Railway (Ireland), and passed to CIE in 1958. It mainly operated between Dublin and Portmarnock, with some services to Malahide operating as route 32A. In November 2012, routes 32 and 32A were merged into just the 32 and operates from Dublin to Malahide via Portmarnock.
23/12/1988
This week we are going back twenty-six years to 1998, and to ML 2 at The Square in Tallaght. The minibus is operating a service on route 201 to Kilnamanagh.
Tallaght gained three local routes in the late-1980s, and these were numbered T01, T02 and T03. These routes served the various housing estates around Tallaght. When The Square shopping centre opened in 1990, the routes started serving calling there. Around that time they were also renumbered 201, 202 and 203. The 201 connected Killinarden and Kilnamanagh, In the 1990s it had a few changes, moving western terminus to Jobstown and eastern one to Aylesbury and later Kiltipper. In the early-2000s it started operating between Citywest and Bohernabreena, and this was its final form until the route was withdrawn around 2009.
ML 2 was one of thirty-five ML Class minibuses delivered to Dublin Bus between 1994 and 1995. Some of these buses did not last long with Dublin Bus, and transferred to Bus Eireann in Waterford and Cork. ML 2 was withdrawn by Dublin Bus in the early-2000s and had been sold on to another operator by 2003.
13/06/1998
This week we are throwing back twenty-one years to 2001 and the end of Bombardier buses in Dublin. On the 13th January 2001, Dublin Bus ran a farewell trip for the Bombarder buses. KD 114 and KD 353, the latter seen here, represented the double-deckers, while KC 100 represented the single-deckers. The tour ended in Donnybrook Garage, where KD 353 and KC 100 were handed over to the National Transport Museum based in Howth.
KD 353 is seen here at the terminus for route 8 in Dalkey. The first KD to enter service was KD 2 on the the 28th May 1981 and did so on route 8. KD 353 entered service in June 1983. The last proper KD in service had been on route 16 in December 2000, but on the day of the farewell run, the final fare-paying passenger was picked up while the tour was operating along route 11 to Clonskeagh. Bombardier buses remained in service with Bus Eireann around the country for a few more years.
Route 8 started operating between the city centre and Dalkey as a bus route in 1949 (replacing the trams). It stopped briefly between 2001 and 2005, but ended completely in 2016. Under Bus Connects, it is proposed to use the route number on a new route between the city centre and Beaumont Hospital via Clontarf.
13/01/2001
Slightly different Throwback Thursday this week as we are commemorating the end of a route. On Friday 11th November 2016 the 8 will run for the final time as part of changes to bus routes in the Dun Laoghaire. This is not the first time Dublin Bus has tried to get rid of the 8. An attempt was made in 2001 but thanks to a successful European Court case it returned in 2005. But this time in 2016 it will be the last run of the 8. The 8 also holds the distinction of being the last tram route to run in Dublin, back in 1949
RH 45 is seen at the Eden Quay terminus of the route 24 years ago. The bus is in an all-over ad for the First National Building Society. 22/11/1992
Travelling back 21 years this week to 1996. KD 114 is parked on Marlborough Street between duties on the 28. This route operated between Edenmore and Dublin City Centre and when this photo was taken the route only had two months left in its existence. It was replaced by the 42A, before it itself was replaced by the 27A in 2011. When the bus finished its passenger carrying career it went on to become a driver trainer. In January 2001 it took part in the special runs to mark the end of Bombardier buses in Dublin. The location in the photograph is in the process of becoming a stop on the Luas Cross City line. Marlborough Street, 04/05/1996
This isn’t a Corvette. It’s the Equus Throwback.
Okay, so it is a Corvette, sort of.
But this Corvette has been restyled, and given a little bit more grunt by Equus Automotive, creator of the Bass770.
The retro-inspired Throwback is a limited model, with only 25 planned by the Detroit-based company, which utilises the ‘Vette as a basis to create a “significantly upgraded” muscle car.
The Corvette’s supercharged V8 can be tuned to an output of 746kW and 1114Nm. Equus says it’s capable of a 2.5-second run to 97km/h (60mph), and has a top speed of 354km/h.
Equus Autmotive’s goal with the Throwback was to inspire a sense of nostalgia in muscle car fans while providing a car with modern-day usability.
“The Throwback model uses unique styling language in its outer skin to create a breathtaking vision of the ultimate Corvette. Equus takes the customer down memory lane to an era when Corvettes were synonymous with performance and class.
“The Throwback can be personalized for the design orientated drivers or for the fastest paced performance centric customer, always emphasizing the original love of an icon, desire for innovation and uncompromised quality.
“Just as companies like Brabus and Alpina focus on European brands, Equus Automotive is focused on providing American Sports car lovers the ultimate interpretation of todayʼs designs.
It is the first day of August 1999 and the 47B, along with the 47 and 47A, has only 6 weeks of existence left. RH 91 is seen at the terminus on Grange Road which the route shared with the 16. The 47 group of routes connected the City Centre with Whitechurch, Tibradden and Rockbrook, though not necessarily the most direct way. The 47B for example served Leinster Road and Zion Road in Rathmines and Rathgar. Eventually the routes were replaced by the 15C, 116 and 161 in the suburbs, though the 47 number did reappear in the early 2000s on a very different routing. The final day of the 47/A/B was the 11th September 1999. The 16 was also subsequently extended from this terminus along Grange Road to Kingtston in Ballinteer.
RH 91 was delivered new to Dublin Bus, appropriately, in 1991. It was withdrawn in 2006 and is currently preserved, in the livery as seen here, although the orange line above the top deck is complete.
The ad on the side of the bus by Aer Rianta states 'The spirit of Duty Free lives on". This was the first day of no Duty Free across the European Union, it having ended at midnight on the 30th June 1999. The concept of Duty Free had begun in Shannon Airport in 1947, and spread across the world. Its abolition was expected to lead to increased travel costs...
Grange Road 01/08/1999
Hallowe'en 1998 and it is raining at Dublin Heuston Station. KD 240 is with a 91 to the City Centre. This route ran on an adhoc basis, providing extra capacity to the 90 but not going all the way to Dublin Connolly. KD 240 was based at Conyngham Road and was delivered new between 1982/83.
One thing to note in this photo is the ticket machine beside the bus. Free standing ticket machines were, and still are, rare for Dublin Bus. The other notable location that had a ticket machine was Dublin Airport, and there is still one there today. The one in Heuston is no longer there, with most people using Leap cards nowadays. However back in 1998 the vast majority of users were paying cash to the driver. These machines that allowed you to buy a ticket before boarding the bus were a curiosity of their time.
31/10/1998