Forum | Merseyside Dennis Dart Website

Took a spin out to Bray today. Bus Éireann are a recent addtion to the railway station forecourt as they operate new route 131 from there to Wicklow every hour. I will have to take a spin on it, times didn't work out today. GAI are rapidly painting their fleet, the B9TLs remain to be done and the SB3s with the Country fleet.


VB506 Florence Road, Bray 9 September 2023


11908 Bray Station 9 September 2023


12105 Quinsborough Road 9 September 2023


12107 Bray Station 9 September 2023 - Due to visit the paint booth soon.


31306 Custom House 9 September 2023


32419 Custom House 9 September 2023


BV23 ZVT Custom House 9 September 2023 - Loads are good on these, though fares are heavily discounted at present.


231D15563 St Stephens Green 9 September 2023 - I think they are all in service.

Lots more here:
https://transportsceneireland.smugmug.co...mber-2023/

The new Electroliners have started to go into service, EW2 was on the 123 on Monday and one featured on the 122 today. No pictures of them in service yet.

PA234 Parkgate St 8 October 2023 - New route 99 started on Sunday. Unusual route in that its function is to bring people into the Phoenix Park, so the journey time is about 10 mins. The PA class on this is probably providing a little bit more capacity than required...

Sorry, I haven't posted in a while, change in weather has reduced the hours of photography. Plenty happening though. The new electric EWs are very slowly going into service, usually on the 122 and 123 - Phibsboro and Summerhill depots. But, they are rarely seen out as they only do a few trips and vanish again. I got a spin on one on the 122 a few weeks, decent enough, but time will tell.
The next phase of Bus Connects - 5B will see significant changes to orbital routes on the southside of the city. A number of famous routes will vanish and a whole raft of new routes will replace them. Details are here for those who are interested: https://www.transportforireland.ie/getti...-orbitals/

I was in Drogheda and Navan at the weekend. Plenty to see in both, so some pictures:

WM428 & VWD18 Drogheda Bus Station 11 November 2023 - Plenty of variety in the bus types operated here. Town services D1, 2, 4 and 5 and the 173 are operated by a mix of VWD deckers (several versions), VWL and WL single deckers, no real pattern to this.


LF814 Drogheda Bus Station 11 November 2023 - the latest beasts for the 101 are these. Very impressive, but as usual there is a shortage and the single deck VBs are used also. The 101 operates every 20 mins from early to evening and then hourly throughout the night.


VWL301 Drogheda Bus Station 11 November 2023 - Route 168 operates to Dundalk via Carlingford, I must do this route soon. Its a long route through east Louth and Dundalk is displayed from Carlingford. Quicker servcies to Dundalk from Drogheda are the expressway 100X and local route 100. This bus is ex Cork and Drogheda are very slow in debranding buses. Its unlikely to return to Cork.


LD316 Abbey Road, Navan 11 November 2023 - Due to maintenance issues, the usual LF on busy route NX are replaced with a motley collection at present, though the LDs are good enough.


LC205 Abbey Road, Navan 11 November 2023 - The LC200s on the otherhand are a bit down at heal.


WM436 Abbey Road, Navan 11 November 2023 - There was a letter in Buses mag last month discussing Streetlites. The writer was nearly right in what he said about the Irish ones, but not fully correct. Reference to buses with City Direct - Galway, is correct, but those buses are in Kilkenny operated by City Direct, the are owned by NTA. Three other Streetlites are mentioned with various operators and this one is registred with Bandon Community Link. I don't think it every operated there, or if so for not long. These three were sold off cheaply by Wrights and the NTA bought them. Due to demand, this one is now operated on the N1 and N2 - Navan Town Services. It is fitted with white LED displays and has the latest NTA preferred seating.


WM423 Abbey Road, Navan 11 November 2023 - Standard fare on these routes. Their siblings in Waterford are currently receiving the Green and Yellow NTA livery.

More here:
https://transportsceneireland.smugmug.co...mber-2023/

In advance of the Southern Orbitals and associated changes this weekend coming, a number of stored ALX400s - AX class buses have appeared back in service. In addtion the EWs class were officially launched over the weekend, though I noticed only one in service on the 123 today.


11571 Bath Place, Blackrock 18 November 2023 - Route 17 will cease this weekend.


31306 Victoria Quay 18 November 2023 - Very strangely, a number of new LF800s have appeared in service on Go Ahead Ireland routes. The LF code is a Bus Éireann fleet identifier, 313xx is the code for GAI. Not sure what is going on. Plenty of interest in greater Dublin though.
https://transportsceneireland.smugmug.co...mber-2023/

Not a great week in Dublin with riots on the streets resulting in the complete burnout of three buses and some others damaged. A Luas tram was also damaged, but despite images indicating its removal on a low loader, it was acutally dragged to Broombridge depot, which hopefully indicates a return to service in 2024.

LF854 Custom House 25 November 2023 - Not a great shot but one of the LF designated class operated by GAI. Still haven't heard why they have been renumbered.


AH1 Hawkins St 25 November 2023 - One of the AH demonstrators, one of three and which resulted in the purchase of the PA class.


PA217 North Wall Quay 25 November 2023 - Two of the PA class were sadly burnt out.

https://transportsceneireland.smugmug.co...-gJJ7zB2/A

The new Southern Orbitals and assoicated changes took place as planned. The revised routes are very different to their predecessors and it will be interesting to see how they operate over time.

11629 Liffey Valley SC 13 December 2023 - also changed was the 76/A which was replaced with the W2.


11605 Liffey Valley SC 13 December 2023 - S4 operates from Liffey Valley to University College Dublin on a 10 minute frequency during the day.


SG461 Heuston 6 December 2023 - S2 is operated by Dublin Bus and runs from Heuston Station to Poolbeg/ Irishtown.

I will hopefully get to travel/ photo the S6 and S8 soon.

A busy week, as would be expected. Think the shopping is done.
Some more of the new routes:

11629 Blackrock Station 18 December 2023


11625 Blackrock Station 18 December 2023


11588 Crofton Road, Dun Laoghaire 18 December 2023


11574 The Square, Tallaght 18 December 2023 - W2 replaces the 76. The S6 and S8 replace parts of a number of routes including the 17, 75 and 175. Much more complicated than the W2.


Provides a 15 min service between Dun Laoghaire and Dundrum, should do well.


EW2 Abbey St 22 December 2023 - The electroliners are taking an age to go into service. EW2 has been out a while, rear destination has failed already. Issues apparently with the cameras/ monitors and driver familiarity. I got this one home and it was not a bad trip.


VB506 Abbey St 22 December 2023 - So Happy Christmas to all here. Hopefully 2024 is a peaceful and interesting year.

Happy New Year!
Was in Cork on Friday and managed to photo the first repainted TFI city bus for Cork, a Merc Citaro. Cork has had no new buses since the new livery was rolled out. That is due to change with plans for a new garage allowing for a rapid electrification of the fleet. Some pictures:


VWL323 Brian Boru Bridge 5 January 2024 - A once large fleet of VWLs is down to low numbers due to the influx of double deckers over recent times. They are required on the 207A due to a low bridge on the route.


VB602 St Patrick St. 5 January 2024 - There are a small group of VBs in the 600 series which seem to be randomly located. This one may move on in time.


VWD5 Grand Parade 5 January 2024 - The oldest of the double deckers in Cork. VWD1-4 are based in either Dublin or Drogheda/ Dundalk.


VWD437 St Patricks Bridge 5 January 2024


VWD74 South Mall 5 January 2024


LX2 St Patrick St. 5 January 2024 - Upgrade for those on this 237!


132C6313 St Patricks Quay 5 January 2024 - The competition. Cork has not had much non- Bus Éireann services until recently and even at that the competition is on Intercity and Regional services.


MC307 South Terrace 5 January 2024 - Old Livery.


MC309 South Terrace 5 January 2024 - First in the TFI livery.

More here:
https://transportsceneireland.smugmug.co...nuary-2024

Happy new year Redstar and other readers.

I'm finally going back to Ireland this year! I have already booked my stay in Dublin for June. I'm also planning to stay in Donegal and Derry. I am looking forward not just to riding the new buses but seeing the scenery.