Metrobus operate both inside and outside the TFL area, and so their fleet contains both standard London red and their own blue grey livery.
East Lancs bodied Scania 471 is seen at Redhill, Surrey, on service 460 to Gatwick Airport. Metrobus also operate red Scanias on TFL route 405 from the same location.
Bus Eireann Scania Irizar SC214 is very typical of the Irish operator’s extensive commuter fleet. Seen here loading at Dublin Airport on the Drogheda service.
Last Stop - the last bus to Ardcath pauses in the tiny village as the regular driver leaves, and a spare driver prepares to return the bus to headquarters at Broadstone
END OF THE LINE FOR VETERAN SERVICE
The tiny rural village of Ardcath lost its bus service to Dublin at the weekend as phase 1 of Bus Eireann’s cost-cutting plan took effect, eliminating dozens of lightly loaded rural routes around the Republic, and cutting frequencies on others.
The 102 service from Dublin to Garristown and Ardcath, which ran for the last time on Saturday 27th February 2010 was one of the longest running bus routes in the country, dating back to at least the 1920s, and possibly earlier according to locals
Operated after 1945 by CIE’s provincial department (which later became Bus Eireann) the service was at one time so popular that on Saturdays a double-decker from the Dublin City Services fleet (later Dublin Bus) would cover the route as far as Oldtown. This practice continued until the early 1980s.
In recent years passenger numbers declined drastically as car use increased, to the point that when the final journey operated on Feb 27th, the sole passengers for the entire trip were CBW reporter Gabriel Conway and a transport historian from north Co. Dublin.
The driver for the last trip had been marked in on the route for the past 7 months, since the previous driver “Paddy” had retired after 35 years service. Normally the bus is outstationed in the area, so an extra driver was brought on the trip to allow SC202 to be returned to Broadstone.
Some shots taken at the main bus station at UCD Belfield in the morning peak, Friday 17th October 2008.
All photos can be seen fullsize by clicking on them
Bus Eireann Scania/Irizar SC263
AV25 has arrived in as a 70B
Route 17 is still Olympian operated. RV443 is seen heading for Blackrock
AV43 has arrived into Belfield as a euro-duty 25X
. . . and departs for town as a 46A
AV303 on duty 10/10 with another 10 behind it. Note the contrasting James Bond ads.
The new Wright Solar Rural (photo by Wrightbus)
FROM THE PRESS RELEASE FILES
Wrightbus have won an order to supply 45 new concept single deck buses to Translink, which will be used exclusively for their Ulsterbus services.
Northern Ireland’s rural areas are set to benefit from new buses – Solar Rural vehicles – specifically designed to make travelling by public transport more accessible to all. Built on a modified Scania K230 chassis, Wrightbus and Translink have worked closely throughout the product development process in order to design these new state of the art vehicles.
The Wrightbus Solar Rural design remains a 12 metre long low-entry vehicle incorporating an elevated floor area to the rear. The seating configuration chosen by Translink comprises two-plus-two seating at the front of the vehicle and two-plus-three seating at the rear. All seats are either forward or rear facing and are fitted with three-point integral seatbelts.
Translink Acting General Manager, Bus Services, Frank Clegg explained, “These modern new easy access buses will mark another milestone in the transformation of bus services in Northern Ireland. The unique design will maximise the seating available. Also the wide low floor ramped access door will mean easy boarding for our customers particularly those with prams and buggies while passengers requiring wheelchair access will be able to board via a dedicated side door. In addition, a modern fully colour contrasted interior has been applied.
“These new high specification buses will add to the recent enhancements made to Ulsterbus services and offer improvements in comfort, quality, safety and accessibility for all our passengers including commuters, shoppers and in particular school children travelling during the peak school run. We hope they will help to attract even more people to use our services.”
Passengers will have the benefit of bonded double glazing throughout, interior luggage racks and electronic destination equipment. The buses will also feature an anti-bandit signal unit, PA system and an eight camera CCTV system.
Sam McLaren, Wrightbus Commercial Director added, “We pride ourselves in listening to our customers’ requests to provide the right vehicle for the particular operation. We have worked intently with Translink, from concept to development, and the result is the Solar Rural which we are confident will meet their requirements for rural bus services in Northern Ireland.”
The first of the new vehicles is due for trialling on rural routes this month, and delivery of the remainder is planned by the end of the year.
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