Photo of the Week - Week 50:
Ringsend's RV623 is seen in its last few days of service on Sylvan Drive in Kingswood operating Route 56A to Ringsend Garage on the 7th December 2012.
And then there was one. Yes, only RV560 remains as the withdrawal of RV623 saw an end to Ringsend RV operation, a garage that had really been the last bastian of this type. Summerhill will hang on to RV560, though its unlikely to still be in service a week from now. RV623 saw out a week as the solitary RV in Ringsend. It was withdrawn yesterday, Wednesday the 12th December 2012, having operated a morning run on Route 15B. Its last days were mainly allocated to Route 77A, with a very rare Saturday appearance on the 8th December. As always, an allocation to the 77A can always end up on the 56A, and sure enough DublinBusStuff got lucky with RV623 operating a single lap on Route 56A in between laps on the 77A on Friday the 7th December 2012.
The unmistakeably rear form of the Olympian, as Ringsend's RV623 is seen laying over preparing to operate back to the city on the 7th December 2012.
This swansong of Olympian operation has been slightly longer than expected. Its also been quite unpredictable. Typically, the last of a class operates on a Friday, not to return on the Monday. However, the last Olympians withdrawn from garages have not been as predictable, Harristown ran their last on a Monday, Ringsend on a Wednesday, and its expected to be mid next week for RV560, the very last RV. Such reliable machines are likely to still be heard around the city streets for a while longer, with a number already in operation on Sightseeing and other private operations. But the last operational RV in Dublin Bus will be an end of an era. It will herald in a fully low floor fleet, a must for any major city. If only we could run them as "heritage" vehicles on short 15s or 16s. I'm asking for a little much here, right.
Ringsend's RV623 is seen on Fleet Street operating a morning departure on Route 77A on the 7th December 2012. Behind is AX469 in its Skyfall almost AOA, which DublinBusStuff has yet to cover on its pages. Maybe next week, though I have a funny feeling that something more important may happen by then.