Photo of the Week - Week 43:


Harristown's GT33 is seen at the Monkstown Avenue terminus of Route 4 on the 14th October 2012.

Today (the 14th October 2012), saw another roll out of Dublin Bus' new GT class. GT32 and GT33 operated Route 4 this morning from Harristown to Monkstown Avenue. Harristown's allocation will be GT32-49, and quite a number have been delivered. With a full allocation to Route 4 imminent, the Merrion Road will be exclusively GT operated, save for a few Euros on the 4 and the rare extended 17s and 84As. The overflow of the class are destined to operate Route 102, and one wonders whether Harristown will be as strict as Donnybrook have been. Given the size of the garage this is quite possible, whereas Conyngham Road suffers from space issues and thus there has been some interesting obos of GTs on the 69, 25B and 68A. Even Donnybrook's GT6 operated a late evening Route 54A, though no doubt as a one lap cover. So even if the allocation is strict, there are always times of rarity.


Harristown's GT32 is seen on the Merrion Road at the Merrion Centre operating a Route 4 service to Harristown on the 14th October 2012. As per the shelter, Route 3 does not stop here. It'll be an expensive operation to put that on every stop that the non-existent Route 3 doesn't serve :-).

Harristown's first GT operations come on the same weekend as an enthusiast organised RV farewell trip. Thanks go to Tony Murray for his tireless efforts in organising the event, as well as to Barry Millar and Dave Rimmer for giving up their Saturday's in order to drive them. Dublin Bus, as usual, should be commended for providing these vehicles, helping out the small community of enthusiasts; well they do talk of serving the "entire community". Enthusiasts in Dublin are lucky to have a friendly and helpful company, with a number of enthusiast drivers that willingly organise these events. The RVs will soldier on for a few more weeks, there were at least 2 RVs out on the Blanchardstown locals today, and 3-4 from Summerhill on the 16s/41s. However, their number are dwindling. With a significant number of GTs for Harristown, RV operation there should soon end, but don't be too surprised if a fleet cascade sees of the RVs long before the last examples are delivered to Ringsend. It'll be sad to see the last of these reliable workhorses. As someone who remembers the last days of the D's and the Bombardiers, its strange that these buses look so modern still and have been reliable till the end. Though the last examples still in service are only 13 years old, this Olympian bus was first delivered to Dublin 22.5years ago.


Donnybrook's last two RVs, RV584 and RV586, on the RV enthusiast run on the 13th October 2012, seen here on the Merrion Road.


Donnybrook's RV584 posing at the Maryfield Drive terminus of the former Route 20B on the 13th October 2012, well it wouldn't be a DublinBusStuff feature without a 20B shot now would it.

N.B. This website is not affiliated with Dublin Bus. The information contained herein is intended for enthusiast reference. For all current timetable and route information please refer to the official Dublin Bus Website.