Photo of the Week - Week 1:
Map of new Hollystown routing of Route 40D.
On Monday 16th December 2013, three return journies on Route 40D were extended to Hollystown Co. Dublin, well supposedly. Hollystown had been without any type of bus service since the loss of Hollybus sometime ago. The map above shows the new routing, which in fact corresponds to actually only two extra stops, one inbound and one outbound both located near "The Swing" roundabout at the edge of Hollystown. There is still a walk to any of the housing estates in Hollystown. There had been talk of a bus turning loop being provided within Hollystown, however this has yet not been provided. Though there are a number of roundabouts in the area, no departures to Hollystown ever return. All departures to/from Hollystown are pull-ins or pull-outs from the depot. The duty sheets have thus been unchanged, the only difference being that these departures should go through Hollystown on their way to Tyrellstown estate.
Insert Bus here. The inbound stop in Hollystown, Stop 7560, before the expected arrival of am 11:55 40D departure.
The last outbound stop at Hollystown, Stop 7559.
The customary direction signs have been added to show the route. There can be no confusion at "The Swing" roundabout as to where the driver should go.
Unfortunately, the two days that I went to Hollystown to catch the 11:55am departure the bus never showed. I have removed any time/date information from the photos. Clearly this is a case of these departures being forgotten. The 11:55am departure is a pull out from the depot. Travelling via Hollystown is no extra distance really, so there is no point in avoiding same, but that's if you remember. On both days the bus departed the Tyrellstown terminus at midday, the previous departure time/point of this duty. Given the timetable has not really changed, other than for these departures, this is more likely to occur. The Hollystown extension appears to have been rushed from both Dublin Bus and the NTA. The RTPI system has not been updated to add the new stops. Thankfully on both days I was only there for a photo and had my car. That on the other hand cannot be said for the passengers who were actually waiting, who were then left with a relatively long and footpathless walk to Tyrellstown.
Well there had to be at least one picture of a bus. AV139, recently transferred to Donnybrook, with some brief service in Ringsend, is seen in its Harristown days on Route 40D on the 31st August 2012.