Photo of the Week - Week 39:
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Harristown's RV558 is seen at the Monkstown Avenue terminus of Route 4 on the 15th September 2012.
RVs will take up a lot of the next few images of the week. With 640 delivered, the Olympian classes of RH's, RA's and RV's, have been Dublin's most regular work horse. To think that in a month or so, there will be none left in active service, though given how good this last batch of RVs were, we won't be seeing the last of them in the hands of private operators for some time. The RVs in Donnybrook have surprisingly survived into this week, most likely this Friday or before will be their last day in service there. This will leave Ringsend, Harristown and Summerhill as the only garages with RVs. However, already we can see the cascading effect, initially just RVs moving about, but we should expect this to ramp up with more and more GTs delivered with other classes cascaded around. The end is nigh for this most favoured of vehicles.
RV558 is seen at the Monkstown Avenue terminus just about to depart on its return journey to Harristown on the 15th September 2012.
Ringsend have been quite strict with RVs going out at weekends for some time now. Summerhill always have a good few out, and Harristown will also put RVs out on the Blanchardstown local services. However, most Saturdays for the last few months has thrown up a surprise operation of an RV on a non-RV route on a Saturday. This has been great for us enthusiasts, the RV class not been confined to the sheds as their final days pass. Such a great, reliable class, should not be confined to the peak hour extras that most classes end their service days on. It throws up some great photo opportunities, and RV588's appearance on Route 4 on Saturday 15th September 2012 was a chance that could not be passed. Hopefully this Saturday will also throw up a surprise.
Harristown's RV588 is on a Harristown "Euro" operated peak hour service on Phibsborough's Route 39A to Ongar, is seen on Leeston Street Lower on the 16th June 2011.