2024 - Update 33:

Go-Ahead's 12106 is seen operating the W4 at Blanchardstown Shopping Centre on the 7th December 2024. Interestingly though it passes, the W4 doesn't stop at the stop in the background (click on photo for larger version).

With the recent introduction of 25 former Dublin Bus SGs (11630-11651/3/4/7) Go-Ahead Streetlites, though rare to drift onto non-Streetlite routes, have been even rarer. Therefore the allocation of the W4 on the 7th December 2024 was all the more unusual. The PVR of the W4 on a Saturday is 6, though it relies mostly on 4 buses, with a two-hour round trip and a frequency of 30mins. The first 4 buses, the full allocation until the 5th pulls out for its midday departure from The Square were all Streetlites, namely 12106, 12127, 12136 (replaced by 12139) and 12138. A number of late pull-outs on Friday evening were also Streetlites, so could the W4 be a regular home for them?

Go-Ahead's 12127 is seen at the only Blanchardstown stop outside the Shopping Centre served by the W4 on the Old Navan Road on the 8th December 2024. In fact the stop opposite is not served which made sense when the route was introduced as the Snugborough Road Interchange was so clogged up, but with its big upgrade its not so slow into the centre this way and in fact many W4s use this way. Given the popularity of this stop towards Tallaght, it would seem an easy win to add the one on the opposite side of the road (click on photo for larger version).

Go-Ahead's 12139 is seen at the Blanchardstown Centre terminus of the W4 about to depart to Tallaght on the 7th December 2024 (click on photo for larger version).