Photo of the Week - Week 10:
Donnybrook's WV52 is seen operating a rare duty on Route 44 at the Scalp on the 10th March 2013.
DublinBus's six remaining WVs all reside at Donnybrook. For a few months now they have been rarely seen around the city, being confined to mid-week Dun Laoghaire locals and the 44B to Glencullen. In the past week or so, one has been noted a few times on a 46A universal in the evening. This time last year, Donnybrook had twelve WVs, which meant they were regularly seen on unusual routes. For a few months before the 44's merger with Route 3, they were daily (except Sunday) allocated to the 44, however since the extension to Larkhill they has only been two observations of them on the route. So I couldn't resist when I heard one was making an appearance last Sunday morning. WV52 easily coped with the loadings, an especially cold weekend not drawing people to Enniskerry. As always the WV proved to be an excellent city bus. There has been much pondering among us enthusiasts that some StreetLites will finally end WV operation in Dublin Bus, but as of yet our ponderings have been unverified. No tenders or orders have yet been posted. The WVs could last into their 13th year.
Donnybrook's WV50 is seen on the only other known allocation of a WV to the new cross-city Route 44 at the Glendun Road, Larkhill, terminus on the 31st August 2012.
The village of Enniskerry, nestled in the Wicklow Hills, has always been relatively well served by bus routes, having both its city-bound Route 44 service while also having its local Route 185 service to the main town in the locality, Bray. Route 185, previously Route 85, is interesting in that it is the only Dublin Bus route that dates prior to the existence of CIE that was neither operated by the Dublin United Tramway Company (DUTC) or the Great Northern Railway (GNR). Its origin is as a railway feeder route and was operated by the Great Southern Railway up until CIE takeover of the GSR in 1945. At this point it was merged into the Dublin City Services of CIE. Like a number of routes, it was renumbered into the 1xx series after conversion to minibus from single-deckers. However, though operated by double-deckers for a number of years, it retains the 1xx number.
EV97 is seen passing WV52 in Enniskerry Village heading up the hill towards Powerscourt on Route 185 on the 10th March 2013.