Dublin Bus City Imp

Phibsboro based ME 28, a Mercedes 709D with Eurocoach body heading for its 134 terminus on Middle Abbey Street having worked in from Finglas.

Ringsend based ME 45 with its unique " Temple Bar " scrolls heads up towards its terminus outside the old ESB offices on route 150.

Broadstone based ME 47 on route 123. Eurocoach bodied ME class from 35 onwards were delivered on larger Mercedes 811D chassis & engines to increase capacity.

The original, ML 1, the first Mercedes 709D delivered with Leicester Carriage Builders ( UK ) bodywork, best remembered for their flat back, this ML class 1 to 14 were specially introduced for new route 150.

Bray was once a Mecca for Donnybrook's minibus fleet as low capacity routes were spawned following a sector review of the area, routes such as the 145 & 146 around Bray, along with the longer stint routes 184 & 185. ML 21 is seen at Bray Station.

Donnybrook based Leicester Carriage Builders ML 23, probably soon after delivery judging by the sparkling livery is seen on route 155 which replaced former Ringsend Decker route 55 to Limekiln Farm.

What's rare is wonderful, in between Conyngham Road transferring route 123 to Broadstone, for a few weeks Phibsboro Garage operated the 123 from its pool of buses.

P 4, a Plaxton Verde usually seen on Finglas & Cabra routes certainly gave extra capacity to minibus route 123, seen here northbound on a very rare occurrence.

A number of P class Verdes in Cityswift livery at Phibsboro were sprayed into City Imp livery especially for cross city route 122 ( Cabra - Drimnagh ) which was still operated by minibuses at the time, the minibuses were struggling with capacity issues, a victim of their own success which would eventually lead to the route being re converted to double deckers again.

Ringsend Garage received the first batch of Volvo 6 litre B6BLE midibuses with Wright Crusader II bodywork, to succeed the minibuses yet continue the City Imp brand. WV 1 - 10 were delivered especially for new route 150 City Centre - Rossmore.

Curiously, route 150 was given the display option of " Xpresso Rossmore " even though there was no such express version of the route. A photo of a WV even appeared on the Dublin Bus website displaying Xpresso Rossmore even though it never existed.

Similar Ringsend WV 2 on Hawkins Street facing towards Burgh Quay, now the road layout is reversed. Note the " Quality Customer Service " logos on the window above the rear wheel arch.

The Dublin Bus WV class will probably be remembered in history for its association with route 123, when WV 21 to 40 were delivered as new for the route in 2001 & will end their careers with Dublin Bus still on this very busy cross city route.

WV 10 having left Hawkins Street with its giant Vultron equipped display for " Rossmore ".

Over time the WV class lost their " kneeling suspension - ask the driver " stick on the nearside corner pillar, along with the Wrights " Crusader logo above the nearside front wheelarch.

During the special Olympics of 2003, the Broadstone fleet along with some other garage WV's were used as " intervenue shuttles " between the sporting grounds & hubs such as the Phoenix Park & Dun Laoghaire Dart Station.

The WV class were ideal, with the wheelchair ramps & tight turning circles.

WV 32 is seen at Santry Stadium on its red route.

Dollymount minibus route 130 also became a victim of its own success, the minibuses at Clontarf were mostly the 709D Mercedes which only had 23 seats, a last ditch attempt when ME 54 to 59 were delivered with 29 seats did little to cope with demand, so WV 41 to 46 were introduced on the 130 in 2001 before the route would eventually revert to mostly double decker operation. WV 44 is seen on Lower Abbey Street.

Ringsend based WV 50 with its giant Rossmore destination, ironically route 150 would be the first & last route to be operated, as other routes came & went from this garage.

From limited stints on cross city route 83, to Localink routes 201 & 202 in Tallaght, route 150 continues to have WV's alongside the AV/AX double decker class.

Saving the best until last, like P 24 on the 123, what's seldom is wonderful, WV 37 is seen on a very rare stint on route 19. Routes 19/19A along with the 123 were the only all day routes operated from Broadstone, although WV's appearing on the 19 just never happened.

A superb catch.