10 years ago.....Dublin Bus introduced a radical concept of bus operation breaking the mould of typical new double decker's, in favour of continental style single decker's, offering high frequency & highly branded promotion.
Not all new concepts work out this is true for the not so successful 40 DAF SB220's with Plaxton Verde bodywork.
10 years on.....these buses have passed to Bus Eireann's school bus fleet & not many tears left behind with their departure from the fleet, either by driver or passenger alike.
Here's a photo feature on the P class in the twilight of their operation during the Summer of 2003.
As all 40 P class Verde's were operated from Phibsboro Garage, their biggest hangout was at the 40 group terminus on Parnell Street. P 20 rests on the 26th July 2003 in Cityswift livery.
P 21 heads down Parnell Square East also 26th July 2003
P 21 picking up southbound on O' Connell Street on route 122, where it spend most of its remaining days with Dublin Bus.
P 26 sporting the " City Imp " yellow & red livery. While the conversion of route 122 from double decker to the then beloved Mercedes minibus seemed progress, the queues of left behind passengers forced Dublin Bus to take remedial action in the short term by branding & transferring some of the Plaxton Verde's to route 122 to increase capacity.
P 3 seen above, along with P 4 were some of the first Cityswift Verde's to be sprayed into City Imp livery. Seen here heading out of service on O' Connell Street with Dublin Coastal Tours AV 91 to the left, 26th July 2003.
P 4 photographed before the livery change to City Imp on Parnell Square 19th July 2003
P 12 seen on its regular stint on route 122 to Drimnagh 8th July 2003
Finally, P 38 tucked away under Tara Street Station resting between duties 12th April 2003.
