Bus Eireann operates a fleet of 40 DAF SB220's with the Plaxton Verde body, having been acquired from Dublin Bus Phibsboro Garage in 2003.
The P class were set to revolutionize bus transport in Dublin, replacing worn out double deckers with high frequency, continental style single deckers on route 39 to Blanchardstown in 1993. The introduction of the route was beset with industrial problems & within 2 years, new Cityswift livered deckers were replacing the underperforming Verdes.
All 40 of the Plaxton Verdes were withdrawn in Phibsboro during 2003, not even making the company's threshold of replacing 12 year buses. Neither the Lazzerini individual bucket seating nor the radial Cityswift livery could save the Verde, as Phibsboro Garage relegated the class to stints on the 40 to Finglas or cross city route 122.
Bus Eireann acquired all 40 Verdes from Dublin Bus, converting them to single door & repainting them to school bus livery & they retained their original Dublin Bus " P " classification.
P 33
Galway based P 33 ( 93 D 3033 ) is seen in this feature on Eyre Square in one of the few revenue days when some the class are used to transport passengers to the Galway Races at Ballybrit in July 2003. Its a tradition now for the P class, as well as some of the elderly PL class, also school buses, to be pressed into action to accommodate the crowds from Galway City to the races.
P 33 pulls away from the City Centre heading for Ballybrit with racegoers. The bus would usually be tasked bringing children to school in the Galway area.
The P class are now allocated all over the country from Waterford, to Thurles & Limerick in the south, Galway & Athlone in the midlands with Cavan & Longford in the north.
Note the bi lingual " Races / Rasai " sticker in the front windscreen
