Dublin Bus Route 103

Clontarf DART Station
Vernon Avenue
Killester
Beaumont Hospital
Dublin City University
Ballymun
OMNI PARK
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Dublin Bus route 103 was originally started as DART feeder service late summer / early autumn 1987 . Originally the terminus was at Mount Prospect Avenue ( Seapark Road )  in Clontarf ( shared terminus with route 44A ), Clontarf Dart Station was only a pipedream at this stage. & operated Mount Prospect Avenue, Blackheath Park,
Castle Avenue, Howth Road, Collins Avenue East, Collins Avenue,
Collins Avenue West, Collins Avenue Extension, Glasnevin Avenue & Finglas. Within a year or so, the route diverted into newly opened Beaumont Hospital. A further extension at Finglas Place to Janelle Shopping Centre then occured.
It was a Dart Feeder service upon inception but lost this status on 2/1/1990.
The most significant development for the 103 was in April 2000 when as described by Dublin Bus themselves, a " major revamp " was commenced.

Route 103 was extended to newly opened Clontarf Dart Station, operating via Clontarf, serving the Central Remedial Clinic, Killester, Artane shopping Centre, Beaumont Hospital, Shantalla Road, Whitehall, Collins Avenue / Dublin City University, Ballymun, Santry Avenue & terminating at OMNI PARK shopping centre ( shared terminus with selected 16A services ).
A new route 104 was also launched at the same time ( Sunday 16th April 2000 ), also from Clontarf Dart Station, operating in conjunction with the 103 & operating to Cappagh Hospital.
10 new Volvo B6BLE's with Wright Crusader 2 bodies were delivered to Clontarf Garage for the new 103/ 104. These WV's, 11-20 wore a new version of the standard Dublin Bus core livery of blue & cream with the orange flash. The WV's allowed the routes to be classified low floor, thanks to their ramps & low floors.
Interestingly, both routes were now declassified from feeder to standard Dublin Bus routes & as such, feeder fares did not apply.
Newly opened Clontarf Garage featured a " bus only " barrier for routes 103/104 allowing them to exit the station alongside the railway line & out onto the Alfie Byrne Road. Around this same time, Eastpoint Business Park was opening over at East Wall & eventually a private shuttle bus services was launched between the station & Eastpoint with Hayden's Coaches of Killester.
At the same time, circular route 101 was discontinued & the Omnlink route 300, using the strange Mazda CVE Omni's was canceled entirely.
Initially, the 103/104 services departed from Clontarf, the 103 every 15 minutes, the 104 roughly every hour with duties interworked. Lower than expected numbers firstly took 2 buses off the route & the timetable was reduced gradually.

Route 103/104 succumbed to Dublin Bus cutbacks in Summer 2009 & the routes were merged to form one super route 104, with the routings merged over some parts & route 103 discontinued. Route 104 would now operate from Clontarf Garage itself, this ending Dublin Bus services to Clontarf Dart Station. The new routing continued to service the Central Remedial Clinic ( CRC ), Collins Avenue at Donnycarney, Beaumont Hospital, now via Castletimon instead of Shantalla, Swords Road but no longer operating into the Omni Park ( a popular stop for Ballymun shoppers ), Dublin City University, back into Ballymun & along the old 104 routing to Cappagh Hospital.
New route 104 also heralded the end for the WV class at Clontarf, WV 17-20 were withdrawn from the Dublin Bus fleet entirely for resale, while the other batch WV41 to 46 were transferred to Donnybrook Garage for further service, displacing its 1999 batch of WV class for withdrawal.
Route 103 Update April 2009

Dublin Bus route 103 was canceled on Sunday 10th May 2009 due to poor passenger numbers.
Route 104 offers an alternative service along Clontarf, Collins Avenue, Beaumont Hospital, Swords Road, Dublin City University, Ballymun & Cappagh Hospital.

Clontarf Garage Dart Feeder Routes :

101 -  Harmonstown Dart Station - Beaumont Hospital - Priorswood
102 - Sutton Dart Station - Baldoyle - Portmarnock- Malahide
103  -  Mount Prospect Avenue - Collins Avenue - DCU - Ballymun - Finglas
Special thanks for making this feature :

Craig Berry  ( historical information )
Darren Hall ( photographs )
Sounds of the Dublin Bus WV class
Route 103 Update April 2009

Dublin Bus route 103 was canceled on Sunday 10th May 2009 due to poor passenger numbers.
Route 104 offers an alternative service along Clontarf, Collins Avenue, Beaumont Hospital, Swords Road, Dublin City University, Ballymun & Cappagh Hospital.

Clontarf Garage KC 78 was a regular performer on original route 103, seen in Ballymun ( photo Darren Hall )
Newly delivered WV 20 in traditional Dublin Bus core colours at Clontarf Dart Station ( photo Darren Hall )
Clontarf Garage WV 18 at Castle Avenue on route 103
One of the last journies of route 103 to Omni Park in May 2009
WV 18 at the Omni Park Shopping Centre, terminus for route 103 & aloso served by route 104 until May 2009
Route 103 operated from the Omni Park, via Santry Avenue, Ballymun, Collins Avenue, Shantalla Bridge, Beaumont Hospital, Kilmore Road, Vernon Avenue to Clontarf Dart
Route 103 at the old shared 103/104 terminus at Clontarf Dart Station
When route 103 was launched at Clontarf Dart Station in 2000, services were running every 15 minutes & 30 minutes off peak
Clontarf DART Station
Castle Avenue
Central Remedial Clinic
Killester
Donnycarney
Malahide Road
Kilmore Road
Whitehall Church
Beaumont Hospital
Shantalla Road
Collins Avenue
Dublin City University
Ballymun
Santry Avenue
OMNI PARK
Shopping Centre
Route
103
Clontarf DART Station
Castle Avenue
Central Remedial Clinic
Killester
Donnycarney
Malahide Road
Kilmore Road
Whitehall Church
Beaumont Hospital
Shantalla Road
Collins Avenue
Dublin City University
Ballymun
Santry Avenue
OMNI PARK
Shopping Centre
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Clontarf Garage ALX 400 AV 107 at the former terminus at Clontarf Road Dart Station in January 2009.
Clontarf Garage ALX 400 AV 107 at the former terminus at Omni Park Shopping Centre in Santry in January 2009.
Clontarf Garage Enviro400 EV 18 rests at Clontarf Dart Station in January 2009.
EV class double deckers were a rarity on route 103
Clontarf DART Station
Castle Avenue
Central Remedial Clinic
Killester
Donnycarney
Malahide Road
Kilmore Road
Whitehall Church
Beaumont Hospital
Shantalla Road
Collins Avenue
Dublin City University
Ballymun
Santry Avenue
OMNI PARK
Shopping Centre
Clontarf Garage WV 20, one of the original Volvo B6BLE's delivered to Clontarf to operate relaunched route 103 along with a new 104, WV 20 seen in Killester village enroute to Beaumont Hospital & the Omni Park shopping centre in April 2007