Dublin Bus operates high frequency route 10 from the Phoenix Park through Phibsboro & the City Centre to University College Dublin at Belfield Campus.
This cross city is incredible busy serving many areas & very popular with students at UCD.
Here is a feature on route 10 using Dublin Bus Phibsboro Garage AX 581, a Volvo B7TL double decker, typically allocated to the route...
Dublin Bus route 10 operates from the Phoenix Park, home to Dublin Zoo & Áras an Uachtaráin ( the home of the President of Ireland ). Heading southbound along the North Circular Road, lined with fine Georgian houses now considerably converted into flats, route 10 passes through busy Phibsboro, firstly St Peters Church & then the bustling shopping & commercial area. Further along the route, it passes the Mater Hospital which has been in situ for over 150 years & well known by Dubliner's, most who have passed through its doors at some stage.
Route 10 cuts right through Dublin City Centre, from Parnell Square, O' Connell Street, Westmoreland/ D' Olier Streets, Trinity College & Nassau Street. Its also a popular pick up/ set down for commuters heading for Saint Stephens Green.
Passing through Baggot Street, route 10 heads up Waterloo Road, terminus for the various peak time Dublin Bus Xpresso routes, offering handy parking for the various routes. Turning left off Waterloo Road, route 10 heads into Donnybrook Village, also served by another high frequency route, the 46A now operated by the monster tri-axle Volvo B9 VT class. After Donnybrook Church ( new terminus for the 18 route ), route 10 heads up the Stillorgan dual carriageway before turning right over the Belfield flyover & into the grounds of University College Dublin aka UCD Belfield. Belfield is also the terminus for the various peak time Xpresso routes such as the 15X, 25X, 32X, 37X, 39X, 41X, 49X, 50X, 66X & 77X. Normal routes 2/3 & 17 also service the campus.
Hanover displays have recently revised their dot matrix number display, changing the format from 20 x 9 to 20 x 11 dots & this gives a different style displayed for the AX's delivered to Dublin Bus in 2006. As old units are replaced, new 20 x 11 versions are installed as the older 20 x 9 is now longer supplied by Hanover.
Interior view of AX 581, wheelchair/ buggy area to the right, with the " ball & seal " blue seating trim, CCTV & yellow grab rails.
In kneeling position, the Volvo B7TL is just 25 centimeters from ground level, while in drive mode 32 cms, using independent front suspension. The innovation of a stepless environment in the lower saloon to the wheelchair area & some seating is proving a vast improvement for commuters, particularly elderly passengers. Its also proving very successful for Dublin Bus with faster boarding/ disembarking speeds compared to the step entrance Olympian class. An automated ramp is now fitted to all Dublin Bus double deckers delivered since 2000, including the AV/ AX, VT & single decker WV class.
Finally, some background on the bus featured on this page.
AX 581 ( 06 D 30581 ), a Volvo B7TL with Alexander Dennis " ALX 400 " bodywork was delivered to Dublin Bus in 2006 & represents the last order by Dublin Bus for the ALX400 body as Alexander Dennis move to a new doubledecker design known as the Enviro400 mounted on a Volvo chassis/ engine B9TL.
Originally stored at Broadstone, as part of 100 extra Dublin Buses for the capital, AX 581 was taken from its storage & moved to nearby Phibsboro Garage in December 2006 & placed in service. At the same time, Phibsboro's AX 430 was transferred to Summerhill. which had been experiencing some problems with some of its own AX class. AX 581 continued to operate " uniquely " from Phibsboro while most of the batch were still stored at Broadstone. In the past week, AX 430 has returned from Summerhill & Phibsboro has now gained AX 582- 589.
AX 581 is seen above ( all photos ) on route 10 at Belfield Sunday 18th Feb 2007.
Dublin Bus route 66A operates from River Forest & Captains Hill in Leixlip to Dublin City Centre via Lucan & Chapelizod villages, Heuston Station & the south quays to Dublin City Centre.
Operated by Phibsboro Garage, the route operates approximately every hour seven days a week
Dublin Bus route 66A is a branch of the main route 66 bus which operates through Leixlip village & onto Maynooth & Kilcock.
The 66A offers the Glendale, River Forest & Captains Hill area's of growing Leixlip village a more localised bus service, while also adding additional capacity to the Lucan Road & N4 quality bus corridor.
Phibsboro Garage AX 581, an Alexander Dennis ALX400 with a Volvo B9 engine is seen operating route 66A in December 2008.
The turning circle & terminus at Captains Hill had recently been upgraded with kessel kerbing.
Route 66A is mostly operated by the AV/AX class of ALX400's, with some limitedworkings by the newer VG class.
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Dublin Bus AX 581 operating on route 10 shortly after introduction into service at Phibsboro Garage
Route
66A
Westmoreland St
Merrion Square
South Quays
Heuston Bridge
Parkgate Street
Chapelizod Village
Palmerstown
Lucan Road
Lucan Village
Spa Hotel
Louisa Bridge
Blakestown Cross
Leixlip Village
Captains Hill
River Forest
photo : Darren Hall
Route 66A back before the LUAS tram & the 66A terminus was on Middle Abbey Street.
VA 7, an Alexander Setanta bodied Volvo, one of 10 buses delivered to Conyngham Road Garage, originally allocated to relaunched Cityswift route 25A, photographed in Feb 1996.
Route 66A was originally operated by Conyngham Road when launched on the 14th March 1988, moving to Phibsboro Garage along with other Lucan routes.
In May 2010, Ireland hosted two state visits, firstly HRH Queen Elizabeth of England, followed a few days later to the US President Barack Obama.
Dublin Bus provided various transport logistics for both events, shuttling the various international media & security services between the different venues in the Dublin / Kildare areas.
Phibsboro's Volvo Gemini VG 8 is seen above at route 66A outer terminus at River Forrest / Captain's Hill in Leixlip. VG 8 was one of the fleet used in particular at Dublin Castle which was the media headquaters. Buses chosen for Dublin Castle were either the Wright VG type or the Alexander Dennis EV type, all fitted with " a hundred thousand welcomes " & all had been recently through a respray cycle. Given the strict security & restricted access, some of these buses had been under guard days previously. The specially designed " thousand welcomes " ads were also in Irish on some of the buses.
VG 8 at the 66A terminus at River Forrest / Captains Hill, a purpose built turning circle within the estate itself.
In February 2011, a new timetable was introuduced with customer focused friendly timetables, with departures operating at standard intervals, hourly Monday to Saturday, every 2 hours on a Sunday with additional departures at peak times.
The above photo demonstrates the specially designed " a hundred thousand welcomes to Ireland " ads, taken from the well known Irish version " Cead Mile Failte ", depicting Trinity College & the Samuel Beckett Bridge.
The " a hundred thousand welcomes " continued into the interior, with the ad boards fitted with the same designed artwork.
Side profile of the Gemini VG type, the Irish welcome ad had already been removed for a large campaign for Smirnoff vodka.
Rear adboard with the " hundred thousand welcomes ".
Phibsboro's VG awaits its departure time from Merrion Square. The Lucan Road routes have recently received updated & more informative destination displays, showing for instance that the 66A principally operates to Leixlip, with the actual terminus shown in brackets.
As well as the adboards fitted for the royal & presidential visits, some of the specially selected vehicles also received special displays for the events.
With the " President Obama " as seen above, there was also displays for The Irish National Stud, Covention Centre, Croke Park, Dublin Castle, Farmeligh, Dublin Airport, Aras an Uachtarain, Garden of Remembrance, Trinity College, Guinness Storehouse, Government Buildings, War Memorial Garden & Casemount Aerodrome.
