Bus Eireann Waterford received 2 leased Scania L94's with Wright Solar bodywork to augment its city fleet & lead to the ultimate withdrawal of minibus operation in the city.
Classified SW 1 & 2, having passed through Broadstone SW 2 entered service on route 3C from the City Centre to Browne's Road 29th July 2006. SW 1 followed into service 7th August 2006 mainly on routes 360 & 3C also.
SW 2 in allover red livery with blue & grey skirt panels is seen above at Tramore on Saturday 12th August 2006.
SW 2 is seen on the city quays in Waterford having operated the busy route 360 from Tramore to Waterford.
There is no scrolls fitted to SW 2, so its back to basics with paper strips on the front windscreen. SW 2 usually operated route 360 which operates every 30 minutes & has also operated on city route 3C.
Interior of SW2.
The bus is spotless, with high backed seating, manual wheelchair ramp & plenty of handrails.
The Scania is smooth in both city traffic & along the busy Tramore Road.
Rear view of SW 2 at the Tramore. Bus Eireann have an extensive bus park in Tramore, also known as " The Cove " probably once crowded in the years before cheap package holidays to Europe. Now only the 30 minute frequency route 360 terminates here before heading back to Waterford & route 364 from Dungarvan to Waterford also passes the stop.
The rear logo on SW 2 seems to have been applied at speed & is ready to take off !!!.
SW 2 is seen at the impressive bus terminal in Waterford along the quayside with individual forward facing bus bays, shelter & ticket office with shop & toilet facilities.
SW 2 is seen along DPC 2, a Plaxton Pointer delivered to Bus Eireann in 1999, operating route 5C Farran Park.
The arrival of SW 1 & 2 will allow Waterford's 2 Mercedes Benz 811D with Leicester Carriage Builders ( ML 101 & 102 ) to migrate to school bus duties.
Currently the 2 ML's operate Waterford city service 4C to Logloss. ML 102 has already been fitted with individual seat belts for school bus duties in anticipation of its new role & will pass to Athlone soon.
SW 1 ( not featured ) & SW 2 are only leased from Scania for a few months pending the delivery of new city buses for the Bus Eireann fleet.
Having operated the 360 route Waterford - Tramore most of the day, SW 2 is seen heading down from the garage to the bus station to operate the 17.40 Waterford to Carrick-on-Suir route 367 service, again with the trusty paper sticker on the windscreen.
SW 2 at the busy summertime Tramore terminus
SW 2 heading back to Waterford from Tramore on route 360
interior of the Wright Solar SW 2
SW 2 & DPC 2 at Waterford Bus Station
Minibus ML 102 at the Logloss terminus, Waterford
Waterford Update November 2007
SW 2 ( former YL51ZUD ) is seen at Waterford Bus Station on Monday 5th November 2007 operating Bus Eireann route 360 ( Waterford to Tramore ) where is usually allocated to. Both SW 1 & 2 were fitted with front DMD's by September 2006.
SW 1 ( former S350SET )proved troublesome & returned to Broadstone Dublin after a few weeks, however SW 2 continues reliably in service at Waterford.
SW 2 was joined by 4 new Volvo B7RLE with Wright Eclipse bodies in Summer 2007, to operate city services in Waterford & gradually replace the smaller Dennis Dart DPC class. VWL 145 is seen at Waterford Bus Station operating route 3 to Waterford Institute of Technology/ Browne's Road which the new VWL class are normally allocated to.
Bus Eireann have been using their recent stocks of former Dublin Bus AD & VA classes to augment their city services in Cork, Waterford, County Dublin, Drogheda & Dundalk. AD 63. 67 & 69 were transferred to Waterford to supplement city services there, still in basic Dublin Bus livery. AD 63 & 67 are still allocated to Waterford while AD 69 a former Airlink with Dublin Bus was moved back to Broadstone in September 2007.
AD 63 & 67 also operate some school services in Waterford, as they have proved unpopular with city operations.
