Dublin Bus AV400, Batchelors Walk Dublin, 21-04-2018

AV400-2018_04210066 An AV Class is seen on layover on Batchelors Walk. This type has suffered heavy withdrawls recently as the SG class have arrived, and this one may not be long with Dublin Bus.

Dualway 00-D-70101, O'Connell St Dublin, 21-04-2018

20000D 070101-2018_04210030 Another ex Dublin Bus Volvo / Alexander is seen i City Sightseeing livery with Dualway. The early Dublin batches had the standard Alexander screen as seen here; pressure from Dublin Bus to reduce interior reflection resulted in the almost BET style curved and raked screens as seen on the AX class featured in this album. While Dublin Bus tours start outside their head office on the northbound side, both Dualway / City Sightseeing and Cityscape use stops across the road on the south side, as seen here.

Dualway 00-D-70101, O'Connell St Dublin, 21-04-2018

20000D 070101-2018_04210031 A closer portrait of the former Dublin Bus as it waits for the next load of passengers to enjoy an open top tour on a rare day in Ireland when this would be a real pleasure and not require an umbrella!

Dualway 00-D-40100,O'Connell St Dublin, 21-04-2018

20000D 040100-2018_04210027 Former Dublin Bus AV100 is now with Dualway, and operates on services which compete against its former owner. The City Sightseeing brand had global reconiton, and Dualway use it on a franchise basis.

Olympian Rears, Dún Laoghaire Harbour, 28-10-2017

2017_10280050 Three Olympians (and a Volvo!).

Executive Express 99-D-475, Dún Laoghaire Harbour, 28-10-2017

19990D 000475-2017_10280040 Still in service is this Volvo Olympian, seen on display at the rally.

Dualway 01-D-10228, Parkgate St Dublin, 28-10-2017

20010D 010228-2017_10280102 The old order. Ex Dublin Bus AV228 is seen in service with Dualway on their tour.

Dublin Mini Coach 02-D-20269, Dún Laoghaire Harbour, 28-10-2017

20020D 020269-2017_10280024 There has been a rise in "themed" tours of late. Although Dublin Bus have run Ghost Tours for some years, the centenary of the 1916 Rising in Dublin sparked several conversions, from Mercedes-Benz midis disguised as armoured cars, to deckers with apprpriate internal alterations. This has continued, and there are now several such themede tours avaiable form different operators. Former Dublin Bus AV269 has been converted to reflect the Famine, with the lower deck depicting a "typical" Irish country dwelling of the time, and the upper deck decorated accordingly.

Dualway 01-D-10227, O'Connell St Dublin, 21-09-2017

20010D 010227-2017_09210019 Dualway operate several former Dublin Bus deckers on sightseeing work, including this example. The former AV277 is seen heading north towards teh GPO on O'Connell St.

Dublin Bus AV65, O'Connell St Dublin, 21-09-2017

AV065-2017_09210010 The first time I've seen the new Dublin Bus tour livery in the flesh, I remain to be convinced; although I accept it is cheaper to apply than earlier schemes, the problem is it looks it! One of the older vehicles in the fleet, how long it will remain as newer buses are cascaded onto tour work remians to be seen.

James's Coaches 02-D-20260, Ballymaken Portlaoise, 04-09-2017

20020D 0202060-2017_09040054 Also operating on behalf of Marathon Coach Travel, this Celbridge based former Dublin Bus Volvo heads for the capital. It looked like all the passengers were upstairs, with the lower saloon filled with luggage!

Bluebird 00-D-40047, Ballymaken Portlaoise, 01-09-2017

20000D 040047-2017_09010068 Rear view of the former Dublin Bus decker as it queues for Ballymaken island.

Bluebird 00-D-40047, Ballymaken Portlaoise, 01-09-2017

20000D 040047-2017_09010067 One of the highlights of the morning was former Dublin Bus AV47, now with Bluebird Coaches of Coolock. IT is seen in the queue of traffic heading away from Stradbally.

Lowes Coaches N701LTN, Mount St Nottingham, 25-07-2017

N701LTN-2017_07250024 The first welcome surprise of the day was this former Stagecoach Olympian, new to Busways as their 701. Now barred from local services thanks to accessibility regulations, it finds work on schools, the 645 being a service to Kimberley Comp - a school I used to organise the buses for a rather long time ago!

Dualway 00-D-70136, O'Connell St Dublin, 31-10-2016

20000D 070136-2016_10310095 Dualway do still use some secondhand conversions. This ex Dublin Bus example shows the standard screen arrangement on the type, which Dublin Bus had replaced with a curved and tilted screen on later examples to reduce internal reflections for the drivers at night.

Dublin Bus AV428, O'Connell St Dublin, 31-10-2016

AV428-2016_10310093 A closer portrait of the AV Class. As can be seen from the motion blur and camera settings, it really was getting quite dark at this stage :)

Dublin Bus AV428, O'Connell St Dublin, 31-10-2016

AV428-2016_10310092 A southbound service 16 makes its way from Dublin Airport to Ballinteer, passing the Spire on O'Connell St. This route group appears not to be favoured - I seem to recall it was one of the last to retain step-entrance Olympians.

Dublin Bus AV338, O'Connell St Dublin, 31-10-2016

AV338-2016_10310067 One of the older buses still in service, this Volvo is seen on a southbound working of the long cross city service from Dublin Airport to Ballinteer.

Carrig Coaches 90-D-1011, Henry St Limerick, 1-10-2016

19900D 001011-2016_10120039 A rather older double decker! Former Dublin Bus Leyland Olympian still proudly carries it's manufacturers name. It is seen on a sightseeing tour operating under the Red Viking ours name. The bus has also spent time with Dualway, Rathcoole before arriving here.

Dublin Bus AV26, Parkgate St Dublin, 25-07-2016

AV026-2016_07250140 A more side on view as the elderly AV departs Parkgate St for Maynooth. Most of its contemporaries are long gone, with a few remaining in the tour fleets of Dublin Bus or its competitors. Chassis Builder : Chassis Type : Chassis No : Body Builder : Body Style : Body No : Seating :

Dublin Bus AV26, Parkgate St Dublin, 25-07-2016

AV026-2016_07250139 Coming back from Dún Laoghaire, we chose to alight from the DART at Pearse and get the bus rather than brave the scrum that is the LUAS. We were rewarded with this aged AV Class, one of the oldest buses still in regular service with Dublin Bus, operating a 66 to Maynooth. Chassis Builder : Chassis Type : Chassis No : Body Builder : Body Style : Body No : Seating :

Dublin Bus AV239, Amiens St Dublin, 25-07-2016

AV239-2016_07250020 Hopefully the locals know which part of Dublin Castle Avenue is located in! An elderly AV Class heads north from Dublin city centre. Chassis Builder : Chassis Type : Chassis No : Body Builder : Body Style : Body No : Seating :

Dualway 00-D-40035, Parnell Square West, 25-07-2016

20000D 040035-2016_07250005 With Gray Line and Citysightseeing branding, this former Dublin Bus decker is seen in its secong life as an open top tourer with Dualway. Chassis Builder : Chassis Type : Chassis No : Body Builder : Body Style : Body No : Seating :

Dublin Bus AV362, Store St Dublin, 23-07-2016

AV362-2016_07230090 Foot passengers for the ferries can no longer get the train to Dún Laoghaire for the boat with the tansfer to Dublin Port of all services. Various buses therefore run to the port to connect with both the Stena Line and Irish Ferries sailings. Dublin Bus' offering is the 53B, a variant of the regular 53 to the docks area.

Stagecoach East Midland 339, Victoria Bus Station Nottingham

339 stands at bay 25 (yes, 25!) at Victoria Bus Station with a Sunday 63 working to Church Warsop. A standard long wheelbase Olympian, this is a coach seated example used on the longer interurban routes. At this time local identities were still prominent, and the Stagecoach name relatively discreet - although the same cannot be said for the stripes! Chassis Builder : Leyland Chassis Type : Olympian ONLXB/2RZ Chassis No : ON11192 Body Builder : Alexander Body Style : RL Type Body No : RL51/989/11 Seating : CH51/31F SCN2016-04-04-0018

East Midland 39, Mansfield Depot

039-SCN2016-04-06-0008 Somewhat confused branding is seen on this Alexander TE bodied Tiger. The bodysides promote the long cross Pennine Lincman route, which used to run from Lincoln to Manchester. However the vinyls on the windows are for the X1 Sheffield - Nottingham service. Chassis Builder : Leyland Chassis Type : Tiger TRCTL11/2R Chassis No : 83000911 Body Builder : Alexander Body Style : TE Body No : 13TE/2283/1 Seating : C49F

Dunn Line OGM600M, Sherwood Forest Visitor Centre Edwinstowe

The Alexander Y-Type was long lived, and arguably aged better than ECW products. Here a Leopard is seen being operated by Dunn Line, an operator with a varied reputation! One of the founders sons is still operating today, the legal name of Your Bus being Dunn Motor Traction Ltd. The bus was new to Central SMT, and later returned to Scotland to be operated by McEwans of Dumfries. Chassis Builder : Leyland Chassis Type : Leopard PSU3/3R Chassis No : 7304813 Body Builder : Alexander Body Style : Y Type Body No : 56AYS/1773/4 Seating : B53F SCN2016-04-06-0004

Nottingham Heritage Vehicles N769WRC, Hucknall Bus Depot, 10-01-2016

N769WRC-2016_01100019 Former NCT 769 is seen undergoing serious restoration. The advantages of the depot are clear - pits to get underneath, a roof so you don't have to uncover and recover the work at the start and end of every session, and decent lighting. Kudos to the charity for grasping the advantage, and to Wellglade for having the foresight to come to the table. It would have been so much less hassle to sell the site for housing.

NCT 381, Trinity Square Nottingham, 07-1990

381-1990_07000003 Seen in Trinity Square on service 19 to Bestwood Park via Hucknall Road, this Scania shows that Nottingham has finally succumbed to standard designs. Scanned from an original slide. Chassis Builder : Chassis Type : Chassis No : Body Builder : Body Style : Body No : Seating :