Wheeling In The Years 1996 by Patrick Losty

Click on any picture for a full-size version.

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Picture 1 – January 1996 Conyngham Road’s Bombardier, KD 243 (243 OZU) photographed on Aston Quay about to set off on the route 51 to Neilstown. The chrome headlamp surrounds were unique to KD 243 and were perhaps sourced from a withdrawn Vanhool!

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Picture 2 – February 1996 Bus Eireann, Broadstone based Bombardier, KE 25, 49, 27 and 17, their 15 year service life completed await their final journey to the scrapyard. The KE class were withdrawn from service without the usual cascade to schools use.

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Picture 3 – February 1996 Aer Lingus ex. Air Inter (F-GMDE) 273 seat Airbus A330-301, EI-JFK in ‘Vacations Ireland’ livery lines up on Dublin’s runway 28. JFK was painted into the new Aer Lingus livery by summer 1996. Notice the Delta Lockheed Tristar and Air Inter Airbus A320 in the background.

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Picture 4 – March 1996 Conyngham Road’s brand new Volvo B10-B, Alexander-bodied VA 2 (96-D-2002) parked in the garage. The batch comprised 10 buses, VA 1 (96-D-2001) to VA 10 (96-D-2010) delivered in Cityswift livery and all were based in Conyngham Road Garage.

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Picture 5 – March 1996 Donnybrook’s RA 189 (94-D-189) with hand painted super rear advertisement for ‘Xerox Colour’. Within a year pre-printed self adhesive super rear adverts appeared thus the ending of the labour intensive manually painted adverts. The first pre-printed super rears were for 98FM. In the background, AD, KC, KD, RA, RH type buses can be seen.

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Picture 6 – March 1996 Irish Naval Service ‘LE Orla’ berthed at Dublin’s City Quay. ‘LE Orla’ is a high speed coastal patrol vessel equipped with a 76mm OTO Melara compact gun which was formerly the ‘HMS Swift’ tasked with patrolling the waters around Hong Kong, it was purchased by the Irish State in 1988.

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Picture 7 – March 1996 An Post issued a first day cover (FDC) to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Irish Naval Service (1946 – 1996). The Irish Navy was established in 1939 as a result of the outbreak of World War II and became the Irish Naval Service and part of the permanent defence forces in 1946. Another FDC was issued to coincide with the Summer Olympics/Paralympics Games held in Atlanta, USA in 1996.

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Picture 8 – March 1996 Donnybrook’s RH 93 (91-D-1093) in newly applied ‘Whirlpool Home Appliances’ AOA (All Over Advertisement) livery.

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Picture 9 – March 1996 Driver, Ron Doyle and conductor Jimmy Keogh photographed in front of Phibsboro based, Bombardier, KD 207 (207 OZU) at the then new terminus of the route 22 at Ashington off the Navan Road.

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Picture 10 – April 1996 Ex. Summerhill based Mazda engined CVE Omni, W5, (94-D-29005), wheel chair accessible minibus photographed withdrawn from service and in storage at Broadstone. There were 5 Ws in total and were registered 94-D-29001 to 94-D-29005.

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Picture 11 – April 1996 Donnybrook’s AD 33 (94-D-3033) in basic Cityswift livery photographed in Hawkins Street operating the route 62 to Kilmacud.

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Picture 12 – April 1996 Donnybrooks’s brand new RA 259 (96-D-259) loads up with passengers at the route 46A terminus on Fleet Street. Donnybrook received the first batch of the year 1996 RA deliveries, RA 256 (96-D-256) to RA 263 (96-D-263), all in Cityswift livery.

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Picture 13 – April 1996 A nearside view of Donnybrook’s RH 143 (92-D-143) in ‘AIB Bank’ AOA livery. This bus was marked in on the route 18 (Sandymount – Palmerstown).

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Picture 14 – April 1996 Summerhill’s KC 2 (ASI 2) northbound on the route 16A photographed outside the Dublin Bus Head Office on O’Connell Street.

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Picture 15 – April 1996 Clontarf’s Mercedes 709D, Eurocoach, ME 53 (95-D-33053) photographed at the route 130 terminus on Abbey Street. The route 30 and 44A had just been merged into the new minibus City Imp route 130.

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Picture 16 – April 1996 Clontarf’s GAC, KC 40 (ZSI 40) photographed loading up at the route 28 terminus on Abbey Street, destination Edenmore.

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Picture 17 - April 1996 Leyland Leopard MG 205 (205 IK) photographed in Busarus. The MG prefix indicated that the original Leyland engine had been replaced with a General Motors engine. There were a total of 213 Ms delivered between 1971 and 1974, M 1 – M 213, (1 IK – 213 IK). M 194 – M 213 were delivered new as coaches and did not have front destination boxes and this allowed the fitment of high front windscreens as demonstrated in the picture of MG 205.

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Picture 18 - April 1996 Conyngham Road’s new Volvo B10-B, Alexander-bodied VA 1 (96-D-2001) at the route 66A terminus on Abbey Street, destination: River Forest, Leixlip.

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Picture 19 - May 1996 Conyngham Road’s, General Motors powered, Hamburg built Bombardier prototype single deck, KC 1 (1 BZI) and Shannon built Bombardier, KD 67 (67 JZL) await their final journey to the scrapyard.

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Picture 20 – April 1996 Aer Lingus unveiled a new corporate livery in early 1996 as seen in picture of 1990 vintage, 110 seat, BAe 146-300, EI-CLJ. The previous livery can be seen on Boeing 737-448 in the background.

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Picture 21 – June 1996 Gary Manahan’s restored 1965 vintage Leyland Leopard, C 26 (EZH 26) in original cherry red with ivory roof livery. There were 190 short C’s (30 foot length), C 1 – C 190 (EZH 1 to EZH 190). The long C’s (36 foot length) were C 191 – C 270 (EZH 191 to NZL 270).

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Picture 22 – June 1996 Gary Manahan’s 1972 vintage ex. Donnybrook Garage, Leyland, Atlantean, DF 415 (415 ZD) was restored to original CIE navy/cream livery during May 1996. The day after this picture was taken, 415 boarded the ferry for England where it participated in the ‘Leyland 100’ rally celebrating 100 years of Leyland produced vehicles.

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Picture 23 – June 1996 Bus Eireann, brand new Volvo B10M-62, Caetano Algarve, VC 30 (96-D-27482) in overall grey Super Coach livery.

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Picture 24 – June 1996 Bus Eireann, ex. Conway Coaches, Limerick, Leyland Tiger, Duple Laser 2, DL 1 (85-LK-104) had received improvised PD/PL style lights/indicators and bumper section as demonstrated in this June 1996 picture.

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Picture 25 – June 1996 Ringend’s RH 106 (91-D-10106) photographed in the garage in newly applied “Chef Tomato Ketchup” AOA livery. This ‘Chef ‘AOA advert may have been a response to the August 1995 entry into service of Phibsboro’s RH 123 in ‘Heinz Tomato Ketchup’ AOA livery.

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Picture 26 – June 1996 Donnybrooks’s brand new RA 283 (96-D-283) photographed in the garage. RA 283 was numerically the last RA received in their 2nd 1996 batch, RA 278 (96-D-278) to RA 283 (96-D-283), all were in Cityswift livery.

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Picture 27 – June 1996 RA 283 top deck showing the individual style seating, the gangway was covered in a protective paper covering.

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Picture 28 – June 1996 Donnybrook’s Volvo Olympian, RA 176 (94-D-176) in newly applied ‘Ireland – European Community Presidency July 1996 – December 1996’ AOA livery. The silver wheel rims were painted black so as to blend in with the overall navy livery.

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Picture 29 – June 1996 Phibsboro’s RH 39 (90-D-1039) in wedding livery was used in the ‘1996 Driver of the Year’ competition, Phibsboro’s other wedding bus RH 3 (90-D-1003) can be seen in the background.

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Picture 30 – June 1996 Ex. Clontarf, Bombardier, KD 20 (20 JZL) and ex. Conyngham Road, Atlantean AN68, Vanhool, DF 802 (802 BIK) in Driving School livery photographed in Phibsboro Garage. During 1996 the Vanhools were withdrawn and replaced by Bombardier KDs.

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Picture 31 – June 1996 Ringsend’s brand new RA 286 (96-D-286) photographed in the garage. Ringsend received the batch, RA 284 (96-D-284) to RA 298 (96-D-298), all in Cityswift livery.

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Picture 32 – June 1996 Ex. Ringsend, Bombardier, KD 254, (254 OZU) parked in Broadstone awaits its final journey. KD 254 was most likely withdrawn as a result of the entry to service of Ringsend’s RA 284 – RA 298 batch.

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Picture 33 - June 1996 Phibsboro’s RH 125 (91-D-10125) photographed in the garage in newly applied “Kiwi Fruit” AOA livery. In 1992, RH 125 had been painted into partial ‘98FM’ AOA livery.

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Picture 34 – August 1996 Bus Eireann, brand new, unregistered, Volvo B10M-62, Plaxton Premiere 350, VP 33 (96-D-42487) photographed in Broadstone. VP 33 was part of a batch of 25 coaches taken on a three year lease delivered new in 1996, VP 11 (96-D-25727) to VP 35 (96-D-42478). They joined the batch of 10 VPs delivered new in 1995, VP 1 to VP 10, also on a three year lease.

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Picture 35 – August 1996 Donnybrook’s Leyland Olympian, RH 85 (91-D-1085) in newly applied ‘Fruitfield – Little Chip Marmalade’ AOA livery.

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Picture 36 – August 1996 Front and back cover of 1996 Dublin Bus Timetable, also demonstrated is the Dublin Bus ‘Local Service Guide’ for Blanchardstown, Castleknock area, these handy guides were delivered citywide to houses in the catchment area of relevant bus routes.

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Picture 37 – August 1996 ‘The Millennium Clock’ immersed in the River Liffey just upstream from O’Connell Bridge. The clock was placed in the river in early 1996 and was intended to count down the number of hours, minutes to the new millennium - year 2000 but alas due to visibility issues it was removed after just nine months. Conyngham Road’s wedding liveried RA 228 or 229 on the route 66 plus Phibsboro’s ex. Clontarf RH 163 on the 37 and an ME on the route 134 can be seen on Bachelors Walk.

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Picture 38 – August 1996 Conyngham Road’s DAF SB220, Alexander Setanta, AD 29 (94-D-3029) in newly applied ‘Stationlink’ livery/branding photographed on Aston Quay operating the route 90 from Connolly Station to Heuston Station.

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Picture 39 – August 1996 Clontarf’s new RA 271 (96-D-271) photographed inbound on the route 27. Clontarf received the batch, RA 264 (96-D-264) to RA 277 (96-D-277), all in Cityswift livery.

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Picture 40 – August 1996 Clontarf’s KD 23 (23 JZL) at the route 42B terminus at Blunden Drive, Coolock.

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Picture 41 – August 1994 Aer Lingus leased 1974 vintage, 393 seat, Lockheed Tristar 100, G-BBAF from Caledonian Airways during summer 1996.

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Picture 42 – August 1996 Conyngham Road’s just withdrawn from service KD 115 (115 JZL) was utilised as a commentary platform at the 1996 Phoenix Park Motor Races.

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Picture 43 – August 1996 Conyngham Road’s brand new Volvo Olympian, RA 302 (96-D-302) photographed parked in Abbey Street. Conyngham Road received the batch RA 299 – RA 314, (96-D-299 to 96-D-314), all in green livery. Summerhill received the batch RA 315 – RA 325 (96-D-315 to 96-D-325) all in Cityswift livery bringing to a close the year 1996/RA deliveries, the RV class commenced in 1997 with Donnybrook’s RV 326.

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Picture 44 – September 1996 Conyngham Road’s DAF SB220, Alexander Setanta, AD 28 (94-D-3028) about to set off on the route 25A from Abbey Street to Lucan.

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Picture 45 – September 1996 Conyngham Road’s brand new Volvo Olympian, RA 309 (96-D-309) picking up passengers for the route 26 to Palmerstown, in September 2000, RA 309 was destroyed by fire at the Liffey Valley Shopping Centre.

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Picture 46 – November 1996 Citybus Hong Kong, air conditioned, Leyland Olympian, Alexander, 10.4m tri-axle bus, FS 3544 (233), parked at the Stanley terminus of the route 1, thirty three of the type were purchased for use on Hong Kong Island routes.

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Picture 47 – November 1996 A view of the ramp and runway taken from the multi storey car park of the world famous Hong Kong, Kai Tak Airport. In the photograph Korean Air, Boeing 747-2B5B (HL 7463) and Thai MD-11 move about the ramp while new to Cathay Pacific fleet Airbus A330-342 is about to land on runway 13. Kai Tak remained operational until 6 July 1998 when after 73 years of service, operations moved to the new Hong Kong Airport at Chep Lap Kok on Lantau Island.

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Picture 48 – December 1996 Clontarf’s KD 23 (23 JZL) withdrawn and stripped of parts photographed in Broadstone, notice the advert for Marks & Spencer’s new Grafton Street store grand opening on 27/09/96 (formerly the location of Brown Thomas). See picture above of KD 23 operating the route 42B just four months previously in August 1996.

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Picture 49 – December 1996 Bus Eireann, Volvo B10-B, Wright Endurance bodied VW 1 (97-C-809) photographed brand new and unregistered in Broadstone. There were nine buses in the batch and were registered VW 1 (97-C-809) to VW 9 (97-L-425), seven to Cork and two to Limerick.

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Picture 50 – December 1996 Ringsend’s RA 208 (95-D-208) full wrap ‘Heineken Rhythm Guide’ AOA livery photographed at the route 15B terminus on College Green. RA 208 was second Dublin Bus vehicle in full wrap self adhesive covering, the first to be done (February 1988) was Donnybrook’s ex. Cork, Vanhool, D 724 which was an AOA for ‘CIE Outdoor Advertising’.

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Thanks also to Robert Clark for providing additional technical information

We hope you enjoyed this look back at 1996!
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