I am posting the July and August 40 years records a bit early, due to the risk of overlooking them in the summer spirit!
July started with some new Ds into service. New this month were D192/3/4 (seen 1st, 2nd); D186 (4th); D190 (5th); D191/5/6/7/8 (15th to 18th) - the largest number of new buses for some time. I also recorded some withdrawals in July. These were R360 348 366 385 396 371/3/6/8. These were mostly Boltons and all Donnybrook buses that has given 20 years service, and they were directly replaced in Donnybrook by the Ds. As the Ds up to 200 went into service, the Donnybrook part of routes 4/9/10 were converted (Conyngham Road part of the 10 would be converted in October/November by D209 - 218, the last single door Ds). Note that the R370s withdrawn would have been regulars on the 10.
14th July was Inchicore Works open day. In those days, anyone could go, so it was a must as an outing for young transport enthusiasts. I noted being in the cabs of A30, B114, B185, C205, D303, E404, G616 and K801. Also was in the state coach, and had a five minute trip pulled by steam loco 184. Bus interest was AR292 in its orange and white livery as the works bus. This took me by surprise, I was obviously not aware of its existence and location! I travelled to Inchicore on R736 (probably on the 21) and came back on RA140 (probably 78).
A friend of mine who worked in St. Stephen's Green and lived in Donnybrook had an unusual way of getting home from work those days. He used to get the St. Kevin's Glendalough bus! He was so fed up of the 10s always passing full in the evening that he chanced it one day and got to know the crew well, and became a regular. So I accompanied him twice in July 1968 - once on ECK608 (17th), and on ERN720 on 23rd. These were the regular ex-Ribble buses used on this service. My return journeys from Donnybrook to city were on R312 and R424.
On 9th July, I saw R427 being towed by towcar P193 from Conyngham Road to Broadstone. Most buses went there under their own power, but R427 had been cannibalised. It was in green livery, and as stated before (see April and reference to R284) I am not sure when it was withdrawn from service, but probably in April.
Buses noted as overhauled in July were R684 774 589 756 731 805 590 546 718 714 721 559 591 RA1 3 4 41 82 65.
As I write this, I cannot but notice one point that never crossed my mind before. I was always wondering why Rs sent to provinces in 1968 were picked at random rather than in batches. Now I understand. They picked buses that had just been overhauled. That made sense, as in those days provincial buses were brought to Spa Rd. in Dublin every three years for an overhaul and repaint. So R714 731 756 and 805 were all selected out of sequence to go to Cork, clearly because they had all recently been overhauled. They all did go back into service in their Dublin garages first, though, before they moved to Cork.
July started with some new Ds into service. New this month were D192/3/4 (seen 1st, 2nd); D186 (4th); D190 (5th); D191/5/6/7/8 (15th to 18th) - the largest number of new buses for some time. I also recorded some withdrawals in July. These were R360 348 366 385 396 371/3/6/8. These were mostly Boltons and all Donnybrook buses that has given 20 years service, and they were directly replaced in Donnybrook by the Ds. As the Ds up to 200 went into service, the Donnybrook part of routes 4/9/10 were converted (Conyngham Road part of the 10 would be converted in October/November by D209 - 218, the last single door Ds). Note that the R370s withdrawn would have been regulars on the 10.
14th July was Inchicore Works open day. In those days, anyone could go, so it was a must as an outing for young transport enthusiasts. I noted being in the cabs of A30, B114, B185, C205, D303, E404, G616 and K801. Also was in the state coach, and had a five minute trip pulled by steam loco 184. Bus interest was AR292 in its orange and white livery as the works bus. This took me by surprise, I was obviously not aware of its existence and location! I travelled to Inchicore on R736 (probably on the 21) and came back on RA140 (probably 78).
A friend of mine who worked in St. Stephen's Green and lived in Donnybrook had an unusual way of getting home from work those days. He used to get the St. Kevin's Glendalough bus! He was so fed up of the 10s always passing full in the evening that he chanced it one day and got to know the crew well, and became a regular. So I accompanied him twice in July 1968 - once on ECK608 (17th), and on ERN720 on 23rd. These were the regular ex-Ribble buses used on this service. My return journeys from Donnybrook to city were on R312 and R424.
On 9th July, I saw R427 being towed by towcar P193 from Conyngham Road to Broadstone. Most buses went there under their own power, but R427 had been cannibalised. It was in green livery, and as stated before (see April and reference to R284) I am not sure when it was withdrawn from service, but probably in April.
Buses noted as overhauled in July were R684 774 589 756 731 805 590 546 718 714 721 559 591 RA1 3 4 41 82 65.
As I write this, I cannot but notice one point that never crossed my mind before. I was always wondering why Rs sent to provinces in 1968 were picked at random rather than in batches. Now I understand. They picked buses that had just been overhauled. That made sense, as in those days provincial buses were brought to Spa Rd. in Dublin every three years for an overhaul and repaint. So R714 731 756 and 805 were all selected out of sequence to go to Cork, clearly because they had all recently been overhauled. They all did go back into service in their Dublin garages first, though, before they moved to Cork.
