Photo of the Week - Week 39:
Broadstone's Alexander ALX400-bodied Volvo B7TL, AV170, is seen at its final stop at Louisa Bridge on an evening Route 66X departure on the 6th August 2010.
This week's Photo of the Week takes in one of the more interesting vehicles in the fleet, AV170. Dublinbusstuff ventured out on the 1655 66X departure to Louisa Bridge on the 6th August 2010. The role of this service is to share the load of the 1700 66X service to Straffan Road, these being the first Xpresso services to Leixlip in the evening peak. After terminating at Louisa Bridge, the bus continues on to the Intel Roundabout to turn, before operating the 1755 service from Louisa Bridge to the city.
AV170 might externally look like any other flat-screened ALX400 but its internally that it has one major difference. AV170 has two wheelchair spaces, one in the normal position after the front wheelarch, the second behind the stairs. This removes two bench seats, downgrading the capacity of the bus by 3. In this regard it is unique in the Dublin Bus fleet, however one wonders whether the maximum one buggy/wheelchair still applies with this vehicle....
An internal shot of AV170 showing the second wheelchair bay.
An second interior shot of AV170 showing that two seats have been removed to accomodate the extra wheelchair space.