Photo of the Week - Week 12:
Donnybrook's Alexander ALX400 bodied Volvo B7TL, AV389, equipped with LED displays is seen at the Pearse Street terminus of Route 47 on the 29th March 2011.
The orange LED, the bane in the life of any bus enthusiast, when after chasing a VG, EV or VT on a very interesting route, you look to find that there's nothing displayed and the bus could be anything. However to make matters worse for us, there are two LED ALX400s roaming around the streets too, AV70 and AV389.
AV70 was the first to be fitted with a front LED back in the autumn of 2002, though retained its side and rear dot matrix displays (DMDs) as per its current arrangement. It was followed in early 2003 by AV77 which was equipped with a full set of front, side and rear LEDs and also RV577 was also fitted with an LED around this time.
After 6 months after being fitted AV77 lost its LEDs and went back to DMDs, however AV70 and RV577 continued on. Eventually, in late 2004, RV577 would also lose its DMD display, but as of yet AV70 still soldiers on.
It was joined in the spring of 2007 by AV389, which was retrofitted with a full set of LEDs. And currently they are the only two AVs with LEDs in the fleet. However for how long??
Dublin Bus recently issued a tender for a furthe 300 LEDs to be placed in to refurbished AV class buses. Could we see the days of a full LED display fleet. From my photographer's point of view I hope not, however from a passenger's perspective it possibly is a positive thing.
Donnybrook's original LED AV, AV70, is seen on a rare appearance on Route 14 on Parnell Square on the 31st January 2011.