Photo of the Week - Week 41:
Donnybrook's EV97 is seen at the 84/A Blackrock terminus at Temple Road on the 3rd September 2012.
After 16.5 years, Route 84A returned to Donnybrook garage. It was reintroduced on the 9th June 2012, as part of a reorganisation of Bray based services that saw the 84 rerouted away from UCD to a new terminus at Blackrock in compenstation for the withdrawal of Route 45 (see here). The 84 runs every hour Monday-Friday, Route 84A being then used as extras between Bray Station and Blackrock, giving a combined service of every 30mins in the eving peak and approximately every 20mins in the morning peak. The 84A, like the 84, is a Bray garage based route, an outstation of Donnybrook garage.
Cherrywood's new route, Route 84A, is seen at the Cherrywood roundabout on the 3rd September 2012.
The original Route 84A was a designation for short 84s between Bray and Greystones, similar to the current short 33s being designated 33A. In the early 90s, the 84 was reorganised, leading to all services to Willow Grove, then onto Kilpeddar, becoming Route 84A to Bray only, whereas the 84 went only to Kilcoole or Newcastle. It lasted a few years in this form until December 1995, when a minibus network was introduced in Bray. The 84A was redesignated Route 184 during these changes, along with the introduction of Route 145 as a Bray local. In its current guise as a cross-city services, Route 145 is one of busiest routes on the network.
Donnybrook's EV32 is seen operating the 0735 ex Bray Route 84A to St. Vincent's Hospital on the 3rd September 2012. The extension to St. Vincent's Hospital is for the convenience of schoolchildren that formerly travelled on Route 45 beyond Blackrock. This departure then heads back to Donnybrook depot, usually for a vehicle transfer, which on the 3rd September was EV97 above. This then departs St. Vincent's Hospital at 0950 before departing Blackrock at 1010 when EV97 was spotted above.