Photo of the Week - Week 23:
Former Harristown RV630 is seen operating Route 237 at the Blanchardstown N3 Interchange on the route's last month of service on the 2nd October 2010.
The more eagle-eyed viewers may have noted that we are only on Week 23 according to the title, yet given we are more than half-way through the year, there should be at least 26. For this reason, expect some quick-fire updates over the next two weeks. They'll focus on the Blanchardstown local services, with four individual features on the 237, 238, 239 and 270, before all are put in together with the 250 and 236 into a full feature. The first we look at is circular Route 237.
Route 237 was probably the least interesting of all the routes in terms of routing variations. It only ever had one. It also was the least busy, often seen completely empty. It was introduced the day that the Blanchardstown Centre opened, the 16th October 1996. Unusually, this was a Wednesday. Operated by minibuses ut of Phibsborough depots it was interworked with Routes 238 and 239. Its routing was as follows:
Blanchardstown Shopping Centre (South Road - Terminus outside Plex, then West, and North Road (stopping at PC World)), Blanchardstown Main Street, Navan Road, Auburn Avenue, Castleknock Road, Laurel Lodge Road, Coolmine Road, Clonsilla Road, Clonsilla Industrial Estate, Blanchardstown Road South, Blanhardstown Shopping Centre (South Road).
Other than a change of termini to the West Road (terminating on the retail park side and then picking up at the Centre side as shown in photo below) in November 2006, the introduction of a Sunday service and a number of class changes, initially to WV-class, then RV-class double-deckers, the 237 had limited changes over the years. The 237 was withdrawn on the 30th October 2010. It was meant to be replaced by Route 37, which would link Laurel Lodge and Castleknock with Blanchardstown Centre. However, due to license issues relating to the competing Urbus service, Route 37 was not extended to Blanchardstown Centre until the 17th April 2011, leaving about 6 months of no Dublin Bus service between these locations.
RV587 is seen at Blanchardstown Centre loading a Route 237 circular service via Castleknock back to Blanchardstown Centre on the 25th June 2010.