Photo of the Week - Week 7:


AV362 is seen on the last day of Route 53B operation at Heuston Station on the 4th March 2017.

Route 53B is the first route casualty of the year. Hopefully in this period of economic growth we will see only new routes for the year, rather than any further losses. Route 53B, the old B&I ferry bus, ended operation on the 4th March 2017, with little fanfare, after many decades of operation. The bus was unusual, being a joint operation between Irish Ferries and Dublin Bus. Route 53B came later, from the times of the AVL system, but Route 53 and 53B were very different, the 53B being a premium transfer from the port to Bus Aras and Heuston Station. It was another of those interesting oddities that was common the Dublin Bus scene only a few years ago, but of which so few remain to this day. The NTA, streamlined services and the recent economic downturn have been the principle reasons for this. This is also the second time that Route 53B was cancelled. The original 53B operated from 1956 to 1970 from the city to North Wall (Extension Gate), via Amiens Street and Seville Place. It was one of the first buses to be converted to AOA in 1965, and like the 53A, was a home to the U-class buses.


AV362 is seen on the last day of Route

The recent allocation to Route 53B has been very consistent, with AV362 operating close to 100% of the departures since its transfer to Clontarf in October 2013, AV363 going in the other direction. DublinBusStuff caught up with AV362 around this time, and it was a feature on the site (see here). This bus was chosen due to its luggage racks, being delivered as such for operation on Route 90. The original idea had been that EV9 might possibly be equipped with luggage racks and would possibly be given an Irish Ferries AOA. Its a pity that didn't happen. Before the delivery of AV362, it was really anything that would operate the 53B, though the GTs were almost never allocated.


AV362 is seen at Bus Aras on the 53B on the last day of the route's operation on the 4th March 2017.

The morning 53B was operated by an Extra Works car, doing the 0610 from the Ferry Port at the 0700 return. It would then call control and would typically be seen on Howth Road services, possibly a partial inbound lap. The rest of departures were operated by the 2nd Uni in Clontarf, doing the 1300 from Hueston, the 1350 return, before the break. After the break, it operated the 1730 from the ferry port, returning special to the Ferry Port to do the 1925 to Bus Aras, returning at 2000 to the Ferry Port and then finished.


EV84 is seen operating Route 53B, showing the Irish Ferries destination, on North Wall Quay on the 5th May 2011.

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