Photo of the Week - Week 52:


Donnybrook's Enviro 500 bodied Volvo B9TL, VT32, is seen at the Merrion Square Terminus of Route 45 awaiting instruction to operate on the 4th November 2011.

Well its the last photo of the week of the year and its also Christmas, so this weeks update has to be special. And I think this fits the bill. The 26th October saw record levels of rainfall in just over a few hours over Dublin. By the 28th it was noted that structural damage had been caused to the Dodder Bridge at Lansdowne Road which closed the Dart Line between Pearse and Booterstown. This lead to capacity problems on the Rock Road corridor, none more so than on the 4th November when a packed Aviva stadium saw Leinster vs. Munster.

To compensate Donnybrook allocated some extra universals to the Rock Road, mostly operated by VT-class buses. The majority operated inbound, displaying Trinity College in big writing, a nice added scroll from the Obama visit. VT32 was the only VT to operate outbound, initially to Blackrock village only which would have allowed for a connection to the DART. This was subsequently changed and VT32 operated all the way to Monkstown Avenue as a 4, a Donnybrook VT on a Harristown Route.


VT32 is seen at the Monkstown Avenue terminus having just finished its service from Merrion Square on the 4th November 2011.

The original plan would have seen VT32 operate back to the city as a 4, however due to problems on the Rock Road corridor caused by the match, VT32 was sent up to Loughlinstown Park to operate the last 7 inbound at 2330. VT's have been noted on the 7 before, namely on match days, however a night shot of a VT in Louglinstown Park is a rare beast.


VT32 at the Loughlinstown Park terminus of Route 7 on the 4th November 2011 awaiting its 2330 departure to the city.

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