In order to replace the trams on the routes to Dartry (14) and Terenure(15) and expand existing services, C.I.E. bought 100 buses from Leyland, complete with Leyland bodywork. The C.I.E. bodyshops in Spa Road, Inchicore, were fully stretched building buses chassis imported ckd. Thus this set of 100 buses were built to current Leyland specification. These buses looked different in a number of ways, particularly the front and rear destination, and the opening side windows. The became known as the “Bolton” class, as 100 similar buses were in-build in Leyland at the same time, indeed the chassis numbers of the 200 buses were in similar series.
The first four bodies were delivered in Dublin Port, and fitted on the dockside to chassis assembled in Broadstone. Later buses were delivered to Larne, and were presented at the Customs Office north of Dundalk.
The Boltons, R291 – R390 were only 26 foot long, shorter than the 27 foot 6 inch length of the Standard R, as built by C.I.E. They were painted with white ceilings, red interior and red seats, and appeared luxurious with their polished timber framing inside and distinctive square saloon lamps and chrome rear bumpers. The two upper deck rear windows in the emergency exit were square.
A single line destination featured on the front with a separate route number display. The front of the bus tapered from 8 foot to 7 foot 6 inch as it was standard for buses of both widths. C.I.E. opted for the 8 foot wide version.
Buses up to R336 entered service by mid 1948. The next buses delivered were stored in Donnybrook Garage awaiting sufficient numbers to replace the trams on the 14 and 15 routes on the same day, the 1st. November. R337 – R345 were allocated to Route 15, with R346 – R359 appearing on route 14. Their allocation to these routes was quite strict and one could set ones watch by their punctuality in those days of low traffic densities. The last few Boltons were delivered in early 1949, and to this end, we celebrate the 60th. anniversary of preserved R389 at the Transport Museum in Howth next Saturday, 24th. January.
These buses were resisted in one complete series, ZH 4440 – ZH 4539 and spent most of their working lives at Donnybrook. R308, R311, and R384 were filmed working in Limerick after the class were withdrawn in Dublin.
R389 was withdrawn from service, but returned briefly along with 3 other Boltons in connection with the first test bus lane in Fairview. Along with other Boltons it was stored in the Broadstone complex in what was soon to open as Phibsboro Garage.
It was restored by members and painted by Jimmy Conroy in the early days of the Transport Museum Society of Ireland and was one of the early vehicles to be stored in Castleruddery, Co. Wicklow. It was rallied in Bangor, Co Down attending the I.T.T. rally.
389 is the only member of this famous class to survive, but many similar buses are preserved in England, and a lowbridge bus of similar general appearance, using some Leyland parts is preserved in Northern Ireland. |
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R301 when new into service, on the rural scenic route 44 to Enniskerry, with original style headlamps and non opening front windows on the upper deck, as supplied new. This bus also features the original panelling which gave a view of the fuel gauge attached to the diesel tank. The semaphore indicator is featured above the offside front wing, and when engaged, it stuck out and lit up to indicate a right hand manoeuvre. The three-piece rear bumper can bee seen at the rear of the bus. These buses were ready for service as delivered, other than the application of the fleet number plates. Of interest is the advert for cigarettes, now no longer politically correct. Initially no front advertising featured due to the non standard design of the destination box. |
R310 later in life with opening front windows and replacement front headlamps, and flashing indicators feature. By the mid 1960’s, Mater Hospital Pools was a popular advert, many years before the Lotto. Looking a little tired, the rear offside wheel mudguard is missing in those poor days of tight budgets. |
The short length of the Bolton is evident from this photo as the bus with resplendent new radiator, heads around Trinity College. |
R299, followed by another Bolton and an RA in green passing Findlaters in O’Connell Street, an avid advertiser on Dublin buses, though the adverts were not very inspiring. Evening Herald was another big advertiser, with competition at the time from the now closed Evening Press. The age profile of other vehicles in this scene is of interest. This bus saw later service as a Driver Trainer, and for a short time was used in connection with training conductors who collected fares in cash in the changeover requirements of decimalization and the new coins minted in 1971. |
R364 in Donnybrook Garage with one of the colourful Dublin Zoo adverts |
In 1962, C.I.E. decided to brighten up the bus fleet and repainted the double deck buses into a very fresh blue and cream livery, copies directly from Birmingham Corporation Transport. The buses in this scene at Donnybrook Garage contrast the two liveries very well |
R386 was not one of the buses allocated to route 14, but was one of a set in the R380’s which covered for allocated buses on a variety of routes which were off the road temporarily for either light service or heavy overhaul. |
Two Boltons contrast with the model which followed them, the 50 strong fleet of Cape Towns, built in both 7 foot 6 inch and 8 foot wide versions by Leyland. These were built to basic Bolton standard, but featured the standard C.I.E. destination boxes both front and rear, and half drop side windows, again to C.I.E. standard. In years to come, and still true to the present day, when the C.I.E. Group buy completely imported buses, the design is usually altered to Irish specifications. |
Three Boltons migrated to Limerick City Services, and continued in service after the Dublin fleet was withdrawn. Enthusiasts headed south to photograph and travel on them, much to the surprise of the local crews, one of whom hailed from France. R308 with destination Pairceanna Glasa “Green Parks”, waits for the start of its next cross town service. |
Nigel Bennett and Jimmy Conroy were very proud of their restoration work on R389, photographed in the Transport Museum, Castleruddery, Co. Wicklow. Jimmy specialized in hand painting traditional adverts, having first copied them using drawing paper directly from buses in the scrapyard in Broadstone. |
Preserved R389 looks resplendent with the popular Fruitfield advert, so popular with enthusiasts that it features on preserved RA30 and RA35 also. Parked at the one time 14 terminus, on Braemor Road, Churchtown, this route was home territory for no less than three bus enthusiasts. |
Preserved D927 features many Leyland components in common with R389, but features a lowbridge body for the rural services of the Ulster Transport Authority. This bus is built with an offside sunken gangway, and a set of four seat units on the upper deck to reduce its height for maneuvering under low railway bridges. It was rallied in Scotland, when it attended the Dunbar Rally, near Edinburgh, many years before buses from the Republic started crossing the Irish Sea to attend rallies. |
Preserved R389 looking lovely at the Castle Grounds in Bangor, Co. Down, at the Bus & Coach Rally of the Irish Transport Trust. |
Preserved R389 on Saturday 24th of January 2009 at the Transport Museum in Howth. A special thanks to those at the TMSI for making this photograph possible. |
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