DF839 was built by VanHool Spa road Inchicore in 1977, one of 238 built (DF840 being the last built making 839 the second last). It entered service in Conyngham Road Garage in 1979 after being in storage. Interestingly its registration plate (839 NIK) was a 1975 plate booked by CIE before it was built.
Dublin Bus AN68s and the Standard D before them had Leyland .680 engines with pneumatic gearboxes however many were re-engined with more reliable DAF units. Most ran with pneumatic gearboxes however some received 2-Speed Voith Automatic gearboxes. It was an ideal system for Stop-Go traffic and was liked by drivers. 839 has this system.
DF839 was seen regularly on the 51, 51B, 78A and 79 routes while at Conyngham road. DF839 was painted into two tone green in 1987 after the break up of the CIE companies into the three companies, Bus Eireann, Iarnrod Eireann and Dublin Bus. It then transferred to Phibsboro garage in 1990 until it was transferred again to Summerhill garage in 1995. DF839 was withdrawn in December 1995 and was bought for preservation by a number of enthusiasts who restored it.
It travelled across the water to the UK in September 1997 and attended Showbus. On its 10 day tour, it visited Birmingham, Liverpool and London.
In recent years DF839 did a Road Run in the guise of a Donnybrook AN68 after a change of ownership.
It attended the Terenure Rallies, The official opening of Harristown Garage and CIE60th. After some mechanical issues were addressed, 839 took to the road again in 2008 and attended the Irish Transport Trust Rally in April.
"Preserving the past, in the present, for the future"
For more info visit : http://tec-ireland.fotopic.net/
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