Thread by @RMcMnow

New route numbering with #BusConnects will replace a system of bus numbering which dates back to the original #Dublin #tramways (NLI image from 1947: catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000…) but /1

Route numbers were only introduced in 1918. In the horse tram era, each route had different colour cars and the destination painted on its sides, like this #Rathmines tram on #Westmoreland Street in 1892 (catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000…) /2

Apparently interchangeable destination boards were introduced in c. 1897, then in 1903 roller blind destination scrolls came into use (corner of Grafton/Nassau St, catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000…) /3

Famously, in 1904 the #DUTC introduced a system of route symbols - each route's symbol had a different shape and colour (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dublin_Un…) /4

At night, a combination of two coloured lights under the symbol was used to indicate the route. This system remained in place until route numbers were introduced in 1918 /5

From 1918 the tram routes were numbered clockwise around the city, based on the location of the terminus, beginning with number 1 at #Ringsend, ending with number 31 at #Howth (Route 2 at #Sandymount Green, catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000…) /6

Key source for this thread is article by Francis J. Murphy, Dublin Trams 1872-1959 in Dublin Historical Record (1979) jstor.org/stable/30104169 /ends

Just found this rather nice image from #Terenure which shows a #Drumcondra #tram on left with Maltese cross symbol, and the Terenure tram heading back to Nelson Pillar with a triangle symbol (Source: catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000…)