And another thing ...

It's really a bit unfair to go on (and on and on ...) about Sheffield publicity, just because I lived there for 20 years and I am pretty familiar with the bus network; BUT it does indicate the problems with modern bus timetable leaflets - especially in the hands of a large organisation whose employees (probably) don't know where the buses run anyway.   This blog is about the 77/78 leaflet.   Things to note:-

The 78 does NOT run via Hillsborough, it uses Penistone Road and Owlerton.

The 77 (however) does run via Hillsborough and NOT via Penistone Road - which makes the route description, well, sort of WRONG!

Even the map on Traveline has this route following an impossible set of roads - but that's not unusual for Traveline.

Neither the 77 nor the 78 travel via Neepsend which is served by the 10 minute frequency 53!

To be fair to Travel South Yorkshire, things can get confusing.

Sheffield Wednesday (nickname "The Owls" from Owlerton) play at Hillsborough Stadium which is usually refreed to as Owlerton but actually the location is more correctly at ... Wadlsey Bridge!   The stadium was called Owlerton Stadium from 1899 until 1914.   The main entrance is on Leppings Lane ("Leppings" from "leaping" stones or stepping stones to cross the river - a crossing replaced by Wadsley Bridge, which isn't at Wadsley but was the bridge leading to Wadsley!). And most folk think that Wadsley Bridge is further "up the road" clustered around the former railway station - but whilst it might be now, it wasn't then!

Stay awake at the back.

Likewise, Hillsborough Leisure Centre is also at Owlerton - but, good news; there is another Owlerton Stadium as well; where you can enjoy (?) an evening of greyhound racing.

Owlerton is a mediaeval settlement, named after Alder Trees (not Owls) whereas Hillsborough only appears in the late eighteenth century.   Some minor member of the gentry named his house after Lord Hillsborough from Ireland - his home is now a branch of the City Libraries and his extensive estates were sold off for housing, Sheffield Wednesday football ground and the remnant is the present Hillsborough Park.

But, and heres the point, Hillsborough shopping centre IS Hillsborough from a public transport and, more importantly, local residents' point of view and, simply, Owlerton isn't.

An fbb map explains all; but it's still not QUITE right. Historic Owlerton was at the No 78 ion the fbb map. Nothing remains, now, of the original village which predates the upstart Hillsborough by several hundred years.

Should any member of SYPTE staff rise in indignation and tell us that they have produced a revised reprint of the erroneous leaflet, let them beware.   The revised leaflet is still VERY wrong.

And just in case you thought you'd got it - remember that the 77 is run by First and the 78 by Stagecoach.   Another First route uses the full length of Penistone Road, namely the 66 - but in the evenings and on Sundays that becomes a 66A run by T M Travel and follows the 77 route via Hillsborough.  Aaaargh!

It's no wonder more people are using their cars - who can blame them?