Sunday 13 September 2015

As Usual, No Timetables ...

... But Otherwise Excellent!
Once upon a time Salisbury had a real market in its Market Place.
In recent years the large open space ...
... has been poshed-up, paved and turned into an attractive and restful space for pedestrians ...
... especially at Christmas.

With the demise of the bus station on Endless Street, services are now spread round the city centre with a goodly batch of out-of-town routes using Blue Boar Row where fbb was ensconced, phone camera in hand, on a recent visit.

Each stop is clearly labelled ...
... complete with "You are Here" map showing the "Reds" shop and enquiry office. Again, in every shelter is a full list of destinations, showing what stops where. Despite the fact that this is most definitely More-ville, all operators and routes are indexed; as in 201 Figheldean.
Although inadvertently, the 201 is a poor example as it is run by Tourist Coaches ...
... which is, of course, Salisbury Reds/More/Wilts and Dorset in a bright blue skin!
Nevertheless, even First Bus 265 is indexed.
Well done, whoever set that comprehensive listing up.

Each service has its own departure list BUT NO TIMETABLES! This "simplicity" is, as usual, fine for frequent city routes, but leads to some challenges with more complex, less frequent rural services. Here is X7 and X7R which needs a heap of notes and a green warning panel.
Most of this complexity would have been unnecessary if the full timetable had been posted.
The X7 timetable is still not easy, but at least the inquisitive passenger can work out when and where he/she might arrive ...
... despite the usual schooldays complications.
Presumably printed timetables are readily availablle at the Reds shop on New Canal.
Sadly, lunch beckoned and a meet up with friends. But there is more to Salisbury than a superb cathedral ...
... Ted Heath's former bachelor pad ...
... and a swish orange bus to Stonehenge!
And thanks to one comment and one e-mail ...
... The South Wilts Express was a newspaper ...
... which was absorbed in 1889 and printed, so it would appear, by steam; at what is now the Salisbury Reds enquiry office.

 Next bus blog (all change?) : Monday 14th September 

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