Tuesday 6 October 2015

Partnership Proposals Perplex Passengers [1]

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Stagecoach web site Saga
Like Billy Bunter's oft expected postal order, yesterdays arrival of the "new" and "exciting" on-line extravaganza looked very much like the return of the old, boring (and over-complicated) facility.
Looks very much like the new one doesn't work properly. What a shock!
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fbb has written in the recent past about this beautiful piece of PR "spin" whereby the removal of dozens of buses from the streets of Sheffield is vaunted as an "improvement". Previous blogs will  be referred to where appropriate. Since the initial proposals there has been a nominal "consultation" whereby a small number of Sheffielders (the few who would understand the PTE's proclamation) have made suggestions and (usually) adverse comments.

So there have been changes to the original cunning plan.

The new network of largely reduced frequencies will overwhelm a largely uncomprehending public in a few weeks. There will be no printed timetables and no leaflet describing the revised revisions.

The plan leaves only a few traditional routes unscathed ...
120 : Crimicar Lane - City - Halfway
 52 : Hillsborough - Crookes - City - Woodhouse
 51 : Lodge Moor - City - Charnock
 95 : City - Walkley
... whilst a further few are almost recognisable, but with "tweaks".
 81 : Ecclesall : City : Stannington
 82 : Ecclesall : City : Hall Park Head
 88 : Bents Green - City - Ecclesfield
 69 : City - Rotherham
 25 : Bradway - City - Woodhouse
Elsewhere, confusion and comprehension carnage are complete.

As the details are revealed on the Travel South Yorkshire web site, fbb will try to expose some of the more contentious changes and speculate on their effect on the "average" passenger.

So, here goes with:-

THE DAFTNESS AT DORE (part 1)
This small Derbyshire (sic) village lay between the A621 to Bakewell where lay the four platform Dore and Totley station ...
... and the A625 where Dore Moor Inn provided a refreshment stop on the perilous journey to Castleton and, ultimately, Manchester.
Dore and Totley Station is still open but reduced to a one platform unstaffed station for the stopping Hope Valley train service provided by Northern Trains.
The Dore Moor Inn ...
... remains a popular drinkery and eatery some 200 years after it first opened. Halfway between the two was a small village community.
There have been strenuous efforts to conserve as much of the old community as possible ...
... but, inevitably, housing has spread up the hill from the A621 ...
... and, to a lesser extent, down the hill from Dore Moor. 

In 1929, Sheffield Tramways and Motors took over an indepedent bus service which ran from Dore Village to Ecclesall, where a splendid shelter, toilets and turnaround were eventually provided on the main road.
The luxurious edifice still stands, but fbb suspects that the "facilities" for tram and bus drivers, also oft used by fbb, have long since been bolted and barred.
The trams pulled into a terminus on Millhouses Lane just behind the photographer ...
The turning circle has returned to use as the terminus for First Bus 82 and much fine Sheffield Gold has been spent on improving the layby and providing a shiny new shelter for buses that don't turn round there.
The bus from Dore was numbered 50 and from 1930 was operated under the aegis of Sheffield Joint Omnibus Committee; costs, vehicles and profits being shared with the railway companies.

In 1949 the bus route was extended from Ecclesall into City via Hunters Bar, Brocco Bank and the University.
And thus it remained, with minor adjustments, right through the horrors of privatisation, looney competition and absorbtion into the First Bus conglomerate.
Until ...

We will continue the tale tomorrow.

Unless, of course, the "team" at Stagecoach can find the right wires to solder and right buttons to press; in which case the oft-delayed review of the (yawn) exciting new web site will interrupt.

 Next bus blog : Wednesday 7th October 

4 comments:

  1. Stagecoach printed timetables etc.

    Unexpectedly I found myself in FBB's local A&E (Royal Devon and Exeter) in the early hours of Sunday.

    Upon our return later in the day to pick up the patient I spotted a very well presented rack of timetables etc that needed the receptionist to pass over required copies. On my exit I picked up an Exeter Bus Guide (Map) and an Ex-Citi D/H timetable both new in September 2015. Also in the rack was other timetables for buses that run along Barrack Road to Torbay etc. Service H stops at the hospitals main entrance.

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  2. Oh the deep, deep joy of the PR department etc. Manipulate and massage the truth until it fits what you have already done or decided to do. Issue misleading information and press releases that are written by PR people and not the experts. Then cut back or withdraw means of public contact so they find it too difficult to complain etc. Hey presto no complaints (or very few) so the company/authority must be doing an excellent job!

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  4. Can confirm as regular user of Eccelsall terminus, the facilities have unfortunately closed. (Not that there was really much doubt)

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