Sunday Snippets

Technology Rules OK - NOT

A Sheffield correspondent had cause to glance at the departure list at his local stop near Dore and Totley Station in Sheffield.

Three services call there; First Bus 97 and 98 every ten minutes combined from Totley (97) and Totley Brook (98) run to the city centre then on via Ellesmere, Norwood and Southey Green to Hillsborough.

The T M Travel 218 runs from Bakewell and Chatsworth to Sheffield Interchange. Service 218 has recently been diverted away from the main A621 into the city and via Abbey Lane and Sharrow. It runs approximately every half an hour.

Our correspondent was checking that a few other minor changes were correctly shown after the change.

All was OK except for the 2021 (estimated) to city. It was printed in grey as opposed to black type and this was explained in the note below.

Important noted for departures in bold grey as follows:

Yes?

2021 Friday

Erm, what about the 2021 on Friday?

No further explanation is given. Any guesses? fbb will resolve the incomprehension at the end of this blog.

But it MUST be right - the note is "sustainably" generated by the PTE's excellent (and very expensive) computer software.

New Trains At Last

When new-start company Vivarail announced its cunning plan, many writers and railway pundits were either sceptical or even openly derogatory. What a daft idea. they said, to turn life-expired London Underground "surface line" D78 trains ...

... into something that could be used on national rail lines and services.

An engine caught fire and an initial experiment on the Coventry to Nuneaton services was postponed and then cancelled. A second attempt to run between Bedford and Bletchey was also p[opstponed as the trains were not ready.

But, at last, the first train started work last week and our Northampton correspondent paid a visit.

It is hard to believe that this delightful set once bumbled up and down London's busy lines.

The interiors have been completely re-fettled and look very tidy indeed ...

... with higher backed seats and bays with tables!

A few longitudinal rows of seats are retained to allow for crush loading, a rare event on the Marston Vale line.

Here is another shot of the unit at the terminus.

Three units (one spare) will eventually be in service on this line and the next delivery of the "new" class 230 will be for Transport for Wales.

Mini Map for Scotrail

fbb did a bit of travelling on Abellio Scotrail services during his recent holiday at Largs. Generally speaking, he did not experience any reliability problems that have resulted in serious concerns at Scottish Government level.

In various places the newer units have Scotrail network maps displayed. Those on the bulkheads are so small that they are ...

... illegible/useless from a normal viewing distance. If the seats below are unoccupied you can kneel thereupon and peer closely - but you may need to ask the guard for a loan of his powerful binoculars to see anything worthwhile.

A Timely Warning at Queen Street?

As part a massive rebuild, the retail units at the city end of the station have been cleared away ...

... prior to completing an extension to St Vincent Street and George Square.

The work is currently hidden behind wooden hoardings. As Mrs fbb awaited her train to Inverurie a little over a week ago, she did notice the hoardings behind which much bashing and clanking work was underway.

Thankfully her "enjoyment" of the station's now limited facilities was enhanced beyond measure by a string of really informative notices from the contractors.

One simple question; why?

Thanks McGills

This "planter" is planted in Largs High Street and, at Easter, was awaiting plants.

Whilst McGills is the dominant operator in Largs (with Stagecoach 585 every 30 minutes) ...

... Scottish Citylink no longer run to Largs.

Maybe fbb needs to have a look at Citylink services in general as a simply set of route numbers in then 900s has grown in recent years to something more complex.

AIR is the half hourly service from Glasgow to Edinburgh Airport
M services run to Aberdeen as do some ...
G services which are branded "Gold"
618 is a "holiday" service to Blackpool

And Some Nostalgia
As fbb was pottering around on line one day he came across this "before" and "after" picture.

The bottom picture is accurate for today. The top shot, taking from a very slightly different angle, is undated. Any offers as to when it all changed?

It is, of course, a corner of Glasgow Central passed on the way from platforms 12 upwards to the main entrance.

Some more Bank Holiday bits tomorrow.

 Next Monday Minutiae blog : Monday 6th May