Saturday 10 August 2019

Something For The Weekend (1)

GoTimetable Is Go (At Last)
The main batch of changes for bus users in Sheffield has finally made it to the GoTimtable App. It has been horrific and the new-look tables were released overnight on Thursday last. Information is not yet complete but, at least, Sheffield residents now have an easy-to-search uncluttered on-line and on-phone overview of most of the changes.

The rest of the data is being added as soon as possible, subject to availability from bus operators.

fbb will be reviewing the totality of the revisions next week, but, suffice it to say, they have been described by a committed bus user in the city as "carnage".


The whole timetable can be downloaded to an Android phone - its free - and, once installed, needs no signal. For other "devices" a web version offers similar services.

www.gotimetable.com

See what YOU think?

And The Puzzle Picture
Perhaps a tad unfairly, fbb had removed to lettering which might make identification easier.
It is the entrance to a Glasgow Corporation Transport Undergound station. When fbb first visited Mrs fbb to be in Glasgow in the early '70s, one of his primary aims was to take a ride on the city's underground system. The future fiancee and ultimately willing wife was happy to oblige despite he utter distaste of what was a somewhat tired, creepy and, above all, smelly place.

So, starting from her dad's electrical goods shop ("To Let") ...
... the barely amorous twosome toddles down the road to the bridge over the River Kelvin.
Used to the obvious delights of London's much bigger network, fbb was looking for some distinctive signage guiding him and her to the station entrance. He was perplexed when the young lady approached a very open sent of steps down the side of a block of shops ...
... and a not very attractive set of steps either.
At the bottom were two doorways with a large sign above them.
It was tired. It was creepy. It was smelly. "She" was right. The picture at the head of this section is of an earlier architectural treatment of the entrance (or lack of it).

The doorways are still there but anonymous.
Opposite has been built a posh "new" station with escalators from/to the bridge.
The building is still somewhat gloomy but heaps better than the original and access from the bridge is now obvious.
Had fbb visited much earlier (no date known) he could have descended to the station through the buildings!
No sign of that way in today!

Not Ghostbusters, But ...
First Bristol's newsletter reveals conversion of a couple of routes from single to double deck. "For why?", you may ask.

The business is growing.
For those unfamiliar with the territory, the 24 runs cross city from Southmead Hospital ...
... to Ashton Vale ...
... every twelve minutes Monday to Friday.

The Bath routes both run every ten minutes or better with the 3 from two bits of Bathford ...
... along the London Road to the centre ...
... then on to the oddly named Odd Down etc. The 4 runs from Weston ...
... also cross city, to another bit of Odd Down.
Frequencies are good.
Hopefully the plan is to provide more capacity and NOT reduce the headway!

But QBusters!
The same newsletter explains.
Frequency "carnage" in Sheffield, big buses and extra services up to Christmas in Bristol? 

It's not just Bath's Down that is "Odd"!

 More "Weekend Stuff" blog : Sunday 11th August 

3 comments:

  1. Bath services will be cut with the introduction of the Deckers,Route 4 is going down to Every 20 Mins,as will the Foxhill section of routes 3/A - Route 3A will be re-routed to run alongside service 4 on the Weston - Bath section,making this the only part of the route to keep its current frequency

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  2. Andrew Kleissner10 August 2019 at 07:13

    Of course there was also a "proper railway" station at Kelvinbridge, on the Caledonian route out to Botanic Gardens and beyond. That closed in 1964 and did not reopen when the line through Central (Low Level) did.

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  3. Unsure about the frequency, but the 24 is being rerouted between Winterstoke Rd and Ashton Vale to enter the latter from the WEST. This lengthy diversion past the Park + Ride is necessary due to the low narrow bridge on Ashton Drive being unsuitable for deckers.

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