Service Provided by a Scouse Partnership (3)

But first ...

Wrong Again!

Maybe put it down to post-funeral-itis BUT (a) there IS a 271 via Hallamshire Hospital - fbb had forgotten some journeys operated by Hulleys that go that way!

fbb should have checked but failed to do so, notably because the Travel South Yorkshire web site was busted.

(b) It has also been pointed out to fbb that the X1/X10 are not shown because they don't leave from the interchange. TRUE! All that does is to expose the stupidity of a list which doesn't give you the information you need. A list of departure points, to be of any use, should show a departure point for ALL services and be posted at all the city's main departure areas.

(c) Service 80 runs hourly to Rowan Tree Estate, you would have to be quite lucky to find an 80a except on Sundays. Service 5 (occasional journeys) and service 6 (every 40 minutes) run via Hallshipe Hospital. But these services do not use the Interchange.

The old man obviously needs to get his (sanitised) Sackcloth and Ashes Kit out from its (sanitised) plastic bag.

Mask-erade

At Tuesday's funeral service we were all socially distanced and gangsterised as expected and required. Nobody was allowed to sing (not that many do sing at a funeral!) - which is not a legal requirement but a recommendation based on nothing in particular.

We were, however, encouraged to join in seven prayers (four of which are shown above, printed in blue), but saying them "out loud". 

Whilst an operatic tenor might generate a lot of exhaled "stuff", seven prayers would exude far more than a couple of hymns.

Nuts!

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

A Closer Look :  Q  is for Quality

fbb has visited Liverpool but rarely but does have some understanding of the geography of the city. He thinks that buses to the new-ish Liverpool South Parkway might be a useful way of exploring what the "partnership" means in a little more detail.

As these routes form a "partnership" you might expect both operators to admit the fact. But no. 

Stagecoach have a very nice map of their bits (click on the map for an enlargement) ...

... namely an 86 to Liverpool South Parkway and an 86C to Childwall - fbb will come back to the 86D later. The "parkway" is very much a transport hub for the Garston area and an effective link from train to Liverpool Airport.

The station was built at a crossing point between two railway lines that had until then been served by separate stations. The first was the Cheshire Lines Committee (CLC) line from Liverpool Central to Manchester via Warrington Central, which ran from west to east. The second  became part of the Liverpool branch of the West Coast Main Line when it was connected to a new route from Crewe via the newly built Runcorn Railway Bridge. The two lines were served by two separate stations in the area, respectively Garston and Allerton (though the latter was also located in Garston).

The new station opened in 2006.

Arriva's share consist of route 86 and 86A. Sadly, the Arriva web site is so awful that referring to it is fairly pointless. Its timetables are huge ...

... and the maps are useless. Here is an extract of the 86 map ...

... showing that, weirdly, it does not call at Parkway on the way out (it does on the way back - daft or just plain wrong) and here is the 86A map of the same area ...

... which DOES call at the station in both directions. The 86A continues to the Airport ...

... but why it needs a separate route number is not clear; maybe it needs to show passengers that it, not the 86, serves the station.

To understand the workings of the partnership, we need to look at the PTE (Merseyrtravel) web site. 

Note that, in the index list above, the 86 shows journeys terminating at Speke but they don't.

It shows Arriva and Stagecoach 86s together ...

... but separates out the Arriva 86A service to the Airport ...

... which does call at Parkway, but doesn't admit it on the PTE on-line timetable.

And another challenging question; is Speke Road Church Road the same as Speke Road Horrocks Avenue?

Yes, and No. Both stops are on Speke Road at Garston ...

The terminus of Arriva's 86 is on the far left; the stop for Arriva's 86A is further on, far right in the above View by Google Street. Church Road is, as it were, behind the camera, crossing Speke Road at right angles.

There is even a Church on Church Road ...

... which, as they say, is still trading.

So, to summarise:-

Arriva 86 runs to Garston Speke Road Church Road and does not call at Parkway Station outbound but does inbound.

Stagecoach 86 terminates at Parkway

Arriva 86A continues to John Lennon Airport (at Speke) and calls at Parkway Station in both directions. It also stops at Speke Road but further along near the junction with Horrocks Avenue.

Gottit?

Tomorrow we look at 86C and at how the PTE printed (?) leaflet explains the complications. All things considered, they do the job well.

Now is the time to mention, however, that the bus of choice from central Liverpool to the Airport would be the 500 ...

... not express, but somewhat faster than the 86A.

It will save you about ten minutes, but, as you can see, only runs every half hour.

Raconteur Reveals Riddle of Wrenn (7)

fbb revealed yesterday that the Wrenn tank wagon passed over to Dapol who re-issued it in their own name. At least they re-issued to body, but plonked it on a new chassis. The Dapol chassis (above picture, top) is plastic, not caste metal.

The Hornby Dublo chassis had open brake gear, and improvement over the good old days, but the brake blocks did not line up with the wheels ...

... so would not be able to stop the wagon's rolling! The plastic Dapol chassis was much better.

If anyone "out there" has definitive information as to whether Wrenn got their tank body from, fbb would love to hear from them.

fbb@xephos.com

fbb reckons, on the basis of no evidence whatsoever, that as Hornby approached collapse, their design gurus were creating a more detailed replacement for the almost eternal metal tank wagon.

It was never produced, but Wrenn used the moulds to provide a better model for their adopted range.

Pure supposition.

 Next Merseyside blog : Friday 23rd October