U No The Problem!
Uno tweeted the above picture of a nice red bus all prepared, so the tweet said, for the extension of their route 383. The operator was proud of the route summary above the windows, and even prouder of the route diagram on the back.
These two luxuries have been a rare sight on Transport for London (TfL) buses in the past, but the publicity revolution is beginning to creep in; although whether the "initiative" stems from The Wombles at TfL or from the bus operator is unclear.
On line information (all unofficial) reported that this extension had been suggested by the Mayor's Office in 2017, so following a typically London snappy process, the extension was scheduled to start earlier in the year. In fact the revised revised start date was to be Saturday 31st October.
Most London bus changes are quite complicated, involving jiggling several routes in one particular area. Such proposals are beyond fbb's brain and often too involved for a simple (?) blog.
But the 383 seems simple - just a stand-alone extension of the route from its former Terminus at Woodside Park Station ...
... to Finchley Memorial Hospital.
The hospital was originally established as the Finchley Cottage Hospital and opened with 20 beds on 28 May 1908.
An extension financed by public subscription which would form a lasting memorial for the Finchley dead of the First World War was opened by General Sir Ian Hamilton in 1922 when the hospital was given its present name.
A new three-storey hospital building was procured under a Private Finance Initiative contract in 2010 and was opened by the Duke of Gloucester in September 2013.
So it has been quite an achievement to get a bus service into the hospital grounds after seven years planning. Such are the delights of London's oft praised regulated bus system!
Hitherto, public transport had involved a noticeable trek from West Finchley Undergound (left) or a shorter toddle from North Finchley High Road (right).
There were no obvious signs from the bus stops ...
... when Streetview pottered by. You turn right at those traffic lights.
Well aware of TfL's limitations, fbb turned eagerly to the Uno web site ...
... with no mention of the 383. Apparently Uno does no run buses in L*nd*n - or, if they do, they are kept as a secret.
So, nothing ventured nothing won, fbb must tackle the TfL web site.
And, by Saturday afternoon 31st October (the start day, remember) there was absolutely no information about the extended 383; it was still shown as running from Barnet The Spires to Woodside Park Station.
Before Church yesterday, fbb decided to have another go.
The TfL "map" did not admit to the extension, despite being "automatic" ...
... but the so-called "timetable" showed the new terminus.
But trying to get any times out of it was challenging in the extreme.
Live Updates
Live updates are not available for this location at the moment. Please see Timetables to check the frequency of your service.
First and last services, timetables and route details
API response: Could not find a matching ICS code for the Naptan Id 490002214Z. Argument name: from NaptanId.
Now fbb does actually know that the service does not run on Sundays - when most people might wish to visit in-patients - but the twaddle above seems an odd alternative for the simple "there is no Sunday service".
More frustration came when clicking on "Timetables":-
But with perseverance, departure times can be found ...
... although only as far as Woodside Park Station, apparently.
Then comes the test in mental arithmetic.
Of course, there is a simple way to overcome this convoluted and utterly unreliable information service.
It is simple to use, technically straightforward and readily downloadable.
You could publish the timetable!
Even the informative and reliable Robert Munster has not yet picked up this change. He has the right route ...
Barnet - Meadway - New Barnet - East Barnet - Oakleigh Park - Whetstone - Torrington Park - North Finchley - Woodside Park Station - North Finchley - Finchley Memorial Hospital
No late evening or Sunday service.
... but the wrong timetable - terminating at Woodside Park only. (click on the graphic below for a larger view)
Your brave and exploratory author was intending to examine the 383 route in more detail tomorrow; but a correspondent has, purely by coincidence, forwarded another example of appalling information management, this time in Oxfordshire. The "383" blog will follow later in the week.
The informative e-mail from Keith was headed "It's All On Line", so you know what sort of thing to expect.
Fearnley Is Safe From Arrest
Correspondent John, who voiced the original concerns about legal lettering, has discovered that the smudge behind the rear wheel of the Fearnley/Snooker bus is a correct (ish) application of what is legally required.
It has been over-enlarged by fbb but you might doubt that it complies with the "contrasting colour" requirement. WHITE lettering would have been much better (and, arguably, more "legal") than BLUE on blue.
Next Confusion In Carterton blog : Tuesday 3rd November
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