Sunday Variety

 Apology To Leicester

A while back, fbb was extolling the virtues of First Leicester's new livery for its 14 and 14A. In the course of his pertinent piece of purple prose, the old bloke bewailed the apparent lack of a comprehensive Leicester bus map. "There used to be one," he moaned, " but it no longer exists, not even on-line."

That was until Northampton's Alan sent this picture.

Alan has clutched in his excited clammy hand the very map that fbb said did not exist. He even explains, "An famous Leicester bus passenger, in Goth costume, signals clearly at the request stop outside Leicester Cathedral."

How could fbb be so stupid as to miss this?

Possibly because he searched for "Leicester Bus Map" instead of the correct "Greater Leicester Bus map".

Or he was being particularly inattentive on that day and at that time, possibly in response to Mrs fbb arriving with delicious comestibles. Anyway, said map shows the New Parks area accurately including the terminus of the Arriva 14 shown at Tatlow Road.

It also shows Centrebus 162, offering yet another New Parks variant.

Note that the 162 shows Tatlow Road as does Arriva 14 but they are different bits of Tatlow Road. Arriva used to run to Ryder Road which is the same place at First Bus' New Parks terminus, but they cut the route back to save money and reduce the service!

There is no evidence that nothing serves the industrial estate on Sunningdale Road (network map, bottom left) ...

... despite the cartographic evidence.

Confused. com!

Reliable Reliance

fbb will report on Reliance's new publicity when it all appears; its present on-line timetable are well presented and business like but we are promised better. Meanwhile a lovely picture of two Reliance double deckers on Rail Replacement work at York Station.

The front vehicle is obviously ex Edinburgh, and here she is at work in her former abode.

The rear Reliance vehicle stationary at the station needs a registration number for identification ...

... and here it is hard at work in London.

And If It's Red It Must Be London

Really?

You would have to be a real beginner in the business of the bus business to think that the above vehicle EVER roamed the streets of the capital. It has no registration plate to identify it but it was found in Jan Jose, California in "a sorry state".

The bus is clearly a Bristol rear entrance Lodekka ...

... and spent most of its life in service with a Tilling (later National Bus) company somewhere in the UK. fbb has failed to identify it.

But it seems to have been well fettled up for residential use.

Anybody know where it ran in the UK?

A Troublesome Tantalising Tanker Tale

fbb bought a Peco "Royal Daylight" tank wagon kit for his collection and he has nearly finished making it up; just waiting to get A Round Tuit.

Peco took over the former Parkside Dundas range of kits and rebranded them as Parkside Peco.

As part of ongoing development, Peco then jiggled its various brands, so Ratio OO coaches became Parkside Peco and Parkside N wagons became plain Peco.

Then, a few months back, fbb saw an advert from Gaugemaster announcing that Parkside Peco was producing a tank wagon.

Using his finely honed and fully trained observational skills, fbb recognised that the Parkside tank wagon was the Peco tank wagon. But as it was now being made by a different company (???) it would be necessary to obtain one for the collection.

So off toddled fbb to Peco's shop at Beer and enquired of Mark, the wagonista  behind the counter.

"They are not out yet," replied the man who knows, "it's been a difficult year. (etc etc)."

The tale continues just over a week ago, when fbb spotted this ad from Hattons of Wigan.

So, in Tuesday last after a spiffing church lunch, the fbbs diverted via Beer to buy one - not a beer but the aforesaid tank wagon.

"Sorry, " says Mark, brushing a tear from his eye, "they are not available yet."

Gaugemaster agreed ...

... but at the higher price of an unavailable £16.50. Eileen's Emporium also quotes £16.50 but implies they were available ...

... whilst Peco's on-line catalogue is still showing the original Peco "Wonderful Wagon" model.

But Hattons were adverty a picture of the box!

In a fit of financial profligacy, fbb ordered one. It would, indeed, cost only £15 plus £2.50 postage which totalled only £1 more than the price advertised elsewhere.

It arrived on Friday and, thanks to the skills of No 1 son, fbb is able to present a stunning video; "The Unboxing Of A Parkside Peco Tank Wagon" - a world premiere.

The kit comes with transfers ...

... and an easy to follow instruction sheet. (???!!!).

But the kit is not yet available.

Confused.com.

Puzzle Pictures

The first station at York, sited inside the city walls and latterly used as carriage sidings.

And this one should have been easy ...

... it is Penzance.

 Next  Green Line  blog : Monday 22nd November