Empty Victoria - a P.S.
Correspondent Richard is anxious to point out that, whilst Victoria station may be empty, many of the trains that have been deleted from their usual terminus are still running.
I have a suspicion that the alterations to Southern services at Victoria are not due to lack of train crews. If you check Realtime trains for Southern services at London Bridge you will see that most of the longer distance trains are in fact running to/from London Bridge. This includes trains to Portsmouth Hbr; Littlehampton; Eastbourne/Ore; Southampton.
There was a planned block between Victoria and Balham over the Christmas period (signalling renewal?) Is it this work which is over-running? Perhaps due to shortage of Signal Techies.
Richard writes a follow-up email:-
Just taken a look at the “Traksy” site and all lines are shown under T3 possession from Battersea Pier Jn to Streatham Common (red dots). 
This would explain why Gatwick Express service is suspended. It all smells a bit fishy!
The Traksy web site also clearly shows (local?) trains running to Brockley.
Curiouser and curiouser - but with strong odours of haddock and cod!
Can You Spare A Few Coppers?
Yet another First Kernow brand - but we ask, "What's going on?"
Currently, the route from Redruth to Falmouth is the U2 ...
... Redruth U2 to Falmouth U2 part of the University of Penryn network.
It is confirmed by First Kernow's map!
In a relatively recent development, the other main U route (U1 Truro to Falmouth) has been extended to Newquay as U1 and U1A; thus somewhat diluting the brand. Is the arrival of "The Copper" a precursor to a rebrand of all the Penryn University branded routes?
If so why?
Remember THIS Advert?It was a bit "twee" and probably did nothing to boost bus business. But the advert from Midttraffik is, as they say, something else!
Midttraffik?
The company operates public transport in the "middle" of Denmark (possibly a clue in the name?).
If you are familiar with the home of double underlined bacon, you may recognise the towns where Midttraffik operates.
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Lorem ipsum is typically a corrupted version of De finibus bonorum et malorum, a 1st-century BC text by the Roman statesman and philosopher Cicero, with words altered, added, and removed to make it nonsensical and improper Latin.
Whoops! It is most definitely NOT a town in Denmark.
But here is the Advert!Strangely, fbb has never experienced such enthusiasm for a bus ride anywhere in the UK?
Maybe after Boris has finished Building Buses Back Better?
Farewell X57
Today is the last day of the X57 from Sheffield to Manchester via the Snake pass.
Or is it?
This was the message from Hulleys yesterday.
Later ALL their bus services were suspended.
There was a bit of weather "oop noorth"!
Puzzle Picture?
It is a bit of pavement that generates electricity! Alan explains ...
So, in simple terms, the pavement generates electricity to power a sign telling you how much electricity the pavement is generating? Maybe the company (Pavegen) can offer a more helpful description.
No it can't!
Used, amongst other things, in the entertainment industry ...
... you can find them elsewhere in the UK ...
... and world wide.
More "bits" tomorrow.
Next Variety blog : Sunday 9th January
The Victoria closure has been thoroughly discussed elsewhere, and correspondent Richard's belief in conspiracy theories is wrong. Southern staff are absent across the entire range of jobs, including the planners who would have drawn up a temporary timetable. Therefore the pragmatic decision was taken to operate the previous week's timetable, even though the line to Victoria was now available to use. This means a robust timetable has operated this past week, with far fewer ad hoc cancellations than had they tried to run the normal service.
ReplyDeleteKernow's "U" routes are being rebranded as follows:
ReplyDeleteU1 - Coast to Coast
U2 - Cornwall's Copper
U3 - Unique
U4 - The Lizard
Naturally, I expect the branded buses to stray everywhere.