Monday Variety

Fully Charged - Harrogate Electrics

Much excitement was generated by the arrival of Transdev's electric buses in Harrogate. The PR announced the electrification of the whole Harrogate town network. This sounded very impressive until you realise how little of the town network of old is still operated. This is not intended as a criticism of Transdev but more of a telling comment on the consequences of a privatised and fully commercial bus industry.

Comparison of a network map from 2005 with todays routes is notable! Here is the main part of the 2005 map.

And you might be able you spot todays routes as follows; top left is service 103 to Jennyfield ...

... and today's service 3 ...

... and an electric bus doing it!

Then, top right, we have 201 and 202 to Bilton ...

... and today's 2A and 2B ...

... and some electric buses en route or en charge!

Also in the above picture you will espy a 6 to Pannal Ash as below from 2005 ...

... and today.

The most noticeable map change is that the journeys to Beckwith Knowle have been hived off as an X6 ...

... which explains a large gap in Harrogate departures between 0645 and 0820 and between 0820 and 0915.

The gaps are filled with X6 journeys which are, simply, ordinary 6 services doing an extra wiggle. There is probably some good reason for labelling them X6 (it is not that they run any faster than a 6!), possibly because they are tendered journeys or funded by businesses at Beckwith Knowle.

Tomorrow we will examine what has disappeared between 2005 and 2022 - and fbb needs to modify one entry add one extra to his list shown on yesterday's blog.

Hornbeam Park has been added to Oatlands and Crossways was one destination that fbb had forgotten about. Bad house point, because the route was long-standing.

Not A Puzzle Picture : But A Puzzle

It would be far too difficult to identify this London "Underground" station although it appears that the tracks are very much above ground atop a viaduct. fbb wouldn't have had a clue, but fortunately the twitterer revealed that it was Ravenscourt Park, the first stop west from Hammersmith.

The shot below explains what goes on there.

The outer two tracks carry District Line trains (GREEN on the Tube map) and the inner lines are for Piccadilly Line journeys (BLUE on the map).

Under normal service conditions, Piccadilly line trains do not stop, but they could if necessary and sometimes do if there is disruption on the District. The Piccadilly lines continue to Heathrow or Uxbridge.

The main entrance to the station is on Ravenscourt Road ...

... with a secondary doorway under the roundel located on Rave Pl (Ravenscourt Place.

But, if you walk to the end of the cul-de-sac, you may espy a footpath ...

... which takes you to Dalling Road. It was on Dalling Road that the elaborate archway was located ...

The arch and the grand (?) gateposts are gone, presumably to improve access to the gaudily painted premises of Hithcock King. The Underground station gets a minor mention hung on the fence.

Here at  Hitchcock & King , we know a thing or two about building. We’ve been supplying the grafters of London with top quality building supplies for over 50 years now, covering all corners of the capital. We stock a huge range of materials in our builders’ yard, and can guarantee that whatever materials you’re after, we’ve got something that fits the bill.

Topless In Dundee

This one looks very like its Sightseeing colour from Edinburgh but with the vinyls peeled off.

Hmm, maybe it has been repainted orange rather than red. Before it travelled to Scotland, it was a different red ...

... with Metroline and a full roof in London.

More from Harrogate tomorrow.

 Next Where Have They Gone blog : Tuesday 15th March