University Upgrade Uplift
There must be a huge number of bus managers and transport bloggers who are perennially excited by something. Sam Turner (of Sam's Trains fame) is one such. But now he is joined by Robert Williams of Reading buses.
His latest new bus route is upping his heart rate noiceably.
fbb thinks (so possibly unreliably!) that, previously, service 21 (CLARET), which runs via the University, had gained extra short-workings to the hallowed halls of academe during term time.
Now Mr Williams has made them a separate branded route.
"White Knight" is the name of the Uni Campus but fbb does not know why.
Unfortunately the on-line presentation is currently, poor. There is no proper map, just one of these ...
... which is about as much use as a chocolate teapot. The only timetable looks like this ....
... where you have to specify date and day to get the table. A chocolate coffee pot?
There is no PDF of the complete service.
Disappointing!
Puzzle Picture Answer No 1
Wigan Corporation c/o GoAhead. Here is a real one for comparison purposes.
Puzzle Picture No 2
Of course the star of the image is Ivor The Engine.
This was the product of Oliver Postgate (Noggin the Nog and Captain Pugwash) and Peter Firmin.The other visible characters in the above picture are Edwin Jones (a k a Jones The Steam - Ivor's driver), Dai Station and Evans the Song (choirmaster). Not appearing, but probably residing in the boiler, would be Idris the Dragon.
But what is of notable interest is that an OO gauge model of Ivor and some rolling stock is being produced for Rapido Trains.
To enhance the nostalgia, cut-out figures like the originals are also included with the sets. fbb would have preferred proper 3D versions.
Talking of 3D, Rapido has been showing 3D printed mock-ups which look delightful!
fbb has fallen in love with Ivor ...
... but the loco and two goods wagons ...
... are priced at £200.
That does deserve a loud and resounding "OUCH"!!
Here is a bit about the background to the series.
And there is more!
Perhaps fbb could save up his weekly pocket money and get one for Christmas? Or for his upcoming 80th Birthday in early 2025.
A Big Technological Surprise
So no surprise there, then.
Liverpool Launches Lovely Livery
Again!
Mega Metro Merseyside Mayor Steve Rotheram is pictured with current Transport Minister the Lovely Louise in front of the "launch".
There has already been a launch of the proposed "Glider" bus network.
... also "wrapped" in Metro yellow.
Manchester Heritage Livery
from Stagecoach.jpg)
To fbb the orange is a bit too red, despite the fact that it was always a deeper orange than the original SELNEC ...
... and maybe even deeper that SELNEC'S succesor brand, GMPTE._1971_Daimler_Fleetline_Park_Royal,_10_April_2010_(2).jpg)
And In Manchester Today?.jpg)
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So no surprise there, then.
Watching Paint Dry
fbb was intrigued by this item ...
... and decided to investigate further.Now watch again and count the number of locomotives!
9 Days to Go
Next Austria blog : Weds 25th September
I do not understand why FBB is so against the modern interactive website maps, particularly those like Reading are using. They show all bus stops precisely on a map that gives you the full local area so you can clearly locate yourself and the nearest stop on the route and they also show you where the buses actually currently are. In this case the old fashioned separately designed pdf map show less detail less well than the modern solution FBB is so against.
ReplyDeleteI think there are two reasons. One is that he likes "proper" timetables, the other is that he likes printed ones. Our local company has the interactive ones but there are also clear links to printable PDF ones (although, despite me making representations to the company, one of the latter contains a mistake). They did produce timetable books last year but these are now out-of-date and I don't know if they've produced new ones.
DeleteThe main campus of Reading University is situated in Whiteknights Park, which belonged to the de Erleigh family and was named after John de Erleigh IV, 'The White Knight'. Reading University bought the Park in 1947.
ReplyDeleteThe service is very much aimed at students, who may have less need of printed publicity (for them, it really IS all online!). It was previously numbered 21a as a short-working of Lower Earley route 21, but the 'new' 20 is limited stop and also runs at weekends, and on Friday and Saturday evenings.
The lack of a PDF timetable or route map for the 20 has to be a simple error, given that all other routes have them. However, the route is shown on the network and town centre maps.
ReplyDeleteSurely Idris the Dragon lived in Ivor's firebox, not in the boiler...?
ReplyDelete