In Print, In App ...

 ... We Need A Map! (mini-blog)

Blogger Jago Hazzard has been to a play about Harry Beck and his Underground map. 

But we owe Harry a huge debt for coming up with a simple way of showing the complicated. A traveller on the London's undergound is only going to a station with a clear name, so spotting landmarks is usually unnecessary.

First's attempt to do a similar job on its city bus networks was, frankly, unsuccessful.

You do need real landmarks or a clearly displayed stop name if you are a stranger; unless your destination was one of the few chosen for the diagram, you would struggle.

Compare the simple Leeds tram map ...

... with something more useful, below showing the Headingley route with extra district names and selected road names..

The rejigged "Headingley Line" bus network is available in two forms. There is the semi-geographical ORANGE.

Also available is a detailed diagram of the routes with all stops shown and named.

Here is just an extract enlarged.

At least one version, still available on-line is out of date!

The stop names do, however, appear to match those on Google Maps.

But the lack of some representation of real geography is not always helpful.

There is also no chance of reading the little icons that appear next to some stops. What's wrong with using "words" rather than illegible blobs?

The Leeds Ring Road is a distinctive feature at Lawnsaood, the former tram terminus, but is not shown on the diagram. Lawnswood School is bottom right on the out-of-date diagram extract.

Some areas of West Yorkshire have the traditional and detailed map with one colour for all routes ...

... but that no longer exists for Leeds City!

Pity!

Step back a few years and First used to produce a semi-geographical map of their city network with different colours for each service.

That's the style that gets fbb's vote all the time.

Combine the above with an all stops map of similar quality to accompany each timetable and you have the beginnings of some really helpful information for both newcomers to the  task of travelling and for the regular user going off piste occasionally.

PTO -Peterville Terraforming Operation

The Bill Bodge and Fred Fudge Quick Guide to Scenery

To protect visitors to Peterville Quarry Railway and to keep them clear of nastly people-squashing trains, the syite needs fencing and lots of it. The above sheets are laser cut from some sort of card, probably that used in photo mounting and framing.

Here is some being installed on the mound.

The strips of fence are not as stable as, say, the more expensive plastic moulding, hence all sorts of oddments to keep the railings vertical until the glue sets.

But you can hardly see it as it is black! It needs painting. And what happens of you paint thin card with a good dollop of poster paint?

Guess!

You will have also noted the trees (probably made in the Far East); their lime green colour being changed somewhat with more squirts from the spray can.

Two more (nearest to camera) need the squirt.

More on  Thursday .

Tomorrow, we meet at a stadium with multiple names

 Next Feeble Cheers blog - Weds 27 Nov