Saturday Mini Variety

It Seemed A Good Idea At The Time

There was much excitement when Stagecoach and a whole goody bag of "partners" announced route AB1 from Ferrytoll on the north bank of the Firth of Forth, over the old Forth Bridge and via the M8 to Gyle shopping centre on the western edge of Einburgh.

Promotional material showed a whole fleet of buses in dedicated livery following one another across the bridge. 

It is hard to see why so many vehicles were needed as the service could run happily using just one bus!

Fake News?

The route is numbered AB1 complete with smiley face.

Each journey requires two staff; a driver who doesn't drive unless necessry and a second man/woman to reassure the passengers.

Recently the following announcement has been posted on the Stagecoach web site and shared with the local media.

We're sorry to let you know that the AB1 service and our autonomous bus demonstration will conclude on Friday, 14th February 2025, as the current phase of research, development, and match funding comes to an end.

This groundbreaking trial project has delivered invaluable insights, with partners working together to shape the future of public transport. While the service will conclude in February, it has provided a wealth of learnings that will inform the continued development of autonomous technology in the UK.

Hmmm?

Although passenger usage on the AB1 route, linking Ferrytoll with Edinburgh Park did not meet expectations and therefore will not be directly replaced, the trial has significantly advanced the understanding of the operational and regulatory requirements for autonomous services, delivering what was expected from this demonstrator project.

We sincerely thank you for your support and custom during this innovative project, it has provided a wealth of learnings that will inform the continued development of autonomous technology in the UK.

Maybe inform us not to do it again?

The partners* remain committed to exploring new opportunities for self-driving technology in other areas across the UK, ensuring that this exciting innovation can play a transformative role in future transport networks.

For alternative travel options, Lothian Country service 71 operates between Queensferry and The Gyle, or plan your journey via Traveline.

The media seems to have picked up on the "low passenger numbers" line ...

... wth the article going on to a sub-headline ...

The service will close in February 2025 due to low passenger numbers.

To which fbb replies, "Pish, tish and utter tosh!"

Did anyone really think a paltry hourly service from a huge Park and Ride ...

... to a shopping centre with a huge car park ...

... was ever going to attract oodles of paying customers?

Of course it never would.

The official press release referred to the end of funding which, at least initially, sounds plausible. But, hang on a sec! If these autonomous buses were really the best thing since Shillibeers Omnibus ...

... then the investment would be flowing in by the truckload.

The most likely, but hidden, explanation is simply that it doesn't work!

One passenger who reported on his ride told his on-line readers that the non-driving driver had to take over at some road works and needed to take control to manoeuvre at both termini!

If yo want to go driverless, try using a tram on reserved track.

Underground TC4 Trains, a P S.

Herewith a somewhat dated snap (note the A stock) of a "heritage" train travelling away from the camera. (red lights on Sarah Siddons).

A close look shows the second loco on the front ot the four coach train ...

... as surmised by fbb.

Harrow Map a P. S.

It was, indeed, harrowing for fbb to spot his own error on his Harrow map, with the arrows wrongly pointing beside the route numbers on Pinner Road.

Now corrected and a little more information is added about lines and stations.

Should the women's footy team really be riding up and down on the Watford electrics?

fbb's New Tank Wagon ...

... but not an  iwagon .  

Here are a few pictures showing the exquisite detail that you now expect from a OO gauge model - and the detail you expect to pay for! OUCH: but fbb's was half price at £46. STILl OUCH!

The walkway on the top.

 ... the fine mounding on the bogies ...

... the exquisite lettering ...

... and the full pipe and hopper set from underneath.

Unless you have peep holes from under the baseboard or CCTV cameras between the rails you will never see all that. But dedicated modellers tell us they have to know it is there!

And A Puzzle Picture

In which work of children's literature (?) woud you have seen a picture of the above Dinky coach?

Answer tomorrow.

Pinterest Producing Problems

For some reason, Pinterest, which appears to know what flavour crisps fbb had for his lunch yesterday, has been sending the chubby one its own selection of Puzzle Pictures, entitled "Find the Fault".

fbb would love to know when they were originally published. It looks like 1930s. Some are very obvious, but occasionally some have stumped your intellectually acute (?) author.

Here is an easy one.

Answer later.

It might be worth making up a showreel of some of these as a Christmas Quiz.

============================

"NOT the Advent Calendar", but ...

     The      

  CHRIST -mas 

  Criss-muss  

   Confusion  

 Critique  21 

 Time To Tick The Boxes?

Mary, teenage virgin, but promised to Joseph, was miraculously pregnant.

Both she and Joseph could trace their descent 1000 years from King David ...

... and thanks to a remarkable census decision by a Roman Governor, they went to Bethlehem, the City of David, for the "arrival".

Instead of throwing her out, Joseph decided to stick with it - not perhaps miraculous, but certainly contrary to every shred of Jewish social mores. Joseph married Mary, loved her and the child and cared for them.

So the Word became a human being; the Saviour, The Christ, the Son of God. The Word was born of a virgin, was from David's line and was born in David's town.

Too many coincidences; seems like they were "God-incidences".

Ticks all round!

But there is more foretelling to think about; this time showing that CHRSTmas was just the start of something big.

For this we must go back 500 years before the Nativity.

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  Next Variety blog : Sunday 22nd Dec