Weekend Variety (1)

First Group Going Forward (Part 1)

The public transport press has been full of this story over the last few days. Within fbb's recent memory was the news that Giles Fearnley, then newly appointed GM of First Bus, had sold First's London operations to release funds for improvements elsewhere.

So why the "volte face"? Why has London work become desirable for First.

It seem that the big groups are jittery about the move to franchising in the big PTE areas. Stagecoach has lost a huge chunk of business in Manchester, reputedly having been substantially outbid (underbid?) by a cut price deal with Metroline.

The proof of the Mancunian pudding will be in the eating of Metroline's new business from 5th January next year! We all watch and wait!

Currently First is "big" in three areas planning to franchise their networks, namely Glasgow, West Yorkshire and South Yorkshire. All three seem determined to bite the franchising bullet despite the as yet unproved financial brinkmanship of Andy Burnham in Manchester.

So First needs to have a back-up!

And £90 million seems a bargain price, although corporate finance is very much the dark art of bus operations. But, on the surface, First would seem to be bagging a bargain.

fbb aims to look at exactly what they are getting for their bag of pennies in a future blog. For the time being, the old man takes a brief look at who they are buying from.

To most of us older folk, RATP is Paris Corporation Transport ... running the much loved Metro ...

... a vast network of new orbital metros ...

... still a-building. Paris buses a-plenty ...

... and a spectacular set of tram routes.

RATP is responsible for 9 out of the 14 tram services in and around the greater Paris area.

La société mère, la Régie Autonome des Transports Parisiens, fut crée par la loi du 21 mars 1948, dotée d'une personnalité juridique à laquelle la loi confère le statut de personne morale de droit public. Son siège social est situé au 54 quai de la Rapée 75012 Paris.

Le groupe RATP, 3ie,e opérateur mondial de transports urbains. Partenaire de confiance des villes et des territoires, en France et partout dans le monde.

Une expertise globale pour une offre de transports multi-modale au service de voyageurs.

But don't tell anyone, RATP is, effectively, a fully nationalised part of the French Government!

In addition to its London operations, RATP also bought Yellow Buses (ex Bournemouth Corporation).

This was a financial disaster; the company was sold for £1 to its management but soon went bust and GoAhead's MoreBus just walked in and took over.

Not generally known is RATP's other massive UK operation.

RATP is the proud owner of Air Decker, the bus service that runs between Bath and Bristol Airport.

Day to day operation is in the hands of the Bath Bus Company.

fbb will take a brief look at RATP's global activity in tomorrow's variety blog.

Euston : Eusless Becomes Eusful

Readers may remember the kerfuffle when Notwork Rail moved Euston's departure boards to where they were less than visible and replaced them with an astro ginormous mega advertisement hoarding.

The rumour was that the then Minister of Transport instructed Notwork Rail to remove the adverts; doubtful, as she didn't have the authority to interfere.

Nevertheless it was switched off.

The good news is that Notwork Rail have called in, Gavin, the MD's young son, to reprogram the board ...

... and it now shows train departures!

Not only that, but everyone on the concourse can see them and read them.

Talking Of Lighting Up

This years' festive display at fbb  mansions is somewhat reduced from the bigger shows of the past. There are two reasons. Firstly, the old crocks could not find their stocks of lights at all. Possibly the working bagful was given the heave-ho in a minor domestic declutter as well as the failed bagful!

Whoops!

Also half the installation team has gone on strike claiming to be too old to dangle awkward cane frames out of the bedroom windows.

So lavish becomes modest - seen here under construction.

But the true reason for the season, CHRISTmas, that leads to the Cross and Resurrection, is preserved, albeit at ground level!

Hard Times at Hover Travel

The company explains more.

No details are yet available of the consequences of this "review".

Poor Islanders are beset with huge ferry problems with unrealiability at a high level on both Red Funnel and Wightlink and now hints of a reduction in service giving extra bovver on the Hover.

Puzzle Picture

fbb has never seen one or read about it before.

Answer tomorrow.

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"NOT the Advent Calendar", but ...

     The      

  CHRIST -mas 

  Criss-muss  

   Confusion  

 Critique  14 

As The Weary Family Walks ...

... from Nazareth to Bethlehem, soon to be joined by an embarrassingly troubling child, it is worth remembering that, of the four Gospels in the Bible, only two tell the Nativity story. Matthew is writing for his fellow Jews, whilst Luke is anxious to explain it all to the Gentiles, the non-Jews.

Luke would be travelling around the Med teaching the truths about what would become CHRISTmas to locals in the non-Jewish communities. His Nativity story reflects that aim.

Their stories differ because their audience differs!

Mark does not mention the baby Jesus at all, neither does John but John does write about a beginning.

The whole Bible begins with the "creation of  LIGHT  or, to put it scientifically; in the first few microseconds of the "Big Bang", the whole cosmos was filled with the glow of ionised hydrogen gas.

Then, at beginning of his Gospel, John writes:-

The Word was the source of life, and this life brought light to people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has never put it out.

Yer what?

What does this quote have to do with CHRISTmas?

And what code "Word" does John want us to understand?

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 Next Variety blog : Sun 15th December