Contentious Caledonian Considerations - 1

Trundling Though The Trossachs

Well that is what it used to do. Once upon a time you could trundle in a Bedford OB ...

... and even buy a bus model as a souvenir of your trundle.

The name "Trossachs" is taken from that of a small woodland glen that lies at the centre of the area ...

... but is now generally applied to the wider region.

On the map above, the actual historic Trossachs is just to the left of the "T" of Trossachs and about the same size. If you blinked you would miss it! 

The wooded hills and lochs of the area may be considered to represent a microcosm of a typical highland landscape, and the woodlands are an important habitat for many species. Much of the Trossachs area is protected by various different conservation designations, including the Great Trossachs Forest National Nature Reserve.

The Trossachs form part of the Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park, which was established in 2002.

The bus service is now branded "The Trossachs Explorer" and is operated by two proper buses in a smart livery.

It starts on July 7th.

So where does it go? There is no proper map on the web site. It does invite you to click on "map" but this is all you get.

Useless.

But have no fear, dear readers, there is a route diagram which starts (left below) from Alexndria on the Glasgow Electric line to Balloch.

Unfortunately, in fact, Balmaha is north of Drymen and Alexandria just a bit south west! 

The diagram is a misleading straight line ending at Callander, one time home of that glorious Scottish series, Dr Finlay's Bookcase.

Barbara Mullen (Janet), Bill Simpson (Dr Finlay) and Andrew Cruikshank (Dr Cameron) above. fbb's favourite characters were Dr Snoddie (Moultrie Kelsall) and Mistress Niven (Effie Morrison). They don't make telly like that any more - they don't make actors like that any more!

But we digress!

And you guessed it; Killin is north of Callander and Stirling is south.

So wrong again.

In desperation, fbb has drawn his own rudimentary map, showing the core route and advertised connections. How easy and useful are these connections is, in some cases, debatable.

The timetable operates seven days a week but there are four variants, so you need to be on your bus traveling toes to get the right one.

The 309T journeys from Alexandria are operated by the two buses on the Explorer cycle, with similar journeys back in the evening. 

Times on a BLUE background are for sailings on Loch Katrine on board Sir Waltr Scott ...

... a fine and truly historic vessel. 

Times on pale YELLOW are various bus connections. 

Then here is Thursday's and Friday's schedule ...

... with different connections on the "normal" 309. 

Next, Saturday ...

... where 59 to Stirling and C60 to Killin are different. 

Which leaves Sunday ...

... different again.

The promoters of this service have done their best to give the best journey options - but you need a lot of wits about your person to plan and enjoy the service. It would not be pleasant to find yourself stranded at Brig o Turk with a very long walk.

A well-planed ride is worth the effort!

Then there's the fares!

The above set apply all the way from Alexandria to Callander and, presumably, on the connecting 309s as well as the 309T through journeys,

BUT ...

... Why spend £9.50 when you can do much the same for £6? 

Then there is a selection of "other" single fares.

But why pay £7.50 for a single from Drymen to Loch Katrine when the £6 ticket is valid all day?

Maybe fbb has got it all wrong (not the first time?) but it is confusing.

If you can work it all out correctly, this looks like a very splendid service, well worth a ride!

Pity about the inadequate publicity.

Regency Route Re-Stock

The Regency branding has long been applied to buses to Tunbridge Wells with branches to Heathfield (centre of top map above) and Eastbourne (off map bottom right).

A previous geographical map is, perhaps, easier to grasp.

There have been various liveries over the years beginning with basic labels on the standard fleet livery ...

... and moving to a full route specific design.

... the most recent being rather PINK.

Brighton and Hove buses has announced a massive investment in new vehicles for the complex ...

... and a new version of the PINK paint scheme.

So much better that Brighton's multi-coloured clothes peg livery.

 Next D & G blog - Tuesday 1st July 

Sunday Variety

A Verbal Puzzle

What might be ... Square, Rounded, Ellis grease; Oil 116 OR RCH split oil?

Answer later!

Yesterday's Puzzle

Of course, the bus has just arrived from Castleton having been nowhere near Manchester Airport,

Whose bus is it! The answer may surprise even some of fbb's more knowledgeable readers. It certainly confused your astute and ever alert (?) author.

Here is the very fuzzy over enlarged legal lettering.

It reads, "Eric W Bowers Coaches Ltd" with an address in Leicester. Bowers used to be based at Chapel-en-le-Frith. 

The explanation is provided by "T A High Peak Buses", which makes it all clear.

If it doesn't, here is some background.

Back in days of yore, service 272 between Sheffield and Castleton was joint between Sheffield Joint Omnibus Committee (Sheffield Transport in disguise) and North Western.

When NWRCC was sucked up by Selnec (Manchester) PTE, it's Buxton depot passed to Trent which thus became the joint operator on the 272.

After this ended, Trent sold its Buxton depot to Julian Peddle who re-invigorated a previous takeover of Bowers and set up the "brand" High Peak. But the registered operator was and still is Bowers.

Meanwhile, back at Castleton, a competing Hulleys operation on the 272 became a joint operation with First Bus.

The chicane at Bradwell is very scary.

But it is a stunning ride on a double decker, less so from a 'one storey' vehicle.

All was well with joint operation and interavailable fares until Hulleys went spectacularly bust.

High Peak were really keen to, effectively, replace all of Hulleys work from day 1 or as soon afterwards as was practicable. Derbyshire County was quick with tenders and High Peak only got the ex Hulleys journeys on the 272.

Much of other Hulleys stuff went to Andrews of Tideswell who also took on some of the buses.

It is such a pity that High Peak should have to resort to inappropriately liveried vehicles for the 271/272. Some of their other motors were a bit "tired"!

It is the same bus!

Taken With A Pinch Of Salt

When a spotty fbb played with his O gauge Hornby train set, he always admired the Saxa Salt wagon.

But he never had one! When developing his OO layout he still hankered (the Germolene helped!!), but, due to funding difficulties he never bought one.

65 years later, Peterville Quarry Railway is a passenger only heritage line, so salt wagons are not required. Even on the real railway, in times past, such wagons were rare and now definitely museum pieces.

For the record, salt was loaded "loose" and transferred, usually by hand (actually by shovel) into sacks for onward conveyance by road. 

A modern salt "train" is very different ...

... in Austria.

If you switch on "sibtites" you might get an english translation.

But if the aged modeller wanted a collection of salt wagons, Rapido Trains have just announced 15 (yes fifteen!) different liveries.

fbb had no idea of the widespread saltiness of this freight business.

Buying all 15 from Rails of Sheffield (discounted price) would cost fbb £419.25! And no he isn't!

Many of the models have detail differences, and these are outlines in the quoted panel below.

And there's our answer - different types of axle box; and, no, fbb has absolutely no idea!

Red Funnel In The Red

It matters not whether you are a big-money ferry operator, a small bus company or the domesticated owner of a motor car. If cash is a bit tight it can be hard to keep up the highest standards of maintenance. Alteratively, and also if cash is tight, there is the temptation, sometimes the necessity, to make do and mend. 

It doesn't always work.

Admittedly this is a snapshot of one bad day - but "one bad day" happenings are happening far too often for the sanity and security of customers who have already paid for their bookings.

It isn't getting any better for Red Funnel.

Citylink Sweats In The Heat

And fbb doesn't mean the hot weather!

Citylink runs every 15 minutes ...

... with big big coaches!

Flixbus is offering half hourly at launch but with weak (non-existent?) timetable information,

Like these new-style services in all forms of public transport, it is also hard to find out what the fare might be for your chosen time of travel.

Here is Flix's pre-introduction blurb:-

Departing every 30 – 35 minutes throughout the day between Edinburgh Bus Station and Glasgow Buchanan Bus Station, the route will launch on Monday, 7 July.

In addition to its two city centre stops, the route will connect key locations including Livingston, Harthill, and Edinburgh's West End, offering passengers more convenient travel options.

Tickets on the route start at just £3.49, while travel is completely free on the FlixBus Scotland network for Young Scots under 22, over 60s with a bus pass and anyone with a valid National Entitlement Card (NEC) when simply hopping on a service. Tickets booked online include a £1 booking fee.

Andreas Schorling, Senior Managing Director of FlixBus UK, said: “Adding these destinations will bring convenient, frequent FlixBus journeys to those living outside of city centres, perfect for everyone from commuters to university students and day trips.”

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Before returning to fbb's recent Sheffield visit, a few more snippets from across Hadrian's Wall will entertain and challenge us tomorrow.

 Next Contentious Caledonian 

 Considerations  blog 

 Monday 30th June