Sunday Variety

 Remember This?

fbb is, of course, convinced that thousands, nay tens of thousands, even more nay,  hundreds of thousands will have rushed to their nearest First Bus route to travel, now realising that Buses are The Future. 

Hands up those who changed their travel habits as a result if this particular bit of publicity.

Sorry, can't see many hands!

Now look who's at it this time!

Well, they've certainly "got you" in Northampton, Inverness, Exeter, Hull City, Sunderland, Cwmbran, Thanet, Hampshire ....

They've got you in loadsa places where Stagecoach is the only operator.

So what does this "campaign" (the video is "introducing 'we got you'", so there must be more to come. fbb just cannot wait to take a trip into Exeter to see what a difference this campaign will make to everyday travel.

fbb suggests that instead of spending huge sums on ineffective self aggrandisement videos, try printing a few timetable leaflets so your customers can find out when and where your buses run in a simple and reliable non-electronic fashion.

How about, all together now ...

"We Got You - A Leaflet"

... as a second "tranche" of ineffective PR budgetary beneficence?

How about a top hat and tails dance routine from new boss Martijn Gilbert to introduce printed publicity from Arriva?

It's clever to use black and white for the Fred Astaire pastiche but Arriva's colours for the leaflet - nice touch Marty!

We can only dream!

We're Improving The Station ...

... by closing it for three years!

Another in fbb's occasional series entitled, "How to attract more people to the delights of rail travel."

Just for the record, the train pictured (Trans Pennine's finest) doesn't stop at the station in question. The item refers to Ravensthorpe. It is just possible that some of fbb's readers may not accurately remember where this station is. (fbb didn't so they are in good company!!).

So here is a chunk of the network operated by Northern Trains.

And there it is on the trans pennine route between Huddersfield and Leeds but not served by the posh Trans Pennine trains. It is also on the route via Sowerby Bridge and on to Wakefield - but not quite.

There are no platforms on the Wakefield line (right).

Here is a view from the footbridge looking towards Leeds.

You  can note the lavish facilities and the crowd of passenger waiting for a Huddersfield bound train! 

At the far end of the platforms, nearest to Leeds, we have a prime example of Notwork Rail's policy of taking every opportunity to reduce carbon dioxide and replenish the healthy oxygen in the atmosphere.

Or have the planners just shut off a chunk of the platforms and let the weeds grow?

Ravensthorpe is, effectively, a suburb of Dewsbury, with the settlement separated from the station by the limpid waters of the River Calder.

The environs of the station are particularly scenic ...

... with the station approach being truly welcoming.

There is a lavish car park which offers over a dozen free places for the commuting crowds.

But, joy of electronic joys, it does have one of those parcel drop off and collect "hubs", the workings of which have oft defeated the intellect of both fbb and his Mrs.

As you can see, it specialises in products from South America, known to be a "popular buy" in Dewsbury!

The track is being re-aligned for higher speeds and the station site being moved (either 210 metres west or 300 metres west according to who is telling you).

Artists' impressions show an Island platform, a new footbridge and a better approach road c/w new road bridge with aud a vast increase in parking ...

... but no platforms on the Wakefield line - which seems a bit short-sighted. The facilities will be  NEW but just as basic as ever.

You do wonder how many passengers will be left after a three year closure.

On-Line Crackpot No 123

Apart from the well-placed badly placed young lady. we have signals lacking much stopping distance, barriers across the track and not across the road. But the most exciting is the DB standard gauge hover train not quite running over a narrow gauge track.

There is no record of whether the short shorted young gell survived being hit by a high speed train.

Wave in Misery for West Midlands

We are deeply saddened to hear that West Midlands Railway has joined the list of companies to be taken over by the currently non-existent Great British Railways.

We will all shed a tear ...

... especially as absolutely nothing will change from January next year. The actual changes will be buried deep in the accountancy and make no difference to the fare-paying public.

Later, probably much later, front-of-house developments may appear, but it will take ages.

A Model Railway Makes fbb Cry

It looks SO good!

It's got a touch of the Vale of Rheidol about it.

Sadly, they got the colour of the carriages wrong on the model; surely they should be red?

Chortle chortle!

Later this week we are off to the East Midlands.

 Next Good Weather blog : Mon 4 Aug