Post-Festive Pot Pourri (8)

The Mystery Of Macau Money

Chinese currency is (usually) the Yuan, but can be spoken of in terms of the Remnimbi. fbb will be happy for his readers to research the complex topic. For simplicity fbb will think of things in terms of the Yuan which is about 11p in good old Blighty dough.

But if you cross the border from Chinese China into Chinese Macau you currency will, in theory, have to change. Macai uses the Pataca ...

... worth a little less than 10p. So it may well be fun at the border.

Unusually in today's public transport climate, the Macau LRT has graded fares according to distance. You must pay in Patacas! But you do not pay in specie. You nuy a token ...

... which operates the gates. Here are the fares for token holders - the equivalent of cash.

Or you can pay with a smart card ...

... in which case the fares are reduced.

.. to half!

So the full length of the green line (currently the only line) will cost £1.20 with token or 60p with card.

Much, much cheaper than chips.

CHRISTmas Gift Review

Forget the heap of brightly wrapped mysterious parcels. After some years of trying to buy each other something meaningful, fbb and his lovely wife gave each other a goat - that's two goats.

Less readers should fear for the fbb's luxury shag pile soiled by refractory caprine creatures, both these goats were donated to a Christian charity for goating overseas.

(click on the panel above to enlarge - their text is not text and thus won't download as such.)

For the fbb's, the goats cost £55 each and will go to needy folk in Kenya enabling them to build a sustainable farming business.

Surely a far more worthy use of cash than chocs or bath salts!

But No 3 son gave this to his aged papa.

It is a hammer and pliers with a suspicion of non-Swiss Army Knife accoutrements folded into the handle. In some ways fbb was disappointed in this joyous gift as it did not have that ever useful tool, namely a device for getting stones out of a horse's hoof.

Yes, that's the fellah, at the left hand end!

But 1 son managed a packey of the Australian equivalent of Bombay Mix (Brizzy Mix?) ...

... also an essential antidote to the spicy "Mix" were two one-pint glasses for slaking the inevitable thirst. 

But the highlight of No 1 son's gift was a hedge.

This was not another charitable gift, designed to improve the agronomy of some folk beset by climate change in Wigan, but a OO scale model hedge ...

... or, more accurately, the wherewithal to make one. A spot has been found on the layout already; Installation will commence when the usual circular platter is obtained as its companion.

Book Review

The collection of photos was published in 1993 by the city's much loved evening daily newspaper and contains a fair selection of pictures that fbb has not seen before in the myriad of similar books.

There are plenty of tram and bus related snaps including this one of the very first Pond Street bus station, later Central Bus Station and even later Sheffield Interchange.

fbb came too late to Sheffield to enjoy the somewhat primitive original.

Tomorrow's blog will include a selection of then and now pictures and ask a challenging question about pedestrianisation.

Coaches Crisis in the Cotswolds?

It is true that Bourton on the Water was not built for coaches ...

... but it wasn't buil for cars either!

An old news rweport appeared to have settled the matter, BUT ...

The owner of Station Road Car Park said he would have to stop coaches parking there following complaints

Coaches can carry on parking in the "Venice of the Cotswolds" after an agreement was reached about soundproofing.

The owner of the only coach car park in Bourton-on-the-Water had threatened to ban the vehicles, following complaints about noise and air pollution.

However, business owners said trade in the village would be "killed" if coaches could not drop-off tourists.

A soundproof wall will now be erected between the car park and houses.

... the crisis rumbles on.

Surely getting rid of coaches will bring even more cars, even more traffic chaos and even more noise and exhaust pollution?

And An Embarrassing "Whoops"

 Next Pot Pourri blog : Friday 5th January 

Satuday Variety

Improved Bus Service - Yes, Really!

When Stagecoach backed out of the route between Seaton and Lyme Regis, it was natural that Seaton based Axe Valley Travel should take on the job. The Devon Council tender for the first year was poor.

Ignoring schoolday buses, there were just four journeys Monday to Saturday in Summer and ...

... and utterly pathetic offering of not quite two in the Winter. This was substantially inferior to the withdrawn Stagecoach 9A which was hourly Monday to Saturday and two hourly on Sunday.

But come 2023, the Summer 378 service is slightly improved ...

... to FIVE journeys, but for the Winter, things are much much better ...

... with a doubling of the frequency, So more folk will be able to enjoy the views as the bus descends into Lyme Regis. (This one is ascending from ...)

Still no Sunday service, though.

More Going Ahead!

The GoAhead boss made the usual and expected comments.

Pulhams operate a variety of rural services, notably the 801 ...

It runs Monday to Saturday with just a couple of Sunday and Bank Holiday trips.

... and the 802 which provides a link to trains at Kingham station.

A very useful  link!

For the full list refer to their web site.

The company has a modern well kept fleet of single ...

... and double deck motors.

There are extensive coaching interests as well.

They can cater for large or very small parties!

Actually it's a staff car. 

It looks as if the present family management will be staying with the operation.

Andrew Pulham is quoted.

How Many?

It is a Southern Railway 8 plank goods wagon; a number of planks that was not common on Britain's Railways. Conventionally seven was the maximum for a high sided open wagon. 

This model is produced by Rapido Trains and costs £28.01 from Rails, £27.95 from Hattons and  a whopping £32.95 RRP advised by Rapido. 

Thought. Why the odd penny c/o Rails - does that make such a difference to Rails' profit margin?.

Back in the day, Hornby Dublo made a similar wagon ...

... as did Trix ...

... and Triang.

There may have been similar wagons in grey and occasionally with a different railway company lettering. But once British Railways happened, you would get a brown open wagon or a grey open wagon and that was your lot.

Of course. today's main manufacturers (Hornby and Bachmann) have upgraded their models, but tend to extend the range with private owner liveries.

British Railways had thousands of these general-use wagons, but, from a modelling point of view, they are very boring.

So how many versions of this very boring Southern Railway goods wagon has Rapido created?

That's 32 different versions of one simple 8 plank Southern Railway wagon. The odd duplicate may appear in the above paste-up as fbb cannot count! The differences may be small (e.g. wagon number) but they are different.

For "Pokemon" substitute "S R open wagon" and sing along!

If you want a cheap (cheaper?) seven planker, fbb recommends Oxford Rail ...

... at a modest (?) £11.95 brand new. You would struggle to tell the difference as it trundles round your layout.

Puzzle Picture

fbb has been unable to identity the actual street location, so the city of operation will do. One small clue - the tram is red.

Technology Puzzle Picture

So, if you want a drophead, missus, Ellis is you man. But what is it?

Answers tomorrow.

Railings

Just "plonked" prior to painting the granite retaining wall. But why has fbb glued window frames on the railings?

Weird or what?

 Next Variety blog : Sunday 11th June