Costing How Much? (mini blog 2)

 

1. No Idea - But Far Too Much! (1)

The Isle of Wight Observer tried to find out how much had been spent on this extensive list of very expensive work on the Island Line, culminating in work on two over bridges. Neither Notwork Rail nor the Department for Transport (DaFT) could give a figure and both suggested that the press should contact First Rail, holders of the franchise, 

First did not reply.

Whether it makes any sense to spend loadsamoney on a service with carries few passengers and is already heavily subsidised must be very doubtful. 

The £2/£3 fare cap has been snaffled by Rachel, but she could have saved even more cash by closing the line down.

Having begun the process of dismantling the fare cap and freezing many pensioners, the Government is now offering billions of largesse to "improve bus services". Is it fbb's imagination or aren't these policies contradictory?

 

But, back on the IoW, we need to look at history to explain why work on the road bridges should cause some grief to Islanders.

The line originally terminated at what is now St Johns Road Station. The Pier Tramway company extended their horse drawn pier line to the old terminus ...,

... via the ORANGE line, shown above against the later "proper" railway. The roads that now cross the Island Line did not exist or were of very minor use and the tram simply crossed "at grade". Part of the  former tramway can be traced as on this Google aerial view below but the only housing in the way, back then, was on the Esplanade. (houses with lawn, the beach is just visible top right).

But the link to the Esplanade had a problem. The only available road (Cornwall Street) was built on a culvert above Monktonmead Brook. The town's authorities were uneasy about heavy horse drawn trams damaging the culvert or, indeed, falling into the murky depths of the water below.

So the tramway went through the house, seen below looking North, then again looking South from the Esplanade.

When the tramway closed, the property's owners got an extra room or two as the hole was filled in, again looking North, then South.

fbb can find no evidence as to whether the house was built with the hole or whether the tramway company paid out muchfind gold to facilitate their short-lived horse-dawn progress through someone's posh sitting room.

When the "proper" railway was extended to the Pier, three bridges were needed. That on St Johns Road itself (next to the former terminus) obliterated the ground floor entrance of what is now a disused and dilapidated building.

Park Road and Rink Road bridges ...

... were built on the cheap with no proper pavements and hardly any width to add them later. Here is Park Road ...

.. and, similarly, Rink Road.

So Notwork Rail has been at work.

But the locals are protesting in huge crowds ...

... because they don't  like the walls (?).

... complete with very feeble  posters, probably created just for the press photo. Apparently the new "walls" (correct word "parapets") are, so they claim, simply too high to enjoy the enriching views of Monktonmead brook and the railway.

And the walls are made of metal. Ryde deserves better! 

Actually, as you can see from the former glorious view, the "walls" always were metal. But it is true that they are higher. The brook is there, on the right of the railway tracks, lost to view amongst undergrowth and picturesque industrial premises. But that glorious view is no more!

Anyway, he bridges have had new decks with proper footpaths and the Island Line trains can now run through again.

Except they can't.

Without satisfactory explanation, Notwork Rail has closed the Pier again and trains are only running to/from Esplanade station.

There is a bright side (or not, according to your point of view). With the pier closed, Island Line can run a proper every 30 minute frequency service but one which now doesn't connect with any ferries!

Good, innit!

2. It Was Cheap! (ish?)

It was half price!

It is a gorgeous model with excellent exterior detail ...

... and full interior fittings.

fbb has not yet been brave enough to take the lid off, but this O gauge version from Heljan will give some idea of what is in there.

Some real saloons have been given more luxurious interiors.

Nice.

In due course fbb will give his readers a real treat by showing the wide range of prices you could pay if you wanted a similar vehicle for your layout.

 Next X84 blog : Friday 22 Nov 

It's Now No More, The X84 (Part 2)

A Lot Has Happened Since GBBTT

fbb is not clever enough to guarantee historical accuracy but only seeks to give a rough background on the First Bus (ex Yorkshire Rider) X84 from 2000 to the present day.

The next piece of documentation is from 2013. There are now three buses an hour from Leeds ...

... xx15 to Otley only, xx35 to Ilkley and xx55 all the way to Skipton. It is clearer on the timetable to Leeds.

Sometime in this process one journey an hour was diverted via Pool-in-Wharfedale (usually simply "Pool" in PTE-speak) ....

... veering off the A65 Leeds Road. Despite route branded buses for the X84 ...

... no livery adjustment was made for the arrival of the X85. This resistance to change was probably prophetic as the revision was short lived. It was replaced by a few occasional journeys numbered 85 ...

... running from Pool to Leeds only.

They didn't last either!

As the map above shows, there was also a change for Skipton journeys. Instead of running hourly through from Leeds, Ilkley to Skipton was served by route 784.

The end result of all this faffing about would appear to have been a simple half hourly X84 between Leeds and Ilkley (NOT via Pool).

Needless to say, during the life of the X84, there have been plenty of livery changes.

Original Barbie ...

... or later "Leeds" with city buiding images ...

... begat an X84 logo with similar graphics incorporated into a large body side route number.

We have already seen a hint of First's express/long distance blue and gold concoction. But it looked smart on the X84 and much better than its predecessor.

The most recent on-line pictures of the X84 show "Leeds City" buses (in green) serving the A65 corridor ...

... with their various city route coloured wedges and diagonals.

Green was, at least, the colour for local buses via Headingley.

But it was all a bit of a mess over the years. What the travelling public wants; what the travelling public needs; what the travelling public doesn't get ...

... is consistency!

P.S. In First's early pre-Barbie days you could even buses in First's Bradford livery on the X84!

And thus, on  Friday  we see the antithesis of consistency along the Headingey corridor and spilling over into the tradition service to Otley.

It was not a pretty sight!

 Next Expensive blog : Thurs 21st Nov 

Costing How Much? (mini blog 1)

1. No Idea - But Far Too Much! (1)

The Isle of Wight is justly celebrated for its scenery; with wonderful variations packed into this diamond-shaped delight off the south coast. From Alum Bay (above) in the west to Culver Down and the wide sweep of sunny and sandy Sandown Bay in the east ...

... there us much to enjoy.

Joining the two is the spectacular "Military Road" and the quaint delights of Ventnor.

This road is unstable and the IoW County Council warns that it may not be able to afford its protection for much longer. Sadly parts of this gorgeous route may be left to fall ignominiously into the sea.

But the locals in Ryde are now bemoaning the loss of another and picturesque amenity. Something unpleasant is happening to bucolic views in Oakfield!

To understand the environmental disgrace that has been purpetrated, we need to go back a bit.

Readers may remember the promise of a complete rebuild of the Island's remaining National Rail line from Ryde Pier Head to Sandown.

1. A loop at Brading station would be re-instated to allow for a proper half hourly train service to connect with the half hourly Ryde to Portsmouth ferry service. This work took at least twice as long as planned because of bad weather and "technical difficulties".

Another snag is that the ferry now runs hourly for most of the year with just a few high summer extras. So a half hourly connection is a non-event.

2. Shiny new Vivarail old underground trains would bring much needed comfort and reliability in place of the very old old Underground trains.

The trains did not work very well and the wheels wore out very quickly. On many days there was only one two-car unit available to run a theoretical half hourly service which should have been allocated two four car units!

3. With the new loop, the upgraded track and the new non-working trains all ready for action, Notwork Rail decided to rebuild Ryde Pier! 

Good planning chaps!

4. Having completed Ryde Pier it was very apparent that the promised half hourly frequency was unworkable. Either the loop at Brading was in the wrong place or the new trains were not fast enough. Or a bit of both. So Island Line offered a stupid every 40 minutes train, only really meeting the hourly ferry every two hours!

5. Anyway, not to worry because the line would be closed again to replace two bridges ...

... namely those on Rink Road and Park Road between St Johns Road and Esplanade stations.

It is that project to which we will return on  Thursday .

1. An Idea? - But Far Too Much! (1)

£90 for a small coach - ridiculous. fbb would be daft to shell out so much from his meagre pension for soimething that obscure; and marital relationships might be just a little strained - especially after Rache has snaffled the fbb's winter fuel allowance. 

It did seem to have a high spec ...

... but not high enough for an outlay of £90.

But fbb bought one like this real full sized item!

And here it is!

What caused fbb to succumb will also be revealed on  Thursday .

 Next X84 Is No More blog : Weds 20 Nov 

It's Now No More, The X84 (Part 1)

Carols In't Pub!

All over Yorkshire, pubs will be welcoming their clientele to an evening of Carols and "refreshment". To what extent the combatants will give any thought to the real meaning of the Christmas Story is highly doubtful, but the tradition will continue none the ;ess.

Often the songs become more secular and one that is compulsory, particularly in West Yorkshire, concerns a wanderer on the moors wearing no headgear. Death ensues eventually and the consumption of the human remains by lumbricos terrestris adds to the tragedy.

But already this year a different song is being sung in Leeds, Headingley, Weetwood, Otley and Ilkley. 

fbb can safely publish these words with a lower asperity threshold than some versions!

Where ‘as tha bin since I saw thee,

I saw thee!

Where ‘as tha bin since I saw thee,

I saw thee!

To Ilkley town by bus,

To Ilkley town by bus,

To Ilkley town by bus.

They’ve changed the timings, you will see,

You will see.

They’ve changed the timings, you will see,

You will see.

For Ilkley town on’t’ bus,

For Ilkley town on’t’ bus,

For Ilkley town on’t’ bus.

It serves all stops from Leeds to Wee-

-twood Libree.

It serves all stops from Leeds to Wee-

-twood Libree.

Now folk will fume and cuss,

Now folk will fume and cuss,

Now folk will fume and cuss.

Readers may be aware that there is no Library (Libree) at Weetwood; but why let a geographical nicety get in the way of a truly awful rhyme?

T'were grand when t'were an AEC,

AEC,

T'were grand when t'were an AEC,

AEC,

A comfy Ledgard bus,

A comfy Ledgard bus,

A comfy Ledgard bus.

New numbers? Daft if thee ask me,

Thee ask me.

New numbers? Daft if thee ask me,

Thee ask me.

They're just confusing us,

They're just confusing us,

They're just confusing us!

First’s boss is such a silly “B”…

Silly “B”!

First’s boss is such a silly “B”…

Silly “B”!

Shan’t use their bloomin' bus,

Shan’t use their bloomin' bus,

Shan’t use their bloomin' bus.

Some explanation may be necessary!

In 1896 Samuel Ledgard became the licencee of the Nelson Hotel on Armley Road, Leeds.

After closure it was refurbished ...

... and is now the Grand Valley Bar and Kitchen. "Grand" might not be a totally appropriate adjective!

A blue plaque commemorates Sam's lengthy residence there.

Round the back of the pub, Sam had a bottling plant; he soon had a haulage business and owned a quarry. In 1924 he began his first bus route. By the time his buses ceased operation he had a fleet of approximately 100 vehicles.

Note that he was a "sole trader" and none of his many enterprises was  a "limited" company.

In 1967 his executors sold the business to the West Yorkshire Road Car Company.

 

West Yorkshire only took over a dozen of the vehicles, the rest were sold.

At least one preserved vehicle seems to be in a brighter blue livery than photos show and fbb remembers!

It would appear that the livery was always blue, but its older style was much more complex.

The company's main line route was between Leeds and Otley via the A65.

They had a very comprehensive depot and offices in Otley.

Although Sam never felt the need for route numbers, his former routes were soon numbered in the West Yorkshire Road Car scheme e.g. 783 and 784.

This decker is showing just 84, but  that might be a busted blind bodge!

So 784/84 (?) eventually begat X84, presumably after the original West Yorkshire PTE ...

... privatised as Yorkshire Rider, bought the West Yorkshire Road Car operations in 1989.

Below is a First Bus in Heritage livery on the present X84 by way of (possible?) explanation.

Confusing is it not?

Whatever the complex history, the Great Britain Bus Timetable in year 2000 showed the X84 as running every 30 minures ...

... between Leeds and Ilkley with an hourly service on to Skipton.

Join fbb on  Wednesday  for the next exciting instalment.

In tomorrow's mini blog we take a further look at Directors' Saloons a k a Inspectors'' Saloons. Plus a picturesque watercourse on the Isle of Wight.

 Next Pricing Pottiness blog : Tues 19 Nov