Traversing The Tone 2

 Wrong Again?

It was the picture above that made fbb explain the the former exit from platform 2 to the route 28 bus stop (for Minehead, Butlins and West Sonerset Railway) ...

... had been obliterated by a new development - which was a multi storey car park for the station. The National Rail station guide looks out of date with no mention of the new car park ...

... but it does show the special exit to the 28 bus. The other map, showing station facilities in detail, is too diagrammatic to be certain.

But an aerial view suggests access to a bus is still available to the standard location of the stop. 

There is no sign of the dedicated route 28 exit, however, with recent on-line pictures showing a station exit route only via via the new booking hall.

... with arrows on the wall of the older part if the building.

Hopefully something inside the building sends you thataway!

So there is a 28, collecting its passengers from where the special exit isn't.

The new car park is prominently in the left.

Obviously, if you want a taxi, that will be right outside the main southern exit.

Finally (phew!) First's Taunton town map does confirm where the 28/28A plus 25/25A stops at the station.

So, sorry, fbb was wrong in yesterday's blog!

This investigative excursion has clogged up the planned blog content somewhat so it will be tomorrow before we traverse the Tone.

 In the meantime ...

From Good to Ghastly

As far as fbb can tell, the last timetable book appeared in 2024. These books were excellent in every way.

It contained excellent maps; lots of useful information ...

... including the much lamented Exmoor Coaster open toppers!

This offered a magnificent experience ...

... now scrapped by First as part of a "re-focussing of the business".

There have been two further "re-focussing" schemes since. It may be easier to "re-focus" than to run buses for actual passengers.

In the timetable book the 28 is joined by an X28 and a 28A.

In case you wondered, the X28 runs limited stop for Butlins customers whilst the 28A diverts via Norton Fitzwarren.

But that was 2024 and it is now 2026.

All the above publicity is a fond memory. All you get today is First's appalling on- line timetables ...

... often racked with presentational errors. 

See what First have done with the current Sunday timetable.

In case it doesn't appear clearly, the seven Sunday journeys from Taunton go no further than Lethbrudge Arms ...

... wherever that might be.

Don't tell First Bus, but it is actually a stop IN Bishops Lydeard!

Then there is a separate chunk of times after the short journeys to the Lethridge Arms, whereby you get a group of time columns from there to Minehead.

You have to assume that nobody at First ever checks for such ghastly nonsense.

At last, tomorrow, we will traverse the Tone!

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Having made a couple of bogies, the YouTuber then starts on the main structure of the vehicle.

This involves folding and soldering up a shallow box ...

... and adding some flatter bits and solebars (those narrow edges) ..

... to make a chassis. One of those holes is where the bogie will be attached.

But the modeller then discovered that the box he had just assembled was 3mm too deep ...

... and he had to saw 3mm off the edges - very carefully, hopefully avoiding the painful consequences of sawing 3mm off his thumb!

Surely fbb would end up with a wobbly edge and a slightly shorter thumb!

There is detail to be added, but, next, the body shell is assembled.

More to come.

===================

  Next Tone-ton blog - Thurs 16th April 

Traversing The Tone (1)

 It's A River!

It should trickle through a town on the river, and thus be called Toneton - but thanks to a vagaries of the English language and changes in pronunciation, the town is now called Taunton.

It's in Zummerset "where the zider apples grow", two of which adorn the local bus company logo.

But do not be deceived, dear reader, this attractive logo does not belong to a Taunton independent. It is First Bus in a cunning disguise, a disguise that is now wearing very thin indeed.

At one time, the company had its own webs site, attractive and well managed, but it was not long, in bus history terms, before it was all washed up into First Bus corporate grimness.

Take one of its 'prestige' services from Taunton to Minehead, actually the only one that might be called 'prestige'!

To doff its cap to bus!rail integration, this service calls at the railway station inbound ...

... big deal, all buses do; but the 28 also diverts to the south side of the station building outbound.

All other buses northbound stop on the main road ...

... as they have done for many a long year.

Here is the station entrance south side ...

... which has also gained a more trendy portico. Once the 28 had its own exclusive exit from platform 2 ...

... but that exclusivity has been lost to more development adjacent.

The 28 runs via Butlins to Minehead, and, when trains are running, dips into Bishops Lyderard Station on the 20 mile long West Somerset Railway.

Once, in the past, the 28 was all corporate First with Barbie livery ...

... followed by the even less appealing son of Barbie.

Then came the apples ...

... followed by route branding for the 28.

The Quantock Line name refers to the range of hills in the north of the county. But the apples are still there above theire driver's window.

But now ...

... corporate First rules the day.

But, as an alternative to waiting for a bus, you could walk into town. But don't aim for the bus station ...

... because, despite Buses of Somerset branding, a nice little snack bar and a comfortable waiting room, First showed no interest in welcoming their customers and closed it down.

The building and land remained however, and the Council has bought it with the aim of re-opening this excellent facility.

But it is the walk from station to town that is the concern if tomorrow's blog.

==================

Try Praying

No, not another fbb preachy blog appendage but a public transport poster campaign. There might be a bit of spirituality later, though!

The blue (sometimes purple) side and rear end adverts are popping up all over the nation. Here we have London Buses, First, Arriva, Lothian, West Midlands and Stagecoach.

fbb couldn't fine a picture of a GoAhead bus with the advert.

Anyway, you can send for a booklet specially designed for people who don't pray and have never considered the idea.

The prayers are much more honest and far less "religious" than the sort of thing that you get in most churches.

But I don't believe in God?

What we believe is irrelevant! It is what happens that matters.

If we begin to pray sincerely and honestly, things will happen!

If you would like a copy of the booklet ...

FREE!!!!

... the fbbs will post you a copy. Just send your address (without a name if you wish)  to:-

fbb@xephos.com

No salesman will call : no further stuff will be sent!

The booklets are currently on order for delivery at fbb mansions.

======================

It's  a bogie, innit?

Then resin cast side frames are added ...

... and it all looks so much better when it is painted.

More tomorrow!

=================

  Next Taunton blog : Weds 15th April 

What Happened To Ensign Bus?

What Happened To Their Heritage?

Our family vintage bus collection began in 1979 when we acquired our first bus, which was RT 3232, an AEC Regent ex London Transport. 

Much to the angst of London bus experts, RT 3232 appeared in Ensign Bus livery ...

... but now wears something much more  to its history.

Excellent!

At that time the family owned Ensign Bus Company Ltd, based in Purfleet, Essex, and over time the fleet grew to around 60 buses and coaches. 

 

But they didn’t just sit in a shed - they were used to do what they did best - carry passengers! It could be a Wedding Party, a Celebration, a Corporate event, travelling the streets of London helping out on service when there was an emergency- a whole host of things!

 

Our buses appeared in countless films and television productions, and you would be surprised at how many times you may have seen our buses on screen and not realised it

 

We sold Ensignbus to First Bus in March 2023, but the sale did not include the vintage bus collection and the family decided to build a Bus Museum to house them all. 

 

We are a family with a passion for buses, and everyone has played a part in bringing this dream to reality

 

So come along and enjoy your time with the family!

But before we take a look at the museum, we needs to answer the headline question. We know that First Bus has abandoned route branding, local liveries and regional identities in favour of corporate dark blue ...

... not forgetting a logo from the doodles of ahn infant school youngster.

But none of this policy appears to have filtered from corporate tedium world into the local identity in Grays and Purfleet. No sign of First Ensign!

Unlike the rest of First's rapidly reducing empire, Ensign still produces a timetable book ...

... including a high quality network map showing 'favourites' like the X80 ...

... to Bluewater and the 99 ...

... to connect with the ferry to Gravesend.

Only, of course it doesn't. The passenger ferry to Gravesend no longer exists but the 99 runs every 30 minutes to connect with it! fbb thinks that National Rail or C2C pays a wedge towards the 99 as a rail replacement bus for the closed station at Tilbury Riverside.

The timetable also includes - wait for the shock -- other operators' services as here at Grays!

And the booklet shows fares!

Somebody should tell First Bus how to do it elsewhere!

The highlight of the pre-First Ensign year was it's running day. A series of special routes were run as fully registered bus services and we do know that First has cancelled these registrations.

So no more Running Days with a truly eclectic mix of vehicles?

More modern buses of fond memory would turn up to the delight of enthusiasts.

fbb has never enjoyed an Ensign running day, but he has ridden the ferry from Gravesend and used the 99 to meet up with a train at Tilbury Town. It was almost as good as a Heritage day but far more spooky at the desolate Riverside!

But Ensign had another 99 ...

... this time named after the iconic ice cream plus flake.

Maybe it's a bit more pricey now? The seafront services at Sarfend were rejuvenated and richly rescued by Ensign. Let's hope that First doesn't "do a Cornwall" with these popular buses.

So Peter Newman, ex owner of Ensign has set up  a museum.

(Sorry about the bodged reproduction!). It's  not cheap!

The Isle of Wight bus museum is "donations only" - they reckon they take more money than they did when they charged admission,

The display looks rather boring, but the picture might have been taken during set up,

Poole Farm is just South of Great Yeldham ...

Bus 89 passes the entrance, but it is not particularly frequent.

But the Museum runs its own bus when the attraction is open, that's weekends and bank holidays only. Surely it should open during school holidays.

Also expensive!

Worth a visit? Seems a lot to pay if you need a bus to get there - plus a train fare to Braintree.

fbb will be happy to publish pictures and comment. Send to:-

fbb@xephos.com

=======================

First take a bit of etched brass ...

... and bend it using that brass etch bending tool.

Solder the bends and joins for strength ...

... then fit little brass cups into four holes.

Exciting isn't it.

Fear not, this is not fbb at work.

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 Traversing the Tone blog : Tues 14 Apr