Convalescent Cartography (1)

 Take Three Metro Lines, 2 PINK

11 YELLOW

19 GREEN

... and a projected line 9!

Add Two Tram Lines

And a Dangling Monorail

There are National Rail services to the fringes of the area which fbb will consider later.

This is the sum total of the tracked transport at Optics Valley, Wuhan.

But nowhere on-line could fbb find a map or diagram which puts it all together.

Some Metro maps are awful ...

... out of date and thus incomplete, as well as playing fast and loose with geography. 

Thankfully Wikipedia has something better.

The tram's various maps are very diagrammatic ...

... and lacking an English translation of any stop names. One map looks more geographically 'right', but it does not enlarge well and, again is labelled in Chinese.

The Dangle monorail has a geographical map ...

... which does show an interchange with Metro Line 11, although it turns out that this is what London Transport would call an OOS Interchange (Out Of Station); i.e. you leave one mode and get to the next via road, street, alley or footpath.

None of these maps is published with a scale. Now fbb was taught (class 1T, Northampton Grammar School, Mr Lance) that you should always show a scale. Sadly, fbb probably does as badly as Wuhan!

Fortunately there is a video on YouTube which charts the growth of Metro and Tram. But it only goes as far as 2022, which, in Wuhan's Metro building universe, is woefully out if date.

But it does match Metro and Tram in the Optics Valley.

Stopping a video can produce fuzziness, but the broad structure is clear and a second attempt confirms the accurate geographical match. But because of the 2022 finish on the video, the combined map is incomplete.

Despite the limitations, it should be easy peasy to create something which even an aged blogger can understand.

Did fbb say 'easy'?

Anyway, the early stages of the project went smoothly. fbb overlaid his own version of the above, but sticking to straight lines and 45 degree diagonals. That's what Harry Beck did with his London!

If it was good enough for Harry, it will be good enough for fbb!

We can now get rid of the original ...

... and start adding a few stop names. They are in English on the Wikipedia Metro map and fbb remembered he "connection" between Metro 11 (YELLOW) and the Monorail (GREY) so can add the Dangle Tram, at least provisionally.

But what about the tram stops in Mandarin?

Fortunately. the wondrous Wikipedia has a list of tram stops IN ENGLISH.

It takes a bit of sorting out, but the dots tell you which stops belong to which tram service. The list also confirms where Tram and Metro "interchange".

So fbb can begin adding tram stop names.

He also decided to reduce the width of the lines for the tram routes in an attempt to provide a little reminder of the very different type of service on offer. 

Should the Monorail be 'thin' as well?

Some of the stops have long names in English but in Mandarin, just four or five characters long.

The Chinese orthography uses pictograms (better 'ideograms') to express more than just one word; very economical in the use of space on maps and diagrams. fbb has had to shorten some of the stop names in English to squeeze them in to the space available.

Like Beck's Underground, there is no attempt to place stops geographically but tweaks to the diagram will undoubtedly be necessary.

Everything is very squidged near the terminus of Tram Line 1.

Something needs to be done.

This blog will be concluded tomorrow, but, in the meantime, here is a better video that that quoted above. It takes the Metro tale through to 2028 plus. Of course it us barely understandable, but does illustrate the huge growth of Wuhan's magnificent Metro.

As the UK struggles with the Bakerloo Line to Lewisham, Docklands to Thamesmead and Crossrail 2, you can marvel at a transport policy based on an undemocratic authoritarian regime.

As Mr Punch is wont to say ...

... "That's The Way To Do It".

Well, it is if you don't have to worry about voters, The Opposition, a critical media and the need to keep taxation low!

More mapping tomorrow.

  Next Convalescent Cartography blog : Sat 27 June 

A Posting, Full On, Rye (4)

Starting, Stopping, Passing, Crossing

Any knowledgeable rail enthusiast would look at the above picture whilst shedding a tear or two at the passing of Rye's traditional signal box. The ding of the bells, the clang of the point and signal levers and the gentle hiss of the wires between box and signal are all gone.

But, if so, why has the signal box been repainted in traditional Southern Railway green and cream?

And why are the windows white!

Then there is this ...

... a posh Walkway from Platform 1 to posh cabin!

Surely this is more than nostalgic preservation? There is even a proper bridge across the drainage ditch at the foot of the posh steps.

Back in the day, there wasn't even a ditch!

If you were invited in to the hallowed world of the signalman, you would espy the traditional operating levers ...

... but most are painted white denoting that the levers are no longer in use. 

Rye station used to have a goods yard ...

... for which those levers woud be necessary.

But as well as traditional signal box appurtenances, you might see this ...

... a collection of buttons and tv screens. Furthermore, if you look closely, you may spot that the tv sets are showing views of two level crossings.

We are told that the box is in operation seven days a week throughout the hours when trains are running.

At both ends of the station, the passing loop reverts to single track ...

... to be followed immediately by a level crossing.

Here they are on a chunk of street map.

And here they are courtesy of Google Earth. Rye Hill is to the east ...

... and Ferry Road to the west.

With trains passing every hour and the need to manage both level crossings, signalling could easily be a bit tricky.

There will be red/green colour light signals to protect the level crossings from approaching trains, then 'starter' signals on the platforms will protect the crossing gates when trains leave.

There will be pressure to open the barriers for road traffic as soon as practically. There could easily be two openings at both ends during the time that trains are passing.

Apparently a cheery signal man ...

... can make a better job of the decision making than a shed full of electronics at Ashford.

There is hope for humanity yet!

It is worth remembering that, back in the day, both level crossings would have their own crossing keepers box ...

... as above at Ferry Road. These boxes would be mechanically interlocked with signals and the diddy signalbox seen in the distance above.

By The Way ...

... there is no ferry on Ferry Road. There was once, when the River Rother was navigable by bigger sailing ships with tall masts.

The engraving below is titled "Rye from the Ferry".

Likewise the first railway crossing was via a swing bridge ...

... later replaced by a fixed span. Today's crossing is reduced to single track, just half of the hefty girder bridge.

Rye is a fascinating station with a proud and varied public transport history. Bearing in mind the caff/florists, a visit to town and station would be stimulating in the extreme.

Ancient readers may remember a TV series called Mapp and Lucia.

It was set in Rye!

Talking of Mapp ...

  Next Convalescent Cartography blog : Fri 26 June 

A Posting, Full On, Rye (3)

Above About Your Station

The station building at Rye is a splendid edifice on the Platform 2 (for Hastings etc) side of the tracks. To the right of the main building is a caff ...

... which has changed hands since the picture was taken. As well as the usual additions to a cup if coffee ...

... i.e. lots of gorgeous cakes ...

... the business also doubles as a florist ...

... with lots of gorgeous blooms!

As you approach the station via Station Approach, you will observe the town's main bus stops and time point.

Services are in the hands of Stagecoach ...

... purchaser of the East Kent company whose vehicles we see un years gone by, resting between duties beside the station building ...

... and using the same layby as does Stagecoach today.

Maidstone and District appeared as well.

fbb has failed abysmally to identify those route numbers! Here an M & D Single decker awaits its next departure.

Maidstone and District?

Even stranger in colour! It used to be with the Dengate Bus Company which operated several services un the Hastungs and Rye area ...

... usung an eclectic seleection of vehicles!

Today, through the central portico of Rye station, you enter a neat and tidy ticket office cum waiting area before continuing on to Platform 2 for trains to Hastings etc.

The platforms are staggered ...

... now linked by a footbridge.

Therein lies a tale. The line between Ore and Ashford was listed for closure under the Beeching Report. A combination of ferocious local opposition and relatively poor road links meant that the line survived but was later reduced to single track for part of its length.

With the arrival of the Hastings electrification came the proposal to add conductor rail to the Marshlink line.

So a footbridge was added for safety reasons ...

... which (fbb guesswork!) duly replaced a foot crossing.

The Marshlink line was not electrified!

There is a lengthy walking route from the station building via the car and coach park ...

... over the level crossing ...

... and back to Platform 1.

fbb is sure that the worthy citizens of Rye would demand a foot crossing and later rejoice (?) in the installation of the footbridge.

Platform 1 has just a basic shelter, but a shelter with character.

In the good old bad old days, such a facility would have routinely been demolished and replaced by a 'bus' shelter. So it is to the credit if whoever makes these far reaching management decisions that the characterful shelter has been fully refurbished.

Nice!

Tomorrow, fbb will look at signals and try to answer two cutting edge questions. 

Why, in the 21st century and with the benefit if modern electronics, does Rye appear to have a working manual signal box?

And why oh why at Rye (say I), are signals not controlled by the mega and hugely expensive signalling centre at Ashford.

They've got all the clever stuff there!

Well Done Stagecoach

fbb was revising his poor knowledge of current bus services at Rye when he came across this from Stagecoach.

Route 100 runs hourly between Conquest Hospital (Hastings), Rye, Lydd and Romney with a Sunday variant numbered 101.

There is no Saturday service (see timetable heading)!

Really?

The existence of a highlighted 'Saturday only' journey suggests that the table should be headed Monday to Saturday.

Whoops!

Convalescent Cartography

fbb has been spending some time creating a map. It is probably the most challenging design project the old bloke has ever attempted.

It is utterly purposeless but no equivalent exists - anywhere.

More in due course.

  Next Rye signals blog : Thursday 25th June