Yoo Hoo Wuhan : Magnificent Metro

 Part 1 - What IS A "Metro"?

In 1863, the very first "Metro" was opened in London between Paddington and Farringdon, soon extended to Liverpool Street. It was operated by a company called the 'Metropolitan Railway Company'.

Trains were steam hauled and the line was built along main roads with huge disruption to traffic (horse drawn), pedestrians and property owners.

Whilst engravings of the early trains are 'optimistic' ...

... fbb doubts whether the ride would be pleasant.

Then 27 years later, something very different appeared. The City and South London Railway ran in a 'tube' from King William Street to Stockwell. 

Obviously trains were hauled by electric locos ...

... with padded cell carriages.

The stock was smaller even than today's 'tube' trains, later enlarged to be part of the Northern Line.

Both 'sizes' of underground then expanded rapidly, all as commercial businesses aiming to make a profit for their shareholders.

Most of the deep level 'tube' lines were bought out by Charles Tyson Yerkes (pronounced 'Yurk-ease ') who was an American go-getting entrepreneur, financier and crook!

Allegedly!

Meanwhile the other group of 'subsurface' big train lines, The District Railway was expanding rapidly. The big cheeses of the District and Metropolitan companies hated each other with an evangelical fervour despite being obliged to work the circle line jointly.

Bur the commercial operation if the capital's key transport service was beginning to show its weakness.

The whole caboodle became London Transport in 1933.

From then onwards Underground, buses, trolleybuses and trams became the first and still the biggest "PTE".

There was a programme of development of the underground, a massive task which was not completed until after WW2. The Northern, Central and Piccadilly were extended, several bits taking over British Railways (or predecessors') routes.

Part 2 - How Many Years?

A few bits closed. The South Acton shuttle, the Aldwych branch and Epping to Ongar all vanished from the Underground map.

Newcomers were The Victoria Line, Piccadilly to Heathrow, Jubilee to Stratford and Docklands Light Railway. 

So far, all the above are happily part of a London "Metro". Now things get tricky definition-wise.

Thameslink is a National Rail service.

The Overground is a National Rail network, subcontracted to London Transport.

The Elizabeth Line line is a British Rail line branded as part if the Underground.

Confusing, innit?

So how long has it taken for the current London "Metro" to evolve? It all depends on what to add into to Metro mixing bowl.

For the purpose of this debate, fbb will allow the Elizabeth Line line because it has a traditional name, a traditional roundel and a traditional colour. Readers are welcome to accept or ignore the Overground; it's the end dates that matter!

The full Lizzy Line services began in 2023.

So, it has taken from 1863 to 2023, a total of ...

160 years.

... to create the London Metro that we know today.

Part 3  - How Long In Wuhan?

The first Metro in Wuhan was, surprisingly, LINE 1 ...

... but it is not quite as simple as that.

The latest Metro to open is LINE 12 which can be spotted in the centre of the full network map ...

... but it is not quite as simple as that! The line becomes a full circle later this year.

So, when did construction of the 2026 network of Wuhan Metro begin?

Certainly NOT 1868!

The first section of Line 1 opened in ...

2004

... and just 22 years later we have the network seen above!

How's High Speed 1 going, UK?

How's the Bakerloo to Lewisham going?

What about Docklands to Thamesmead?

What about Crossrail 2?

Is it perhaps a "sad reflection on something" that it takes one of these ...

... to get things done; whlst one of these ...

... seems to struggle.

Or is the UK no longer economically strong enough to handle the big projects?

Tomorrow, no cynicism, just  a better look a Wuhan and its Metro!

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For the next few days, in a snippet on each blog, fbb will outline the possible reasons, the experiences and the possible consequences of the last week or so. The squeamish or hospital phobic should not read this diary!

EIGHT DAYS INSIDE (Weds 27th May Part 1)

On 26th Dr Kar had d8scussed fbb's frail state, measured his blood pressure and, after three attemots at "perforation" had failed to take blood. Fortunately the surgery's phlebotomist was available and without an appointment bloods were successfully extrracted.

The results were back on 27th with Dr Kar having arranged an emergency admission to "Acute Medical" at Exeter.

That was the only tine that fbb felt fearful!

He remembers saying to Mrs fbb, "We may have to come to terms with the very real possibility that this might be the beginning of the end."

But then he no longer felt fearful.

Even Older Than fbb!!

 125 Years!

On Saturday 6th, there was a "do" at the iconic bus depot in Queens Road, Manchester. Sheffield correspondent Roy trotted over the Pennines and provided fbb with some pictures of the omnibological jollity.

The building opened in 1901 as Manchester Corporation's tram depot ...

... surprisingly full of trams.

The Open Day leaflet continues the story into Corporation buses times ..

... and the change to SELNEC PTE and further to Greater Manchester but still a PTE. But privatisation loomed and Queens Road became a base for Greater Manchester Buses North ...

... which then became First Bus.

The Open Day leaflet gives a full history.

The above timeline encapsulates the somewhat tortured history of municipal buses and the latest phase is now in place with the un-privatised Bee Network.

In the tendering process, First Bus lost Manchester North to Stagecoach whilst Stagecoach lost South to Metroline. So Queens Road is now a Stagecoach Depot!

There was a reminder that we live in an age of sub contracting and outsourcing.

How many bus companies these days have their own tow trucks? First Bus acquired one from the PTE ...

... whilst Lancashire United had this magnificent beast ...

... possibly WW2 surplus! These days, company owned and self- operated tow trucks are rare.

The Manchester Bus Museum is next door and was a joint sponsor of Saturdays event. 

So you could enjoy Manchester's buses in all over red with narrow stripe ...

... but also one with a highly recognisable body style in the original livery which graced the Mancunian highways before economy trumped a quality image.

There were Bee Network buses, of course ...

... as you would expect at a working depot.

Not just buses reminded visitors of the practicalities of running a bus garage.

But the highlight for fbb was Stagecoach buses in "heritage"  liveries.

We saw phase 2 SELNEC with district names in the logo.

There was G M Buses South ...

... and memories of vicious competition along the Wilmslow Road.

fbb is sure Roy had a great day, and thanks him for the excellent pictures. It is very obvious which are from Roy's camera.

Tomorrow, at last, a somewhat revived fbb aims to return to Wuhan via London.

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For the next few days, in a snippet on each blog, fbb will outline the possible reasons, the experiences and the possible consequences of the last week or so. The squeamish or hospital phobic should not read this diary!

EIGHT DAYS INSIDE (The Intermission 1)

To add to the angst, both fbb and Mrs were beset by heavy colds and a lack of enthusiasm for almost everything. So what turned out to be a potentially serious internal bleed was somewhat hidden. The coughs and sneezes may have hidden the diseases.

Melena made an occasional appearance but less violently than previously. 

So it was that on Tuesday 26th May, Mrs fbb was able to battle with the electronics and secure her chubby hubby an appointment with a real live doctor. The fbbs thought he was Dr Carr, but he wasn't.

Weekend Variety ...

... Political Posturing

There may be trouble ahead!

Keir Likes Trams!

Sir Keir Starmer has said he is determined a tram network in West Yorkshire "does happen and happens quickly".

Tracy Wants Trams!

Well, one route would be a start!

The orange one!

Tracy's Buying Buses, Loadsa Buses

The Prime Minister backed up calls by the region's mayor Tracy Brabin ...

Does she wish we would all
forget Coronation Street?

... that a planned mass transit system should be in the form of a tram, rather than an improved bus network.

Keir Wants Votes

Speaking on a visit to York, he said: "The mayor of West Yorkshire is absolutely passionate about this. She wants a tram and I think that's right, so let's just get on with it now."

Brabin said: "It is always good to have the prime minister on your side by saying 'tram' rather than 'mass transit'."

Tracy Wants Cash!

"That is how you unlock growth, by improving transport. You know mass transit has been under way for a number of years but we are now committed, working with government to deliver that tram network," she said.

"This is part of my Weaver Network, that integrated transport system that is part of bus franchising but also a tram, and bicycles, electric bikes, and I know that government want to work with us to get it delivered at speed." 

Tracy Wants Cash, Loadsa Cash!

 Would You Vote For Andy?

Happy Andy?

fbb has a slight suspicion that, were he a voter in the Makerfield constituency, and were he a passionate supporter of the Labour Party (he is neither), he would NOT vote for Andy in the by- election.

That's because Andy has no deep desire to represent the people of Ashton in Makerfield in the House Of Commons. He just wants to be Prime Minister.

It is worth reminding ourselves that nobody votes for a Prime Minister at any parliamentary election. Anyone who prognosticated politically "that the nation elected Keir Starmer to be Prime Minister", is 100% wrong.

It is drivel! Like all the other MPs he was elected as the MP for Hollborn and St Pancras and nothing more.

First, Andy has to be chosen as the Labour Party candidate for election as MP for Makerfield.

He has wangled that, but no one quite knows how.

So, to become PM, Andy has to be elected as MP for Makerfield; he has to resign as Mayor of Manchester; he has to have the support of 50 MPs to stand in an election to be Leader of the Labour Party. He then has to garner enough votes from Labour Party Members, Union Members and Labour MPs to be elected as Leader.

Then the King has to invite him to form a Government. Then he has to gain enough support from MPs to create a viable working Government.

Only then might he get  to be Prime Minister.

There is no guarantee that he will leap over the next hurdle and be elected MP in Makerfield

There are 13 others who want the job, most of whom have absolutely no chance of winning!

Either way he will cease to have any involvement in yellow buses adorned by bees.

Until then (more like IF then) he is still boss of the bees.

Burnham urges mayors to move fast on buses.

There’s few policies that you can introduce that get more noticed than changing the colour of every bus,’ Greater Manchester mayor tells podcast.

Hmmmm?

Paint the buses (and trams) yellow and everything will instantly be wonderful?

Andy Burnham has urged UK mayors to take control of their bus networks as quickly as possible, arguing that the benefits outweigh the transition costs.

He said bringing Greater Manchester’s buses into the publicly controlled Bee Network has been highly visible and popular, helped by rebranding buses ...

... with yellow paint and a furry insect (?) ...

... and reducing fares. Burnham believes bus franchising can help address the cost-of-living crisis by making public transport more affordable and accessible.

Reducing fares? Increased local taxation? Increased government subsidy and of grants?

Hmmm?

Andy Is Spending Cash, Loadsa Cash

He expects other city regions, including Liverpool, Leeds, Sheffield and Newcastle, to follow Greater Manchester’s model, making public control of bus services a major UK transport trend this decade.

Andy (or his succesor) Wants Cash, Loadsa Cash!

Richard's Got Money Problems

Richard Parker, West Midlands Mayor

We hear somewhat less from Richard than from Andy, Steve and Tracy. Of course he wants to run buses in the West Midlands ...

... but maybe he us waiting to see how the Three Up-front Busketerrs get on before he gets in too deep. So the PTE is left to speak out.

Travel West Midlands Wants Cash, Loadsa Cash

TfWM warns half of bus network at risk

Escalating fuel costs and wider operating pressures have prompted TfWM to seek extended support to maintain services ahead of move to franchising

Transport for West Midlands (TfWM) wants to extend its Bus Network Support Grant until November, warning that up to 49% of commercial bus services could be withdrawn without continued subsidy.

TfWM estimates service cuts would affect more than 65 million passenger journeys this year, while existing support has protected nearly 400 million journeys since 2021 and helped maintain network stability ahead of bus franchising.

Rising operating costs, particularly diesel prices, are increasing financial pressure on operators, with TfWM concluding that subsidy remains necessary even if fares rise by 25%.

The proposed funding package would require operators to maintain services, share data and support regional transport plans, while TfWM argues that a temporary subsidy is the most practical way to preserve the network during the transition to franchising.

It's All Going Jolly Well For Franchising!

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For the next few days, in a snippet on each blog, fbb will outline the possible reasons, the experiences and the possible consequences of the last week or so. The squeamish or hospital phobic should not read this diary!

EIGHT DAYS INSIDE (Wednesday 20th May)

It's all about Melena? And that'not the name of a nurse.

If you get a bleed in the upper digestive tract, your body eats the blood - it is ingested. But there is a waste product called melena which is black, oily and horrible. Unfortunately the rest of your digestive system does not like melena. It rejects it violently.

Hence fbb's waste disposal explosion.

But he didn't know that at the time.

Wisely, as it turned out, the fbb's cancelled their holiday starting on 21st.

So they hoped the fbb interior nasty would go away.

It didn't but became much less but remained nasty.