Two years ago, Bedford Council opened its shiny new bus station ...
... replacing a rather tired and dated facility.
The improvement was duly heralded in the local press.
... has been a highly successful and popular source of bus and coach information, tourist literature and train tickets; buying the latter without a lengthy trek to the station.
So successful has it been that Bedford Council (after consultation???) has just closed it down. In their defence (?) the bean counters explained that (a) train tickets were available on line and from the station and (b) bus information was available on-line and from the Stagecoach Office, also in the bus station.
So the excellent and popular office was simply not needed.
Presumably the Council has arranged for Stagecoach to keep wads of leaflets for the other operators serving local destinations, operators who do not have enquiry facilities.
Our Northampton correspondent proffers the thought that the self-same bean counters probably don not know that "other operators" exist - if it's a bus, if it's in Bedford then it must be Stagecoach.
Grant Palmer runs a few!
As does Uno!
Well done, Bedford's Barmy Bean Counters!
Cafe Collection Continues ...
... but this one is hard to find. The old A1093 linked Martlesham with Trimley, passing through the village of Brightwell.
But it has been eclipsed by a shiny new dual carriageway A12, much diverted to join the A14; itself a remake of the A45.
Travelling south and passing Martlesham Heath, you may spot a long concrete layby and there, enshrouded in foliage and parked on an unused stub of the A1093, you may just spot an coach-based caff.
fbb cannot identify the vehicle, but when Streetview passed by it appeared to be in a purple and white livery operated by Something-Painted-Out "Travel". More recent piccies show the coach repainted with vinyls added at the rear.
The grub looks food, but is this a counter to yesterdays Eccles cake burger? The burger, Oreo'n'chips mega meal?
Yummy?
Picky at Penistone P.S.
For those that missed the roasting that fbb got last week for daring to expect Customer Service operatives to give customers some service, this comment, by yet another anonymous, appeared on Friday's blog.
Q.E.D.
The Pot of Purple Paint
fbb's attempt to turn this ...
... a very battered Aurfix/Mainline N2 loco had reached a critical phase. To replicate Ryan, from a recent Thomas the Tank Engine story, it would be necessary to apply some purple. To this end your elderly and ham fister blogger cum modeller had purchased the wherewithal to make purple ...
... and was dreading the torture of trying to mix the colours accurately.
No 2 grandson was staying for a few days and obsrved the project with mild indifference. "Why didn't you buy some purple paint? he asked.
"Because they don't make that colour," riposted Pops.
there was a brief effluxion of time ...
"What about Humbrol?", asked a supercilious grandson with a wry smile whilst waving his phone in front of fbb's incredulous eyes.
"Well, they didn't have any at the model shop," said fbb in defensive mood.
By chance that very afternoon, grandson, No 2 son (uncle) and Pops visited the Model Railway Club which meets in the loft of the shop. As they passed the rack of Humbrol paints, No 2 son handed fbb a tin.
"Is this a tin of purple," he asked provocatively.
Collapse of stout (and unobservant) party! But work prceeds apace with painting.
Only the yellow lining to do now! (Gibber gibber!)
The Pot of Purple Paint
fbb's attempt to turn this ...
No 2 grandson was staying for a few days and obsrved the project with mild indifference. "Why didn't you buy some purple paint? he asked.
"Because they don't make that colour," riposted Pops.
there was a brief effluxion of time ...
"What about Humbrol?", asked a supercilious grandson with a wry smile whilst waving his phone in front of fbb's incredulous eyes.
"Well, they didn't have any at the model shop," said fbb in defensive mood.
By chance that very afternoon, grandson, No 2 son (uncle) and Pops visited the Model Railway Club which meets in the loft of the shop. As they passed the rack of Humbrol paints, No 2 son handed fbb a tin.
"Is this a tin of purple," he asked provocatively.
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THE WEEK THAT CHANGED THE WORLD
Eight days, for the purposes of this blog!
PALM SUNDAY
PALM SUNDAY
Not everyone appreciates fbb occasional lapse into things spiritual; but, whether you are a believer or not, the events celebrated at Easter did change the world - if nothing else the vast majority of people use a calendar based (loosely!) on the birth day of an obscure carpenter cum itinerant preacher from a little known village in the Holy Land.
After three years of preaching and teaching Yeshua Ben Yusuf had infuriated the religious leaders of the day with his revolutionary message. Despite threats to his life ...
As the time drew near when Jesus would be taken up to heaven, he made up his mind and set out resolutely on his way to Jerusalem.
What happened was no accident.
A large crowd of people spread their cloaks on the road while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. The crowds walking in front of Jesus and those walking behind began to shout, “Praise to David's Son! God bless him who comes in the name of the Lord! Praise be to God!”
When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was thrown into an uproar. “Who is he?” the people asked. “This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth in Galilee,” the crowds answered.
Controversial to the end! But how was it that the crowds who cheered on Palm Sunday bayed for his death on "Good" Friday?
As the time drew near when Jesus would be taken up to heaven, he made up his mind and set out resolutely on his way to Jerusalem.
What happened was no accident.
Controversial to the end! But how was it that the crowds who cheered on Palm Sunday bayed for his death on "Good" Friday?
Quotes in BLUE are from Luke's Gospel
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Next timetable book blog : Monday 10th April 
Hi Fbb. Been reading you for 2 years now most days, but usually have little to comment on. BUT, the N2 loco is not a GWR one, but an LNER one. GWR 6953 is a 4-6-0 Hall, called Leighton Hall, whereas the N2s were used in London on local services mainly, and this one would have the number between 69530-69539. I suppose it was Airfix who got it wrong though.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure fbb knows that - it was Airfix "badge engineering" to pretend it's a GWR loco by using green paint and painting the dome to look brassy! But then Hornby-Dublo had done the same thing before the war with their N2: https://triangtrains.files.wordpress.com/2014/10/6699_triang_trains.jpg
ReplyDeleteCorrection. The GWR branding had been applied by a past owner of the model. Airfix never produced the N2 have gone bust before it was released. (See previous blogs which also confirm my understanding of the matters covered in Jonathan's comment).
ReplyDeleteI'm slightly confused by Bedford BC's statement, as the only public office at the bus station *is* the TIC, which stocks all operators timetables (if supplied to them).
ReplyDeleteIn passing I record that Arriva's Milton Keynes office ("MKube") has timetables of other operators, plus the council's own book. However, some of the former turned out not to be the most recent editions.