Going All Continental

Pedantically, the word "continent" is often misused - the British Isles are part of "The Continent", namely the Eurasian tectonic plate.

Despite this geological nicety, we tend to refer to that chunk of land across The Channel as "Continental".

While fbb was on holiday in Largs, he amused himself by purchasing a copy of "Continental Modeller", sister publication to the "Railway Modeller".

But before turning the magazine's pages, fbb needs to be personally "continental". Remember Captain Alberto Bertorelli from "Allo Allo", played by actor Gavin Richards.

His catchphrase, not as memorable as some, was "What a mistake-a to make-a!"

Now fbb doe not always get everything right; the old man always appreciates factual correction and tries to admit his failings. So here are two.

In a blog about Stagecoach bus services H and 5 in Exeter, your genial author boobed big-time. The thrust of the article was the confusing use of the district name "Cowley Bridge" which meant different things on different timetables. "Why," asked fbb, "does the new service 5 not show a time point for journeys diverted via the "estate" called Cowley Bridge as well as the traditional main road stop called Cowley Bridge?".

But the timetable does quote an "estate" time, shown as West Garth Road top.

What a mistake-a to make-a!

fbb apologises to his intelligent readers for this bludner. The mistake, however, does not alter the fact that Cowley Bridge means different things in different timetables - not the most helpful way of identifying stop locations.

The other bludner was more serious as it affected fbb's work for GoTimetable Sheffield. On the basis of rudimentary information supplied in advance of the September changes by the PTE, fbb guessed the route of new service 3A ...

... namely a "double run" to/from Sandstone Road.

fbb guessed wrong!

The map was soon corrected.

But the PTE timetable is unclear ...

... as is the First Bus timetable.

Note the meaningless line of blanks against a second "Sandstone Road".

The PTE hasn't yet got round to using its very expensive software to create a map. But, apart from GoTimetable,  there are two sources which might help a user find the real route of the new 3a. There is the PTE's "list of stopping places" ...

Nether Edge, Union Road, Osborne Road, Moncrieffe Road, Montgomery Road, Wostenholm Road, Sharrow, Washington Road, Cemetery Road, Boston Street, Sheffield, South Lane, Eyre Street, Arundel Gate, Waingate, Nursery Street, Pitsmoor, Rock Street, Nottingham Street, Pitsmoor Road, Firshill, Barnsley Road, Fir Vale, Firth Park, Hucklow Road, Bellhouse Road Shiregreen, Primrose Avenue, Bracken Road, Wincobank, Wincobank Avenue, Sandstone Road, Jenkin Road, Carbrook Meadowhall Road, Meadowhall, Interchange

... which is, as usual, pretty useless and almost impossible to follow. The places in RED are either WRONG or in the wrong place in the list.

The other, much more helpful source, is a route map buried in the First Bus web site.

These route maps are so much better than anything the PTE has ever produced, that they should be up front and linked directly to the appropriate timetable.

Needless to say, the GoTimetable Sheffield version of the actual timetable is the most helpful ...

... providing key times for the different route variations.

But thanks to fbb's mistake spotting acuity, this correction appeared four days after the new timetable started.

Understandable, but NOT GOOD ENOUGH!

fbb must try harder.

What a mistake-a to make-a!

And, talking of Continental; fbb has mentioned before the propensity of French bus operators to run to unfathomable frequencies with no truck with a fixed interval timetable.

How about his adorably unmemorable chunk of First South Yorkshire's new 41 timetable? Every 35, 36 or 30 minutes!

Senseless, unmemorable and designed to discourage passengers from using the service.

What a mistake-a to make-a!

We might get back to "Continental Modeller" in a later blog.

 Next Woolly blog : Monday 11th September