Logology And Other Stuff 1

Christmas Quiz?
Mentioning the disease of Logo-itis yesterday, whereby every new rail franchise has to have a new logo and new livery, set fbb's mind a-racing. The results of this unseasonal mental effort will be a series of teasers inviting blog readers to recognise bus and rail company crests, badges and logos, past and present.

Here are five today.

 1 

 2 

 3 

 4 

 5 

Answers tomorrow!

Oh No, Logo To Go?

News broke yesterday that Rossendale Transport ...

... is due to be sold to Transdev Blazefield. Wikipedia has been edited to show that the ale happened yesterday. 

In fact the formal decision will be taken at a special full council meeting on 20th December; but as they desperately need the money, the deal is highly likely to go ahead.

Transdev have promised to retain the "Rosso" brand.

Assuming the sale is confirmed, can you name the NINE remaining Council owned bus companies?

Answer tomorrow!

A Heart-Warming Christmas Tale

Southern Vectis driver Jacqueline Levy, of Newport, joined her regular passengers at The White Lion in Niton earlier this week, with 40 attending the Christmas get together.

Jacqueline said: "I drive the number six bus route for Southern Vectis ...

... and the community spirit among my customers is amazing. Many of those who travel with me are regulars, and I very much enjoy their company. In all my years of driving a bus, I have never come across such a fabulous group of passengers. I'd like to wish everyone I drive for a wonderful Christmas and a peaceful New Year. I look forward to seeing you all in 2018."

Sadly reduced in frequency in recent years, but, nevertheless a jolly good ride - especially if you get a double decker!

The Wrong Kind Of Snow?

Some buses at a Northampton bus station ...

"a" bus station - are there several in the town?

... will not be found in their normal spot today (December 13th)  due to a problem with ice on the roof, council says.

A spokesperson said:

“Over the weekend a pump which inflates the bus station roof needed repairing. Due to a build-up of ice over the past couple of days, we were unable to inflate the roof again. As a precaution, we took the decision on Tuesday, 12 December, to close a number of bus bays so that we could melt the ice using industrial heaters, which had to be placed in pedestrian areas."

“Engineers have been on site and works are progressing. Two bays have reopened this afternoon and we hope to resolve the situation over the next few days.”

As of  Thursday 13th afternoon, all bays except 12 (X4, X46, X7) and the caff are back in use.

Yet more evidence that this too-small bus station is not fit for purpose. How surprising that snow might fall on the roof! But what good luck that the Council could melt the ice with industrial heaters! Then they were able to inflate the roof.

Inflate?

Bet the passengers were really thrilled to be relegated to the Drapery where they could hang about to guess where the bus might actually leave from.

A spokesman for Stagecoach added: "There is only limited space available so the displaced buses need to try and fit around arrival and departure times of other services."

A Bus For Young Kids - Or Not

Mrs fbb is very good at choosing appropriate prezzies for friends and relatives. So for a great-nephew a collection of intricate Lego models would be great.

There are plenty in this book. One of the models is a bus, a Routemaster (of sorts).

How many 9-year-olds living in Sussex would recognise this as a bus? There was an accompanying blurb which explained things ...

fbb wonders whether his mini-relative has ever travelled on a bus, let alone one with two floors. If he has, it most certainly won't be a Routemaster.

More mixed stuff tomorrow.

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    ADVENT CALENDAR - 17     

Whatever the happening up in the Shepherds' Fields at Bethlehem, the record is clear on one point. These hard-nosed "lower orders" keeping the sheep on not very cold summer's night that wasn't very deep were 

TERRIFIED

and no wonder. 

First one "angel" then a whole "heavenly host" of the divine creatures making a great deal of noise.

Artistic convention requires that a person biffed with some power ...

... "see stars". What might the effect be if a humble shepherd came into contact wit the power of an omnipotent God?

There is no way that a spectator attempting to report this "happening" to a third party could adequately describe the super-natural experience. And, even if they could, the reporter would struggle to appreciate the reported experience.

Looking back over the intervening 2000 (approx) years we can only conclude that something astounding happened up on that hillside; something so powerful that it caused the shepherds to eave their charges and charge down to the village to meet a new born baby.

It's either utterly far fetched or utterly real! After all, an omnipotent God can do what he wants; angels are easy peasy.

Hark! the herald angels sing

Glory to the new-born King

Peace on earth and mercy mild

God and sinners reconciled

Joyful, all ye nations, rise

Join the triumph of the skies

With angelic host proclaim

Christ is born in Bethlehem

Hark! the herald angels sing

Glory to the new-born King

But beware ...

 SPOILER ALERT 

... almost every quote attributed to the angel is UTTERLY WRONG.

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 Next logo collectors blog : Sunday 17th December