Yesterday we saw that Sheffield Transport Department ran quite separate routes to Jordanthorpe (43) and Batemoor (36). Over the post privatisation years and the gestation of the Sheffield Bus Partnership for Service Reduction, things have changed. A quick glance at the wholly unreliable and misleading "tube style" map suggests that two routes now serve BOTH estates.
The much better (and almost completely correct) network map confirms this.
We are told, repeatedly, that we can use a journey planner, so, in innocent bystander mode yesterday morning, fbb looked for the first bus from Sheffield to Batemoor after 1200.
Travel South Yorkshire?
Hmm? Is Jordanthorpe Hazlebarrow Road/Hazlebarrow Crescent the same as Batemoor?
Absolutely not! ...
... It is three stops short of the Jordanthorpe "terminus" and five or six stops short of Batemoor, depending on where in the estate you might want.
First Bus?
Here you must walk to the Town Hall (why?) but the Stagecoach bus now takes us further, to the turning circle in fact, but First doesn't actually tell you that.
Stagecoach? It's their route so you might expect a correct answer!
This stop is by a footpath to Batemoor, quite a stroll and not as good as stops on the estate; but Stagecoach's technology struggles to find its own service 1 (every 12 minutes) and, when it does ...
... it still expects you to walk from the Jordanthorpe "terminus" and offers Batemoor Road as being at Jordanthorpe - which it isn't.
But Stagecoach insists that its BUS is going to Batemoor even if the journey planner does not agree.
This takes us neatly to High Street (stop HS2) ...
... where the Stagecoach bus (above) was photographed and whence we might seek to catch a service 1 to Batemoor. We need to be careful because it is a busy busy stop and our bus might be lurking a place or two back in the queue.
Knowledgeable Sheffielders are oft spotted running up and down the bus queue seeking their required steed; whilst innocent newcomers wait resolutely in the shelter ...
... only to see their bus pull out and whizz past having loaded at the back of the queue.
But you would expect that a bus showing Batemoor on the front might be going to Batemoor. Indeed a quick glance at the electronic display brings a frisson of encouragement to the potential passengers psyche as it, like the bus, shows a service 1 to Batemoor.
Get on the bus and ask for Batemoor and you will not be disappointed; but you will be disappointed if you use the information in the frame at the stop or, foolishly, try to use an on-line timetable page.
fbb will explore further tomorrow.
Snippets
In the meantime here is the new electric van which has just started in service with Royal Mail.
Isn't it sweet?
It looks just dandy for the famous postie from Greendale.
UPS have had similar since March 2018.
And an appeal for information. Lima (makers of model railways) had a UK range which they sold to (Triang) Hornby. fbb would like to know if the company ever marketed a four wheel tank wagon. He can find a SIX wheel MILK tank on-line ...
... but nothing with just two axles.
European tank wagons fitted with UK couplings don't count.
Travel South Yorkshire?
First Bus?
Stagecoach? It's their route so you might expect a correct answer!
But Stagecoach insists that its BUS is going to Batemoor even if the journey planner does not agree.
But you would expect that a bus showing Batemoor on the front might be going to Batemoor. Indeed a quick glance at the electronic display brings a frisson of encouragement to the potential passengers psyche as it, like the bus, shows a service 1 to Batemoor.
fbb will explore further tomorrow.
Snippets
In the meantime here is the new electric van which has just started in service with Royal Mail.
It looks just dandy for the famous postie from Greendale.
And an appeal for information. Lima (makers of model railways) had a UK range which they sold to (Triang) Hornby. fbb would like to know if the company ever marketed a four wheel tank wagon. He can find a SIX wheel MILK tank on-line ...
European tank wagons fitted with UK couplings don't count.
Next Befuddling for Batemoor blog : Saturday 12th October
Lima Tank wagon - one 4 wheel tank wagon for sale.
ReplyDeletehttps://elaines-trains.co.uk/index.php?pg=w&cat=18322
The only 4 wheel UK Lima "tank" I can think of is the PCA powder tanker, commonly known as V-tanks due to their depressed centre design.
ReplyDeleteBut I can't think of any liquid tankers which fit the question.
Batemoor.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately Batemoor is served as a loop on a loop and without a timing point.
On the printed leaflet for the 1/11/11A the only reference to Batemoor is in the list of streets served on the return journey.
The journey planners make a good go of getting you there even if not the best way. They included 28/43/44 as well as 1/75 and a walk.
If Batemoor Road contained a timeing point then both paper and online resources could find it. As it doesn't, it is hard to fix.
When I put "Sheffield" and "Batemoor" into the Stagecoach journey planner, I get journeys taking me to Dyche Lane/Dyche Road (as shown on the shelter, but would be much easier if it was called Jordanthorpe Library). Might not be FBB's definition of Batemoor, but it is nearer than the example shown.
ReplyDeleteIn the reverse direction, it tells me to get on here too, except that this stop is officially "Jordanthorpe, Batemoor Road" in Stagecoach speak, or "Dyche Lane/Batemoor Road", according to the bus shelter.
Google meanwhile directs you to the stop before this on journeys to city, but stops considerably short at Ormond Road when travelling south.
www.traveline.info is identical to Google from city, but directs me to get on at "Batemoor Road Opp Bowshaw View".
In all these systems, someone has to define a location for any generic place name. If each system does it individually, then different answers will come out of each journey planner.