Saturday Variety

I've Been Everywhere Man!

But perhaps not quite as "everywhere" as Johnny Cash. But it is sometimes astounding to follow the many lives of a humble double decker. Take this beast, for example, waiting to be repainted for use by First Kernow.

It began its peripatetic life as a very ordinary double decker in Edinburgh (Lothian Regional Transport) ...

... before some upper deck surgery to fit it for one of the City's many tour routes.

After working for a while taking the wealthy to visit the expensive Royal Yacht it was stripped of its identity ...

... moved to West Coast Motors in Glasgow for their City Sightseeing tour.

It was re-registered with a Company "cherished" number P100 WCM in which guise it spent a few holidays over in Oban. Next it was stripped of its identity once again, lost its cherished status,  and ...

... re-appeared in Edinburgh!

The "Exciting New Venture" was, as we now know, First's "Bright Bus" Edinburgh tours, designed to give Lothian Transport's very lucrative tours business a bloodied nose in response to competitive inroads into First's "territory" in west Lothian.

And now, to Cornwall and we all wait eagerly to see where it might pop up and in what guise.

Drat That Cat!

Those of us who are employed by cats will know that the feline of the species has a level of determination that outstrips any other creature that might be classed as a "pet".  The late, great Jacko had a fascination for sunbathing on fbb's model railway ...

... and could NOT be persuaded ...

... of the damage and inconvenience his somnolence might cause. The present senior member of the fbb household, Mr Tubbles, shows no interest in miniature ferroequinology whatsoever.

So the story doing the rounds of social medial over the last few days will come as no surprise to those whose daily grind is as servants to their demanding cat or cats!

A cat narrowly avoided disaster after being spotted on the roof of a train as it prepared to depart. The tabby was seen on an Avanti West Coast train at London Euston, about half an hour before it was due to leave for Manchester at 2100 on Tuesday.

It took two and a half hours for the cat to move from its perilous perch. The stand-off came to an end after a bin was pulled up beside the carriage, giving the moggy its own special disembarkation platform.

Or, to put it correctly, the incident was cleared when the cat decided it was time to move on - and not before.

The cat did not appear bothered by its brush with danger, said its rescuers, who described it as "swaggering off" with the air of having somewhere else to be.

Yes, that is how a cat would  behave!

Saucy Supplement Supplies Savoury Supremacy

fbb is please to report that his first EVER bottle of Endo's (a k a Endisons) duly arrived from the South American rain forest area. The subtle flavours of this dark nectar have already enhanced lunchtime cheese on toast, fbb's culinary creation of a delectable sausage casserole and, yesterday, Mrs fbb's pork meatballs in a "Northern" sauce created by her hubby.

How could fbb have lived in Sheffield for TWENTY YEARS and never consumed the flavoursome fluid?

Shiny Siemens Stock Showcased

Remember this?

Well, you can forget it!

Siemens new trains for the Piccadilly Line (London) are going to look nothing like the inspired Inspiro in the above video. Presumably inspiration has been un-inspired and re-inspired to make them look either (a) different, or (b) more like a "normal" underground train - depending on your point of view.

They must be good, however, as they have a name that offers a hint of Italianate romanticism - much more trendy the "1938 stock".

The windows are smaller than we are used to, disguised externally by a black surround ...

... all of which doesn't matter so much when the Underground is under ground, but will spoil the view as you ascend to Cockfosters!

The new trains are "walk through" with wide open gangways between cars but, somehow, the interior seems more clinical - almost medicinal.

Maybe the seats need red "leather-effect" arm rests rather than a than smear of black? A brighter moquette would help, possibly something other than a cold blue. 

Have we progressed since 1938?

No 1 son, who, in happier times, is a commuter on the Piccadilly Sardine Cans, will be pleased that Siemens and London Underground are predicting a 25% increase in peak hour capacity once the trains are all in place. The air conditioning - if it is powerful enough - will be bliss!

Hopefully, DV**, passengers will have returned by 2025!

More stuff tomorrow which will include a new arrival for fbb, ...

... combined with raspberries, cream and toffee.

** DV - Depending on the Virus

 Next Variety blog : Sunday 7th March