Exeter Excitement Ends?
But, belay that excitement, folks ...
... the shiny gold bus is busted, so all you get is one of these - with no commentary.
fbb will wait until it is all working properly.
Nearly - But Not Quite!
Stagecoach H1 Publicity
An fbb "spy" has visited Castleton Visitor Centre, where he reports that there was a pile of H1 leaflets "not prominently displayed" but that the man behind the counter seemed to know all about the H1. Posters have been posted around the route ...
... but, unlike in 2019, there was no sign of any publicity in Castleton shops, pubs etc. There was no really BIG display in the visitor centre as in 2019.
"New" bus stop poles and flags have been installed at Speedwell Cavern (at the foot of Winnats Pass) ...
The one on the left for buses towards Castleton and Derwent appeared well blessed with information, whereas the frame for the service up the hill to Blue John was totally blank.
fbb was, however very content with the content ...
... which was an enlarged version of the leaflet showing the full timetable.
And, by the by, the H1 does call at Castleton bus station (for want of a better word) ...
... a salient fact not mentioned in any Stagecoach publicity. Where would an intrepid Derbyshire explorer expect to find at bus in Castleton? Oh, you have to walk to the Visitor Centre ...
... because it doesn't call at the bus station!
O yes it does!
So we now know that there is plenty of publicity "out there", not as much as before, but worth a mark of 6 out of 10.
So why is THIS what you get at Cavendish Street, Chesterfield?
Hmmm ...
Nearly - But Not Quite!
Not Even Nearly
It's a bit like Billy Bunter's Postal Order.
fbb guesses that Frank Richards' tales of the "Fat Owl Of The Remove" would not be too popular with modern equality obsessed readers. Billy Bunter attended private school (Greyfriars) where he was in a class for "those who are educationally challenged", i.e. thickos who were "removed" from the main classes because they were, by the standards of the day, unteachable!
Bunter and his chums had many thrilling adventures circumscribed with acts of derring do, but a common theme was Bunter's love of "tuck" (unhealthy sugary food and drinks) and lack of pocket money. He was always expecting a postal order in the which never dropped through the Greyfriars' letter box.
Back in January the short railway line between Ryde Pier Head and Shanklin closed for refurb and upgrade with ancient underground trains being replaced by ancient underground trains.
The plan was to have the "new" old District Line trains running on much improved track by 1st April 2021 which, as it has turned out, has been a very appropriate date!
Then it was to be June; and then August and now ...
... when will the Vectensian's new-train Postal Order actually arrive?
fbb is "betting" (no, he doesn't, really) on January 2022 at the earliest!
In order to convey the hordes of passengers, First has been running a fleet of rail replacement buses up and down between Ryde and Shanklin and between Ryde and Havenstreet (to connect with the Steam Railway) generally carrying less than a handful of passengers each.
It will be costing First South Western Railway a reasonably sized fortune!
Will former passengers ever return?
Hulleys - At It Again
Yet another initiative from this innovative and commercially courageous company.
Amongst a raft of relatively minor changes announced for Monday 6th September is NEW service X1. The above graphic is weedy in the extreme, so fbb will laboriously type out what it says.
New service. Ashbourne - Leek - Macclesfield - Manchester Airport. Operates Monday to Saturday up to six journeys a day in each direction. Re-instates majority of former X1 route withdrawn in 2003. Certain Saturday journeys via Alton Towers. Most journeys extended to/from Manchester city centre as service SnakeX57 (and on the Sheffield) - through tickets available.
Here is the X1 route, long by today's cut-back standards.
Ashbourne to Leek
Leek to Macclefield
Macclesfield to Manchester Airport
That will be one stonkingly good ride. How would you get to Ashbourne from Sheffield direct? It would make a nice round trip. Maybe one of fbb's Sheffield chums will apply unguent to their posterior and do the whole lot.
65 to Buxton then 442 to Ashbourne - both very picturesque rides. 
Assuming there is a viable path back for Ashbourne on the X1/X57 it looks a viable trundle. And all possible on an OAP card!
Juicy!
All that is needed now is Hulleys timetables.
Also of lesser note is that X57 with be calling additionally at Hyde bus station and will extend at the airport to the "viewing area".
Service Updates
This afternoon, fbb is taking the funeral of Mary, a chum who died aged 89 two weeks ago. As well as a bit of prayer and last minute revision in the morning, this will take up most of the afternoon. It is possible that tomorrow's blog may be shorter than usual. Next Hertfordshire blog : Tuesday 10th August
Saw First Dartmoor Explorer broken down in Tavistock at weekend & Exeter Tour empty as usual but no surprise with lack of marketing & plain bus. No bus stop timetables at all.
ReplyDeleteCovid has taken its toll on many.of the new tourist routes with staff self isolation. I don't think they will advertise these routes until they are back to normal.
DeleteGetting a bit late to advertise them with only a few weeks of the peak season left! On these routes it seems to be the buses that are the issue, not shortage of staff.
ReplyDeleteThis is certainly the case with the Exmoor Explorer, where one of the open-top dds has been out of use from almost the beginning.
DeleteNot anymore, both were working fine the week before last.
DeleteI went on it last Friday [6th August], and only one was out, with a single-decker substituting for the other.
DeleteYeah I think this year has gone now so hope for better launch from First next year under better circumstances
ReplyDelete