The Truth, The Whole Truth ...?
Whichever way you look at it, the changes to joint service 83/83a as outlined in yesterday's blog are highly unhelpful to the travelling public. But, we all have to accept that there is a serious problem currently with staff shortages.
The cynical will lay the blame on "furlough" schemes that have made folk realise that not working can be viable, or, at least, working fixed sociable hours if batter than the disruption of varied shift patters. The aura of fear about the viral dangers of public transport was both created and exaggerated by Government publicity, so who can blame a driver for looking elsewhere?
Then, of course, there are the reported delays in obtaining PCV tests.
The bus companies are at the nasty end of a perfect storm.
So here is Stagecoach Yorkshire:-
We pride ourselves in running great, reliable, bus services and we’re sorry that we haven’t been able to run services to our normal standard recently.
Along with many other industries, bus operators across the country are experiencing a shortage of staff, leaving the company with not enough drivers to run all journeys each day and though our teams have worked incredibly hard, sadly we’ve had to cancel some journeys, sometimes at short notice.
The situation has worsened recently and has been compounded by issues at the DVLA, where delays issuing licences to bus drivers means that the company has had to wait weeks, or even months, before newly recruited drivers can start their training.
From Saturday 30 October, we’re making temporary changes to some timetables to help us run more reliable services while we recruit more bus drivers and we’re hoping to return to normal timetables as soon as we can.
And First Bus Sheffield:-
We’re making changes to our services in Sheffield from 31 October.
There’s a current national shortage of skilled drivers which is affecting our industry so we need to make these changes to ensure we can operate the service we advertise.
We realise the reliability of our services has not been at the level you expect – as more traffic has returned to the road, our running times haven’t kept up with increased congestion. We would prefer to increase the number of buses – and drivers – we’re running, but that isn’t possible at the moment. So we’re reducing the timetable of some services but keeping the number of drivers/buses the same, which means that journeys have more time and our timetables are more reliable.
Seems fair enough ... but is it the whole truth?
Does a bus company introduce a significant route change because of driver shortages when a frequency reduction on the existing services could ber achieves just a simply?
fbb will expound a little more in due course.
Coal Drops Continued
When you are next passing through Kings Cross or St Pancras stations, and if you have half an hour to spare, take a walk.
Stroll along the road that runs between the two termini.
You will pass the "new bits" of St Pancras International, the wonderful new entrance to Kings Cross and Camden Council offices.
At the junction, keep straight on into Camley Street and the eponymous "Natural Park" will be on your right.
Just past the big iron gates is a footpath which will take you across the Regents Park Canal ...
... noting that people actually live in the Kings Cross gas holders.
Just after the canal bridge you will find yourselves in Coal Drops Yard!
There is no longer a yard, no longer any coal drops and, fortunately, no longer any coal dust!
The two sets of warehouses have been substantially fettled up by the Heatherwick Design company (they of Borismaster fame!), so much so that it is hard to recognise their grimy heritage.
But why, we hear you cry, has fbb rambled off piste to a rejuvenate coal yard?
Apart from the obvious fact that it is interesting in itself, the 3D model of London that used to be in the Builder Centre, has moved to a new home in Coal Drops Yard.
So tomorrow we will look more closely at the model.
Decisions
fbb is considering adapting some venerable Hornby "old time" carriages to serve as a lighted train to trundle around his lighted layout. They are hopelessly inaccurate but cheaper than chips and they look quite sweet!
Decisions
But there is a snag.
The construction of these models is delightfully simple. There is a standard Hornby chassis, as used on some brake vans.
The coach body is a one piece moulding ...
... but with no interior. If fbb is to fit lighting, he will also need to fabricate a representation of compartments and seats.
The third element is a clever roof and glazing unit combined. It is in clear plastic with the white roof painted on. It simply clips in place.
But on one of the three recently purchased second hand models the roof and glazing were made of grey plastic, not clear!
fbb does not know when or why this modification occurred to the model, but it doesn't look right!
What to do?
Next sort-of Coal Drops blog : Thursday 21st October
No comments:
Post a Comment