Wednesday 12 October 2022

Holiday Dateline Monday 10th October (2)

 WARNING

Internet connectivity at the Ardgarten Hotel is erratic and likely to be more so as coach parties return and all log on. it is possible that this blog may be less than ideal. 

The Rest Of The 477

The route was M6 to Carlisle - where the M6 turns, like Cinderella's pumpkin, into the M74; and thence on to Glasgow.
Again, a few quiz questions to enhance the virtual journey

Obliteration!

After deregulation, one municipal operator, itself a merger of two municipal operators, closed down abruptly after aggressive competitive tactics from Stagecoach.
Which Borough Transport closed completely?

The fbb's coach sped northwards through the edges of the Lake District. In the glorious sunshine, the scenery was truly magnificent.

No lakes, just gorgeous fells (big hills!) which seemed to get biggeer ...
... and more looming!
There was extra loom as a few ominous black clouds threatened to dampen fbb;s enthusiasm for the vast vistas ...
... but no precipitation precipitated on the fbb's chauffeur driven limmo!

A stop was made for fuel.

Fortunately a pump was available straight away ...
... and filling commenced and was duly completed.
And, yes, it does read 323.41 litres at a total of £659.43!
It is not at all surprising that many coach companies and package holiday providers are struggling and, in some cases, going out of business. Our driver was anxious to point ot that she carried a "Bunkering Card" (a debit card for fuel) and there was a significant discount on the pump price. Even so .... Yikes!

In Carlisle 1

Which Carlisle-based company was bought by Stagecoach in the post-deregulation period?

In Carliusle 2

Carlisle station was built, owned and operated by a company created by all the railway operators using it for their trains. What was the station's full name?

Just north of Carlisle, our swish 6-wheelet passed the slip road for Gretna and Getna Green.

The latter is not a place that fbb would recommend despite its celebrated Blacksmith's premises. It is hugely commercialised and over provided with grot!

But the border is soon reached, and passed ...

... with no Customs inspection or the need to present a valid passport, a freedom which one slippery fish wants to change. Not a very attractive fish OR proposition?

The scenery soon becomes hilly, but not as hilly as The Lakes. We have to wait a while for the real mountainous Scotland. But the aspect is still very joyous!

But clouds are looming more loomingly this time ...
But very soon we are on the outer edge of Greater Glasgow

Hamilton and Motherwell

What was the name of the dominant bus company that served thee two close-together towns?

A few years ago, the M74 was finally completed in the Glasgow area. The idea wass that it would relieve the M73/M8 route through the city. We all know that building motorways attracts more traffic and so, instead of the M73 and M8 via the north of the city centre being clogged solid ...

... the M73, M8 and now the M74 are ALL clogged solid.

And guess who was passing through Glasgow's motorway network at peak hour on Monday 10th October.

40 mph? You would be lucky to average 10 mph! The junction of the M8, M74 and M77 ...
.... was utterly horrid. This picture below doesn't do justice to the cloggage.

Just about visible across the M74/M8 car park (!!!!) ...

... is a disictive bridge.

This Bridge

What is its official name - and what is the name that everybody in Glasgow uses?

Lochs and Glens eventually escaped the jam and proceeded over the Erskine Bridge ...

... and on via the bonny bonny banks of Loch Lomond then to Arrochar ...
... And the spectacular baronial Ardgarten Hotel on the shore of Loch Long.

Tomorrow fbb will take a look round the gaff itself, and we will join the elderly twosome on their first trip out!

 Next Dateline Tues 11th blog :  delivered Thurs 13th 

6 comments:

  1. There is no reason why there should be passport checks on an Anglo-Scottish border, unless of course the English want them. After all, there is an open border between the UK and Ireland.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That was a pre-existing agreement that the EU does not (yet) have the authority to overturn. If Scotland were to be permitted to join the EU, it would have to follow the current rules for border control - which would include the kind of checks that Eurostar and others are saying are going to cause chaos next year.

      Delete
    2. FBB was talking about Scottish independence, not joking the EU. One does not necessarily follow the other.

      Delete
  2. I resent your referring to the First Minister as a "slippery fish"
    Given the record and continuing incompetence of our present government, we'd be very tempted to move to Scotland if she got her way.

    ReplyDelete
  3. To be strictly accurate, Stagecoach purchased a Whitehaven-based company, not one from Carlisle.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Andrew Kleissner12 October 2022 at 12:04

    That Morecambe bus immediately took me back to Lisbon's bus company, Carris - the other way round! https://tinyurl.com/54zxxpb7

    ReplyDelete