But First, The Shell
"I'll mett ye at the shell!" For many a long age that was the cry of two Glaswegians seeking to agree an assignation in the centre of the city. The Shell at Glasgow Central Station was recognised by everyone; so much so that on a very early visit to see the future Mrs fbb, your aged blogger was back then taken to see The Shell. Now cruelly pushed out to a location to one side, it used to stand bang (appropriately) in the main thoroughfare of the station.
This 15-inch Howitzer shell was made by William Beardmore & Co and converted into a charity collecting box after the First World War. It stood for many years in the middle of the station concourse and was a favourite meeting place for courting couples. The shell was removed from the centre of the concourse in 1966 and in 2004 stands by the toilets at the Gordon Street exit.
Will They; Won't They?
A few weeks back came the announcement from First Bus that they were withdrawing ALL their night services (Friday and Saturday nights) in Glasgow due to lack of passengers and shortage of drivers.
fbb did report, also a few weeks back, on the relatively poor provision from First in terms of frequency and on the poor distribution of the services around the city.
On most night bus routes there were just three journeys, unevenly spaced as here in the N9 to Paisley.
Then this appeared on First's web site.
... but with no detail. fbb checked back recently and was greeted by the usual First Bus web site incompetence.
So the whole event faded from the old bloke's memory - something which happens more easily as the years tick by.
Then this picture appeared on the twittersphere.
The twittterer who posted it was Alex Hornby (right) and his chum is Ralph Roberts. Together they are the big cheese (Ralph) and the slightly lesser cheese (Alex) at McGills bus. There was a bit of twittering between the gruesome twosome above and the Bearded Bus Beautifier from the Bush ...
"Corridors of power"?
Thanks to fbb's encyclopaedic knowledge of lots of irrelevant stuff, he knew immediately where this very posh corridor could be found. It is, of course, inside Glasgow City Chambers in George Square ...
...which "boasts more marble than the Vatican" - or so the authorities claim.
The main differences between Glasgow's City Chambers and Hogwarts Castle is in the provision of electric light and the lack of moving staircases - and fbb does mean moving staircases, not escalators!
So what was the Ralph and Alex show doing in the non-moving corridors of marble?
McGill's web site now explains all ...
... with excellent graphics and much detail.
There is a list of McGills new services ...
... and a simple route diagram.
We are told that each service will run hourly (that's at least a 25% increase on First) at fixed intervals on Friday night (early Saturday morning) and Saturday night (early Sunday Morning.
There is a list of McGills new services ...
McGill also give fares!
McGills emphasises that this is only the start; the company has aspirations to build on the initial batch of five routes.
Sounds like good news for Glaswegians, especially those who enjoy a night out and the occasional wee dram!
What is First Bus saying?
The boss of First waxes lyrical about the City's "Partnership".
But there is no information on the First Bus web site about which (if any?) night services they will be running.
Partnership, what partnership?
Similarly First's partner (McGills) makes no mention of routes to be operated by First!
Similarly First's partner (McGills) makes no mention of routes to be operated by First!
Partnership, what partnership?
All we await from McGills is the full timetables. All we await from First Bus is anything!
How long will it be before McGills runs ALL the night buses in the city?
How long will it be before McGills buys First's Glasgow operation?
The fbb Summer Quiz Part 2
Remember, the challenge is to identify these railway locations.
The fbb Summer Quiz Part 2
Remember, the challenge is to identify these railway locations.
11
Maybe wear a straw hat for this one?
12
The home of sterilised milk!
13
13 or 15 but neither is round!
14
A route to a terminus in the North West
15
A station, a ferry, a pier?
16
"Electra" used to run this way.
17
Brunel's famous car park?
18
Bashed by a barge in '66
19
Double diesel delight?
20
McGonagle's failed favourite?
Tomorrow's locations will ALL be in the London area.
Next Quiz And Stuff blog : Thursday 17th August
Hmm, FBB, now I know where you nicked the photo of the Severn Bridge near to Lydney! The caption to the photo in Wikipedia say "After the accident, April 1966" - but that is when the photo was taken - the accident was in 1960.
ReplyDeleteRC169