Mid Week Collection

Notable Northampton Noel Novelty

A guest mini-blog from equally Notable Northamptonian Alan

As the mince  pies were on display in the local Co-op and desperate traders were already advertising their  Christmas events even before October arrived it is not twirly to drop hints about what Santa might bring you this year. 

This 200 page A4 sized volume, published by Pen and Sword books is priced at £32 (ouch!) but Amazon’s offer is just under £26.

[fbb comment : Makes Keith Shayshutts 348 pages plus covers for £40 seem good value!]

The book contains a chronology from 1880 to 2021 and then 26 pages of black and white pictures. Pages 129 to 199 contain colour pictures, two to a page.  Northampton Corporation Transport and United Counties are well represented, as are Uno who, York Brothers ...

... the variety of operators who have held  the tender for  the Northampton – Roade - Hartwell – Hanslope – Wolverton – Milton Keynes 33/33A and the variety of  pre-owned  buses which appeared in Northampton until First decamped in 2013.

There is at least one picture of each of the following other operators –

Arriva

Basfords

Britannia/Meridian,

Centrebus

Cogenhoe and Whiston

Collingtree Coaches

Country Lion

Lothian lent by Ensign

Goode

Johnsons of Hanslope

Midland Fox

MK Metro

National Express

Poynters

Roy’s of Finedon

Red Rose

Souls of Olney

Stagecoach East

Trinity Bus

Wesleys

Z and S 

[fbb wonders : And Midland Red  Northampton to Shrewsbury?]

Typically, here is Trinity (based in far away Brackley) operating their competitive minibus service from Town Centre to the Eastern District.

It failed, of course. The only good thing about Trinity was their pleasant but distinctive livery. Here is the same bus (they did have more than one) outside Northampton's doomed bus station.

[fbb has already written to Santa to ensure a copy will be in his capacious stocking on the morning of December 25th]

Septuagenarian's Silly Signal Box

Maybe now looking a little less silly. The external staircase to the operating theatre of the building is now enclosed ...

... and at the other end is the essential "facility", the small privvy.

The felt roofs are simply sandpaper with the sandy bits "softened" by a good spread of No More Nails PVA. The window in the privvy is an unused spare from a thatched cottage Airfix/Dapol kit.

It is quite hard to remember what the model looked like as delivered.

Puzzle Picture

Any idea where this shelter and stop combo might be? Just a brief clue; to get to it you have to cross the Atlantic. But you can go by bus, route number 418!

Answer on Saturday.

Buses and Politics

Readers may remember that the last day of the Conservative Conference (renowned for its enthusiasm for  developing the Rail network - NOT) was beset by rail strikes.

Full marks to Flixbus for parking this motor outside Conference HQ.

Somehow, fbb cannot imagine Rishi jumping on a shiny green coach to get back to Number 10!

Cardiff Shows You How

A selection of current printed material from Cardiff Bus.  Well done; setting a fine example to the short-sighted "It's All On Line" brigade.

 Next Cambridge Comparison blog : Friday 13th October