Who's Going : UNO Who!
It began as a message to fbb from Roy, a Sheffield correspondent. But Alan in Northampton did know anything. They someone repeated the rumour at a Northampton meeting nothing to do with buses. Finally it has been confirmed by a West Northamptonshire councillor.
he pink and purple UNO buses will be leaving the town after business on March 24th 2024.
18 is a park and ride service aiming to keep cars away from the new campus near the limpid waters of the River Nene. It is not well used.
The 19 links said camps with the Uni halls of residence still on the old site to the north of the town. It is not well used.
The 21 is a"normal" town service which competes in the Eastern District with Stagecoach,
59 and 60 are tendered rural services that have, over the years, been operated by almost all possible bus companies associated with the town.
It is not a cash cow - not even a cash dormouse!
Alan reports that passengers loadings on all routed are generally thin, and that recent registrations have presaged cut-backs in frequency and, in one case, withdrawal of weekend services completely.
The huge problem for West Northamptonshire council is, in a nutshell, what happen next. If UNO are going home, it seems unlikely that any other operator will take the network on. So what will the students do then, poor things? The county has no money, so a subsidy from their piggy bank is unlikely.
Will the University stump up more subsidy for a new contractor?
UNO continues to operate in Hertfordshire and for for Cranfield University.
Socks
Socks was the cat whose staff included US president Bill Clinton. Socks "passed" in 2009!
But fbb is journalistically excited by real socks, feet for the use of. And here they are.
And again here!
The pattern is intriguing. It is the same as the moquette offered as standard on the new range of ADL buses.
More Socks!
You can buy a "Tote" bag - or some coasters.
But also available in the company's moquette ...
... is a pair of socks! Also hinted at in Twitterings is a pair of similar-styled slippers - but fbb could find no illustrations of these items of clothing, ideal for an old codger like him.
These goodies are available from the Harrogate Buses "boutique".
Celebratory Floral Displays
Famous for its five bay overall roof but not that well known outside of the East Riding of Yorkshire ...
... Hull Paragon station is a real gem.
The left hand two bays have now lost their platforms and trains in favour of a superb bus station and associated stuff.
But the station is 125 years old.
New "planters" now carry a badge to celebrate this birthday; a badge ...
... also worn by staff.
Also available (fbb knows not where or how?) are suitably branded biscuits.
Is the picture edible?
More Floral Displays
Celebrating nothing at all, fbb has been continuing his experiments to create cheap and (semi) realistic floral displays at Peterville Quarry station. fbb is sure that his readers would enjoy a look at his latest efforts. (Don't yawn too loudly!)
Thes new planters begin with toothbrush heads as before.
The bristles are hacked about and painted green ...
... then plastic strip is stuck on to (a) make the planter and (b) disguise the toothbrush shape.
The next stage involves spreading "No More Nails" along the edges and in the odd holes where the tasteful curves on the brush meet (or don't meet!) the rectangle of the planter,
25p for two from Tesco!
It looks a mess ...
... but remember this is railway modelling from the Bill Bodge and Fred Fudge book of advice and tips; an invaluable boost to fbb's skills (??).
Scatter "Grass" is sprinkled on the white glue ...
... followed by those Diamond Painting blobs as before.
Eagle eyed readers will note that the white flowers are the very rare square bloomed Castellata Monochromia Rectangulata which only grow in former chalk quarries now used as HQ for a heritage railway.
(fbb has misplaced a small bag of ROUND white blobs.)
But at the normal viewing distance and with a bit to tweaking ...
... they are almost as good as the new tubs at Hull Paragon!
Told You So!
A technology note from Down Under.
They are trying out two of them.
60 Years!
fbb did enjoy a TV broadcast (BBC4 on Thursday, last) extolling the virtues and sharing the problems of a very sophisticated transport system. 
Another technology, using induction charging from the floor, was easily defeated by the Time Travellers.
EX-TER-MIN-ATE!!!
Despite its antiquity, the story was still quite scary even though six broadcast episodes are "condensed" to just 75 glorious nostalgic minutes.
The monochrome story has, of course, been "colourised" and refettled to a much higher standard than the original.
How do they do that?
All still-extant episodes of Dr Who are on iPlayer.
Next Variety blog : Sunday 26th November
I have a selection of socks in different London Transport moquette designs, bought by my son at the LT Museum as a Christmas present last year.
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