Prospective Detective Corrective ...

 ... OR Ineffective Reflective Defective blog!

This mini blog starts with a bus stop!

Well, actually it starts with Bee Network's truly exciting (!) NEW bus route, the first dramatic and amazing route development since the recent Bees started buzzing in the bonnet of the Burnham, Andy of that ilk.

Yawn!

Several commentators commentated that this wasn't a new route at all but a replacement for one withdrawn four years ago.

But, try as he might, the old bloke could find no reference to a withdrawn 615 in any near appropriate timescale.

But that bus stop on Bolton Road Aspull showed ...

.. not 615, but 715.

Fortunately, we do have a timetable for an old 715 available on-line. The route was with Blue Bus ...

... which passed to Diamond when the latter took over after Blue Bus closed down.

So what affinity did the 715 have with today's 615?

Easy peasy! The 715 followed exactly the 615 route from Wigan via Aspull until it reached the junction called Wingates on the above GMPTE leaflet.

Here today's 615 turns left for Middlebrook whilst the old 715 turns right.

... to run via Westhoughton to Bolton.

But Diamond was not happy with the route and we read about that worry in an on-line note published about four years ago.

Diamond cut back its Monday to Saturday service to run between Westhoughton and Bolton only. Evening and Sunday services (presumably tendered) continued to cover the who;e route.

An extract from the revised timetable is shown here.

At some stage in those last four years, the 715 disappeared completely.

As usual a councillor was thrilled to see the new 615.

... but probably never ever travelled on the old 715 or, indeed has never been a committed user of the new 615. Sadly, our Laura ...

... either doesn't understand or chooses not to admit to understanding. "This is what the Bee network is about; running buses to serve communities."

Actually, that is what the "old" PTE was about as well. Burnham's Bees are no different in that avowed but oft neglected intention.

But fbb is confident (often confident in his ignorance) that the 715 withdrawal four years ago was what has been replaced in part by the rather feeble route 615 development.

For the record.

Aspull Finger Post (time point on the 715) may have been a real finger post once, but latterly was a pub of that name.

It is now an "ethnic" restaurant and take-away called Bindi! 

The 615 uses the label "War Memorial" which sits near the bus stops.

It is good to get that clear in the unreliable mind of your aged blogger. 

See it : Guess it : Write it : Sorted!

 Next Sunday Variety Blog : Sunday 1st Dec