Saturday Variety (mini blog)

 You Want to SHOUT!

Only 60 years ago! They don't write songs like that any more, thankfully!

But here's another SHOUT.

This was First Glasgow's staff newspaper and back in 2013 was announcing the simpliCITY that has been so central to First's Glasgow publicity for the last 12 years - NOT! 

This was the 2013 introduction of more buses and some route renumbering on the service 1 complex - making it more complex!

The five routes were listed, followed by a full description (but no indication of frequencies).

Then followed a couple of columns of "how wonderful we are" text.

continued!

fbb wonders how this week's degradation of the service might be reported in the newspaper if it still existed. fbb has not seen any evidence of such self-congratulatory journalism for many years.

"6" became "5" post 2013. From this week it drops back to "7" which doesn't seem too bad (if you include the 1C to Drumchapel) but the service to Balloch and Helensburgh has become worse and requires a change.

Nothing to SHOUT about, now!

Coach Collecting Continues

The current craze for the big bus groups, whereby they snaffle up coach companies as if there were no tomorrow, continues apace.

This week it's GoAhead who will bring Pearce's Coaches of Berinsfield (map, lower right) ...

... into the Oxford Bus collection.

They've got some nice motors ...

... but no bus services, just private hire and contracts.

Oh, No, He Isn't!

Modern journalism reveals its limitations yet again.

Or maybe it is a deliberate shock tactic. The item refers to Mr Khan's plan for expanding the Overground and it is neither a shock nor particularly new news. This particular headline refers the Mr Mega Mayor's desire to take over the "Dartford Loop" services, seen here on a South Eastern rail map.

The three routes to the Dartford area would probably benefit from the Overground treatment and offer a reasonably self contained mini network. Less well defined are services to the Bromley area.

These are also on the Khan grab-list.  We also know that the Hayes branch (above bottom centre) is slated for eventual Bakerlooing!

The rest of the SouthEastern network is safe from Mr Khan's clutches ...

... for now!

His map also shows he has his eyes on some South Western branches, and notably, Great Northern services from Kings Cross ...

... so it cannot be too long before the whole of Thameslink comes under a Mayoral rail grab!

More Beer From Dapol

The cheapest OO box wagons available as discounted by Rails of Sheffield feature beers "associated" with The Titanic.

They are in boring plain grey with logos added. The logos are genuine enough ...

... but the company has no connection with the tragic iceberg encounter.

It is of much more recent origin.

More stuff tomorrow.

More Trees Please

Backscene refurbishment continues with more Bill Bodge inspired modelling.

Take a cheap small Chinese tree and cut off approx 50% of its branches. It is now half a tree.

Splodge copious blobs of PVA (a k a No More Nails) and affix to old plywood backscene of rolling hills.

Stick a copse together using the foliage trimmings to disguise the white glue and to obfuscate the sameness of the cheap small Chinese model trees.

Lo and behold; a contented countryside copse contributing to a confuse-the-brain collage, creating a semi distant view.

Some poster paint will remove a bit more sameness. The scissors and newspaper will not be part of the finished scene!

Only another 15 cheap small Chinese trees to go!

 Next Variety blog : Sunday 9 Mar