Sunday Variety

Olly Spends The Lolly!

We don't hear quite so much from South Yorkshire's Mega Metro Mayor as we do from Andy, Steve and Tracy. But, occasionally he does make some earth shattering (?) announcement. A couple of years ago, Oliver Coppard announced that buses would be fully franchised by the end of 2026.

Really?

Anyway he has had a jackpot idea.

Has nobody tried that before?

We have heard it all before. YAWN!

£800,000 for "a test".

For 800k less, fbb will do a study. 

Done it!

DRT doesn't work, is not popular with passengers and will cost shed loads of money with little or no benefit.

Almost all "revolutionary", "innovative" and "inclusive" DRT services introduced elsewhere have closed once the taxpayers significant start-up contribution runs out.

Some have been replaced by "revolutionary", "innovative" and "inclusive" normal bus services at a much lower cost to their community.

Somebody should tell Olly!

Everybody's Extremely Excited ...

... about a repainted train!

They used to look like the above. Who remembers when Virgin CrossCountry started running trains everywhere? There were, briefly, hourly trains from Birmingham to Portsmouth. 

The excessive complexity failed, mainly because of overcrowding on the 'traditional' Cross Country networks.

Virgin then begat Arriva and a repaint ...

... with matching HSTs providing much better accommodation on the core network.

But the HSTs, although popular, have been withdrawn.

Some Voyager trains have now been transferred from West Coast but overcrowding is still a problem, particularly on that busy core between Sheffield and Bristol, Manchester and Reading.

But we are not buying new trains. We are "refreshing" the old ones.

So here is an old one ...

... and here is a similar interior, 'refreshed'.

It looks like new seats, brighter lighting, new carpet and a full repaint. Nice. Ditto in First Class ...

Ditto the toilets.

King of the rail and bus video, Geoff Marshall, was particularly excited by the toilets. And the outside is repainted in the new CrossCountry livery all launched recently with much drama at Litchurch Lane, Derby.

There was a speech (brief) from the boss ...

... a bit of a refurbished trains glided through the curtain.

It is red!

It will take at least two years to do them all, by which time ...

... they will need the new and exciting GBR corporate identity.

Whilst it is great to see trains properly refurbished, what the CrossCountry network needs us more, longer trains with more luggage space and, above all, more seats to cope with demand.

More Local Control

It's a bit like DRT. As yet another franchising is an unproven and expensive craze,

And, so far at least, all we have seen elsewhere are some new buses and a lot of yellow paint!

For The Man Who Has Everything

A small flock of chickens that cluck.

Or two men in lederhosen blowing alpenhorns.

Both have real sound, but sadly, no movement. Surely the chickens should scuttle about and peck the ground whilst clucking happily. 

fbb thinks you have to be fairly static to work an alpenhorn.

You will soon need ear protectors to visit a model railway!

This is not a joke. German manufacturer Noch, purveyor of superb HO scenic models and miniature people, has just launched a range with sound.

ADVANCE NOTICE Tuesday's blog will be a book review with a subject that is very dear to fbb's heart.

Cross Country A P.S.

Those invited to Derby got posh illustrated biscuits - you could eat a refurbished Voyager!

You also got a badge.

Now those are far more exciting than the not new trains!

  Next Variety blog : Monday 16th Feb