Bemused By Brisbane Baladi
Yeronga is a suburb of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia; and if you go down to the woods one day, you'll be sure of a big surprise.
You might meet one of these ...
... a London Transport "Olly" - a Leyland Olympian for the uninitiated. At first glance it looks quite normal.
But the destination shows "Baladi Cafe" and there is a strange black box above the centre doors.
To observe this omniboligical oddity, you would need to find yourself on the road bordering the Brisbane River close to the Watersports centre ...
... viewed for real by courtesy of Google Earth.
A train to Yeerongpilly then a TWO hourly 127 bus would get you there.
Maybe walk from Yeronga station?
Hmmm?
The bus sits in the car park ...
... but is registered and can be driven there,
The servery is right beside the centre doors ...
... and, guess what, there are seats and tables upstairs.
There are no reports to say whether you can still ting the bell.
The caff used to be in a trailer ...
.... but, like the Chiltern scheme, trains will not run via Birmingham New Street and International. For the benefit of Wrexham passengers, they should - and Shrewsbury folk would like an equivalent of the Virgin /Avanti route gets back on track.
... but the bus represents an expansion o facilities and cover if it ever rains. It does occasionally!
You can also get "merch" at the bus!
No doubt someone will know which London Olly is now purveying tasty tacos, nice nachos and big burger buns in Brizzy.
'Baladi' is Arabic, for 'homely', 'welcoming'.
There is a panel explaining the bus' London origins ...
... but; is it the only double decker in Brisbane?
Expensive Electricity Event
A few days ago, GoAhead Southern Vectis "launched" a fleet of 31 all-electric buses ... 
... and very smart they look.
But they are only buses! They are currently on driver training duty.
Southern Vectis has spent £10,700,000 on 31 of these beauties which is very nearly a whole fleet renewal.
The Isle of Wight Council Tax payers have joyfully chipped in £733,000.
You and me (and a few others, nationally) have thrown £5,700,000 into the Vectis collecting plate.
And they will make very little difference to air quality on the Isle of Wight and no measurable difference to global warming.
Has anyone worked out whether there will be enough electric in the wires from the mainland, to fill up 31 buses overnight with enough power for a day's service? Has Vectis got enough charge points?
Incidentally, fbb prefers the "two greens" livery to the khaki yellow!
A Venture, A Virgin, A Vanti ...
Remember Wrexham and Shropshire Railway ...
..... a brave and innovative service started by Chiltern Trains and quickly dropped by Arriva after their take over.
..Virgin started a return train each day from Shrewsbury to Euston ...
... continued by First's Avanti ...
... but abandoned in 2024.
But the MP is keen to see the latest scheme happen ...
... and happen successfully.
The proposed route is different and "interesting" ...
.Walsall would love a proper service to London; and Coleshill would be a useful rail head for North and East Birmingham suburbs; also North of Coventry.
Nothing is yet finalised.
The latest acronym is Wales, Shropshire and the Midlands Railway.
Queensland Rail Update
Not discovered by fbb research is the Savannahlander tourist train from Cairns,
There are two possible reasons fbb did not discover it. (a) it wasn't on the map, and/or (b) it is not operating as recent floods have "taken out" a bridge.
Hmmm.
The bridge is still there but not in the best of conditions?
More stuff tomorrow.
Next Variety blog : Sunday 8 March
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