Curtailment In Cowes Part 1
This town, on the north coast of the Isle of Wight opposite Southampton, is famous for sailing, an activity often graced by the Royals. The "superior" end of the water-borne action is at the Royal Yacht Squadron.
There is a lot of this ...
... and probably too much of this!
The town is full of these ...
Some people actually watch the sailing, not the most exciting of visual spectacles ...
... and a privileged few actually take part in races ...
... often with scary levels of disorientation!
The town is not particularly famous for its bus services which used to leave from a 'back street,' West Hill Road, at the Eastern end of the town Centre.
The bus terminal later moved West to the busier part of the town centre, consisting of a small turning circle and three stands outside the new Co-op.
The Co-op was later refurbished ...
... and is now an M & S Food Hall; much more appropriate for the Cowes trendies.
The shop was built on the site of Cowes railway station ...
... which fbb visited in a cold, dark and windy afternoon in January 1964, some years before closure.
It was utterly dismal.
After demolition and before the Co-op, the site was used as parking for Fountain Coaches ...
... by then part of Southern Vectis. Don't tell anyone, but the above pictures was snapped at Yarmouth, not Cowes.
The big transport link at Cowes is at the "Pontoon" with the Red Funnel fast passenger service to Southampton. The service started with noisy but exciting hydrofoil vessels ...
... and moved on to quieter catamaran boats, driven by a powerful water jet impeller.
Residents await with eager and extended anticipation the announced new-build.
Cars were off loaded on a side ramp at Cowes, but used the bow ramp at East Cowes.
Later car ferries ceased to call at Cowes leaving the 'Pontoon' as the terminal for the fast boats.
But fbb is interested in the local buses and what has happened to the service level in recent years. The story is complicated, so hold on to your hats for tomorrow's blog!
Next Cowes town bus blog : weds 21 Oct
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