fbb, The Magenta Presenter! (1)

Too Many Maps?

If you are desperate to read the detail, a click on a map wll allow it to expand. But the general idea is clear even if the detail is a bit too much to follow.

The above is R E R line A (eastern destinations) and then we have a multitude of western routes.

These were all suburban lines operated by SNCF with some extensions but connected by a brand new tunnel through central Paris via Chatelet Les Halles station. RER A is one of five "Crossrail" linkings in the city. The first sections of A opened in 1977 and the last new bit was available in 1994.

RER line B south of the city centre actually absorbed a Paris Metro line, but an oddity that stood apart from the rest of the standard underground routes. This was the Ligne Des Sceaux running to Robinson (the short spur on the map below).

The historic stock looked very different even from ancient Metro trains ...

... the outstanding difference being its overhead electrification.  This was merged with a longer suburban line in the south and extended cross city to the north. Again, the first section opened in 1977 and developments continued until 1994.

Line B also used new tunnels deep under the city centre with interconnection at Chatelet Les Halles. Here the station is so complex that the Paris authorities reputedly have a team of St Bernard dogs with small barrels of brandy round their necks to rescue passengers who are utterly lost and on the edge of collapse.

When fbb visited a few years ago he did not need dog or booze but came out into the fresh air and never found where he went in!

R E R line C does not call at Chatelet. It was created by joining existing lines by tunnel and cut and cover sections along the south bank of the Seine.

You may be able to spot Champ de Mars Tour Eiffel at the bottom of the extract below.

You can actually see the real world from the northern riverside platform.

Line C first turned its wheels in 1979 and the most recent extension was opened in 2006. A small prize is reputedly offered by S N C F management if you can successfully find you correct train over a period of one month's travel. As far as fbb knows, no one has yet won it!

RER line D is also a contender for confusion at Chatelet les Halles station. Its services run from the north ...

... to the south ...

... where a first class honours degree at La Sorbonne is essential for understanding the service pattern.

Its first section opened in 1987 and its final extension (so far?) was in 1996. It is both the longest of the busiest of the RER lines.

Which brings us to Eole, the name is of a Greek hero (?) a k a Aeolus. Actually there were three Aeoli, of which number three was ruler of the winds. Whether SNCF knew that when they created the acronym E O L E. (Est Ouest Liaison Express), which became simply line E, is lost to history. Maybe trains sped "like the wind"?

Hitherto, its city terminus was at St Lazare Hausmann and it had two easterly branches.

Line E opened in 1998 and gained its second eastern branch in 2003. The 2004 extension will form part of tomorrow's blog.

Not only is the line colour Magenta, bit it has a station called Magenta ...

... which has a link to Gare du Nord. In fact Magenta IS Gare du Nord and no one seems to know why it wasn't called Gare du Nord.

To all intents and purposes it is part of the one station although offset a little and in deep tunnels to the east.

Top level Gare du Notd is for big trains (including Eurostar) ...

... where a fully covered bus station (hardly used!) replaced the suburban platforms that became the RER lines A and D.

Next level is a long shopping arcade ...

... and another piece of Paris transport infrastructure that once utterly confused fbb!

From here, escalators and tunnels lead to the station platforms ...

... those for A and D ...

... are simply below the shops ...

... and those for E involve a short walk, well signposted.

Unlike RER A, B, C and D, the stations in the tunnel sections of E are huge and a bit cathedral-like.

The aforementioned Chatelet Les Halles (B And D) is particularly claustrophobic and ludicrously busy.

Contract and compare whilst trying to breathe!

Tomorrow: TWO extensions to E

 Next Good News Bad News blog : Weds 16 July 

A Puzzle And An Answer

A Web Of Coinfusion

The above is Napoleon III and this is a decisive battle he won.

This man is Fracois-Emmanuel Verguin, a French chemist ...

... and the year is 1859. So this has a link to a railway station in Paris.

The link comes via a cartridge of printer ink ...

... and a colour that is NOT part of the rainbow or the spectrum!

And there was fbb, thinking that ALL colours appeared in a rainbow - they don't.

The answer is this.

... or this ...

... or even this!

The tortuous links will make sense tomorrow, honest!

For the time being, Napoleon III won a decisive battle against the Austrians thus kicking them out of northern Italy. The battle took place at a small town that is now part of the Milan conurbation.

Monsieur Verguin had developed a bright pink dye which he called Fuchsine (after the flower Fuchsia after Mr Fuchs who developed the plant! He decided to change its name to Magenta in recognition of Nap III's glorious routing of the Austrians.

We return to sanity tomorrow to sort put the Paris end of the conundrum.

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They Got It Right On Saturday

Transport to Friday's concert by Oasis (it's a popular music group of two, m'lud!) ...

... did not go well. So Sheffield correspondent Roy toddled over the Pennines to Manchester for Saturday's reprise to see it all happen.

There were plenty of trams and signs guided music (?) lovers ...

... plenty of signs. 

Andy Burnham, possibly a little anxious after Friday, was able to relax and see a good job well done on Saturday. His team had assembled a mixed fleet from Manchester ...

... c/o Stagecoach and Diamond and ...

... from the remotest corners of Lancashire.

Roy reports that it all looked impressive and efficient.

Just think what fbb is missing by living in Seaton!

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And Those Footbridges!

In both cases, modellers have used footbridge models designed to be built at ground level. When placed on a platform, they are too high above the loading gauge.

Here is one on Sams Trains layout which is used correctly.

So here are a couple of 12 inches to the foot bridges showing a distinct lack of too much height above the trains.

And before readers complain, fbb is well aware that footbridges have to be higher to allow room for overhead electrification.

Also note that the Airfix/Dapol footbridge at Peterville station has one end at ground level and the other on the platform. For the platform end, a chunk was removed from the kit!

So tomorrow we really will go to Paris! Or will we?

 Next Greek God railway blog : Tues 15 July 

Sunday Variety

Huddersfield Station Retiree

It is always sad to say goodbye to a senior member of staff but things move on and one familiar face at Huddersfield station has left for a happy retirement. For a number of  years the station has been punctiliously looked after by Felix ...

... and Bolt.

Now the time has come for Bolt to say miaow-bye to the platforms. He will be leaving at the same time as the human station manager, for some years his valued assistant, who is also hanging up her ticket clippers for good.

So it's goodbye from Angela Hunte and goodbye from him!

Portishead And Clevedon

Herewith a picture of the proposed new station at Portishead, omitted from yesterday's posting ...

... although after so many years of delay and broken promises, we can be forgiven for being a little cynical about the promised re-opening.

Just down the coast from Portishead, is another railway that, according to the locals, should reopen. It is in Salthouse Park, a delightful oasis on the coast of the Bristol Channel at Clevedon.

It once had a 9 inch gauge miniature railway ...

... later matching its national big brother by running a diesel!

It was rebuilt as a 15 inch gauge lime and equipped with bigger motive power and bigger carriages ...

... running round a simple "oval" (beloved of railway modellers) from its one station ...

...where there was a small siding and a loco shed.

Above, we look back towards the station by the bouncy castle as the track curves round the park.

This little Clevedon delight has closed recently and people are keen to see it re-instated. You would guess that money is the problem - too much to pay for its operation and upkeep but not enough from fares.

Just like the full sized railway, in fact!

Let's hope its return doesn't take as long as the Portishead branch.

PO41 Progress

Readers may remember that part of the refurb of Ryde Esplanade station has been a new cafe which has remained finished but unopened for well over a year. Our IoW correspondent (I have to call him "senior" or he gets sulky!) has sent some photos of progress.

This is the "old" Esplanade station with the way to the trains through an entrance above and beyond the post bix.

It is the area to the left of that entrance (which has been engineered) that is the new PO41 cafe as sed by Alan.

Below is the view back through the cafe to those double doors ...

... and a view in the other direction towards the door that lead out to the pier walkway.

Opening is still some time away but not quite as delayed as the Portishead branch. Doubtless correspondent Alan will be testing the service once it is open. fbb awaits his report in due course!

The Crazy Craze Continues

In recent years we have seen the big bus groups buying up smaller coach companies like they were going out of fashion!

McGills, the Scottish group that has expanded hugely, has joined much the same craze. McGills already has a coach and holidays division called Loch Lomond Coaches ...

... with a smart blue livery ...

... complementing the gorgeous Scottish scenery.

McGills have now bought another coach operator ...

... with a good solid existing business. 

The Prentice Westwood company runs some school contracts and a couple of service bus routes.

... in addition to a conventional coach hire business.

It should fit well with McGills existing portfolio of operations.

Puzzle Pictures

What is fbb up to now?

It is connected with OO gauge tank wagons.

All will be revealed when (a) the weather get cooler and (b) when the project is sort of finished. The two are linked!

Observation Oddity

fbb really doesn't like to offer the slightest word of criticism of the work of other railway modellers who show far greater skill than your bodging blogger. But the above model does show a common mistake made by many otherwise dedicated enthusiasts.

The same mistake appears on this superb model presented as an up to date version of Hornby Dublo three rail modelling.

Answers later this week.

Tomorrow we go to Paris.

 Next "Magenta via Magenta" blog : Mon 14 July