Sunday Variety on Tuesday

University Upgrade Uplift

There must be a huge number of bus managers and transport bloggers who are perennially excited by something. Sam Turner (of Sam's Trains fame) is one such. But now he is joined by Robert Williams of Reading buses.

His latest new bus route is upping his heart rate noiceably.

fbb thinks (so possibly unreliably!) that,  previously, service 21 (CLARET), which runs via the University, had gained extra short-workings to the hallowed halls of academe during term time. 

Now Mr Williams has made them a separate branded route.

"White Knight" is the name of the Uni Campus but fbb does not know why.

Unfortunately the on-line presentation is currently, poor. There is no proper map, just one of these ...

... which is about as much use as a chocolate teapot. The only timetable looks like this ....

... where you have to specify date and day to get the table. A chocolate coffee pot?

There is no PDF of the complete service.

Disappointing!

Puzzle Picture Answer No 1

Wigan Corporation c/o GoAhead. Here is a real one for comparison purposes.

Puzzle Picture No 2

Of course the star of the image is Ivor The Engine.

This was the product of Oliver Postgate (Noggin the Nog and Captain Pugwash) and Peter Firmin.

The other visible characters in the above picture are Edwin Jones (a k a Jones The Steam - Ivor's driver), Dai Station and Evans the Song (choirmaster). Not appearing, but probably residing in the boiler, would be Idris the Dragon.

But what is of notable interest is that an OO gauge model of Ivor and some rolling stock is being produced for Rapido Trains.

To enhance the nostalgia, cut-out figures like the originals are also included with the sets. fbb would have preferred proper 3D versions.

Talking of 3D, Rapido has been showing 3D printed mock-ups which look delightful!

fbb has fallen in love with Ivor ...

... but the loco and two goods wagons ...

... are priced at £200.

That does deserve a loud and resounding "OUCH"!!

Here is a bit about the background to the series.

And there is more!

Perhaps fbb could save up his weekly pocket money and get one for Christmas? Or for his upcoming 80th Birthday in early 2025.

A Big Technological Surprise

So no surprise there, then.

Liverpool Launches Lovely Livery

Again!

Mega Metro Merseyside Mayor Steve Rotheram is pictured with current Transport Minister the Lovely Louise in front of the "launch".

There has already been a launch of the proposed "Glider" bus network.

... also "wrapped" in Metro yellow.

Manchester Heritage Livery

from Stagecoach

To fbb the orange is a bit too red, despite the fact that it was always a deeper orange than the original SELNEC ...

... and maybe even deeper that SELNEC'S succesor brand, GMPTE.

And In Manchester Today?

So no surprise there, then.

Watching Paint Dry

fbb was intrigued by this item ...

... and decided to investigate further.

Now watch again and count the number of locomotives!

 9 Days to Go 

 Next Austria blog : Weds 25th September 

Best Bus to Catch to Betws-y-Coed (3)

 Ah, Yes, The Toilets!

This is Bewts-y-Coed from above. The road running from upper left diagonally is the mighty A5; on the right is the railway station and bus "terminal" and the building top centre is the Tourist Information block.

Walking slowly (the fbbs are old, remember) south from the bus stop (itself to the north of the station and associated tourist shop grot), you come to the public conveniences, thoughtfully, but expensively, provided by the council as part of their policy to discourage tourism.

Apparently it is another scandalous 50P to P. 

Only it wasn't.

The toilets were closed for refurbishment; but not only was there that inconvenience at the convenience, but the temporary conveniences also presented themselves as an inconvenience. The "man at work" reported that nothing was working as the water was turned off.

But the increasingly uncomfortable fbbs were invited to stride off across the footy pitch, and "just beyond" and "across the little bridge" they would find alternative more convenient conveniences.

They gave up! 

Surely there would be the usual offices at the tourist offices?

No caff either in the TiC, despite advertsing boards en route!

No WC for he and she!

But "the man" in the TiC confided that the hotel, just along the path, had graciously agreed to make its conveniences available conveniently to the public, many of whom were inconvenienced by the lack of same in the town. But no one had told the visitng public!

And they were up a load of steps.

Mrs fbb shot off at necessitous speed whilst her chubby hubby followed creakingly behind. But a very nice lady had sympathy for the old bloke and had obtained from the bar, the key to the level access executive loo ...

... and proffered fbb second dibs.

With much relief, fbb was able to relieve himself.

Thanks a bunch Conwy Council for your really helpful welcome to one of the more important tourist hot spots in your area!

After a very enjoyable cup of coffee in said hotel, the fbbs made their way back to the bus.

Now Dai the Driver had told his alighting passengers of an X19 bus back to Llandudno which, he assured his much mucked about flock, would depart at 1305. That would be right, then, because he worked for Llew Jones and, anyway, the time was confirmed by Traveline.

So of course it would be right.

But fbb was, as ever, suspicious. He remembered using Llew Jones' own on-line timetable to plan the excursion and was sure it offered an X19 at 1245.

Which, indeed, it did.

Mrs fbb opined that, as a Llew Jones employee, surely Dai the Driver would be right, even though he had returned on an earlier 1135 departure.

"We'll get to the stop for 1245," insisted fbb in an uncharacteristically dictatorial manner. (uncharteristicall dictatorial? fbb? really?)

And, you guesed it, at 1243 the bus pulled up ...

... and left at 1245 ...

... as witnessed by Mrs fbb's wrist clock.

You wonder how many of Dai the Driver's outbound customers would turn up at 1305?

Good innit?

The X19 follows the A470 all the way, making few stops including one in Llanrwst. Fortunately the fbbs were on the bus when a typical North Walian monsoon broke out!

Views of the Conwy river were somewhat impaired to the side ...

 

... and fbb was very glad he wasn't driving and thus coping with the front non-view of the road ahead!

A watery sun had re-appeared as the gruesome twosome repaired to their hotel room for an examination of the inside of their eyelids, by way of recovery from the excitement of the day thus far.

Beyws-y-Coed has succumbed to the lure of lodsa lucre,  with every building along the A5 being dedicated to serving visitors' needs by emptying vistors' wallets.

Why, even Craft Cymru was a thinly disguised Edinburgh Woolen Mill shop - with no "Mill" in Edinburgh, of course!

But if you stray from the A5 and toddle up the southern bit of the B5106 (unserved by Llew Jones) ... 

...  there is a real village there and it is really lovely, mostly built in local slate and in local style.

Sadly, the fbbs did not choose to explore ...

... neither did they visit the Conway Valley Railway Museum back at the station.

There is only so much excitement that you an cram into one day! Yes, is that a locomotive on a miniature railway peeping out of its little shed?

Tomorrow's delayed "Variety" blog will inclide a delve into the Museum's offerings.

Ecclesiastical News

Yesterday, fbb was guest speaker at his church mens' breakfast. He was asked to give a talk drawn from his experiences of 65 years of being a Christian. There was only time for part 1 (of 2) and there was a feeling that they would be happy to hear part 2 in due course.

T.he experience was somewhat terrifying and exhausting, but a "full English" was served  which the old man did not fully enjoy due to apprehensive anticipation of his "performance"! 

fbb must be getting old.

But it was a privilege to be asked.

Today the fbbs' church at Kilmington (Baptist brand) ...

... situated next to the Village Hall (unbranded) ...

... in turn next to the traditional church (Anglican brand) ...

... begins duplicate services at 0915 and 1100. This cunning plan is in response to increasing numbers attending, surely something of a rarity these days.

PRAISE THE LORD!

 11 Days to Go 

 Next Variety blog : Minday 23rd September