TrawsCymru dryswch*
Sunday 13th January 2021 * that’s Welsh for confusion. I’ve always liked the TrawsCymru network and brand. It’s grown in size and extent over the years providing frequent links across … Continue Reading TrawsCymru dryswch*
Cannock to Telford with Chaserider
Wednesday 9th June 2021 It’s exactly five months since Arriva sold its Cannock based operations comprising about a dozen bus routes, 46 vehicles and the Delta Way bus garage to … Continue Reading Cannock to Telford with Chaserider
Bank Holiday weekend joyrides
Monday 31st May 2021 It was 45 years ago this month when I first made the journey from Leeds to Hawes by bus. I remember it was a Saturday on … Continue Reading Bank Holiday weekend joyrides
Could buses have replaced the 1938 stock?
Sunday 3rd January 2021 Today marks the end of a train era on the Isle of Wight as the Island Line’s infamous former Underground stock dating from 1938 is finally … Continue Reading Could buses have replaced the 1938 stock?
Week 1: Here we don’t go again
Saturday 7th November 2020 Welcome back to another series of weekly updates of bus and train developments during lockdown. Now, where were we before that “Stay at home” regime was … Continue Reading Week 1: Here we don’t go again
Beachcomber and EastRider riden
Thursday 20 August 2020 The last time I took a ride on East Yorkshire’s open top bus service along Scarborough’s seafront was in May last year, just before the lovely … Continue Reading Beachcomber and EastRider riden
Kent’s fifth rural initiative
Thursday 23rd July 2020 Regular readers will remember last summer I took a ride on four of Kent County Council’s new ‘Rural Transport Initiatives’. Three of these involved the introduction … Continue Reading Kent’s fifth rural initiative
Week 14. Shifty about modal shift
Saturday 27th June 2020 If you’re a believer in public transport, spent your whole career in it, use it extensively, love everything about it, feel passionate about it, you know … Continue Reading Week 14. Shifty about modal shift
Book Review: GWR Guide to Services
Tuesday 10th December 2019 It may be a bit pricey – at £8 (and only for six months validity too); it may be hard to find – usually only available … Continue Reading Book Review: GWR Guide to Services
Tapping into confustion
Tuesday 26th November 2019 It’s good to see more and more bus companies playing payment systems catch-up by accepting contactless cards as an alternative to cash. I’m not convinced the … Continue Reading Tapping into confustion
Xpress Dundee done, (and Airlink)
Wednesday 16th October 2019 Xplore Dundee, the National Express owned bus company in Dundee, launched a brand new airport express coach service back in June linking the city directly with … Continue Reading Xpress Dundee done, (and Airlink)
OS at 90
Monday 30th September 2019 The Omnibus Society marked its 90th anniversary over the weekend with its annual Presidential Weekend offering a brilliant programme of events based in the Solent area. … Continue Reading OS at 90
Electric shock on rear seats
Thursday 26th September 2019 Metroline, the Singapore based ComfortDelGro owned bus company, which operates a large network of bus routes for TfL across north and north-west London has been in … Continue Reading Electric shock on rear seats
Toon Time
Friday 23rd August 2019 It’s always a pleasure to spend some time on Tyneside. Open tops Yesterday I sampled the new open-top sightseeing tour introduced this summer by Go North … Continue Reading Toon Time
Britain’s most southerly bus stop…
… and other west Cornwall travels. Thursday 8th August 2019 Having travelled up to Cape Wrath last month to visit mainland Britain’s most northerly bus terminus I thought it was … Continue Reading Britain’s most southerly bus stop…
On Track in Taunton
Saturday 3rd August 2019 South West Trains started the ‘run trains to link with heritage railways’ trend a couple of summers ago (before they handed the keys over to South … Continue Reading On Track in Taunton
A spectacular bus ride to Widicombe in the Moor
Saturday 6th July 2019 I thought it was high time I ticked off more bus routes on my lengthy ‘to do’ list compiled from the many suggestions kindly passed on … Continue Reading A spectacular bus ride to Widicombe in the Moor
Railway rides in Aviemore and Launceston
Friday 5th July 2019 There are over 150 standard and narrow gauge ‘heritage’ railways operating in Great Britain. Most are run by enthusiastic volunteers who put in many hours of … Continue Reading Railway rides in Aviemore and Launceston
A day in Stranraer and The Rhins
Thursday 6th June 2019 It may not rank as high as the West Highland Line, the Kyle of Lochalsh Line or the Far North Line in the great Scottish Scenic … Continue Reading A day in Stranraer and The Rhins
New trains in 2019 5: Class 710
Sunday 26th May 2019 Train manufacturer Bombardier has at last finally sorted the software issues on the new Class 710 trains for London Overground’s Gospel Oak to Barking route and … Continue Reading New trains in 2019 5: Class 710
Breich, Borders, Bike Buses and Berwick
Friday 3rd May 2019 Finding myself in Glasgow at 7.30am yesterday morning (after my inaugural Caledonian Sleeper Mark 5 journey) I thought it would be an opportunity to continue the … Continue Reading Breich, Borders, Bike Buses and Berwick
4,200 bus seats for Edinburgh
Tuesday 19th March 2019 Lothian Buses have just started operating their brand new 100 seat tri-axle buses in service on city routes 11 and 16. I thought I’d take a … Continue Reading 4,200 bus seats for Edinburgh
An Anglian Adventure
Thursday 14th March 2019 It began a month ago. A day out to Norwich to travel route 88 via Bungay and Halesworth to Southwold, where I’d catch the four-journey-a-day tendered … Continue Reading An Anglian Adventure
A great Deal in Kent
Sunday 10th March 2019 It’s always a pleasure to visit the Garden of England. My journeys on two days last week included visits to both ends of Kent – to Dover … Continue Reading A great Deal in Kent
A few days in scenic Scotland 1
Day 1 Wednesday 27th February 2019 West Highland Line A quick, cheap Easyjet flight from Gatwick up to Glasgow for 1030, a ride into the city centre on First Glasgow … Continue Reading A few days in scenic Scotland 1
Skylarking on skylink
Sunday 24th February 2019 No bus company does route branding as well as trentbarton (as they like to be called, with no capital letters). trentbarton were the original bus route … Continue Reading Skylarking on skylink
A day out in Sheppey
As I hot footed over to Sittingbourne, keen not to miss out on what could be a busy day for ride sharing bookings, I pre-booked my first Click trip from … Continue Reading A day out in Sheppey
A Lifebelt for ailing Hayling Ferry
Saturday 3rd November 2018 There’s a handy passenger ferry which connects the south western tip of Hayling Island with the south eastern tip of Portsea Island across Langstone Harbour. It … Continue Reading A Lifebelt for ailing Hayling Ferry
Friendly feedback for ManFred
Saturday 20th October 2018 Monday’s ‘Business Announcement’ outlining proposals to centralise even more of Arriva’s UK bus business mysteriously landed anonymously in my inbox. I’m told it’s a legacy plan … Continue Reading Friendly feedback for ManFred
I went to Thorpe Park by bus
Tuesday 16th October 2018 No, not the infamous leisure park in Surrey, that’s so last decade; I’m talking Thorpe Park as in ‘a flagship scheme for the Northern Powerhouse Agenda’ … Continue Reading I went to Thorpe Park by bus
Spiralling decline in London
Friday 28th September 2018 TfL’s much leaked cuts to central London’s bus routes were officially published today as a six week public consultation is launched. As expected the plans involve … Continue Reading Spiralling decline in London
Which Ipswich bus station?
Tuesday 25th September 2018 There aren’t many towns of Ipswich’s size (circa 150,000 population) with two bus stations. Many similar sized towns don’t even stretch to having one bus station … Continue Reading Which Ipswich bus station?
A peek into my inbox
I’ve received some interesting promotional emails from the new breed of ride sharers recently. Arriva Click sent an enticing personalised message on Thursday proclaiming some ‘great news’ for me. It … Continue Reading A peek into my inbox
Gliding on Glider
Ever wondered what around £100 million will buy in the way of Bus Rapid Transit? I popped over to Belfast today to find out. The idea of creating a metro … Continue Reading Gliding on Glider
