Lizzie Says Relax
Someone has painted this on the wall above Old Street Tube station.
Lizzie Says Relax
I tried to photograph it yesterday, but failed. But I did succeed today.
The Development of the New Bus for London
I went to a lecture last night at the Institute of Mechanical Engineers about the New Bus for London. A very good lecture, given by David Barnett, the Development Engineering Manager of The Wright Group, who build the bus.
His talk should be recorded and shown to all students, who might think they would benefit from going to University to do engineering, as it showed how innovative thinking can transform a product as everyday as a bus.
I think the lecture, also confirmed my view, that the buses we ride in ten years from now, will be even better. The current New Bus for London is just the start of the development of buses that will transform the way we get around.
I think it is worth emphasising that buses, trams and trains are only part of a transport system. They need to be backed up by all kinds of information technology from simple maps to web pages and mobile phone apps, so that passengers find their way around with ease.
New Bus for London Number 4 Checks In!
And now there are four!
I saw LT4 on the way to take the Staffy picture this morning.
It Was the Jubilee Line Again
When there is a London Underground chaos story, it’s always the Jubilee line, just like it was on Wednesday. I think a lot has to do with Blair’s government, who were desperate to get it finished for their millennium bash at the Dome, so they paid what the workers demanded. But you never hear of such horrendous problems on other lines.
Elephants Salute The Torch
Surely there’s never been anything like this. As the BBC says, “Flag-waving Elephants Join Olympic Torch Relay”
For those who want to know these things, the train is being hauled by a Great Western Railway, Manor Class engine, number 7812 and named Erlestoke Manor. The Severn Valley Railway has three working Manor Class engines.
How Few Use Oyster!
On the London Underground this morning, I was surprised how many people seemed to be holding old-fashioned card tickets.
Is Transport for London doing enough to tempt passengers to use the cheaper alternative of an Oystercard.
Booze Cruises Return
The Times is reporting today, that booze cruises are returning due to the low level of the Euro.
Bus Adverts Must Work!
Or at least they must have done for Wonga after their series of adverts a couple of months ago. As they are now using a whole new set of adverts for their Wonga for Business product.
A Wonga for Business Advert
The adverts are everywhere on a bus route near you.
On the other hand, they have been criticised by the OFT according to this report.
Gibbon Time Revisited
I have been looking at other buses to see which is the best to swing along on the upper deck. I found the New Bus for London good and reported it here.
So I looked at the handholds on the buses that are most common in London.
This is the standard Wrightbus Gemini 2, which is probably the most numerous type of London bus.
Top Deck of Wright Gemini 2
The handholds are rather vertical and the spacing wasn’t natural for a good swing. Note that there are more on one side.
This is the same picture of a Scania OmniCity.
Top Deck of Scania OmniCity
Here they are more offset and better spaced.
The other common bus, that I use is the Alexander Dennis Enviro 400.
Top Deck of Alexander Dennis Enviro 400
Not bad and better spaced, but not up to the New Bus for London.
Top Deck of New Bus for London
Note too how on the New Bus for London, the colours are more subdued. The surface is also textured to give a better grip. I haven’t taken a tape measure to it, but I have a feeling that the aisle is wider on a New Bus for London. It’s certainly easier to walk along the bus to the stairs to get out, but this is probably down to the gibbon effect.
The stairs on all buses are pretty easy to negotiate even with my gammy left hand. All staircases seem to have rails on both sides, with a double rail on the left hand side going down.
Top Cat Returns
It would appear that the latest film is a remake of the kids’ cartoon, Top Cat. It’s so old, I used to watch it as a child. Although, they had to call it Boss Cat to avoid conflict with a tinned cat food of the same name.
Top Cat Returns
Judging by the number of buses, they’re advertising it on, it isn’t going to do very well.
The Anonymous Widower 