The Hospital Test
As I travel around the country, I like to apply the hospital test to all of the places I visit.
Imagine, that a friend or relative has been taken ill or had an accident and is in the local hospital!
By going to the local main station or airport, can you get to that hospital easily using information available there?
Some hospitals are easy to do the last link, but for others, the information is sadly lacking.
I’ve just looked up Barnet Hospital, where both my in-laws died. I did find the nearest station and bus information on the web site, but it wasn’t on a front page link, as it seemed to assume most will drive. On the Transport for London web site, I did find a spider map for the buses to and from the hospital. But not in every case, will I have such good local knowledge!
Incidentally, it seems that most London hospitals have their own spider maps showing all buses around the hospital. The only one I can’t find is one for University College Hospital.
How does your local hospital stack up?
Remember a high proportion of visitors will not be in the first flush of youth and many will have mobility and eyesight problems.
Londoners Still Love The Hackney Eight
I was coming home from the Angel last night, when one of the Hackney Eight showed its distinctive shape coming from the direction of Saddlers Wells.
As it approached the stop, prospective passengers walked past the 56 that many of them, like me, could have taken and waited for a few seconds for the New Bus for London to arrive.
Why don’t Transport for London do the right thing and convert route 38 to the new buses?
But then us plebs in Hackney don’t count for much, as BT have shown by their non-delivery of fibre-optic broadband.
If the 38 went to Archway in Islington, it would have been converted by now!
Kings Cross Square Is Nearly There
Kings Cross Square opens tomorrow and it’s nearly there.
The buses though are back and I came home on a 476 towards Islington, from in front of the station. The driver seemed pleased too, judging by the smile on his face, when I said it was good to have the stop back.
Do We Really Want To Save Preston Bus Station?
Preston Bus Station is an iconic building of the 1960s. As I’ve never used, let alone seen it, I can’t comment on the design, but it does evoke strong feelings.
The government has now given it Listed status, which doesn’t fit well with the local councils’ plans to demolish it. The BBC has a report.
I’m going to Manchester and Derby on October the first. I think it’s somewhere that deserves a visit! So perhaps, I’ll start in Preston and work my way down.
Looking at the map, it seems that the bus station, is not by the railway station. So perhaps the building is in the wrong place? After all the ideal railway station, should be integrated with the local buses, like say Barnsley, Canning Town or Sheffield.
Number 11 Goes New Bus For London
I took a ride on a number 11 and despite the unfortunate accident, they seemed to be running well.
Number 11 Goes New Bus For London
Are they proving to be a posh bus for the posh parts of London?
An Accident Involving a New Bus For London
There has been a lot of reports, like this one on the BBC, about a serious accident involving a New Bus for London.
It is still too early to ascertain the cause of the accident, but some interests will probably blame Boris and the new bus.
I think that no-one should speculate until we know what happened.
The Diana Busometer Seems To Be Right
Judging by the dreadful reviews I’ve seen, the prediction made by the large number of bus adverts for the Diana film, seem to be right.
I shall not be going to see it. Wikipedia says this about the reception the film received.
So far the film has received overwhelmingly negative reviews from the British press with an approval rating of just 4% on Rotten Tomatoes. Writing for The Mirror, David Edwards said it was a “cheap and cheerless effort that looks like a Channel 5 mid-week matinee” and awarded the film one star out of five. Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian also awarded it one star out of five and called the film “car crash cinema”.
I read the review in The Times, where it was also given one star.
Arriva And Stagecoach
This morning, I used buses from both these companies. In fact it was one from the first and three from the second.
What a difference though in the greeting, as I clocked in with my Freedom Pass. All except one of the Stagecoach drivers were stony faced, whereas the other two gave me a big smile and/or a grin in response to my thanks for getting on the bus.
It does seem though that the Arriva drivers are the more welcoming.
Long may London’s buses be on the whole, a friendly place for tourists and residents alike!
In Six Days Tourists And The Posh Get New Buses for London
On the 21st of September, route 11 gets converted to New Buses for London.
This to me, is a good choice of route, as it runs along the very crowded Kings Road. So perhaps it might tempt people to hop on and off to get up and down the road, rather than use the Chelsea tractor.
But the newbusification of the route will not be popular with the tour bus operators, if this statement from the route’s Wikipedia entry is correct.
The journey from the top deck is a cheap means of sightseeing in London.
I don’t think bendy buses ever had any attractions for visitors to London.
I shall be there on Saturday.
A Wet Night In Islington
I needed supper last night and although I had food in the fridge, I went to Pizza Express at the Angel.
The great advantage is that the bus stop is right outside the restaurant.
So although, the rain was amazing, I didn’t get too wet.
The gluten-free pizza was good too!
The Anonymous Widower 