After Megabus...
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.. Home, then work. Whilst at home, BamBam on Kiss100 suggested (in the latest of his long line of crazy ideas) that you type your name into Google Image Search, and whoever turns up is your "Google Twin". So, Susanna Scott brings up a reasonable selection, including someone's Graduation pics... But... Suzy Scott brings up a pic of an ex-London Volvo Olympian I took in Gloucester Place, London, last April, whilst working what was the Megabus M40 service. Take a look...
p.s. When doing the spell-check for this post, I cannot believe *Google* is *NOT* in the Blogger spellchecker! WTF? They own the thing....
Aberdeen cross-country
Did a trip to Aberdeen today - cross-country. This meant Dundee-Montrose-Laurencekirk-Aberdeen-Dundee. I could have went straight up and back, but I've done that before often enough of late... You can see all the pics, or read the highlights below...
From Dundee to Montrose, took Strathtay 608 (sorry no pic this time!) on Service 39. I've done this trip with these vehicles often enough of late, so not a lot of thoughts to add. We passed through Arbroath, and back out again quickly as we were running a little sharp.
After stopping in Montrose at Roadrunners take-away (opposite the library) I thought of the first time I'd been there - it was the day that the service I am about to use, was introduced. Well, at the time, there were two other very similar services also on the road, but that is issue probably best explained in the DBB! Anyway, went to Montrose Station in enough time to nab the half-hourly influx, before taking the 1230 Montrose Station to Laurencekirk Nicoll's Service 9. The route operates as an 9 to Laurencekirk, and a 8 to Montrose, but as you can see on the picture of the bus we used, Mercedes Vario/Transbus Beaver 2 SF 04 EVM, that the drivers can now display 8_9 on the front! As the Mercedes pulled out of Montrose, I could see Strathtay 311 has been transferred to Montrose... thought I'd not seen it round the tech park for a bit! The usual quite nice run up the A937, including (this time) the double run into Craigo Village, dropping off three, and allowing sight of a bus from Northumberland now with one of the villagers! Anyway, £1.65 for the 25 minute journey, but in the end we make it in well before time. It's the driver's last trip, as he took out his module (from the ticket machine) on arrival at the Red Cross Centre in Laurencekirk Main Street....
Then on the through journey at 1305 from Laurencekirk to Aberdeen, using Nicoll's Mercedes/Onyx V502 FSF. Service 103 is a route which largely runs in two sections - Laurencekirk to Stonehaven, and Cookney to Aberdeen. The latter has been extended to Laurencekirk for depot positioning purposes, and the former got a "rural transport fund"-ed evening service, which is now Friday & Saturday nights only. £4.80 for the near 90 minute trip - less than the cost of a run from Stonehaven to Montrose on the 101 three years ago, so I am really not sure how much that would set you back these days! - for a longer journey! The driver spoke politely to all passengers with a Yorkshire accent, and upon arrival at Drumlithie, asked a passenger why she'd not been around this morning. Turns out she fancied a long lie, but had been standing at the bus shelter almost all day - she was unable to remember the times of the service... Another timetable outed from the driver's wallet for her, but she could have always got a 24 followed by a 106/107... We picked up a couple at Little Farrochie, Stonehaven, where the bus double-runs into a set of bungalows and cottage types. We got a few round the various parts of Aberdeenshire (this is the point where I could REALLY do with a blue OS-style atlas - can you imagine doing one for Aberdeenshire - Fife and Tayside took long enough...) Upon arrival at Aberdeen, the driver offered the passengers choice of the three main stops (Music Hall, Mothercare or the Bus Stn - i.e. 1/3 way along Union St, 2/3rd way, or the end of the line).
I left at the bus station, and was able to snap a few other buses before heading for the shops. First stopped at the Tourist information - and they had a new, blue, OS Aberdeenshire atlas for sale... I'd missed this one until now... It is dated 2004 but without the "Direct Line Breakdown Cover" plug, so obviously a later issue than the Fife/Tayside one, back in the beginnign of the year, which had this. I had a copy in my bag by the end of the day - ISBN-10 is 0-504-08654-1 for the pocket version.
Purchased a £2.30 First day ticket, and bashed the town for a bit, including 31533 which was former Grampian 104 to Dubford terminus, and back. Upon getting back to the Bus Station, I'd pre-booked on Megabus to return to Dundee on the 1900 trip. The bus was artic 51062, which is due for transfer to Ayr (along with its colleagues) in exchange for three other ex-Tube MAN double deckers. Got home to Dundee quickly, and the Megabus driver went into Dundee via Dura Street, Victoria Road and the Marketgait - i.e. past my flat ;-) (I've seen it happen before, but not been on one of these runs before!)
26th birthday
Quiet day in comparison - think I might hold off this year's celebrations till April. Anyone got any suggestions?
Groundhog Day
Does anyone remember a film from the early-mid 90's called Groundhog Day? I forget the name of the actor involved (I remember he also did Ghostbusters), but he woke up every day with the same day on constant loop for several weeks/months. It wasn't quite the same, but this morning just seemed to repeat on me, several times over. Some combination of a cold/congested nose also irritated my eyes a bit more than usual, making them very sore and red. For those who know/don't know Dundee, the doctors is about a mile or so uphill from work, and is on the other side of a ten-foot high fence to the block of flats I lived in Thurso Crescent, (Menzieshill) during the times I lived with my gran. So, I booked for the doctors this morning, and as I started at 1030 , I ideally wanted as early as possible - got 0950. Fine enough, so if it went straightforward I would be 30mins late (via the chemist) or on time (if chemist not needed)...
TD bus 140 on the 17 from West Marketgait to Charleston Drive, walk to the doctors down the hill. Got in, got seen fairly promptly, good enough, all going to plan. Got a prescription for two items to resolve the problem over the course of this week. Fair enough. Also got a repeat prescription for some others, and because one of the main medication I am on for other medical problems has gone up from one to three a day, the quantity given as adjusted from 30 to 168. So, repeats for all the rest, to see me through to the end of the month. Walked up the hill (made mental note to use the pavement next time, as these heels have good ditch-digging capbilities in soft mud...), then TD bus 15 on the 22C from Ninewells to Orleans Shops. On the way into the chemist, I sign the back of the prescriptions (the wind has already blown away a till receipt from earlier in the day), before I realise the main item is not there.... I put in the prescriptions, and get told 20mins. Fine, so I think there can be a plan here. I go next door to the bakery for breakfast (note I'd been running on empty since 0700!) before walking back down via Earn Crescent to Charleston Drive, and the docs. Again.
Went back to the 2nd receptionist (during the morning and lunchtime "peak" a 2nd receptionist sits in the waiting area, and welcomes everyone in for a 2nd time as well as doing repeat prescription enveloping), and explained what had happened. The doctor in question signed a script for the missing item, and I then clambered back up the hill, 2nd time, for a bus back to the Chemist. As I'd had a Daysaver, and the 22/22C is every 7-8mins, it wasn't much time wasted. I the strong winds, it was probably time saved. I think...
Anyway... no Gemini this time, but TD bus 179 on the 22 to Orleans Shops. So I went in the Chemist.... and the steroid tablets I was due five days of (to rid my eyes of the red irritation) was out of stock, and would be for several weeks - manufacturers problem. In the meantime, I took the rest and then back-ordered the balance. It was close to 1100, so I walked down to Spey Drive Shops (Alldays, and Esposito's before that - but now known as a Co-Op Local), and get the 10X to work. TD Bus 162 from Charleston Drive Co-Op to Explorer Road/Luna Place hail & ride zone.
As I get off the bus, I realise the hail & ride irony - there is no pavement on the side of the road where the buses drop off and pick up - apart from a small placing strip - so the rest is mud/grass. Aargh. It's 1115ish now, so I will be starting work at 1130. Before going upstairs, I stop at the phone, and call the Doctor in question. She's agreed to give me another prescription for a smaller dose, take more of them (10 x 5mg tabs in one go, for five days). OK, but I decided to bite the bullet for work.
Went upstairs - the boss was discussing ideas for a few minutes before I got a moment to ask for a favour. I asked to break my time & then go now/later... but there was a bus up the hill soonish, so we agreed I'd go for that. Strathtay 308 on the 54 from Apollo Way bus shelter to Charleston Drive. Running a few minutes late (did you know the 54 is now 3.48 miles longer heading to Dundee than it is heading for Perth?...) 50p fare on top of the £2.30 I'd paid for the TD daysaver.
Went to the doctors, got the prescription - for those keeping count, this was my third visit of the day - and then clambered up the hill. All things considered, I love them really..... This had been their first error since they sent away a sample of mine for anaylsis last year, thought it was lost, asked me to come back, but when I checked, they'd got the results back - and had done before they called me. Never mind... like I say, it's the occasional problem, that is made easier by them being in relative close proximity to a chemist, and to my work. If it was the other side of town, I'd be really upset. Anyway, I digress again....
There was a 22 sat at Ninewells just turned its indicators off - so the driver would be away to use the facilities, and was due away three minutes later... so, went for that. TD bus 177 on the 22C from Ninewells to Orleans Place. Chemist visit again, counter assistant recognised me and the script straight away... took one look at it, then said "Oh they've given you......." and then stopped, as if to say they thought they'd given me two scripts for unfindable medication. They made the stuff up for me on the spot, giving me enough time to walk round to Spey Drive Shops for the 10X to work around 1240. However, the 54 back to Perth was early, running before the 10X which was a little late - so I boarded the 54 for the return. Another 50p down, but never mind. Strathtay 308 on 54 from Spey Drive Shops to Explorer Road. As we swung round the corner into Spey Drive, the 10X is right behind us........... The driver managed to drop me right on the manhole, so no muddy footfall... but the spring action doors on Dart 308 were better on the "high" side of the split step...
So, started work for 1300. Work was good. Two girls and a guy commented that I'd lost weight. I'd not, it was apparently just the look of the new trousers (see Saturday's post for when I bought them). Black, long, with sparkly glittery vertical stripes. So that was a nice unexpected bonus - especially as anything was better than the pair of jeans with the black ink mark in the pocket........
Worked till 1930, and relatively easy ride home on Volvo B6LE 164... yes, the time was right, it was on the 29 from Tech Park to Courthouse Square. When a 9X/10X branded bus turns up on the 29's evening extension to the Technology Park, it doesn't half confuse some of the punters... 164 started to struggle going along South Road - I'd thought this had been repowered. We shall see. (The rest of the run was no problem for 164...)
Fine An Etcher
There has been a thread on the London-Bus SmartGroup (originally setup by me when I lived down there), about Transport for London's alleged forthcoming policy to fine the bus operators when they have a bus running around with etched windows. For those not in the know, graffiti is most common when done with a sharp point, like a drill bit, rather than the marker pens and the like used elsewhere. In South-East london, etching is common on every window, and we've heard stories before of the drivers cab window being etched, and even a CCTV glass lens being etched with "F**k the CCTV".... TfL's idea is that the operators have CCTV, so they can catch those responsible. (It's like saying the Met Police have a phone book, so they can catch those responsible...) TfL did of course get funding for a "transport crime unit" or something similar not too long ago. In the case of fining operators for no wheelchair ramps - yes, 9 times out of 10, that is within the operator's control. Fining the operators is the equivalent of getting the bill from the hotel you hire for a party, just because someone p155ed in the sink.
So, following a reply about the pros and cons, I decided to put it another way... and thought of some ways that the operators could do to get some money back...
1. Invoicing TfL for fines incurred due to the once-in-a-blue-moon "100 Man March" style revenue control checks that add at least 10mins per trip (for some operators that is a high proportion of running time!) One bus delayed by 10 minutes on a 10-mins service route can make a hole wide enough to qualify as a service failure.
2. "North Circular" tax - as TfL wanted to widen the road, but subsequently did not, despite owning a large chunk of the road. Operators invoice TfL every time there bus gets caught at a traffic light on/across the NCR.
3. Public Relations tax - every time a politician gets their picture taken in front of a London bus, £100 fixed penalty fine, collected by TfL for the Operator. Double fine for Routemasters, Triple fine for those who failed to become Mayor (i.e. the public didn't want them, so take the hint and get out of my paper!) and still can't stop winging about it.
4. Silly Press release week - Claim compensation every time TfL send out a press release that does nothing to improve relations with the operators and passengers i.e. we might be losing money and fares might have to go up in six years but for now we shall say how good we are doing... Operators must see such items being drip-fed to the London media and retch every time they see one.
Of course these are slightly tounge in cheek, but they show the wider picture - etching is just one of the problems London Bus operators and passengers face. Whilst fining operators if etching is still on the bus might make TfL think they can clear the problem, removing offensive graffiti is only doing what is required to pass the MoT test ! Same applies to all buses with wheelchair ramps must work - again, this is only an MoT requirement. The way TfL charge in, you think they'd reinvented the wheel. Of course if they did, it would be an articulated wheel, painted 100% red, with no etching, driven by a wheelchair-using cuddly newt, and a matching ecliptical roadside ticket machine....
Then, a former CCTV operator pointed out how difficult it is to make people out in these pictures. Well, true enough. Travel West Midlands last year had to publish pictures from their CCTV system when an individual appeared to have an on-fire seat when he got up. Talk about alighting the bus... They got him in the end - but interesting to think, if the camera can't show who it is, "phone a friend the police) or "ask the audience" (the passengers)...
CCTV quality has improved greatly over the years, but if someone covers heir face or the lens, it's not much cop. Sorry... not much use...
Work on a Saturday
Was at work today for a bit, as they requested overtime due to not having enough bodies in today daytime. So, four hours up there, then via the City Centre to Tesco and back home. Nothing out of the ordinary, but if I remember something I will post it up....
2004 Taglines
If you got an email from me in 2004, chances are it contained a "song lyrics" tagline. Unless I was writing to you from webmail, if my pc/software/connection/keyboard (delete as applicable) were fubar'd. Anyway, as promised, here is a list of 2004's tags. No-one got them all right. Everyone knew the lyric in January's song, but no-one could place the track. Bubba Sparks track "Ugly" was known to me most for being a Kiss-Mix with Missy Elliot's Get Ur Freak On, known as Ugly-Freak, that Kiss100 played a lot whilst I was in hospital towards the end of 2001 - but never heard of it since. So if you've got it anywhere, let me know. February and March lyrics were chosen to be suggestive, and April almost gave the game away (I thought Diana Ross with I'm Coming Out was a little too obvious!).
January - Scooter - Weekend "Respect to the man in the ice cream van!"
February - Scooter - The Logical Song "When I was young, life was so logical..."
March - Alcazar - Crying At The Discotheque "You wore a tie like Richard Gere..."
April - Edge voiceover music - Various "You think you know me..."
May - Bubba Sparks - Ugly "Life ain't great now, but it's much improved, Go out and buy this record, this song's for you..."
June - Anastacia - Left Outside Alone "...All my life I've been waiting For you to bring a fairytale my way..."
July - Destiny's Child - Independant Woman "...All the women who are independant, Throw your hands up at me..."
August - Weather Girls/Geri Spice - It's Raining Men "...Humidity's rising, barometer's getting low, According to all sources, the street's the place to go...
September - Aerosmith - Pink "Pink, is like red but not quite..."
October - Whitney Houston - Your Love Is My Love "...My love is your love, and your love is my love..."
November - Big Country - In A Big Country*** "...I'm not expecting to grow flowers in a desert But I can live and breathe, and see the sun in wintertime..."
December - Blur - He Thought Of Cars "...The motorway is in top gear, It shouldn't snow this time of year..."
***Extra: In the lead up to 20th November, I added
"20th November: The Transgender Day of Remembrance. Day of Remembrance for murdered trans people around the world." For those who don't know, see my 20th November blog entry.
2nd January
Got out in time for hair getting done at 1500 - weather was dull today, but not as wet as yesterday. Now here is the odd thing - it was twice as busy in the Overgate as yesterday, despite less distractions, more public transport, and more shops. Proportionally it didn't make sense, although the previous day was probably a novelty for some. After this, a few other things round the Overgate before heading for home, and preparing for a quiet day the next day. Because last week, we apparently got too many volunteers to work work the next day, so we got the option of reconsidering, and I took the 3rd off as holiday not worked.
1st January - Happy New SHOPPING?
I went out just after 2pm to the shops - yes, I did! In Scotland too - Dundee City Centre! The Overgate Centre opened on 1 Jan for the first time ever - Debenhams, and WH Smith. A sports store also opened. There were no buses or trains, but business was good, and there was lots of space in the car park - some locals (me included) had walked down, despite the p155ing rain. I genuinely did need some stuff from WH Smith - including a few more pens whilst they are on 50% off - so today seemed as good a day as any other. WH Smith was busy with adults and kids, whilst Debenhams was more adults. Sports Soccer sports store appeared dead by comparison.
Anyway, the DCC SmartBus signs were pointing to "No Bus Services today", although it appeared they forget to knock off Stagecoach Perth journeys on the 16 - as the 1515 and 1725 Perth journeys were shown as operating! Otherwise, all service panels were set up for tomorrow morning's first buses of the day, although for some reason High St H1 is showing a 71A to "Dalhousie Rd at Mau" - for the usual Monday-Saturday time i.e. it will not be running tomorrow, and there will be Monikie's tomorrow from the same stop. Whitehall St is also predicting a 71A City Centre - but that is another issue.......
Given all the "attractions" today - shopping at three shops out of a derelict centre, the Dundee United vs. Rangers match (in case you missed it, the visitors equalized in the 90th minute - just as well you kept your cash Graeme!), and the city centre "carnival" (much reduced on previous years, but enough to close a pedestrianised street). Even "The Bread" was open from 1200 to 1800 - after initially saying they wouldn't. 1st January maybe isn't a bank holiday anymore. Well, I won't tell if you don't...
