Sunday, May 08, 2005

North Weald's off

The North Weald bus rally, held at the disused airfield, will NOT be happening this year. The event (warning: these links may frequently show a bandwith warning) scheduled for Sunday 26 June 2005, "has been cancelled due to unforeseen difficulties with the airfield booking". Several people who'd booked to attend were emailed yesterday stating that this would not be happening. AFAIK, all the other events will be continuing as usual, all arranged in Jim Blake's own unique style as ever. While we will miss the mix of his old music playing over the pa, beer in hand, it's something that I'd hope can be resolved in time for next year. The other events planned by his NLTS (North London Transport Society) can be viewed here.

Having said that - if you've booked to come to London that weekend, it's still worth doing! The day before i.e. Saturday 25 June, there will be not one, but two open days! Stagecoach London (East London Bus & Coach Company Ltd.) will be having an open day to celebrate their first anniversary at SD2/WA garage - their "2nd" garage in Waterden Road, Hackney/Stratford, where artics are kept on Service 25, and Megabus vehicles park up between journeys, and the second one is Metroline (Metroline London Northern Ltd). will be having their annual open day at HT - Holloway garage, not far from any Archway bus, or Archway Station on the Northern line.

posted by Suzy Scott @ 23:59 0 comments

Metroline new uniforms

While having a browse through the Metroline website for stuff on their open day at HT (I could not find anything, but found a report of last year's event - one year exactly to the weekend), but I did find some news on Metroline's new uniforms.
"ComfortDelGro subsidiary, Metroline has unveiled a new uniform, chosen by their drivers. Through a company wide survey, Metroline asked their 2,500 drivers to choose their new uniform from two designs. From the overwhelming responses 80% chose in favour of a casual yet professional image. The uniform was updated, not only to correspond to job requirements, but also to allow employees the freedom to choose what they would prefer to wear. Guided by the feedback of the survey, Metroline worked closely with suppliers, incorporatewear, to identify practical materials and garments. As a modern London Bus company that is changing with the times and for the better; Metroline's new smart/casual uniform is designed for comfort and image. The new uniform incorporates a variety of components so drivers can mix separates to meet their individual needs, and for the warmer months a seasonal range will be offered. It brings together the traditional look in a fashion-forward and sophisticated design that drivers will enjoy wearing..."

The bit I noticed was "The driver's uniform includes trousers, shirts, tie, fleece and jacket, female drivers have the additional option of blouses, skirts and maternity garments..." Do any other bus operators offer such specific uniform items for mothers-to-be? I guess that would be the time when the comfort of such things could really get tested. I remember a colleague on the Tube thought that their uniform was especially uncomfortable at this time of their life.
Did I tell you I once had an interview for a Metroline as a conductor at Willesden? Well, almost - I had another permanent job by the time the response came back... although I did pass the mailed-in counting and faretable reading three questions test...
Oh, and Blogger spellcheck suggestions for Metroline are - "motherliness" and "motherland". You couldn't make this up, could you?

posted by Suzy Scott @ 23:58 0 comments

Today's inspired purchase, and forthcoming attractions

Didn't go out this weekend, bar a quick trip to the shops today. Managed to get an under-the-monitor-rotating thing for £1 - shaped like a pizza, and comes in a similar flat box. Two pieces of plastic, on ball bearings or something. Have you ever tried to take one out the box? Did you manage it without dislocating a finger?

Well, forthcoming attractions - next Sunday is the 10th Anniversary Running Day at the Scottish Vintage Bus Museum, Lathalmond, Fife. The usual selection of preserved buses and stalls will be there (bring the purse/wallet), but as an additional bonus, three bus services will be running. The usual half-hourly shuttle to Dunfermline Bus Station (picks up immediately outside the Kingsgate Centre i.e. not at any stance - look for the sandwich board!) via Wellwood is operating, but there will also be a non-stop service looping to Kelty and back (about 6 miles), and a service from the museum to Saline, with a photo stop at the latter bus terminus, around 12 miles in total. Worth a look if you've got nothing else planned next weekend.

The following weekend, I am doing another Mega-daytrip on Megabus.com to Manchester - leaving Dundee 0620, back 0040 on Sunday morning! As you can see the times have been changed a little since last time, giving me twenty minutes less time on the coach on the way up... bonus, I think...

posted by Suzy Scott @ 23:57 0 comments

Saturday, May 07, 2005

Web hosting

Week past Friday, I set up a trial web hosting package with Evohosting. While looking at the possibilities for moving the website, and a few other things, onto a new server, I tried a "sample" pack from them (these are charged by the month, or three months). I liked what I saw, so upgraded to a more heavyweight package, and was refunded the price I'd already paid for the "sample" Micro pack - effectivly giving me eight days free service... ScotBus.com will soon be on the move - if you see a pink warning box, bookmark the temporary address i.e. www.scotbus.ourflat.co.uk which will be active while the domain is shifting. Once ScotBus.com starts showing a green warning box, it has moved to the new host, and you can ditch the temporary address. This means I can get away from my hosts of three years - and bb guns on my 404 pages, and charging £10 to change your name on WhoIs, and their mail order company selling items with leaking batteries then denying it was their problem... In such circumstances, where all replies are issued from a "copy and paste" book, there is no point in arguing - just don't use their services any more, do not buy from them... But I am still a member of their "Platinum Club" - yes, only because a one-year subscription with free gift cost £7.50, and the free gift was something I needed, and it cost £9.99 to buy it separately! So, if you want the full story on any of these topics, please feel free to come and speak to me, although please make sure we are both on lunch, as it will take a while to explain what these incompetent buggers get up to with my web presence and money!

posted by Suzy Scott @ 23:48 0 comments