It's a cruel summer
Following Monday's blog post, I wanted to talk about these things to my mother... after all, she will remember just about as much as anyone else about said establishment, given that it was her choice, and she took me there and back most of the time. From Mid Craigie to just before the City Centre on the (pre-deregulation) 15/17/30 to begin with - with the old one-way system of buses up Victoria Road and Dura Street, and down Princes Street and along Cowgate, with buses then passing the Howff/Albert Square both ways if continuing. This was when the 15 went to Whitfield (and the 15X which was non-stop as far as St Saviours), 17 to Ninewells, and the 30 for part routes ending in the town. Now, look, see what you've made me do... digressing again...
So, I meant to call her last week, and I did - and didn't get through. So, I called her again. It was either Wednesday or Thursday, but we agreed to meet up on Friday. I had another task to do on the way, as well as collecting some of the new timetables (from 7th July) at the bus station. So, we agreed, I'd meet her in the bus station cafe around 1330, and we'd then head up Stagecoach Strathtay (bus) route 57 to Newtyle, to thew home where my gran's sister and my dad are staying (Mundamalla btw, for the person who asked. If you are on the 57 bus or the B954 road looking north towards Alyth, the home is on your left - the turn off for Kettins - just after the bus shelter and the church. So, now you know)... see, there I go again...
After the cash point at Courthouse Square, the cash machine was out of order, adding time to my trip. To save time on the way back to town, I jumped on a Travel Dundee 22 - I was sure the fare from where I got on to town would be 3 stages i.e. 75p, but the driver only asked me for 50p. So, that saved a few seconds back...
I got in in enough time, having came back around the front of Dundee Bus Station. While we had just 20 minutes or so before the bus was due to leave, I was facing the stance and knew what to look out for. After the 39 went at 1350, I had my eyes pretty much on the stance - just in case. My mum had brought a range of things for him & her, and wanted me to assist them on the bus... only problem there being the wheels on the trolley bag did not quite stay rigid enough to move! We discussed my thoughts (see above), and she suggested initally that I could try to move on from this. Once I explained that I'd been trying this for a long time, and felt that I could not, then she listened. There was no special arrangements for me, and she'd not approved or asked for any of this. Not any more than you would normally do. Which was good, because if I'd made an a*se of myself asking about it when it was her idea, think what could have happened. She had been the first person I'd spoken to about it who actually knew of the people involved - in that capacity at least. We also briefly talked about everyone else. My sister (Ruth)'s wedding is off, and she's also out of work right now too. Not really sure what happened there, but then it was time for us to go.
1400 arrived, and we had a newish Trident arrive (18509) to take us north. Lots of passengers, lots of luggage, making it the usual Friday afternoon for Dundee Bus Station. Whilst the ALX400 Stagecoach specification bus maybe more designed for town rather than country, it made short work of the road up, especially on the A923 (out of town) and M954 where we caught up all the time at lights in the city. Only thing about that was, she's still trying to forget a journey back from Belfast to Dundee via Citylink, where the bus she got from Glasgow to Dundee had no suspension, and the driver refused to stop until the police stopped the bus... and then, the driver wanted to get her charged for taking a picture of the bus... now, think of all the members of the family that is most likely to happen to... anyway, turns out the driver was in more trouble than she was . I then explained was a PG9 was, (i.e. immediate prohibitation notice for a dangerous vehicle) and then she understood what the trouble was about. She had no idea who the sub-contractor was for that particular run either.
Dad's fine, Margaret is fine, and we got 962 on the 57 back south to Dundee at 1625, arriving in Dundee for 1700. Due to the huge downpours, water was getting in through the floor and under the wheelarches, as some localised flooding appeared along the road.
I got into town, and she'd stopped in a card shop to look for a "renewal of marriage vows" card. Shortly after being jostled by an inflatable Dora The Explorer hellium balloon, my sister recognised me as I was sort of looking towards the window. We had a look in a few more shops before she went home. I then offered my mother the chance of stopping longer in town for something to eat, and she was not sure if my brother would be home, or where my sister was. Quick shot of the mobile and no-one was at home, and my sister was on a 15/17 heading north, but she got off at the Wellgate Steps. So, we went for food & drink at the chip shop in St Andrew Street, the name of which escapes me but I'd not been there for a long time... lets not forget it was raining, and the heel end on my shoe had chosen THAT day to wear out.
Then, we both picked up a few things from Farmfoods in town, before heading our own ways. Before we were finished, I saw two Strathtay buses heading in convoy along Murraygate - pedestrianised for as long as I've been alive... one was a Solo on the 13 and headed along Panmure Street, and the other was a Vario which turned right along Cowgate. I got to the Bus Station (as I said I'd pick up my stash of leaflets before going home), and the driver pointed out "there's one you'll no get again"... it turns out Commercial Street had been (very) temporaily closed, so the police sent them this way.
Day with a difference? You better believe it, but a cruel summer. This is the end of June, so can we look "forward" to rain all through July?
So, I meant to call her last week, and I did - and didn't get through. So, I called her again. It was either Wednesday or Thursday, but we agreed to meet up on Friday. I had another task to do on the way, as well as collecting some of the new timetables (from 7th July) at the bus station. So, we agreed, I'd meet her in the bus station cafe around 1330, and we'd then head up Stagecoach Strathtay (bus) route 57 to Newtyle, to thew home where my gran's sister and my dad are staying (Mundamalla btw, for the person who asked. If you are on the 57 bus or the B954 road looking north towards Alyth, the home is on your left - the turn off for Kettins - just after the bus shelter and the church. So, now you know)... see, there I go again...
After the cash point at Courthouse Square, the cash machine was out of order, adding time to my trip. To save time on the way back to town, I jumped on a Travel Dundee 22 - I was sure the fare from where I got on to town would be 3 stages i.e. 75p, but the driver only asked me for 50p. So, that saved a few seconds back...
I got in in enough time, having came back around the front of Dundee Bus Station. While we had just 20 minutes or so before the bus was due to leave, I was facing the stance and knew what to look out for. After the 39 went at 1350, I had my eyes pretty much on the stance - just in case. My mum had brought a range of things for him & her, and wanted me to assist them on the bus... only problem there being the wheels on the trolley bag did not quite stay rigid enough to move! We discussed my thoughts (see above), and she suggested initally that I could try to move on from this. Once I explained that I'd been trying this for a long time, and felt that I could not, then she listened. There was no special arrangements for me, and she'd not approved or asked for any of this. Not any more than you would normally do. Which was good, because if I'd made an a*se of myself asking about it when it was her idea, think what could have happened. She had been the first person I'd spoken to about it who actually knew of the people involved - in that capacity at least. We also briefly talked about everyone else. My sister (Ruth)'s wedding is off, and she's also out of work right now too. Not really sure what happened there, but then it was time for us to go.
1400 arrived, and we had a newish Trident arrive (18509) to take us north. Lots of passengers, lots of luggage, making it the usual Friday afternoon for Dundee Bus Station. Whilst the ALX400 Stagecoach specification bus maybe more designed for town rather than country, it made short work of the road up, especially on the A923 (out of town) and M954 where we caught up all the time at lights in the city. Only thing about that was, she's still trying to forget a journey back from Belfast to Dundee via Citylink, where the bus she got from Glasgow to Dundee had no suspension, and the driver refused to stop until the police stopped the bus... and then, the driver wanted to get her charged for taking a picture of the bus... now, think of all the members of the family that is most likely to happen to... anyway, turns out the driver was in more trouble than she was . I then explained was a PG9 was, (i.e. immediate prohibitation notice for a dangerous vehicle) and then she understood what the trouble was about. She had no idea who the sub-contractor was for that particular run either.
Dad's fine, Margaret is fine, and we got 962 on the 57 back south to Dundee at 1625, arriving in Dundee for 1700. Due to the huge downpours, water was getting in through the floor and under the wheelarches, as some localised flooding appeared along the road.
I got into town, and she'd stopped in a card shop to look for a "renewal of marriage vows" card. Shortly after being jostled by an inflatable Dora The Explorer hellium balloon, my sister recognised me as I was sort of looking towards the window. We had a look in a few more shops before she went home. I then offered my mother the chance of stopping longer in town for something to eat, and she was not sure if my brother would be home, or where my sister was. Quick shot of the mobile and no-one was at home, and my sister was on a 15/17 heading north, but she got off at the Wellgate Steps. So, we went for food & drink at the chip shop in St Andrew Street, the name of which escapes me but I'd not been there for a long time... lets not forget it was raining, and the heel end on my shoe had chosen THAT day to wear out.
Then, we both picked up a few things from Farmfoods in town, before heading our own ways. Before we were finished, I saw two Strathtay buses heading in convoy along Murraygate - pedestrianised for as long as I've been alive... one was a Solo on the 13 and headed along Panmure Street, and the other was a Vario which turned right along Cowgate. I got to the Bus Station (as I said I'd pick up my stash of leaflets before going home), and the driver pointed out "there's one you'll no get again"... it turns out Commercial Street had been (very) temporaily closed, so the police sent them this way.
Day with a difference? You better believe it, but a cruel summer. This is the end of June, so can we look "forward" to rain all through July?
posted by Suzy Scott @ 23:38
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home