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| London Transport (uk.transport.london) Discussion of all forms of transport in London. |
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#1
July 5th 13, 04:00 PM
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Quote:
Dubbed The 'Cauldron on Wheels'. Apparently the air conditioning doesn't work properly and yesterday temperatures upstairs reached 30 degrees. That's seriously hot. Anyone here been roasted alive on a 24? |
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#2
June 24th 13, 06:37 PM
posted to uk.transport.london
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The Boris Bus.
On Sunday, 23 June 2013 09:03:42 UTC+1, Stephen Furley wrote:
I rode one for the first time yesterday. The 24 is a route which I use every few weeks, and I just happened to be using it yesterday, intending to do the usual journey, Hampstead Heath to Victoria. Arrived at the Hampstead terminus in the mid afternoon. Just missed one bus, but there were three others waiting, and a fourth about to enter. One of the waiting ones moved out to the stop just a couple of minutes later. Why so many, this isn't usual? I entered by the front door, and went up the front stairs. Only a handful of passengers, not surprising since there had been another bus just before it. Personally, I think they look ugly from the outside, but I really don't care what they look like, I'm more concerned about such things as safety, reliability and fuel economy. First impression was that they look more spacious internally than I expected, there's a lot of leg room, probably more than necessary; If they'd reduced it a bit would it have been possible to fit in an extra row of seats? They're quiet, and don't vibrate like some of the older buses do. the bus was still very clean at this time. There was considerable interest in the buses at the Hampstead end of the route, with lots photographs being taken by people of all ages, races, genders etc., including two young Muslim women, who don't really fit the stereotypical image of a bus spotter. At one point I could see two other buses on the same route in front of us, and two coming the other way, so I didn't think it was too much of a problem when our bus was terminated at Trafalgar Square. I was wrong. The bus in front left the stop before I could get to it. Given how closely they had been running I wasn't worried, but the display at the stop showed nothing for 13 minutes, then two buses at that time, then another two in 17 minutes, so four buses in just four minutes, then a slightly longer gap, then several more within less than half an hour in total, Nothing turned up in the time that the first four buses had been shown. I think it was just over 20 minutes when one came, but only going to Parliament Square. Eventually, a Pimlico arrived, but almost full even after a few passengers had alighted and with a large crowd waiting at the stop no hope of getting on. After another long wait another one turned up, and I just managed to squeeze on.. This was at about 17:50, almost 50 minutes after I had alighted from the first bus. Why was the regulation so bad? The traffic was heavy, but no worse than it often is in that part of town. There were a lot of people in Hi-Vis around; some in the Camden area seemed to be associated with the replacement bus service for the Northern Line, a large part of which is closed this weekend, but others seemed to be advising bus passengers, including directing them to other doors, rather than all trying to board at the front. I'm really not sure that these buses work well in crowded conditions. Having passengers alighting and boarding at the same doors might work if those waiting to board stood back to allow others to alight first, but they don't. Despite having three doors, the new buses seem to spend longer at the stops than more conventional ones. All of the new buses which I saw yesterday were being operated in 'open platform' mode, with a conductor. I was quite surprised by this; I thought the idea would be dropped before they actually entered service. In at least one case several passengers were standing on the platform area by the open doors. I know we sometimes used to get on and off (slowly) moving buses in Routemaster days, but it's been a long time since anybody thought it was a good idea to build a new bus design with an open platform, and the behaviour of some passengers seems to have become more idiotic than in the past, and I saw two incidents in which thankfully nobody was harmed, but they could have become serious accidents. If the buses continue to operate in this mode, and passengers don't become more sensible, then I predict that serious accidents will occur. How do the rear doors work in 'closed doors' mode; do they open and close with the other doors, or are they simply closed and locked manually and remain out of use, with just the front and centre doors in service? Due to leg problems I find it difficult and painful to stand for long, but fortunately managed to get a seat at the rear of the lower deck for the last few stops to Victoria. I was in a rear-facing seat, and without doors it was actually quite difficult to know when the bus had actually reached the stop; because the bus was very crowded it was quite difficult to see the front and centre doors behind me. A number of other passengers seemed to have the same problem, waiting on the rear platform, then getting off thinking that the bus was at the stop, when it was just held up it traffic and it started to move again as they were alighting. The conductors did not always warn passengers in this situation, and when they did the passengers did not always heed the advice. With three doors, two sets of stairs, luggage and wheelchair space there's not much room left for seats on the lower deck. I think they might work better, at least at busy times with the front stairs being 'up', and the rear ones 'down'. Didn't some of the old Blackpool trams work in that way? In short, I'd say they're quite pleasant on the upper deck at quiet times, but I don't like them at all on the lower deck when busy. As far as I can see the 'conductors' are there to DISCOURAGE intending pax from boarding at the open platform. Only Londoners who remember the old RM buses will recall the opportunity to board or alight at say traffic lights. The majority of Londoners today - the young, immigrants, tourists, etc., - would not dream that such an opportunity ever existed. The vast majority of London bus pax are conditioned to wait at bus-stops, especially since the post-RM buses wont open their doors other than at bus-stops. So the Boris bus is an anachronism. It has an expensive and unnecessary design feature that most would not even think to use, especially since there are uniformed staff on the platform who appear to be there to specifically stop them. |
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#3
June 25th 13, 06:01 AM
posted to uk.transport.london
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The Boris Bus.
In message , at
11:37:54 on Mon, 24 Jun 2013, CJB remarked: Only Londoners who remember the old RM buses will recall the opportunity to board or alight at say traffic lights. The majority of Londoners today - the young, immigrants, tourists, etc., - would not dream that such an opportunity ever existed. With the London Bus being internationally probably the second most iconic means of public transport, after the New York Taxi, I'm quite surprised that you think people have such short memories of the concept of Routemaster (and earlier) platforms. Especially when they feature in various feature films, as well as plying their trade in retirement at various locations around the world. Cliff's getting older, but still doing photocalls, for example: http://www.hellomagazine.com/celebri...09-2008/49458/ -- Roland Perry |
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#4
June 25th 13, 07:21 AM
posted to uk.transport.london
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The Boris Bus.
Does "iconic" mean the same as "recognizable"?
And what are the degrees of iconicity? |
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#5
June 25th 13, 08:30 AM
posted to uk.transport.london
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The Boris Bus.
In message , at
00:21:53 on Tue, 25 Jun 2013, Offramp remarked: Does "iconic" mean the same as "recognizable"? That's one of the characteristics. Also "very famous" and "representing a particular place". On "Pointless" (a daytime quiz show m'lud) one of the contestants was asked what they'd do if they won the prize, and the answer was "throw a party for my friends on London Bridge". It quickly emerged that they meant Tower bridge (which has a corporate events suite at the top of the towers and overspill along the walkways). Tower Bridge is also sometimes described as "Iconic", even "the world's most iconic bridge", and I agree it probably beats the other contenders from the USA and even Sydney Harbour. -- Roland Perry |
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#6
June 25th 13, 09:42 PM
posted to uk.transport.london
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The Boris Bus.
Roland Perry wrote:
With the London Bus being internationally probably the second most iconic means of public transport, after the New York Taxi, I'm quite surprised that you think people have such short memories of the concept of Routemaster (and earlier) platforms. Especially when they feature in various feature films, as well as plying their trade in retirement at various locations around the world. I had my first ride on a Routemaster during the Olympics (the 2012 Olympics, that is). I know, I'm half a century late. I'd never really thought about using the open platform so it was a slightly new experience, but it did come in handy when stopped in traffic. There was a conductor, but I safely got off without getting squished. I haven't seen a NB4L (maybe in 2063...). Is the rear door powered? Would it be feasible to interlock the door so it won't open when travelling more than 1mph? And maybe indicate to the driver when it is open? Theo |
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#7
June 25th 13, 11:48 PM
posted to uk.transport.london
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The Boris Bus.
Paul Corfield wrote:
On 25 Jun 2013 22:42:58 +0100 (BST), Theo Markettos wrote: Roland Perry wrote: With the London Bus being internationally probably the second most iconic means of public transport, after the New York Taxi, I'm quite surprised that you think people have such short memories of the concept of Routemaster (and earlier) platforms. Especially when they feature in various feature films, as well as plying their trade in retirement at various locations around the world. I had my first ride on a Routemaster during the Olympics (the 2012 Olympics, that is). I know, I'm half a century late. I'd never really thought about using the open platform so it was a slightly new experience, but it did come in handy when stopped in traffic. There was a conductor, but I safely got off without getting squished. I haven't seen a NB4L (maybe in 2063...). Is the rear door powered? Would it be feasible to interlock the door so it won't open when travelling more than 1mph? And maybe indicate to the driver when it is open? I understand there is an interlock on the NB4L which stops the bus moving away from a stop unless the "conductor" has given the driver a signal. Clearly the driver has to release the front and middle doors even if the rear platform is open. When in OPO mode the driver releases all doors and is responsible for closing them all. I understand only one of the two door leaves on the rear platform actually moves when in OPO mode. I would guess that the driver can't move the bus until all doors register as closed when the bus is used in OPO mode. The general consensus so far, from various reports I've read, is that the NB4Ls are chronically slow compared to the OPO buses running on the 24 last week. Dwell times are ridiculous and drivers are very tentative at the moment in driving the things. Hopefully people will get up their respective learning curves because service performance has been horrendous with massive gaps in the service. I've used the 24 on and off for years and years and it's never been brilliant (regardless of operator) but it seems it is presently worse than ever. How did the NB4L perform as a 38x? |
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#8
June 27th 13, 09:30 PM
posted to uk.transport.london
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The Boris Bus.
Richard wrote:
Yesterday I decided to ignore my bought-and-paid-for underground journey from St Pancras to Waterloo/Vauxhall Travelcards can be used on the bus as well. Or is this some Thameslink related quirk of a Tube only ticket? Neil -- Neil Williams in Milton Keynes, UK. Put first name before the at to reply. |
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#9
June 27th 13, 11:57 PM
posted to uk.transport.london
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The Boris Bus.
Neil Williams wrote:
Richard wrote: Yesterday I decided to ignore my bought-and-paid-for underground journey from St Pancras to Waterloo/Vauxhall Travelcards can be used on the bus as well. Or is this some Thameslink related quirk of a Tube only ticket? Through train ticket from EMT-land to SWT-land? Theo |
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