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Post by dlroper on Oct 27, 2022 7:14:10 GMT
Why is the water so 'orribly chalky in Richmond ? it's like being back in Kent again - drinking a disgusting cup of coffee in the kitchen after a N shift - not the best preparation for a morning of chasing 235's
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Post by capitalomnibus on Oct 27, 2022 20:24:53 GMT
Another nostalgic memory I had was those Dennis Arrows along Seven Sisters Road on the 259 flying down from Finsbury Park to Tottenham back in the late 90s with those red dot matrix bus stopping signs. It's a shame the low floor revolution (although understandable) was coming swiftly around that time so it didn't spend a long time in London. I was also privileged enough to have some other buses on the 296 and 123 especially when on the 296 we had some arrows off the 179 and 369 flying down Eastern Avenue and the NCR on the 123 One thing I did ask myself was whether the T-reg Plaxton Presidents had the 296 on it's blinds. I know it had the 179, 123 and 369 but I wasn't sure about the Romford routes as well I loved the Arrows, they were fast. I remember some rapid rides on Whitehall Road on the 179 in Chingford in the late evening. Also loved when they were used for odd workings on the 123, especially in the evening, they used to eat up Forest Road and the A406.
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Post by capitalomnibus on Oct 27, 2022 20:28:41 GMT
There seems to be so much temporary traffic lights all over the place over the past few weeks, it is starting to get pathetic. Many of them are not needed and just adding further congestion to places. Not to mention the constant failures of them with the lights stuck on red in all directions due to batteries not charged up. This has led to so much bus routes being turned over the past few weeks. I was just about to rant about this. My 38/56 journeys have been extended by 30-40 minutes. I have given up and will take the tube now. It just takes one competent person from TfL to go out to these sites (particular major or long term works) to make things work more efficiently. Sometimes when temporary lights are not installed/required, normal lights are not being adjusted to account for works. This is why the TCR waterworks are a pain. The lights at the junction with Southampton Row have not been amended. The North-South traffic is getting an eternity of time while the effected East traffic is getting a shorter time when there are fewer lanes. Then you have another temporary set of lights down a bit on Theobalds Road!!! Then Essex Road roadworks are simply a joke. No temporary lights needed. Separately, and slightly related, when do pedestrians need 20 minutes to cross a road. The crossing timings are way too generous. I think this is the heart of the issues at Aldwych for example. New layout but has anyone looked again at the timings? The time for people to cross is excessive and then even when the countdown hits zero, there is still time before the green lights get going. Everyone has crossed after 5 seconds and yet it goes on for more than twice that time and you end up with people crossing that were not even waiting originally. The problem is not just passenger phasing, but phasing in general of them is pathetic and the majority of times, they always put in a standard phasing of around 20-30 seconds for each direction and around 30 second dwell time between each phased. There has been many times bus companies have had to go to roadworks teams to tell them to change the phasing to reflect the flow of traffic. I think the contractors are spitefully using these lights and other associated things to bump the cost up of repairs when they are not needed; it is corrupt imo.
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Post by ronnie on Oct 27, 2022 21:01:53 GMT
I was just about to rant about this. My 38/56 journeys have been extended by 30-40 minutes. I have given up and will take the tube now. It just takes one competent person from TfL to go out to these sites (particular major or long term works) to make things work more efficiently. Sometimes when temporary lights are not installed/required, normal lights are not being adjusted to account for works. This is why the TCR waterworks are a pain. The lights at the junction with Southampton Row have not been amended. The North-South traffic is getting an eternity of time while the effected East traffic is getting a shorter time when there are fewer lanes. Then you have another temporary set of lights down a bit on Theobalds Road!!! Then Essex Road roadworks are simply a joke. No temporary lights needed. Separately, and slightly related, when do pedestrians need 20 minutes to cross a road. The crossing timings are way too generous. I think this is the heart of the issues at Aldwych for example. New layout but has anyone looked again at the timings? The time for people to cross is excessive and then even when the countdown hits zero, there is still time before the green lights get going. Everyone has crossed after 5 seconds and yet it goes on for more than twice that time and you end up with people crossing that were not even waiting originally. The problem is not just passenger phasing, but phasing in general of them is pathetic and the majority of times, they always put in a standard phasing of around 20-30 seconds for each direction and around 30 second dwell time between each phased. There has been many times bus companies have had to go to roadworks teams to tell them to change the phasing to reflect the flow of traffic. I think the contractors are spitefully using these lights and other associated things to bump the cost up of repairs when they are not needed; it is corrupt imo. I think the system is very much open to game. While we all tout low corruption I am sure someone somewhere is raking in a few million in public money. So if a job should take 3 days of 8 hours each, the bill / quote gets made for 7 days of 8 hours each. Which is why you see empty roadworks at times (all stuff in place but no one doing work). As an example, at the junction of the A2 with kidbrooke park road, temporary looking traffic lights have been up since before the marathon. Some sort of temporary shelter / electrical equipment sort of thing has also been set up on kidbrooke road just before the junction. I pass through the area daily at all times of the day but till date (after the first 2 days) havnt seen anyone at all!
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Post by mkay315 on Oct 28, 2022 10:56:59 GMT
Another nostalgic memory I had was those Dennis Arrows along Seven Sisters Road on the 259 flying down from Finsbury Park to Tottenham back in the late 90s with those red dot matrix bus stopping signs. It's a shame the low floor revolution (although understandable) was coming swiftly around that time so it didn't spend a long time in London. I was also privileged enough to have some other buses on the 296 and 123 especially when on the 296 we had some arrows off the 179 and 369 flying down Eastern Avenue and the NCR on the 123 One thing I did ask myself was whether the T-reg Plaxton Presidents had the 296 on it's blinds. I know it had the 179, 123 and 369 but I wasn't sure about the Romford routes as well I loved the Arrows, they were fast. I remember some rapid rides on Whitehall Road on the 179 in Chingford in the late evening. Also loved when they were used for odd workings on the 123, especially in the evening, they used to eat up Forest Road and the A406. God I miss them days especially when some drivers would put their foot down on some roads. They were rockets. Its a shame I didn't use the 76 as much when it was with first
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Post by rif153 on Oct 28, 2022 16:07:47 GMT
I was just about to rant about this. My 38/56 journeys have been extended by 30-40 minutes. I have given up and will take the tube now. It just takes one competent person from TfL to go out to these sites (particular major or long term works) to make things work more efficiently. Sometimes when temporary lights are not installed/required, normal lights are not being adjusted to account for works. This is why the TCR waterworks are a pain. The lights at the junction with Southampton Row have not been amended. The North-South traffic is getting an eternity of time while the effected East traffic is getting a shorter time when there are fewer lanes. Then you have another temporary set of lights down a bit on Theobalds Road!!! Then Essex Road roadworks are simply a joke. No temporary lights needed. Separately, and slightly related, when do pedestrians need 20 minutes to cross a road. The crossing timings are way too generous. I think this is the heart of the issues at Aldwych for example. New layout but has anyone looked again at the timings? The time for people to cross is excessive and then even when the countdown hits zero, there is still time before the green lights get going. Everyone has crossed after 5 seconds and yet it goes on for more than twice that time and you end up with people crossing that were not even waiting originally. Outside of the morning there is really no good reason to take the bus in Central London, better to take a rammed train for 10 minutes than sit around in traffic for an hour. After riding the 26 from Waterloo to Bank at 5pm on a Saturday I can see why the W&C Line exists! More lines like the W&C or Victoria would’ve been lovely. Large distances covered in little time. I'm surprised so many people still bother using buses in Central London when more often than not it takes an age to cover very little ground.
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Post by yunus on Oct 28, 2022 17:05:52 GMT
Outside of the morning there is really no good reason to take the bus in Central London, better to take a rammed train for 10 minutes than sit around in traffic for an hour. After riding the 26 from Waterloo to Bank at 5pm on a Saturday I can see why the W&C Line exists! More lines like the W&C or Victoria would’ve been lovely. Large distances covered in little time. I'm surprised so many people still bother using buses in Central London when more often than not it takes an age to cover very little ground. Couldnt agree more. I do not use buses in Central London anymore. Acutally it is quicker to walk (depending on weather conditions). You can never get anywhere by bus.
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Post by enviroPB on Oct 28, 2022 18:23:55 GMT
Apologies for not locating the correct thread; a toilet has been erected in the past week at the Custom House stand for the 304.
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Post by abellion on Oct 28, 2022 18:42:35 GMT
Apologies for not locating the correct thread; a toilet has been erected in the past week at the Custom House stand for the 304. Speaking of the 304 - the frequency on that route confuses me. The timetable on the TfL website says every 10-13 mins for most of the day on Mondays to Saturdays yet there are regular 20+ minute waits. For example yesterday I was hoping to change from 104 to 304 for Custom House but the next 304 was about 25 minutes away despite it being early afternoon...
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Post by VMH2537 on Oct 28, 2022 18:55:18 GMT
Apologies for not locating the correct thread; a toilet has been erected in the past week at the Custom House stand for the 304. Speaking of the 304 - the frequency on that route confuses me. The timetable on the TfL website says every 10-13 mins for most of the day on Mondays to Saturdays yet there are regular 20+ minute waits. For example yesterday I was hoping to change from 104 to 304 for Custom House but the next 304 was about 25 minutes away despite it being early afternoon... Maybe this is a gap that was experienced? Its peak frequency is 5bph meaning a bus should be in between.
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Post by WH241 on Oct 28, 2022 19:08:48 GMT
Apologies for not locating the correct thread; a toilet has been erected in the past week at the Custom House stand for the 304. The toilet has been there since the 304 started. There was building working in the past few weeks on the edge of the stand but I can assure you the toilet is not new.
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Post by WH241 on Oct 28, 2022 19:14:51 GMT
Apologies for not locating the correct thread; a toilet has been erected in the past week at the Custom House stand for the 304. Speaking of the 304 - the frequency on that route confuses me. The timetable on the TfL website says every 10-13 mins for most of the day on Mondays to Saturdays yet there are regular 20+ minute waits. For example yesterday I was hoping to change from 104 to 304 for Custom House but the next 304 was about 25 minutes away despite it being early afternoon... I have no idea whats going on with the 304 but lately there has been 3 buses on the stand several times when I pass it during the day but in the peaks there is most likely no buses on the stand. I suspect it has a very generous timetable with excessive running time during the daytime.
Whilst in the area the 300 really does need some adjustments to its timetable the amount of times I see buses paused at stops is a joke!
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Post by enviroPB on Oct 28, 2022 19:19:48 GMT
Apologies for not locating the correct thread; a toilet has been erected in the past week at the Custom House stand for the 304. The toilet has been there since the 304 started. There was building working in the past few weeks on the edge of the stand but I can assure you the toilet is not new. Considering I was exiting Custom House religiously since Crossrail started, I know that to be inaccurate. I haven't the energy to argue nor the patience to reach an understanding on the matter. All I'll say is you've been wrong on observations in the Custom House area before and I will leave it at that.
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Post by TB123 on Oct 28, 2022 19:26:24 GMT
The toilet has been there since the 304 started. There was building working in the past few weeks on the edge of the stand but I can assure you the toilet is not new. Considering I was exiting Custom House religiously since Crossrail started, I know that to be inaccurate. I haven't the energy to argue nor the patience to reach an understanding on the matter. All I'll say is you've been wrong on observations in the Custom House area before and I will leave it at that. Well said.
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Post by WH241 on Oct 28, 2022 19:26:43 GMT
The toilet has been there since the 304 started. There was building working in the past few weeks on the edge of the stand but I can assure you the toilet is not new. Considering I was exiting Custom House religiously since Crossrail started, I know that to be inaccurate. I haven't the energy to argue nor the patience to reach an understanding on the matter. All I'll say is you've been wrong on observations in the Custom House area before and I will leave it at that. I am sorry but i am not having that. I am not giving away where i live but I pass the stand everyday on the way to and from work!
What makes you so correct? I really can't stand how rude people can be here if they are challenged on anything. its not a competition who can shout the loudest. I suggest you go do a little research because i assure you 100% the toilet was there in May 2022! There was building works in the last few weeks and you have jumped to conclusion.
Kindly also show me where I have been wrong about Custom House? roughly translated I disagree with you so I am wrong. I won't hold my breath for an apology.
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