Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
3 February 2009
09:4914606Mon Dieu!! Catastrophe!! Yes Londons world famous iconic red buses failed to make an appearance yesterday for the first time since The Blitz. Yes indeed the German bombers brought a halt to the service all those years ago, but they were soon back in service and the stiff resilience of upper lip saw them through.
...Until yesterday, when under new Mayor Boris Johnson's watch they failed to make an appearance at all, but wimped out bigtime remaining in their garages, leaving thousands and thousands of commuters abandoned and frozen at their bus stops everywhere. The stiff upper lip was frozen.
Former Mayor Ken Livingstone layed the blame squarly at the door of Boris Johnson.
" He had a full week to prepare" said Ken in disgust. But the buses didnt run.
Mussolini made the trains run on time but poor ould affable Boris couldnt get the buses out of the Garage. Commuters were not amused.
Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
3 February 2009
10:0214607typical of people they talk the talk but cant do the biz when it matters.
Guest 671- Registered: 4 May 2008
- Posts: 2,095
3 February 2009
11:0014610Its as simple as the man himself, Londoner's got exactly what they voted for, too late to complain now.
"My New Year's Resolution, is to try and emulate Marek's level of chilled out, thoughtfulness and humour towards other forumites and not lose my decorum"
Guest 641- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 2,335
3 February 2009
18:0514633As Ken Livingstone went to my old school it must be true, Boris 1 - Luftwaffe 0
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
3 February 2009
19:1314638amazing how our little town had no transport problems in the main.
i realise that the snow was a lot heavier in london and fell initially in the middle of the night, but the city is full of cars driving around 24 hours a day, which helps the snoe not to settle coupled with the obvious grit and salt.
Guest 667- Registered: 6 Apr 2008
- Posts: 919
3 February 2009
20:4114645I am not sticking up for Boris, I dislike the guy, but having driven them Bendy Buses, I can tell you they are not fun to drive at the best of times let alone in the ice and snow.
The other problem is the old front engine and gear lever buses that were in London have long gone. Much lighter buses in weight are now in, Automatics with engines at the back or on the side have now replaced them. This all adds to making road traction more difficult plus they are closer to the ground and being low floor design means the snow builds up around the brake valves.
I am not saying the buses should not have gone out yesterday in London or at least tried to go out. The risks have to be taken into consideration you have 80 lives on board more with the bendy buses and on top of that the buses cost over £100.000 each to replace.
The coach is normally heavier and higher from the ground and is far better in all conditions so I would be surprised if some of the coaches did not get through and into London.
I know in Ashford yesterday we got all our bus services out, they could not keep to time but they got out. However if the snow had been a lot harder then the risks become greater. No bus Company wants to loose their services. No service means no money and as with every one else this is not the time to loose customers and money so these decisions are not taken lightly.
Now the trains that is some thing else, why did they not run today?
Guest 651- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 5,673
3 February 2009
20:5514646I'd imagine that would be the silly 3rd rail thing we have down here ??
Been nice knowing you :)
Ross Miller
- Location: London Road, Dover
- Registered: 17 Sep 2008
- Posts: 3,695
3 February 2009
21:0714648The trains did run today 3rd Feb albeit an emergency timetable
They did not run yesterday due to frozen points in the depots, some trains being frozen to the rails, ice build up on the 3rd rail leading to lack of conductivity etc. This was caused mostly by the sheer volume of overnight snow.
"Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die today." - James Dean
"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength,
While loving someone deeply gives you courage" - Laozi
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
4 February 2009
00:3114665just spotted posh barry's post, i never that ken was his fag up at eton.
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
4 February 2009
07:5114667Thanks Harry for pointing out what has changed, so much for progress. Remember Boris has promised to get rid of bendy busses. I just hope the new bus design is better and can operate in bad weather.
Also remember it was Ken Livingstone who introduced the bendies.... His attack on Boris was pure opportunism.
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
4 February 2009
08:3014670Yes good post Harry and I recognise the difficulties and the legal implications of the things you mention. But one wonders where the gritters were. There were people shown on TV outside Victoria Station no not exactly praying for rain but praying for gritters. The streets, the main streets were a complete whiteout, extraordinary in these times so nothing was able to run. Mayor's get blamed for everything under their Watch so its obviously Boris's fault!!
Red Ken kept the buses running so as BWS pointed out he clearly went to the right school...the school of hard knocks. Boris on the other hand probably doesnt know what gritting is at all, having lead a life of privilege. Boris was at a House of Commons Committee inquiry, he turned up despite being told it wasnt necessary as the committee members knew he had bad weather to deal with, they knew he had to keep London running. But nobody told Boris he had to keep London running as he just ambled along to the Committee thingy anyway..
So its a short historical list re halting the buses.
Herr Hitler
Mayor Boris
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
4 February 2009
09:2114682A bit silly that PaulB. Why should Boris be directly involved in the minutie of keeping the busses running, he has people responsible for that and if they dont do their jobs right they will have to answer to him. He as mayor has a more strategic job to do, like getting rid of these useless busses anyway.
Did Red Ken have a snowfall as bad as we just had since he introduced the bendy busses? We dont exactly get much snow these days as a rule. The worse snow for over 10 years I hear.
A pity you had to resort to the class stuff, pointless and simply wrong.
Brian Dixon- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
4 February 2009
09:3714685so you are admitting class differance now barry.boris karlof should had made sure that every body was mobilized before,duringand after the advent.
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
4 February 2009
09:4014687Ah dont take it too seriously BarryW, this isnt in the political section and we're only having a bit of a spoof! Any posting lumping Hitler and Boris in together as major villians has to be taken lightly
4 February 2009
10:0614692Or does it.....? (Only kidding before I get things thrown at me. Ow - too late!!)
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
4 February 2009
16:1814704Thats why I ignored that comment PaulB - by the way, I am off to sample the Liffy water tomorrow, I will give the auld country your best regards!!!!
Guest 649- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 14,118
4 February 2009
16:3514706All I will say about all this is in the days of real trains with coal they did get around late Yes but in the end they got there, so you know what I am going to say now, it Yes again for coal get it back
.
Coal is what we need.
Vic M
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
4 February 2009
17:4314710Ah good luck in de Emerald Oisle BarryW...gawd I havent been there for so long now. But enjoy yerself and have plenty o' the black stuff.
Dont know if you saw 'Oz and James Drink for Britain' last week on BBC2. They visited Dublin and went to the Guinness Brewery itself..there is a fine bar on the top floor there with fine views. Could be worth a visit. It looked good on TV anyway, have never seen it in the flesh meself as it looks as if it is recent....and of course the Guinness is flowing dontcha know.
All the best to Alison
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
4 February 2009
18:0014713PaulB, we wil indeed go to the Guiness Warehouse for a pint at the top and indeed will also go to Gogartys outside of which they were also filmed.... Looking forward to it.
4 February 2009
20:1214725BarryW - good luck to you and safe journey in my home country. If you get as far as Wexford, visit the Opera House, newly refurbed, and the museum in Enniscorthy which contains my Grandads puteen still (he was nabbed for making puteen a few times before arrested for shooting a Black and Tan - he shot him because he shot his dog. I have nothing to add.) Kilkenny is good for the comedy circuit - and it's all good just for having a good time!! Enjoy!!!!!!
