Category Archives: Arriva The Shires

Happy 5th Birthday!


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Well last Friday fifth birthday of my blog, Who would’ve thought I’d keep to actually doing this for five years! LOL

So what’s happened in that time?

I’ve worked at Arriva, MK Metro, Parcelforce, Arriva, Centrebus, Transdev/London Sovereign, Arriva, MK Metro….

(No one is allowed to comment on my Work History ROFL)

I’m into year 3 of my IVA, and am much better off because of it…..

In the five years I’ve not found one bank account that does everything I want it to do. (Lynne/Dreamy River just loves the ongoing banking saga)….

I’ve worked for myself and sold the business on….

I wrote my first Ford Focus off on a concrete block….

I started a “MobLog“….

I’ve blogged about the Weather SIX times (!!)….

I have never won the ARRIVA Employee Photo Competition LOL….

My Psoriasis, in the grand scheme of things neither gets better or worse….

My Liver has gone from 100% to apparently 12% damaged and unrecoverable, back to 100% fit again :-S….

I’ve spent more time Driving the MK Bus Route 200 then any other….

I’ve changed mobile numbers god knows how many times….

I’ve made more friends through my blog than I ever thought possible!….

And I think the question I’ve been asked the most is “Where does the Bus to Luton go from?!”


Station Square


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MK Council have finally released their proposals for the redevelopment of Station Square in Central Milton Keynes.

Anyone that has had the misfortune to travel over the current road surface of pot holes and loose brickwork will know it’s been a long time coming.

There are two options that the Council have whittled their ideas down to, Which there is an image of each below.

 

Option 1

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Key points:

* Plant trees to extend boulevard effect
* Uses proportions of CMK grid
* Reduces pedestrian/vehicular conflict
* Clear views and routes to underpass
* Transport located to sides of square

 

Option 2

StationPlan2

 

* Plant trees to extend boulevard effect
* Less focus on proportions of CMK grid
* Reduces pedestrian / vehicular conflict
* Clear views / routes to underpass
* Less land given over to transport purposes than option 1
* Reduced size of land used by current transport layout
* Allows for two large grass areas

 

I personally prefer Option 1, Mainly because there are more bus bays than Option 2 and buses enter and exit the square through different roads, Whereas Option 2 has them using the same one road, I can see that becoming a bit of a pain with the amount of buses that pass Station Square.

Option 1 has a Bus Setdown point, Just before the bays, Something that will become very handy for buses that terminate at the Rail Station, stopping them from blocking up bays for through routes, Option 2 doesn’t seem to have this.

Also, Option 1 has 3 bays just for Coach services, The X4, X5 and VT99, completely separate and away from the bus bays, Whereas Option 2 has the coaches sharing the same space as Bus Layovers, Far from Ideal.

 

I’d be interested to hear what you each think of both options and which ones you prefer in the post comments, and you can take part in the council consultation by clicking here before 27th April 2009.


Snow day #2


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The second day of snow,

This time we were all on the road before it all came down.

At roughly 08:45 I was driving along normally, 5 minutes later it pissed down with snow and my bus was stuck a quarter of the way up a hill !

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Everyone waiting to take their turn, one by one, up the hill, You can just about see the petrol tanker near the top, The old bill were there helping to dig everyone out.

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Almost my turn!

(You can see two other buses infront of me that were stuck too lol)

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All the buses parked up at the Bus Station again by around 10am once

everyone had finally managed to get back

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So another few hours off for us, Then, Seeing as us MK Metro drivers like to save the day, I helped out my old garage by doing a couple of 100’s to Aylesbury in one of our nice buses, Picture by Mrs C

According to the weather, There’s a load more coming tomorrow (Monday) evening to our area, Just in time for rush hour.. What fun!!!


Snow Day


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Today was a day for pictures….

Woke up to be greeted by this outside this morning…

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Then the journey to work began, Just 40 odd minutes instead of the usual 5…

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Then, When I finally got to work, It was quite obvious we weren’t going anywhere…

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So some drivers decided to occupy their time, This is Mr Metro the Snowman, Complete with Metro Baseball cap and High-Vis…

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Others decided to have a snowball fight…

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Then, Once management were fed up with us, We were all piled onto a Bus to the Bus Station,

Quite a strange sight, A Bus full of Bus Drivers…

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The only bus in Milton Keynes to make it out of the Yard, The Driver’s Shuttle…

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At about 12 noon, We decided to try running some buses, This is the City Centre…

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and Some people think throwing snowballs at Buses is “harmless” and “just a bit of fun”…

Well This is the result!…

IMG 2008

IMG 2010

Great for the driver who has the life frightened out of him while trying to concentrate on driving!….


Would you?


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Would you rather have a faint bit of heat, But have to listen to a high pitched whine from the heater for Nearly seven hours, Or have no noise but be freezing cold?

httpv://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=yiDxVO23k5g

This is me at 9am…

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and this is me at 3.30pm…

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This bus seemed to get colder with each hour that passed!

Oh and notice how there’s no passengers in either picture, It’s been that busy today LOL

…and before anybody says anything about me looking miserable, This is my Route 20 Face, OKAY!

 

When you have a bus with no ticket machine, It seems to take twice as long to load the bus. It seems to confuse people when you say it’s a free ride, They just stand there looking at you LOL. Well looks like one driver was getting tired of explaining it to each person judging my the picture I was sent today. (and If you are reading this Meatloaf this was NOT me!)

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It also looks like our very own Mrs C is becoming a bit of a celeb! Here she is being ‘spotted’ driving one of Aylesbury’s new Citaro’s in High Wycombe (thanks ‘Spotter Matt!’). It’s also been suggested that if any of you spot Mrs C and manage to get a photo that you could please send me a copy, Then I can start a Mrs C Gallery LOL.

This is gonna go right to her head but ‘Spotter Matt’ said “She was very friendly and I have to say a good driver (considering it was her first time with an unfamiliar bus and the other Citaro driver we had on the 300 seemed to like the kerbs).“

She’ll be dining out on that comment for months now ‘spotter Matt’ LOL

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