Category Archives: General

Another Quick update


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another quick update from me.

As I’ve posted many times on here before, I’ve thought about seperating my blog into two seperate blogs, One for buses and one for personal stuff.  Each time I’ve  thought about it it’s kind of gone to the back of my mind as soon as I begin to realise what a pain in the arse its going to be to do….

So I’ve now decided not to seperate it, But leave it with you the reader to decide on what you see.

At the top of the screen in the green bar, You can now choose to just see bus related posts, or no buses at all 🙂

If you are not fussed or like reading both types then just come here as normal 🙂

 

Training progresses at LM with me now doing my on the train training, Currently working through my route knowledge which I’m finding tough in places but plenty of revising at home seems to be doing the trick!

 

On the bus side, News reaches me of plans for a N5 night bus in MK from mid July, Once I have more details I’ll post here.

 

Not much else been going on, Sold my Macbook Air as I just could get on with it for £750 on ebay and used the money to buy me a nice new windows Laptop, some decent headphones, iPhone dock and still have some money left over!

 

 


Quick update from me


Posted by admin

Another quick update,
Still in training at London midland, going well and it is very interesting… I just wanna get out there and do it now! Hopefully should be only a couple more weeks and I’ll be able to put all the classroom work into practice….

I’m thinking about buying one of these now.. (yes I know it’s sad!)

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We are currently at the ticket machine training stage, So many ticket types and condition codes to remember!

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The other day we took a walk along to the sidings to have a look at a train… Don’t realise how big they are when you are stood on the platform!

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That’s pretty much it for now, looking forward to a weekend away in Great Yarmouth next weekend.

Bus related news, MK solo 2440 has lost its registration MK02 BUS…. I wonder where it’s gone…;-)

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Let’s make this a two way conversation, let me know what you’ve been up to in the comments 🙂


Quick post


Posted by admin

Just a quick update to say I’m still alive.

Have so far passed my personal track safety test, and am currently working towards my ‘rules and regulations’ test in a couple of weeks….. Then I might actually go near a train!!

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Have to say I’m finding it fascinating at the moment, the way the signalling works is brilliant! (I’m turning into a train geek!)


A Change


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Well I think I can finally reveal that I will be leaving Arriva Shortly and moving to the Railways.

 

My current job is being made part time due to costs, So I think that this new position has come about at just the right time! 

I shall be moving to London Midland (successful references permitting) to be a Senior Conductor (Guard) which I’m really looking forward to.

 

My blog will still continue and still be mainly bus orientated.  Once I have left the company I will no longer have to be so restrained on what I write on this site.

I have a number of people that will still be informing me of goings on, route changes, day to day stuff on the road etc, So as a reader there should be no change apart from a bit of extra Train related stuff.


April Bus Service Changes in Milton Keynes – UPDATED 30/04/12


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Some bus services will be changing from 22nd April 2012 within Milton Keynes.  Below are some general details, I’ll link to timetables once they are all available.

 

1 NEWTON LONGVILLE or FENNY STRATFORD -BLETCHLEY – CMK – NEWPORT PAGNELL – LAVENDON or CRANFIELD

• This service will be simplified to run only between Bletchley, CMK, Newport Pagnell and Lavendon.

• Fenny Stratford will be served by MK Council Service 18, operated by Z&S International during Monday to Saturday daytimes.

• Newton Longville will be served by revised Service 32, running under contract to Buckinghamshire County Council.

• The section of route between North Crawley and Newport Pagnell will be provided by MK Council Service 37, operated by Soul’s.

• The direct service between Cranfield and Milton Keynes will be provided by Grant Palmer Passenger Services service 45

2 WESTCROFT – OXLEY PARK – CMK – WILLEN -NEWPORT PAGNELL

• This service will be re-routed between Newport Pagnell and CMK to serve Redhouse Park. It will also be re-routed to run directly from Grange Farm to Westcroft Centre.

• Oxley Park will be served by revised Service 8.

• The frequency of Service 2 will be increased to run every 15 minutes for the main partof the day on Mondays to Fridays and Arriva will run the weekday evening journeysunder contract to MK Council.

3 CMK – MONKSTON – KINGSTON- WAVENDON -WOBURN SANDS

• This service will no longer run.

• Woburn Sands will be linked to Kingston and CMK by Platinum 300, running up to every 30 minutes on Mondays to Saturdays and hourly on Sundays.

• The Open University and Monkston will be served by newMK Council contracted Services11/12, operated by Z&S International.

7 BLETCHLEY – SHENLEY – CMK – GREAT LINFORD -OAKRIDGE PARK – NEW BRADWELL – WOLVERTON

• There will be minor changes to the Sunday timetable to improve reliability.

8/8A WESTCROFT – SHENLEY BROOK END – CMK – KINGSTON -KENTS HILL – WALNUT TREE – CALDECOTTE – BLETCHLEY

• This service will be simplified to run as a one-way circular service between Kingston and Walnut Tree, Browns Wood and Old Farm Park.

• The route will be extended from Westcroft Centre to offer a simplified and improved service to Oxley Park.

• Arriva will run all journeys on Mondays to Saturdays and during Sunday daytime.

• The section between Kingston, Browns Wood, Walnut Tree and Bletchley will be replaced by new Service 9.

• Caldecotte will be served by new MK Council Services 11/12 operated by Z&S International

• Service 8A will be withdrawn and replaced in Walnut Tree, Browns Wood and Old Farm Park by Service 8. In Kents Hill and Highgate Over it will be replaced by new MK Council Services 11/12 and revised 17operated by Z&S International

9 KINGSTON – WALNUT TREE – BLETCHLEY

• This new service will replace Service 8 between Kingston, Walnut Tree and Bletchley, running hourly for the main part of the day on Mondays to Saturdays.

30/31 BLETCHLEY – STONY STRATFORD – WOLVERTON -WILLEN – NEWPORT PAGNELL

• There will be a number of adjustments to the timetable for these services.

32 BUCKINGHAM – CMK – MILTON KEYNES HOSPITAL -BLETCHLEY – BUCKINGHAM

• This service will be revised to run from Buckingham Tesco and Buckingham Centre to CMK, Bletchley and Newton Longville. The route will run in both directions and not as the current circular service.

• Some journeys will run via Maids Moreton and Burleigh Piece to replace Service 32A.

32A BUCKINGHAM TOWN SERVICE

• This service will no longer run, being partly replaced by Service 32.

51 WINSLOW – BLETCHLEY

• This once-a-day service will no longer run.

PLATINUM 300 MAGNA PARK – KINGSTON – CMK

• The frequency will be increased to run every 15 minutes on Mondays to Saturdays between MK Station and Coachway/Kingston and will be extended to every 30 minutes to both Magna Park and Woburn Sands.

• On Sundays this service will run every 30 minutes to Kingston and hourly to both Magna Park and Woburn Sands.

There are no changes to services 4 and 5

Other services in Milton Keynes:

11/12 Caldecotte – OU – Kents Hill – CMK

· New service operated by Z&S International replacing part of the 3 and 8A

45 Cranfield – Coachway – CMK

· New service operated by Grant Palmer replacing part of the 1 and 17A


Changing times


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I know I haven’t posted a lot lately, but there has been a lot going on in the background.

I hope to be able to tell you more soon, but there are some exciting changes happening with the blog, and with me.  In the meantime there may be a lack of posts while the changes take place (one of them could be pretty big!). More details soon hopefully!!


‘B&Q’ Roundabout Modifications


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It seems that that planned change to turn the ‘B&Q’ roundabout into a traffic light junction has changed into a much smaller scheme with some slight modifications to lanes and one of the roundabouts.

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I can see why this scheme has changed as it’s obviously alot cheaper to implement, and with the main congestion problem being vehicles wanting to turn left from Saxon Street into Watling Street East being allocated their own lane it should help.  Sadly it looks like the second biggest cause of Traffic buildup, the Pedestrian crossing outside Tesco, is staying.  Work is due to start shortly.


More transfers in


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A few transfers in to us ate starting to appear as we start to transfer out most off our solo’s.
This bus, 3513 was collected from Watford today and will be on the streets of MK as soon as it’s been converted to single door and painted green.. Two similar buses are already done and just waiting for destination blinds.

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