In the message ...
"Michael Hoffman" a écrit
Alan (in Brussels) wrote:

On a recent trip by Tramink, I was struck by the fact that the former
'double arrow' symbol still widely used to identify National Rail
stations

What do you mean the "former 'double arrow' symbol?" It's still a double
arrow symbol, even if it's being used for "National Rail" instead of
British Rail.

I'm glad to hear that. But when at Wimbledon, I noticed that it isn't used
on the panel indicating the interchange facilities (where eg the the LT
'roundel' is used to point the way to the District Line platforms) ;
instead, the 'generic diesel loco front' symbol (I think it may be a UIC
pictogram for a railway station; it's not in the Highway Code or anywhere
else I've looked) is used to flag the way to SW Trains etc. on platforms
1-8. So I suspected the double-arrow symbol might be just a relic.

Regards,

- Alan (in Brussels)

Paul Terry wrote:
In message , Clive Coleman
writes

A bit off topic I know, but I was astounded to see a display of when
the next bus was due in a bus shelter in Wandsworth.


The system is called Countdown, and about 2000 bus stops are equipped so
far (which leaves an awful lot still to go - I think only well-used
stops will be equipped).

London bus passengers have luxuries most of us can only dream about.


Of course, when Countdown goes wrong or displays the wrong times, or
doesn't display any time because some bus operators have not yet
equipped their vehicles, it can sometimes seem worse than no display at
all - but it does seem to be getting better at our local bus stop.

I've noticed an improvement in Countdown information too - I most often
see a Countdown display at Piccadilly Circus, but I've noticed a fairly
decent accuracy level at other West End stops too. I wonder if anything
has changed behind the scenes?

--
Dave Arquati
Imperial College, SW7
www.alwaystouchout.com - Transport projects in London

In message , Paul Terry
writes
Of course, when Countdown goes wrong or displays the wrong times, or
doesn't display any time because some bus operators have not yet
equipped their vehicles, it can sometimes seem worse than no display at
all - but it does seem to be getting better at our local bus stop.
I suppose that when you get two hour intervals between buses as we do
before service drops off in the evening, it would be annoying to know
you could have stayed at home for that extra cup of tea/coffee/alcohol.
--
Clive.

SNIP my previous message

FYI, TfL have produced a handy guide to its pictograms, which includes the
ex-BR 'double-arrow' symbol among the various 'transport modes' (but not the
'generic diesel loco front'), and is available on-line at:
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/downloads/...amStandard.pdf

Regards,

- Alan (in Brussels)

In message , Clive Coleman
writes

I suppose that when you get two hour intervals between buses as we do
before service drops off in the evening, it would be annoying to know
you could have stayed at home for that extra cup of tea/coffee/alcohol.

Two sets of friends in North Yorks ("one bus a week on Thursdays") still
cannot get over the fact that despite being 8 miles from the centre of
London, we have buses every 3 minutes in the peak, every 5 minutes
off-peak, and night buses stopping within short walking distance every
10 minutes throughout the night. A bit further up the road there are 36
buses an hour each way in the peak period.

I say all this not to be boastful, but to point out that only very
high-frequency operation will persuade people to move from cars to
buses. I wouldn't dream of driving into central London any more, nor
would any of my neighbours - the bus (+ train) is more reliable,
quicker, cheaper and more pleasurable - it is MUCH easier to read the
paper when on the bus than when driving, for instance, and it is rather
fun to strike up the odd conversation with a stranger instead of being
in the hermetically sealed mobile box that we call a car, interacting
with others only by honking the horn or flashing the lights in anger.

Having said all that, I fully understand why folk in outer suburban and
rural areas could hardly exist without a bus - there has to be some sort
of critical mass to tip the balance towards public transport. Once that
happens, the results can be astonishing - something like Countdown then
just becomes the icing on the cake.

--
Paul Terry

On Wed, 13 Apr 2005, Alan (in Brussels) wrote:

generic diesel loco front

Splitters!

tom

--
No hay banda

On Wed, 13 Apr 2005, Paul Terry wrote:

In message , Clive Coleman
writes

I suppose that when you get two hour intervals between buses as we do
before service drops off in the evening, it would be annoying to know
you could have stayed at home for that extra cup of tea/coffee/alcohol.

Two sets of friends in North Yorks ("one bus a week on Thursdays") still
cannot get over the fact that despite being 8 miles from the centre of
London, we have buses every 3 minutes in the peak, every 5 minutes
off-peak,

Sounds like where i live.

and night buses stopping within short walking distance every 10 minutes
throughout the night.

Okay, now that's impressive; i take it there are three routes, each coming
every half-hour? You must live in a fairly significant suburban centre.

Having said all that, I fully understand why folk in outer suburban and
rural areas could hardly exist without a bus

ITYM 'car', no?

- there has to be some sort of critical mass to tip the balance towards
public transport.

Indeed. In my old 'hood, on a sunday, there is nominally 0.5 bph from the
town railway station to my village, and the arrival time is more or less
random.

tom

--
No hay banda

In message ,
Tom Anderson writes

On Wed, 13 Apr 2005, Paul Terry wrote:

Two sets of friends in North Yorks ("one bus a week on Thursdays") still
cannot get over the fact that despite being 8 miles from the centre of
London, we have buses every 3 minutes in the peak, every 5 minutes
off-peak,

Sounds like where i live.

and night buses stopping within short walking distance every 10 minutes
throughout the night.

Okay, now that's impressive; i take it there are three routes, each coming
every half-hour?

Yes.

You must live in a fairly significant suburban centre.

I live in a London borough that I think claims a higher proportion of
open space than any other (Richmond).

Having said all that, I fully understand why folk in outer suburban and
rural areas could hardly exist without a bus

ITYM 'car', no?

Oops, yes!

- there has to be some sort of critical mass to tip the balance towards
public transport.

Indeed. In my old 'hood, on a sunday, there is nominally 0.5 bph from the
town railway station to my village, and the arrival time is more or less
random.

--
Paul Terry

On Wed, 13 Apr 2005, Paul Terry wrote:

In message ,
Tom Anderson writes

On Wed, 13 Apr 2005, Paul Terry wrote:

Two sets of friends in North Yorks ("one bus a week on Thursdays")
still cannot get over the fact that despite being 8 miles from the
centre of London, we have buses every 3 minutes in the peak, every 5
minutes off-peak, and night buses stopping within short walking
distance every 10 minutes throughout the night.

Okay, now that's impressive; i take it there are three routes, each coming
every half-hour?

Yes.

You must live in a fairly significant suburban centre.

I live in a London borough that I think claims a higher proportion of
open space than any other (Richmond).

Even Waltham Forest? How about one of those godforsaken Metropolitan Kent
places?

Anyway, i take it you live within short walking distance of one of the
town centres in Richmond.

Thinking about it a bit more, perhaps three routes isn't as exceptional as
i'd thought. There were four to where i lived in Hackney, and there are at
least three to Holloway - the problem is that only one or two were ever
any use to me, but that's due to the fairly narrow range of places i
needed to get home from late at night!

tom

--
It is a formal cultural policy to show unreasonable bias towards any woman who is both attractive and wierd.

"Alan (in Brussels)" wrote in message
...

So I suspected the double-arrow symbol might be just a relic.

No, the double arrow is still used on road signs, even those pointing to
brand new stations, and it is also used in conjunction with the underground
roundel in brand new totems outside old interchange stations.

--
John Rowland - Spamtrapped
Transport Plans for the London Area, updated 2001
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Acro...69/tpftla.html
A man's vehicle is a symbol of his manhood.
That's why my vehicle's the Piccadilly Line -
It's the size of a county and it comes every two and a half minutes