Very Handy Andy : Fine And Dandy (3)

There are three stations called Watford. One is actually just called Watford but tends to be known as Watford (Met) for Metropolitan Line. (above map, centre left, definitely an “Underground” station). The station is quite sweet realty and probably the least used of the three.

Watford High Street (map bottom right) was served by the “Watford Electrics” …

… and, at various times during its history, by London Underground Bakerloo line trains.

Now it is a London Overground stop, being a National Rail owned line but operated by Transport for London.  Recently the line has been equipped with posh new trains.

Seems a lot. What about Watford High Street?

So that would make it £6.20 for the one stop from High Street to Junction.

Such, Mr Andy Burnham, are the glorious benefits of London’s regulated and integrated transport system.

But Watford isn’t in London; it is in Herefordshire where be dragons!

What about Watford (Met)?

It does not exist as it is not a National Rail line. But, in a previous blog, (remember?) National Rail did admit to journeys via the Northern (Underground) Line between London Bridge and Kings Cross.

What has Watford done to upset the ideals of London’s integrated system?

Before revealing all, fbb must apologise for incompetence. Transport for London journey planner does give fares but (for fbb at last) they are easy to miss and not always well explained.

Just £4.70 – cheap as chips!

And utterly crackpot!

If you are non-plussed with the integrated system, all you have to do is to look at the Fare Zones on the Underground map.

Watford (Met) is in Zone 7; Watford High Street is in Zone 8 (Why the difference?) and Watford Junction (as you can clearly see NOT) …

… is outside fare zones; another decision to improve integration NOT!

Once upon a time, fbb travelled to Watford (Met) on business. Sensibly he arranged to be collected, by his contact, there rather than at High Street or Junction. It is also a much easier station for a pick-up car to get at!

But the old man had a One Day Travelcard from Portsmouth which, as we all know so well, only includes travel in Zones to to 6, and NOT zone 7.

Ooer!

fbb tried manfully and honestly to pay an excess fare upon arrival at Watford (Met) but the man in the little window waved the old man through with a cheery “that’s all right”.

fbb guessed that the horrendous complexity of paperwork was too onerous for the ticket office clerk who happily returned to the much less onerous task of reading his newspaper!

But how daft is a “system” (for want of a better word) that demands fares of £15.70, £9.50 and £4.70 for a journey to the same place, and using a supposedly integrated and much-admired (?) system.

Manchester, you must be SO excited to enjoy the fulfillment of Andy’s London-style system! 

fbb will do buses from London Bridge to Kings Cross etc tomorrow. Honest!

A Harvest Song!

That would liven up a few sleepy church services! Very much the joy of harvest.

fbb has begun the process of turning a garish “toy” into something that looks a bit more realistic.

The front and back of this very basic clip-together kit for 3+ year olds (thus about right for fbb!) are the same.

The arched windows in the interlocking room have become square windows …

… awaiting a dob of filler and some scribed infill brickwork. The signalman’s big windows have lost their middle glazing bars and are looking somewhat better. Although not yet photographed, a floor and a ceiling have been cut to fit when all the bits are assembled.

Today fbb will be painting – hopefully the signal box, not himself, the furniture or his clothing.

But you never know!