A Network That Makes Sense
Yesterday’s blog ended with some video of the quaint tram that runs from the equally quaint railway station at Soller through even quainter town scenery to the Port of Soller. Oddly the train appears on the network map but not the tram! But this block of routs is numbered in the 2xx series – neat, tidy and memorable.
The old road to Soller was, to say the least, spectacular …
… but todays 204 bus …
… takes the new tunnel.
fbb has no idea what a route
L204 is!
The train also uses a long tunnel!
The grouped route numbers follow clockwise round the Island.
The 300s …
… are grouped round the town of Inca to the north east.
400s are due east and
500s south east to complete the Compass Rose.
From a users point of view, fbb is sure that a simple route number pattern can inspire confidence. Some, however, would argue otherwise as it is easy, they say, to get muxed ip if the numbers look too much alike.
As possible area of debate?
One other area that has impressed fbb is the way tib fares are explained,
Fares That Make Sense – Ish!
It is all about hopping!
fbb was always pretty useless at hopping and even more useless at playing hopscotch – which always seemed tedious. But he never really grasped the rules.
But the official explanation of fares outside the city of Palma does indeed involve “hops” – and NOT these hops ether!
For bus fare purposes, the whole island is split into a kalidoscope of zones.
The thin black line shows the geographical boundary of the Island.
So, if your journey stays in one zone you pay a “0 hop” fare.
If No 3 son wanted to travel by bus from his gaff in Palma Nova to the beach at Soller …
… he would hop once into Palma; then hop again …
… from Palma into the zone taking you north to Soller. The simple fare structure applies to the local train routes and the metro line but NOT to the Siller Train or tram!
No journey is ever charged at more than FOUR hops.
But there are snags. If No 3 Son paid for his fare by card or bought a ticket electronically, the two hop fare would be a very modest …
… but, if he were to (oh o foolishly) think of paying the drivers with real specie …
… he would be stunng for two single hop on-bus fares totalling 9 euros.
OUCH!
You would guess that it all comes together after a day or so.
EGRINSID
It is a British Railway TIPLOC code for East Grinstead Sidings. It was an excursion (including First Cass dining) through to the Bluebell Railway.
The published timings were as follows.
East Grinstead is where the train left Network Rail metals and, for the purposes of the UK’s National Rail computer, ceased to exist!
After departing we proceed via Kensington Olympia and Crystal Palace toward East Grinstead, where we leave Network Rail metals and enter Bluebell territory, going right to the end of the line at Sheffield Park. We aim for this break to be around four hours, although this is dependent upon aligning our timings between the national rail network and the Bluebell Railway.
Our return route is slightly extended, giving the opportunity for more fantastic views from the train as we return, again via the former LBSCR route towards London and then take the renowned Kingston Loop route around the suburbs and, after passing Factory Junction again for the last time today, we head back via Kensington Olympia to Acton Lane Reception. Here we say goodbye to the Class 73 locomotives before heading home under class 66 power once again, saying our final farewells at East Midlands Parkway.
Next Mallorca blog : Wednesday 27th September
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