Four Plus Twelve Makes 412

Sadly, there is no award, complete with substantial cash bursary, for old blokes who can unravel timetables and maps, in a foreign language and somewhere he has never been. But we do know that former Paladin routes 4 and 12 in the greater Paris area have been merged.

The excellent news is that there is an on-line timetable and it is a proper timetable, not a frequency list. But It goes one better – it has a steady frequency with just minor running time variations at certain times.

The 412 operates every 30 minutes, enhanced to every 20 Monday to Friday paks.

But there is no map!

Keen observers may be able to follow something from the straight line diagram, but to really understand it you would need to be an honours graduate in the geography of the community of Antony and its neighbours.

fbb isn’t but tries!

Can you spot the former service 12 here?

The last stop above is Jules Verne which we visited in yesterday’s blog.

But the next straight line segment should be route 4, but doesn’t look quite right. There is something mising.

But there is Cimetiere Nouveau, the former terminus of the 4 …

… now appearing half way along the replacement 412! 

If you were really clever and really interested, you may spot some route 4 stops in the concluding section, but …

… they appear to be in the wrong order.

So yesterday morning, fbb drew a map; or, more correctly, added some coloured lines to a chunk of the excellent but NOT up-to-date “sector” map.

Once you know, it is very simple. (???!!!).

The 412 sets off just like the former 12 (remember?) …

The terminus stop of 12 and 412 was outside the newer exit of La Croix De Berny station …

… but Tram T10 may have lead to a change. Either way the old and new set off southbound to the left of the office block above. Here is the old 12 and the new 412 in RED.

Again, with no change both old and new find their way to Antony RER station., seen below in Paladin days.

It is when we get back to the main road and T10 tram route that things are different.

Instead of turning left as route 12, the 412 crosses straight over (BLUE) to join the route of the 4 near the Mairie of Chatenay Malabry. A huge chunk of the 4 is no longer served (shown in GREY). 

The new 412 passes Jules Verne …

… as previously spotter in the straight line route and is the former 4 (coloured a sort of MUD).

The 412 they nips (BLUE again) across the main road, crossing both tram and the old 12 (PINK). From the former terminal loop to Montgolfier we become an inbound 4 (MUD again) but now running outbound.

The last nibble of route to its new terminus is not entirely clear, so fbb has guessed, but the old 4 passed near the new 412 terminus.

And here is the 412 terminal stop awaiting its next departure.

As far as fbb can discern, NONE of this cartographic aide-memoire appears on ANY Paris bus map.

Don’t forget that Tram T10 does not appear either!

So, sadly, we have excellent maps, skilfully prepared in superb detail, which are totally useless because they have not been updated!!

If fbb can do it on a Tuesday morning whilst making chicken and leek soup for lunch (it was delicious!) then you would think that the resources of R A T P ought to be able to keep their stuff up to date.

Here is the whole 412 shown imposed on the current sector map. (click on the graphic to enlarge it).

Tomorrow we go to the Isle of Wight to check on progress with improvements there.

But as relaxation from the brain-hurting map mastery (??), fbb started his next modelling project.

Notably Nice Nissan Novelty

fbb had a sort of plan at the back of his mind when he bought this model for £11 plus postage. Pricing of this tiny building is a real minefield as fbb will reveal in due course. 

But the plan always was to extend the hut in some way, possibly to create a larger holiday let adjacent to Peterville Quarry Railway.

Using bits and pieces from various heaps of plastic material and parts of kits never made up, here is progress so far.

It doesn’t make much sense at the moment, but it will do – honest!

Thanks to correspondent Andrew who ferreted this out on-line …

… we see a real Nissen hut recently rebuilt …

The inside is set up as a military “office”,

The hut has obviously been fettled up as originally it would not have had side windows!

In case you didn’t know – and fbb certainly didn’t – Sewell is near Dunstable.

Livery Delivery

McGills of Paisley (and almost everywhere else in Scotland!) has just announced a revised livery for its Dundee business.

The design family also includes Eastern Scottish …

… and Midland Bluebird.

Oddly, the only company not a member of McGill’s livery family is …

… McGills!!