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Strange Prototype (of what?) in East Anglia


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I am a train driver (hence the "when at work") , the timetable doesnt change just because its foggy!

Which underlines a point I have made before about the desirability of a transport system which allows a large and heavy device to hurtle along at high speed with a "driver" who can't stop it, steer it or do much else, and under the control of a signalman who can be miles away and can't see the train!

If this was invented now it wouldn't be allowed. Do we really need drivers?

 

Ed

Edited by edcayton
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Without wanting to reopen any bickering, this discussion does illustrate how the busway is different from a railway. As royaloak points out, train drivers are entitled to continue at full speed in poor visibility under the protection of the signalling (at least these days with colour light signals and AWS). Bus and tram drivers have to slow down if they can't see their own stopping distance, and also have to expect an obstruction of any sort from a pedestrian up to a bus stopped in front (perhaps with failed lights). Whether this is a reasonable compromise depends in part on how reliable you expect the journey time to be and how often you encounter pea-soupers in Cambridgeshire.

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Just out of interest I have just been told by a friend who visits the area regularly, that the service is proving very popular and that the fleet has had to be doubled so that they can provide a 10 mi ute frequency rather than the initial 20 minute one. He is going to ride it this weekend so if there is any more info when he gets back I'll post it.

 

Jamie

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As I understand it ( I love your moniker btw) they wanted to get the buses off the A14 which is considered both dangerous and too busy.

 

Best, Pete.

 

 

The only time I've seen buses on the A14 has been when they are the Whippet one going to and from the depot at Fenstanton, or buses being delivered to garages in East Anglia, from suppliers in the Midlands or the Yorkshires.

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They probably would be.  Bus-only tunnels of any length are pretty unusual though, usually the passenger volumes that justify a tunnel would also justify a rail option, and the ventilation/fire/evacuation issues would be more difficult with a diesel bus.  Not running through the city streets would also eliminate one of the main reasons why they chose bus in the first place...

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I am sure it can be easily funded by redeveloping the station site. The passengers can then be de-trained south of Cambridge and bussed through the new tunnel to Kings Lynn - thoughtfully stopping at every bus stop on the way, because that is what the passengers want.

 

I did see some trolley buses appearing out of bus-tunnels in Boston, USA so the possibility that it might be implemented is always there even though London's Kingsway tunnel which served a similar purpose with trams was abandoned.

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You'd need a vehicle of the right "gauge" and steer very carefully to stay between the guides.  I suspect they were referring to the damage that might result if a lorry tyre rode over part of the guideway, possibly leading to a bus "derailment". 

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