The Transport Game (UK)

[backontrack]

HALT CALLED

It seems that we have come too far north for our own good, and have been struck by a virulent strain of 'Brodgar Bus Syndrome', which has similar symptons to the Lybster-based condition...

The XI bus service does not call at the Ring of Brodgar. It does call at a stop called 'Ring of Brodgar Road End', situated where the A965 meets the B9055. Walking to the stop at this junction, which @DanTrainMan185 has used, from the stop that I took us to outside the Ring of Brodgar would take us a distance of 1.5 miles, which is also the limit of 0.5 miles that we are allowed to walk when interchanging between modes. Google Maps also says that the time it would take to walk that distance is 27 minutes; the X1 bus leaves in 13 minutes' time.

I appreciate that it can be difficult to travel around areas like this one without much information to go on, but there are buses on both routes 8S and T11 that call at the stop at Stenness, Ring of Brodgar itself later on Monday. They can be found in the Orkney bus timetable.

It seems as though we have no choice but to return to the mysterious ring forthwith, and strike through any subsequent postings that have arisen...

 

[ValleyLines142]

It comes down to the community to point out any rule breaches, however this shouldn't hold up game play and it may not be necessary to return to the previous post, especially where there has been more than five moves (or 24 hours has elapsed) since the posting in question.

With regards to the above, may I point you in the direction of TP.

There have been more than five moves since (I believe we are now on six), so I think it's not worth it.

 

[backontrack]

With regards to the above, may I point you in the direction of TP.

There have been more than five moves since (I believe we are now on six), so I think it's not worth it.

It wasn't very long though. Also it's quite a big mistake, and some moves have already been struck through...

Normally I would say we play on, but walking a 27-minute distance in 13 minutes is hardly retaining the 'sense of realism' that this game is meant to have. That's why we introduced the late-night rule, after all.

I am happy to change the move that took us to the Ring of Brodgar and take us to a location with more frequent transport options, like Stromness or St Margaret's Hope, so that we can get going without difficulty.

 

[ValleyLines142]

It wasn't very long though. Also it's quite a big mistake, and some moves have already been struck through...

Normally I would say we play on, but walking a 27-minute distance in 13 minutes is hardly retaining the 'sense of realism' that this game is meant to have. That's why we introduced the late-night rule, after all.

I am happy to change the move that took us to the Ring of Brodgar and take us to a location with more bus services, like Stromness or St Margaret's Hope.

Well according to this the X1 does serve Ring of Brodgar, and is the same as the stop you took us to on the 8S.

 

[backontrack]

Well according to this the X1 does serve Ring of Brodgar, and is the same as the stop you took us to on the 8S.

That's because the 8S calls at both stops; it travels up via the B9055. I took us to a different stop on the 8S.

 

[backontrack]

If it makes things any easier, then I will remove my original move that took us to the Ring of Brodgar. Here's my new one:

Suprised to see a bus turn up so late at night on an island we get on the 23:59 Stagecoach North Scotland service X10 to Kirkwall Travel Centre (Stand 2), arriving at 00:30 Monday morning.

Upon arriving in Kirkwall, we retire to the nearby St Ola Hotel on the harbourfront, where we bed down for the night. In the morning, after a hearty Orcadian breakfast, we wander to the Travel Centre and find the 09:57 Stagecoach Orkney route 6 bus service waiting for us.

We decide to board this service, and ride it to Finstown (Allans of Gillock), where we step off our bus, noticing using our watch that the service arrived there on time at 09:52 on Monday morning.

Finstown has buses in all directions (an hourly service to Stromness, an hourly service to St Margaret's Hope and Kirkwall, and services to Dounby, Birsay, Tingwall, Evie, Brodgar and Skara Brae), so we should be OK.

 

[ValleyLines142]

Where we can then board the 1025 Stagecoach North Scotland service X10 to St Margarets Hope (Ferry Terminal), arriving there at 1115 on Monday.

And then we can go back to Paul's move on Post #14245 as that was at 1150 and we can reinstate all those moves!

 

[ValleyLines142]

That's because the 8S calls at both stops; it travels up via the B9055. I took us to a different stop on the 8S.

In fairness though the only stop at 0935, which was what you quoted, was the Road End stop, if you look at my attachment? It doesn't look as if there's another stop.

Are we all okay?

 

[backontrack]

In fairness though the only stop at 0935, which was what you quoted, was the Road End stop, if you look at my attachment? It doesn't look as if there's another stop.

According to Google Maps there is a stop at the stone circle itself, so I think a mistake in the Stagecoach timetable is to blame for this one.

Are we all okay?

Never been better. What about you?

Where we can then board the 1025 Stagecoach North Scotland service X10 to St Margarets Hope (Ferry Terminal), arriving there at 1115 on Monday.

And then we can go back to Paul's move on Post #14245 as that was at 1150 and we can reinstate all those moves!

We can. But we decide not to.

We then board the 12:01 Stagecoach Orkney route X1 bus service to Kirkwall (Travel Centre), arriving there at 12:31 just after midday on Monday.

 

[ValleyLines142]

So much for trying to minimise disruption....

We then board the 1245 Stagecoach North Scotland service 4 to Kirkwall (Airport), arriving there at 1300 on Monday afternoon.

Normally I would say we play on, but walking a 27-minute distance in 13 minutes is hardly retaining the 'sense of realism' that this game is meant to have. That's why we introduced the late-night rule, after all.

LOL join the club, that's happened to me loads of times on here

 

[backontrack]

So much for trying to minimise disruption....

Indeed. Well, we can still play on at least, and put this muddle all behind us.

We then board the 1245 Stagecoach North Scotland service 4 to Kirkwall (Airport), arriving there at 1300 on Monday afternoon.

We then board the 13:07 Stagecoach Orkney route 3 bus service to Deerness (Lighthouse Corner), arriving there at 13:30 on Monday afternoon.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

I therefore, on reading what has occurred this morning whilst we went to the village, I will now strike through my Pentland Ferries posting from Orkney to Gills Bay.

Unfortunately, the way that the matter was resolved has made the need for other postings that followed on after Gills Bay ferry terminal also need now to be struck through.

 

[ValleyLines142]

Indeed. Well, we can still play on at least, and put this muddle all behind us.


We then board the 13:07 Stagecoach Orkney route 3 bus service to Deerness (Lighthouse Corner), arriving there at 13:30 on Monday afternoon.

Sadly nothing remains until the 1616 Stagecoach North Scotland service 3 to Kirkwall (Travel Centre), arriving there at 1647 on Monday afternoon.

 

[backontrack]

We then board the 17:35 Stagecoach Orkney route 7 bus service to Birsay (at Palace Shop), arriving there at 18:13 on Monday evening.

 

[ValleyLines142]

Sadly that's it for the rest of the day, so we board the 0705 Stagecoach North Scotland service 7 to the delightfully named ****t (Crossroads), arriving there at 0712 on Tuesday morning.

 

[backontrack]

We then board the 08:12 Stagecoach Orkney route 7 bus service to Hatston Brae (at Hatston Park, Kirkwall), arriving there at 08:40 on Tuesday morning.

There isn't much information about this bus stop, so here are the bus times: https://bustimes.org/stops/6020710466

Or the other way: https://bustimes.org/stops/6020710306

 

[ValleyLines142]

We then board the 0940 Stagecoach North Scotland service 6 to Newton (Road End), arriving there at 1015 on Tuesday morning.

 

[backontrack]

Next, we board the 14:19 Stagecoach Orkney route 6 service to Tingwall Ferry, arriving there at 14:34 on Tuesday afternoon.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

We make our way to the ferry terminal quayside and there board the 1445 Orkney Ferries service OF3 to Rousay (Ferry Terminal) that arrives there at 1515 on Tuesday afternoon.

 

[backontrack]

Rousay amazes us, with its myriad cairns as well as its broch. We spend an hour on the island before the lure of the history of St Magnus, as chronicled in the Orkneyinga Saga, attracts us to the ferry terminal, from which we board the 16:35 Orkney Ferries service to Egilsay Ferry Terminal, arriving there at 16:50 on Tuesday afternoon.

 

[ValleyLines142]

After a nose on the island, we then board the 1900 Orkney Ferries service OF3 back to Rousay (Ferry Terminal), arriving there at 1915 on Tuesday evening.

 

[backontrack]

The weather is grand (surprisingly enough), so we opt to pitch our tent on the island of Rousay. In the morning, we first consider returning to the Mainland - but suddenly we remember that there's still another island that we can easily discover. We stroll with our stuff to the pier and see the M.V. Eynhallow waiting for us - so we walk onboard the Orkney Ferries vessel, which sets off at 06:50, and arrives at the Ferry Terminal on the island of Wyre at 07:30 on Wednesday morning.

Then, we disembark and head for Cubbie Roo's Castle, which is said to have been built by the legendary giant whose name the castle bears.

 

[ValleyLines142]

Will people object if I wait for the 1530 to Tingwall? Because I don't see the point in returning to Rousay.

 

[backontrack]

Will people object if I wait for the 1530 to Tingwall? Because I don't see the point in returning to Rousay.

I won't object, but you don't need to because the ferries don't work like that; these are not separate journeys. The ferry tends to do a circuit of the islands before returning to the Mainland.

So you could board the 09:50 ferry at Wyre, and get off at Tingwall at 10:40; it stops at Rousay along the way, but it's not a separate service. That is a perfectly realistic move; there are no issues here.

 

[ValleyLines142]

Okay let's do that. Into Tingwall at 10.40. I'm too urban for this ferry highland malarkey!

 

[kevconnor]

From Car Park At Ferry Terminal, Tingwall, take Stagecoach in North Scotland 6 bus at 1145 as far as Travel Centre (Stand 4), West Castle Street, Kirkwall where we arrive at 1210 on Wednesday afternoon.

 

[ValleyLines142]

We then board the 1235 Stagecoach North Scotland service X1 to Stromness (Travel Centre), arriving there at 1305 on Wedessay afternoon.

 

[backontrack]

The ferry to Scrabster is operating an off-peak service today, so we content ourselves with a ride over the Churchill Barriers on the 13:30 Stagecoach Orkney route X1 bus service to Burray Village (Shop), arriving there at 14:37 on Wednesday afternoon.

 

[ValleyLines142]

We then board the 1537 Stagecoach North Scotland service X1 to St Margarets Hope (Pier), arriving there at 1544 on Wednesday afternoon.

 

[backontrack]

It's time for us now to leave Orkney, so, after we've had a bite to eat (mmm, fudge...), we board the 16:50 Pentland Ferries service to Gills Bay Ferry Terminal. It is a smooth and comfy ride on the M.V. Pentalina, a modern catamaran. We bid farewell to Orkney with fondness, and promise ourselves that we'll return again soon.

The journey is speedy, too, and not without its own pleasures - is that an orca we see over there in the water? - and we arrive at Gills Bay at 17:50 on Wednesday evening. Perhaps there'll be a bus, if we're lucky...