regentlad
Waiting time
At the other end of service 140 we see East Coast 10054 at Penicuik terminus screened to return to Musselburgh. These two towns have much in common. Both were ancient burghs, both had a long industrial history and both had enterprising benefactors who left legacies for civic centres. Near this spot was Alexander Cowan's Valleyfield paper mill, one of the largest in the world and a considerable employer for the town and Midlothian. He gifted enough to ensure the Cowan Institute was built.
For many years the Institute was the terminus for bus services. In 1965 SMT Regent double deckers were given 56 minutes to reach Musselburgh and at that time the route operated via Danderhall and Stoneybank rather than today's route via Whitecraig which takes 1 hour and 15 minutes ! In fact SMT had good connecting times. You could leave North Berwick and connect with the Penicuik bus at Musselburgh, and in turn connect with the Edinburgh to Peebles bus at Penicuik! Before today's cyber and digital age it was the feared road inspectors who ensured your connections !
Today service 140 enables important links from south to north Midlothian connecting Roslin, Loanhead, Bonnyrigg and Dalkeith with Musselburgh and from both an economic and social point of view an essential bus service. Until recently Lothian operated the 140 service from Marine garage, however a re-distribution of work saw their East Coast subsidiary work this route from Musselburgh depot, although on occasions drivers from either company work on this route. I would expect further economies may see more work shared with the subsidiary where routes duplicate one another.
Waiting time
At the other end of service 140 we see East Coast 10054 at Penicuik terminus screened to return to Musselburgh. These two towns have much in common. Both were ancient burghs, both had a long industrial history and both had enterprising benefactors who left legacies for civic centres. Near this spot was Alexander Cowan's Valleyfield paper mill, one of the largest in the world and a considerable employer for the town and Midlothian. He gifted enough to ensure the Cowan Institute was built.
For many years the Institute was the terminus for bus services. In 1965 SMT Regent double deckers were given 56 minutes to reach Musselburgh and at that time the route operated via Danderhall and Stoneybank rather than today's route via Whitecraig which takes 1 hour and 15 minutes ! In fact SMT had good connecting times. You could leave North Berwick and connect with the Penicuik bus at Musselburgh, and in turn connect with the Edinburgh to Peebles bus at Penicuik! Before today's cyber and digital age it was the feared road inspectors who ensured your connections !
Today service 140 enables important links from south to north Midlothian connecting Roslin, Loanhead, Bonnyrigg and Dalkeith with Musselburgh and from both an economic and social point of view an essential bus service. Until recently Lothian operated the 140 service from Marine garage, however a re-distribution of work saw their East Coast subsidiary work this route from Musselburgh depot, although on occasions drivers from either company work on this route. I would expect further economies may see more work shared with the subsidiary where routes duplicate one another.