Bristol Balloon Fiesta. Sunday 14th August

[whole diary]

[JayMac]

Myself and a couple of other forum members have arranged to meet up at Bristol Temple Meads this coming Sunday, 14th August.

1330 in Bonapartes on Platform 3, then we'll head off to the Balloon Fiesta site at Ashton Court. At 1700 the Red Arrows are due to do their thing over the Fiesta site. Then at 1800 (weather permitting) there is a mass ascent of hot air balloons.

If the weather is fine then we'll probably walk to Ashton Court. Otherwise there is a frequent bus service from Temple Meads to Ashton Court. ^2 each way.

I believe, but am not 100% certain (info based on this link), that train tickets to BRISTOL BUSLINK will be valid on the buses to/from the Fiesta site. As I'm not 100% sure, best to buy a ticket to Temple Meads and if the BRISTOL BUSLINK fare is valid to the Fiesta site then it should be possible to purchase the necessary excess at Temple Meads.

I'll be on hand to enquire about this excess. Worst case scenario is either a walk or ^2 each way for the bus. I favour a walk if the sun has got his hat on.... gives an opportunity to stop off for a snifter en route!

So, if you are free this Sunday, pop along to Bristol Temple Meads (1330 Bonapartes Bar Platform 3) and join us for the afternoon.

[inspector_blakey]

Looks like you can certainly use PlusBus to get to Bower Ashton on First's Nailsea/Clevedon/W-s-M services, or as far as Blackmoor Road on a Portishead service. Prob not much of a deal-breaker though because the ^3.50 add-on (sans railcard, anyway) only saves you 50p.

[JayMac]

My reluctance to be absolutely certain is based on prior knowledge. In 2009 I enquired of the Balloon Fiesta organisers who said that; yes, an FGW^▸ (First Great Western) station to BRISTOL BUSLINK ticket was valid on the special buses to the Fiesta site. Bristol Balloon Fiesta had entered into a contractual agreement with FGW to allow through ticketing from FGW stations. South Gloucestershire Bus & Coach (now Wessex Connect) who were/are contracted to provide the special buses said otherwise and made us pay for the single each way fares.

I will, this morning, be calling BBF and Wessex Connect to confirm the 2011 arrangements.

All that said, if Mr Blue Sky is in evidence then it'll be a pleasant walk from Temple Meads to Ashton Court.... via a suitable pub!

[JayMac]

Just spotted this on the official Bristol Balloon Fiesta website:

With mass Hot Air Balloon ascents at 6.00am and 6.00pm, the infamous Nightglows on both Thursday and Saturday evenings.....

Infamous? I wasn't aware that the Nightglows had an extremely bad reputation. 

[JayMac]

A frustrating experience trying to get accurate information about ticket validity on the special buses.

Bristol Balloon Fiesta's enquiry number is a 50p a minute 09 number. That number connects you to Bristol City Council's Tourist Information. They had no idea on whether rail issued tickets (such as PlusBus or BRISTOL BUSLINK) were valid. They directed me to a telephone number for the Fiesta that isn't in the public domain. No help there either, suggesting I call South Gloucestershire Bus and Coach. The guy I spoke with at SGBC was rude and dismissive. "Not my problem mate - it's only bloody ^2. And no. PlusBus is not valid" was his response.

After a second call to the Balloon Fiesta organisers it became apparent that they believe only PlusBus tickets are valid. They agreed with me that the information that accompanies the Fiesta bus timetables is not clear enough. It states that: "Rail/Bus tickets issued by First Great Western for the Festival will be accepted". More digging and I've discovered that there is a destination listed in the Avantix^▸ (Ticket Issuing System used on board trains) Traveller Fares Manual (NFM08) as "Balloon Fiesta." Can't call up fares for this destination though.

I know the walk-up bus fare is only ^2 each way, but pedant (and miser) that I am, I would like to know what is and what isn't valid. Some sort of Rail/Bus ticket is advertised after all.

Integrated transport is a nice idea in theory. The practicality is rather different.

EDIT: And yes, I'm well aware that the various phone calls (particularly the 09 one) will have wiped out any small saving I may have made by buying this mythical Rail/Bus ticket.

[inspector_blakey]

Another possibility that's occurred, depending on weather - you can definitely use a PlusBus on the 8 or 9 from Temple Meads, jump off the bus at Durdham Down then head across the suspension bridge on foot and in through the Clifton Lodge entrance at the end of Bridge Road...

[Chris from Nailsea]

... except that the suspension bridge is likely to be closed to all traffic (including pedestrians): see http://www.thisisbristol.co.uk/Suspension-Bridge-close-evenings-balloon-fiesta/story-11236049-detail/story.html 

[JayMac]

 Sunday should be good for a stroll over the Cliffun Spenshun Bridge.

http://www.cliftonbridge.org.uk/news/bridge-closures-balloon-fiesta-2011

 

[Chris from Nailsea]

Fair comment: I've now found this - http://www.bristolballoonfiesta.co.uk/content/15/directions-how-to-get-to-the-fiesta.aspx 

[inspector_blakey]

I did check before suggesting that you know   

[Chris from Nailsea]

 

[inspector_blakey]

Going back a few years but I used to be a native... Never really been able to figure out why they close the bridge for the Nightglow only - my best guess was because it has a reasonably discrete ending time so there's a risk of too many people all walking across it at once and causing a spot of the Tacoma Narrows. I suppose people tend to drift in and out of the day events more continuously.

[JayMac]

Legend has it that soldiers (from The Gloucestershire Regiment I believe) had to break step when marching over the Clifton Suspension Bridge to and from a camp in Leigh Woods. Lest their marching set up oscillations that could cause damage to, or even failure of, the bridge.

The original un-damped Millennium Footbridge in London suffered from strong oscillation when large numbers of people walked in step over it. They weren't intentionally marching, but once small movements in the deck began they forced people to walk in a sort of waddling marching step to retain balance. This made the oscillations progressively stronger.

And you're right. The Thursday and Saturday Nightglows are the most popular events at the Fiesta, and everyone piles out of the site straight after the fireworks.

[bobm]

After the talk of whether through tickets were available/vaild on the buses, BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) Points West was reporting this morning that the special buses had problems because of badly parked cars!

[JayMac]

The buses were very busy as well. We caught one out to the site mid afternoon and it was heaving. Still quite a walk to the Arena from the stop at Bower Ashton. 

And the 30 year old double decker we caught had internal signage for 'Bus ^tha Cliath/Dublin Bus'.