Recent Public Posts - [guest]
| Re: Class 175s to Great Western Railway (GWR) In "Across the West" [376023/28982/26] Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 22:35, 15th June 2026 |      |
| Re: Class 175s to Great Western Railway (GWR) In "Across the West" [376020/28982/26] Posted by ChrisB at 20:10, 15th June 2026 | |
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0YO9ZzSpZA
First 175 into Paignton.
I did not use hyperlink. May work now.
First 175 into Paignton.
I did not use hyperlink. May work now.
Still nope.
| Re: How would YOU solve CrossCountry ? In "Across the West" [376019/32138/26] Posted by ChrisB at 20:09, 15th June 2026 | |
10 car 800 series trains, as most of cross country is under the wires anyway, capacity, toilets in one go...
That'd be the end of Coventry - Bournemouth then. And University - South West.
No, longer trains, more limited stop, I reckon. Run the 221s as doubles & get 8xx stock for one side of the 'X' or the other as a step-change replacement. But the local stops need service spec in place of the removed stops.
| Re: How would YOU solve CrossCountry ? In "Across the West" [376013/32138/26] Posted by CyclingSid at 17:37, 15th June 2026 | |
I think it probably depends which part of their network you use. I find the service that covers Reading to Bournemouth is generally acceptable. One improvement could be if the looked at the number of cruise ships/passengers scheduled at Southampton. It is published a year in advance I believe, putting a 4-car train on when there five cruise ships scheduled is a likely recipe for disgruntlement.
| Re: How would YOU solve CrossCountry ? In "Across the West" [376012/32138/26] Posted by MVR S&T at 17:24, 15th June 2026 | |
10 car 800 series trains, as most of cross country is under the wires anyway, capacity, toilets in one go...
| Re: Update from Bedwyn - May 2026 In "London to Kennet Valley" [376011/32109/8] Posted by grahame at 16:34, 15th June 2026 | |
where the business case really comes much more to life is with a service extension of the faster of the two trains an hour to Hungerford, Kintbury, Bedwyn, Pewsey, (new) Devizes Gateway and Westbury. Whether that (perhaps alternate trains?) carries on beyond, or feeds into the existing 2-hourly semifast, is open for discussion.
As things currently stand, some of the fastest trains that run between Pewsey and Paddington (and vice versa) only call at Newbury / Reading giving a journey time of just under one hour. Many passengers from Pewsey are concerned that these fast trains will no longer call at Pewsey if Devizes Gateway is built and/or Bedwyn trains are extended to Westbury which would result in longer journey times between Pewsey and Paddington (and vice versa)
Currently 11 trains per day, Pewsey to Paddington. Here are the morning timings.
06:15 - 07:36 (Makes 8 intermediate stops)
06:40 - 08:01 (Makes 8 intermediate stops)
07:18 - 08:35 (Makes 4 intermediate stops)
08:15 - 09:21 (Makes 4 intermediate stops)
09:27 - 10:29 (Makes 2 intermediate stops)
11:04 - 12:06 (Makes 2 intermediate stops)
13:08 - 14:17 (Makes 3 intermediate stops)
I would envisage an update clockface semifast service to make 5 intermediate stops (Bedwyn, Kintbury, Hungerford, Newbury and Reading) and take perhaps 70 minutes - the 08:15 pattern with 1 extra stop. The 07:18 has slack in its timings - it is scheduled to sit at Reading for 9 minutes,. This morning it left Pewsey 7 minutes late but was on time on departure from Reading.
I would agree that if all the trains also called at stations such as Thatcham, Theale, Reading West and Maidenhead (all are calls in at least one of the above) then the running time would rise to 80 minutes. But then the current early "8 stop" trins can be characterised as Kennet Valley commuter semifasts extended out. You see similar in the evening peak, where the 18:08 from Paddington also calls at Twyford (personal experience it disgorges a high proportion of passenger there) and is scheduled to take 76 minutes - calls at Theale and Thtacham too in addition to London - Reading - Newbury and all stations onwards.
In the days of slam door HSTs, the outbound evening services that made lots of stops felt like an eternity. Perhaps memories have not faded and there is a fear of a return to similar timings? In 2015, the 18:07 (as it was) took 90 minutes from Paddington to Pewsey; there is no suggestion as far as I know of a return to those timings.
| How would YOU solve CrossCountry ? In "Across the West" [376010/32138/26] Posted by lbraine at 16:10, 15th June 2026 | |
I have had the misfortune of having to use/rely on CrossCountry trains 5 times in the last month.
I managed to secure my pre-booked seat on just one of those trains.
Every single train was late departing - from as little as 15 minutes to 50 minutes.
Every single train was ‘full and standing’ - actually overflowing with people standing in the toilets on one mid-morning Reading to Birmingham New Street service (we actually bailed at Birmingham International as we worked out out TfW connection commenced there - and we just wanted off the Class 221 tubular hell hole.
Given passenger levels the need from some kind of non-London routing to get around the country is definitely needed and desired. But - given recent experiences (and previous) I wonder how GBR should look at revisit the whole cross country design.
Better trains (and longer) trains - 4 or 5 car 221s just don’t seem to cut it ?
Faster trains, better acceleration )- less station stops, moving to a major centre to centre service ?
Consider an alternative hub than Birmingham New Street (trains just seem routinely to sit for 5 mins outside waiting for a platform - and a discussion on Wolverhampton station with a staff member indicated the development of the West Midlands Metro is only going to make things worse) ?
Mandate pre-booking only - no turn up and go tickets for sale (radical I know) ?
What ideas have YOU had to solve the Cross Country issue(s)?
I fully admit that my experience has been limited to the south and west routes of CC - is it equally as bad elsewhere on their network ?
| Re: Update from Bedwyn - May 2026 In "London to Kennet Valley" [376009/32109/8] Posted by hoover50 at 15:45, 15th June 2026 | |
where the business case really comes much more to life is with a service extension of the faster of the two trains an hour to Hungerford, Kintbury, Bedwyn, Pewsey, (new) Devizes Gateway and Westbury. Whether that (perhaps alternate trains?) carries on beyond, or feeds into the existing 2-hourly semifast, is open for discussion.
As things currently stand, some of the fastest trains that run between Pewsey and Paddington (and vice versa) only call at Newbury / Reading giving a journey time of just under one hour. Many passengers from Pewsey are concerned that these fast trains will no longer call at Pewsey if Devizes Gateway is built and/or Bedwyn trains are extended to Westbury which would result in longer journey times between Pewsey and Paddington (and vice versa)
| Re: Thames Valley infrastructure problems causing disruption elsewhere - 2026 In "Across the West" [376008/31163/26] Posted by TaplowGreen at 15:39, 15th June 2026 Already liked by JohnM | |
Blimey what was it? An albatross?
Delays to services between Newbury and Bedwyn
Following a broken down train earlier today at Kintbury all lines towards Taunton have now reopened. Disruption is expected until 16:15 15/06.
Train services between Newbury and Bedwyn are returning to normal.
Customer Advice
-
What has happened?
-
A train had broken down near Kintbury, after striking a bird.
| Re: Okehampton In "Shorter journeys in Devon - Central, North and South" [376007/18334/24] Posted by Noggin at 14:25, 15th June 2026 | |
Some good photos taken outside the perimeter fencing of Okehampton Interchange have been posted today on the Railways of Devon and Cornwall facebook group.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/384010423010289
https://www.facebook.com/groups/384010423010289
Looks very similar to Ashley Down, albeit without the brickwork extending all the way up the lift shaft and the railings coloured rather than galvanised.
| Re: Ministers want 60% of children walking or cycling to school by 2035 In "Active travel: Cyclists and walkers, including how the railways deal with them" [376006/32124/50] Posted by Noggin at 14:20, 15th June 2026 | |
I reckon the stated aspiration could only be achieved by the reintroduction of school/pupil catchment areas.
And I can think of a number of reasons why any government wouldn't be 'courageous' enough to do it.
And I can think of a number of reasons why any government wouldn't be 'courageous' enough to do it.
At my children's former primary school, the majority of the children being dropped off/collected in a car had parents who were taxi drivers, or a divorced parent who was living some distance away.
My daughter is taken to secondary school in a lift share by a parent driving past to work at a location which is not accessible by public transport.
Some parents are driving anyway, but that won't be reflected in the stats.
| Re: Electric Trains - Manchester to Sheffield, retired to the Netherlands In "Railway History and related topics" [376005/32133/55] Posted by Mark A at 13:48, 15th June 2026 | |
I don't have a source for the following obscure 'Possible fact' - I recall reading somewhere, something about an overbridge way down south on the GCR route to Wales/the South West/London: it may have been the one on the following link - and there's no opportunity to check on the ground as its deck will have gone for scrap.
If, in 1971, as teenagers, we hadn't reneged on an ambition to leave the skiff by the site of the (span lifted) bridge taking the GCR across the Grand Junction Canal to walk south to Catesby Tunnel and hopefully back, it would have been the first bridge that we would have passed beneath and we could have checked the following factoid first-hand.
https://www.railwayarchive.org.uk/record?rnum=L2330&os=1
... by the mid 1950s that bridge's steel deck needed replacing - and the replacement included Woodhead-style supports for the overhead electrification that would surely be making its way south.
Mark
| Near miss as train passes workers in tunnel at Bookham, 29 April 2025 In "The Wider Picture in the United Kingdom" [376004/32137/51] Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 13:30, 15th June 2026 | |
From the BBC:
Near miss as train passes workers in tunnel
A track worker stood against a tunnel wall as a train passed at more than 30mph in what investigators described as a "near miss".
Two other workers moved into alcoves in the tunnel wall as the train passed them in Bookham Tunnel, near Bookham station in Surrey, in April last year.
The Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) found a line had been blocked to trains, but the workers were in a different location, and neither they nor the signaller realised.
Investigators made three recommendations to Network Rail after finding failings. Network Rail said safety was always its priority and it was reviewing recommendations.
Chief inspector of rail accidents Andrew Hall said: "Bookham Tunnel is one of a number of near misses that serve as a warning." He said theory and "bitter experience" showed "a pattern of near misses will eventually end in tragedy".
The track workers had been walking through Bookham Tunnel at 11:42 BST on 29 April last year, when the passenger train passed at 33mph (53km/h).
A report on Monday said the distance between the tunnel wall and the nearest running rail where the workers were walking was about 1.6m (5.2ft), but the available space between the tunnel wall and the passing train was between 1m and 1.15m.
Rules state that for line speeds below 100mph, a position of safety should be at least 1.25m from the nearest running rail.
Investigators said a "safe work pack" detailing safety arrangements incorrectly contained line blockage arrangements for nearby Mickleham Tunnel rather than where the team was working. They said the error was introduced at the planning stage and went unnoticed, despite checks.
The RAIB highlighted the lack of a specific process for managing the transfer of information between systems and found steps were not routinely carried out or not carried out effectively.
Hall said investigators also identified learning points for workers, adding it showed "how safety is now heavily dependent on every worker having an accurate understanding" of line blockages and safe working.
Chris Cornish, regional health, safety and environment director for Network Rail, said the organisation fully supported the RAIB and recognised the findings. He said: "While no one was injured, this was a serious near miss and we are committed to learning the lessons to reduce the risk of this happening again. We are also continuing our national work to improve track worker safety, including through a programme focused on clearer planning and the use of technology to better protect colleagues working on the railway."
A track worker stood against a tunnel wall as a train passed at more than 30mph in what investigators described as a "near miss".
Two other workers moved into alcoves in the tunnel wall as the train passed them in Bookham Tunnel, near Bookham station in Surrey, in April last year.
The Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) found a line had been blocked to trains, but the workers were in a different location, and neither they nor the signaller realised.
Investigators made three recommendations to Network Rail after finding failings. Network Rail said safety was always its priority and it was reviewing recommendations.
Chief inspector of rail accidents Andrew Hall said: "Bookham Tunnel is one of a number of near misses that serve as a warning." He said theory and "bitter experience" showed "a pattern of near misses will eventually end in tragedy".
The track workers had been walking through Bookham Tunnel at 11:42 BST on 29 April last year, when the passenger train passed at 33mph (53km/h).
A report on Monday said the distance between the tunnel wall and the nearest running rail where the workers were walking was about 1.6m (5.2ft), but the available space between the tunnel wall and the passing train was between 1m and 1.15m.
Rules state that for line speeds below 100mph, a position of safety should be at least 1.25m from the nearest running rail.
Investigators said a "safe work pack" detailing safety arrangements incorrectly contained line blockage arrangements for nearby Mickleham Tunnel rather than where the team was working. They said the error was introduced at the planning stage and went unnoticed, despite checks.
The RAIB highlighted the lack of a specific process for managing the transfer of information between systems and found steps were not routinely carried out or not carried out effectively.
Hall said investigators also identified learning points for workers, adding it showed "how safety is now heavily dependent on every worker having an accurate understanding" of line blockages and safe working.
Chris Cornish, regional health, safety and environment director for Network Rail, said the organisation fully supported the RAIB and recognised the findings. He said: "While no one was injured, this was a serious near miss and we are committed to learning the lessons to reduce the risk of this happening again. We are also continuing our national work to improve track worker safety, including through a programme focused on clearer planning and the use of technology to better protect colleagues working on the railway."
| Re: Richard Burningham MBE - retiring manager of the Devon & Cornwall Partnership In "Who's who on Western railways" [376000/6017/2] Posted by RichardB at 12:19, 15th June 2026 Already liked by rogerw, Chris from Nailsea, Mark A, Western Pathfinder | |
Hello again and many thanks Graham and all of you for your kind words and good wishes,
That model of Penryn that you helped operate, Chris, back in 2009 to publicise what had happened there and the doubling of the Maritime Line train service was just one example of the many things I was able to get up to in my time at the Partnership. Fabulous and I was very lucky.
| Re: Swindon <-> Westbury service updates and amendments, ongoing discussion - 2026 In "TransWilts line - Swindon, Chippenham, Melksham, Trowbridge, Westbury, Salisbury" [375997/31359/18] Posted by grahame at 11:14, 15th June 2026 Already liked by IndustryInsider, Mark A | |
Another decent week last week for Melksham, with one cancellation each way on the Saturday and Sunday giving a 96.6% reliability score from the Monday to Sunday. 100% of weekday services ran.
Indeed - and I have updated our own logging system to reflect / highlight the percentage running more strongly than the percentage cancelled. Page from https://www.wellho.info/sh5.php
Still being aware that customers are being advised that there are cancellations but then trains run. From my inbox from Saturday """ ... arrived back at Chippenham station at about 19:50 having cycled to Calne and back and swung by the Chippenham pride event.. to be told 'no trains'. Checked RTT and open train times and could see the 20.00 to Westbury sitting in P2 at Swindon. Crossed fingers and yes, it ran, quite busy too """ - fortunately a knoweldgable user.
| Re: Update from Bedwyn - May 2026 In "London to Kennet Valley" [375996/32109/8] Posted by grahame at 10:55, 15th June 2026 | |
June update - also shared from RailExpressNews
Recently, GWR went through a spate of missing holds at Newbury. BTPG has a pre-agreed set of
holds that can be implemented within limits if an inbound train to Newbury is delayed, but the
mechanism to do so is archaic and prone to human error. Steve Smith of BTPG has developed
software that uses real time data to identify situations where a hold is required. He now wants to
WhatsApp GWR in real time to request a hold, as this can be an effective way to get one, but the
interface to WhatsApp is proving difficult. So if you do have one from a C#.Net desktop
application, he would love to hear from you!
holds that can be implemented within limits if an inbound train to Newbury is delayed, but the
mechanism to do so is archaic and prone to human error. Steve Smith of BTPG has developed
software that uses real time data to identify situations where a hold is required. He now wants to
WhatsApp GWR in real time to request a hold, as this can be an effective way to get one, but the
interface to WhatsApp is proving difficult. So if you do have one from a C#.Net desktop
application, he would love to hear from you!
| Re: Class 175s to Great Western Railway (GWR) In "Across the West" [375995/28982/26] Posted by REVUpminster at 10:51, 15th June 2026 Already liked by GBM | |
| Re: Swindon <-> Westbury service updates and amendments, ongoing discussion - 2026 In "TransWilts line - Swindon, Chippenham, Melksham, Trowbridge, Westbury, Salisbury" [375994/31359/18] Posted by IndustryInsider at 10:38, 15th June 2026 Already liked by JohnM | |
Another decent week last week for Melksham, with one cancellation each way on the Saturday and Sunday giving a 96.6% reliability score from the Monday to Sunday. 100% of weekday services ran.
