Recent Public Posts - [guest]
| Re: Newquay Line - services, incidents and improvements (merged posts) In "Shorter journeys in Plymouth and Cornwall" [378366/19772/25] Posted by REVUpminster at 16:21, 17th August 2026 |      |
GWR have already used 142003 for a jolly to Portishead in May. A project that GWR isn't paying for. Maybe they could use it at Newquay.
Seriously the 769/9s are still out there and might have been already in service if Alliance Rail had been given permission.
| Re: Newquay Line - services, incidents and improvements (merged posts) In "Shorter journeys in Plymouth and Cornwall" [378365/19772/25] Posted by IndustryInsider at 16:19, 17th August 2026 | |
Yes. But.
Oozzz gonna pay for them?
Oozzz gonna pay for them?
The taxpayer. But at least it might reduce those pesky 'Delay Repay' payouts the taxpayer forks out for.
| Re: Newquay Line - services, incidents and improvements (merged posts) In "Shorter journeys in Plymouth and Cornwall" [378364/19772/25] Posted by GBM at 16:17, 17th August 2026 | |
Are there any way-out ideas that could help GWR - "More trains than normal requiring repair at the same time" is becoming a sick joke. "Normal" IS that lots of trains require repair; perhaps "More trains than we expected requiring repair at the same time" would be more accurate and one wonders if there's the odd TC set, Hastings Diesel or Inter7City units available for hire for a few ... weeks? Months?
Oozzz gonna pay for them?
| Re: Newquay Line - services, incidents and improvements (merged posts) In "Shorter journeys in Plymouth and Cornwall" [378362/19772/25] Posted by grahame at 15:16, 17th August 2026 | |
A general shortage of trains in Cornwall ...
Richard Trevithick would have sorted that one out.
Jesting apart (and, yes, I laughed) I'm noting that Hastings Diesels have 2 out of 2 units in operation at present, including one on the Sheffield Park to East Grinstead line which is standing in for the local operator of that line who's unable to run his normal motive power at the moment. And I also noted a couple of years ago that a heritage train was used on the Oxenholme branch.
Are there any way-out ideas that could help GWR - "More trains than normal requiring repair at the same time" is becoming a sick joke. "Normal" IS that lots of trains require repair; perhaps "More trains than we expected requiring repair at the same time" would be more accurate and one wonders if there's the odd TC set, Hastings Diesel or Inter7City units available for hire for a few ... weeks? Months?
| Re: Imber Bus Day - merged topics, ongoing events and discussion here In "Buses and other ways to travel" [378361/17260/5] Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 14:34, 17th August 2026 Already liked by grahame, GBM | |
Those are the ones which haven't been 'converted' by being driven under a railway bridge.
| Re: Weather updates from across the UK and implications for infrastructure - 2026 In "The Wider Picture in the United Kingdom" [378360/31355/51] Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 14:30, 17th August 2026 | |
From BBC weather:
Rain on way for UK with temperatures to drop to overnight lows of 3C in some places
That's quite a drop in temperature: my digital clock shows that my study is now at 26.7c, with all the windows open.
CfN.
| Re: Imber Bus Day - merged topics, ongoing events and discussion here In "Buses and other ways to travel" [378359/17260/5] Posted by JayMac at 14:26, 17th August 2026 | |
That is a famous viewpoint of the annual event, but the first time I have seen an open top bus.
Open toppers in 2024.
| Re: Virgin Cross Channel? In "The Wider Picture in the United Kingdom" [378358/32375/51] Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 14:09, 17th August 2026 Already liked by GBM | |
No problem, GBM: here is probably the best Coffee Shop forum board to post about journeys starting (or proposed to start) in the UK.
CfN.
| MOVED: Virgin Cross Channel? In "Campaigns for new and improved services" [378357/32376/28] Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 14:01, 17th August 2026 | |
This topic has been moved to The Wider Picture in the United Kingdom.
https://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=32375.0
No problem: that's probably the best board on which to post anything about journeys starting in the UK.
CfN.
| Re: Cancellations today - what proportion of services? In "Across the West" [378356/32371/26] Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 13:57, 17th August 2026 Already liked by IndustryInsider | |
Don't panic, Captain Wainwaring! GBR will sort out all such issues.
| Re: Newquay Line - services, incidents and improvements (merged posts) In "Shorter journeys in Plymouth and Cornwall" [378355/19772/25] Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 13:52, 17th August 2026 Already liked by GBM, IndustryInsider, Mark A | |
A general shortage of trains in Cornwall ...
Richard Trevithick would have sorted that one out.
| Re: Imber Bus Day - merged topics, ongoing events and discussion here In "Buses and other ways to travel" [378354/17260/5] Posted by JohnM at 13:13, 17th August 2026 | |
That buses picture is also in the Daily Mail's write-up of the event - they've got a nice set of 8. But that's one of their subscribers-only stories, and they don't do gifting (I only read it for entertainment, not news, honest
).| Re: Imber Bus Day - merged topics, ongoing events and discussion here In "Buses and other ways to travel" [378353/17260/5] Posted by JohnM at 13:07, 17th August 2026 | |
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/gift/6f3aedcfccbf548c
Thank you - may be today's Telegraph but the article is dated 20th August 2025? Having read it, much of the story (and the other stuff around that's churning out) is the same as it was last year. The article reports 28 old Routemaster buses out of 40 buses in total on the service and I'll be interested to learn the 2026 equivalent stats.
| Virgin Cross Channel? In "The Wider Picture in the United Kingdom" [378352/32375/51] Posted by GBM at 13:04, 17th August 2026 | |
From the BBC
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cjrvx4yye81o
Virgin's plans to run rail services between London and Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam have moved closer after it was granted track access by the UK regulator.
The company has been given approval to run up to 20 daily return services through the Channel Tunnel by the Office of Rail and Road (ORR), with the agreement running from 1 October 2030 to 31 December 2040.
..................snip...............
Apologies to mods.
Please move to a more appropriate thread somewhere please!
| Re: Derailment, Lewes, 13 Aug 2026 In "The Wider Picture in the United Kingdom" [378351/32362/51] Posted by Mark A at 12:03, 17th August 2026 | |
Good sentiment and phrasing of the final sentence of their message. 'We know many people rely on this railway every day...'
Mark
| Re: Imber Bus Day - merged topics, ongoing events and discussion here In "Buses and other ways to travel" [378350/17260/5] Posted by grahame at 11:46, 17th August 2026 Already liked by Mark A | |
Today's Telegraph.
Today's Telegraph.
I've 'gifted' the article - only valid for 30 days I think:https://www.telegraph.co.uk/gift/6f3aedcfccbf548c
Thank you - may be today's Telegraph but the article is dated 20th August 2025? Having read it, much of the story (and the other stuff around that's churning out) is the same as it was last year. The article reports 28 old Routemaster buses out of 40 buses in total on the service and I'll be interested to learn the 2026 equivalent stats.
| Re: Cancellations today - what proportion of services? In "Across the West" [378349/32371/26] Posted by TaplowGreen at 11:44, 17th August 2026 | |
Somewhat ironically, whilst yesterday's decimation of Cornish branches was down to a shortage of crew, the halving of today's Par-Newquay service is down to a "general shortage of trains in Cornwall".......perhaps at some point someone within GWR will arrange the correct numbers of both?
| Re: Newquay Line - services, incidents and improvements (merged posts) In "Shorter journeys in Plymouth and Cornwall" [378348/19772/25] Posted by TaplowGreen at 11:39, 17th August 2026 | |
Cancellations to services between Par and Newquay
Due to a fault on this train between Par and Newquay fewer train
s are able to run on the line.
Train services running to and from these stations may be cancelled. Disruption is expected until the end of the day.
Customer Advice
A general shortage of trains in Cornwall has resulted in a reduced service on the Par to Newquay line today.
As a result the service is running roughly every two hours, as opposed to the planned hourly operation.
On the hours where there is no train service, a limited taxi service is running, which GWR customers can use at no extra cost. These will depart Par at the time the train would have done.
We apologise for the inconvenience today.
| Re: Imber Bus Day - merged topics, ongoing events and discussion here In "Buses and other ways to travel" [378347/17260/5] Posted by JohnM at 09:51, 17th August 2026 | |
Today's Telegraph.
I've 'gifted' the article - only valid for 30 days I think:https://www.telegraph.co.uk/gift/6f3aedcfccbf548c
| Re: Imber Bus Day - merged topics, ongoing events and discussion here In "Buses and other ways to travel" [378346/17260/5] Posted by bobm at 09:50, 17th August 2026 | |
That is a famous viewpoint of the annual event, but the first time I have seen an open top bus.
| Re: Imber Bus Day - merged topics, ongoing events and discussion here In "Buses and other ways to travel" [378345/17260/5] Posted by Clan Line at 09:22, 17th August 2026 | |
Today's Telegraph.
| Re: Newquay Line - services, incidents and improvements (merged posts) In "Shorter journeys in Plymouth and Cornwall" [378344/19772/25] Posted by REVUpminster at 09:11, 17th August 2026 | |
175003 is doing 2C05 and 006 the training run and that seems to be it.
2 Paignton trains and 1 Barnstaple (busy train) short-formed and 3 150s released doing 175 diagrams.
| Re: Newquay Line - services, incidents and improvements (merged posts) In "Shorter journeys in Plymouth and Cornwall" [378343/19772/25] Posted by TaplowGreen at 07:37, 17th August 2026 Already liked by GBM | |
It's a pity a few more of his trains aren't on the line.
| Re: Newquay Line - services, incidents and improvements (merged posts) In "Shorter journeys in Plymouth and Cornwall" [378342/19772/25] Posted by REVUpminster at 07:26, 17th August 2026 | |
One of the problems you have as a train operator is that when you raise the level of s service and then something goes wrong, you have further to fall.
How many class 175 units running in passenger service at the moment? A data feed / report from Cornwall the other day says "175003 was the only member of the class in service on Sat 15th." and that's out of - what - over 20 units?
175003 was the only one out at the weekend doing Newquay but seemed to fail yesterday with a train crew issue. Air conditioning? something else?07:07 Par to Newquay due 07:58
08:22 Newquay to Par due 09:10
09:16 Par to Newquay due 09:59
10:28 Newquay to Par due 11:11
11:21 Par to Newquay due 12:09
12:17 Newquay to Par due 13:00
13:16 Par to Newquay due 14:03
14:27 Newquay to Par due 15:11
15:15 Par to Newquay due 16:13
16:18 Newquay to Par due 17:01
17:17 Par to Newquay due 18:05
18:22 Newquay to Par due 19:10
19:16 Par to Newquay due 19:59
20:28 Newquay to Par due 21:17
20:28 Newquay to Par due 21:17 will be cancelled.
This is due to more trains than usual needing repairs at the same time.
08:22 Newquay to Par due 09:10
09:16 Par to Newquay due 09:59
10:28 Newquay to Par due 11:11
11:21 Par to Newquay due 12:09
12:17 Newquay to Par due 13:00
13:16 Par to Newquay due 14:03
14:27 Newquay to Par due 15:11
15:15 Par to Newquay due 16:13
16:18 Newquay to Par due 17:01
17:17 Par to Newquay due 18:05
18:22 Newquay to Par due 19:10
19:16 Par to Newquay due 19:59
20:28 Newquay to Par due 21:17
20:28 Newquay to Par due 21:17 will be cancelled.
This is due to more trains than usual needing repairs at the same time.
How many class 175 units running in passenger service at the moment? A data feed / report from Cornwall the other day says "175003 was the only member of the class in service on Sat 15th." and that's out of - what - over 20 units?
003 has been one of the more successful units.
GWR has 16 units, some for nearly two years and I don't know to what degree the 16 trains have been cannibalised to get the four or five trains currently running.
Something must come out of Wolverton this week; it would be the fourth attempt since 23 June! Mark Hopgood said in the Radio Cornwall interview, the next trains from Wolverton will be ready to roll. There are nine at Wolverton. If they are ready to roll it would make a big dent in availability. His credibility is on the line.
| Re: Swindon <-> Westbury service updates and amendments, ongoing discussion - 2026 In "TransWilts line - Swindon, Chippenham, Melksham, Trowbridge, Westbury, Salisbury" [378341/31359/18] Posted by JohnM at 06:59, 17th August 2026 Already liked by grahame | |
05:11 Gloucester to Southampton Central due 08:10 is being delayed at Swindon.
This is due to the train guard being taken ill.
Wishing the staff member a quick recovery.This is due to the train guard being taken ill.
| Re: Derailment, Lewes, 13 Aug 2026 In "The Wider Picture in the United Kingdom" [378340/32362/51] Posted by grahame at 06:46, 17th August 2026 | |
Yesterday evening, Southern Railway posted
Update from Lewes - Sunday 16th August
Work is underway on the complex operation to recover the derailed train near Lewes and repair the railway safely.
We're fully focused on supporting customers while this work takes place: we're providing alternative travel options, keeping customers updated, and working closely with Network Rail to reopen the route as soon as it is safe to do so. We currently expect this to be at least 26th August.
If you're travelling between London or Gatwick Airport and Lewes or Eastbourne, you should take the first train to Brighton and change there for a connecting service, as direct trains won't operate. You should allow extra time for your journey, and your tickets will also be accepted on Thameslink and Gatwick Express trains. You can also use them on London Underground if you need to use Blackfriars or London Bridge instead of Victoria.
If you're travelling to or from Plumpton or Cooksbridge, you'll need to use a replacement bus to or from Haywards Heath or Lewes. You should allow extra time for your journey.
We know many people rely on this railway every day and we're grateful to them and the local community in Lewes for their continued patience and understanding.
Work is underway on the complex operation to recover the derailed train near Lewes and repair the railway safely.
We're fully focused on supporting customers while this work takes place: we're providing alternative travel options, keeping customers updated, and working closely with Network Rail to reopen the route as soon as it is safe to do so. We currently expect this to be at least 26th August.
If you're travelling between London or Gatwick Airport and Lewes or Eastbourne, you should take the first train to Brighton and change there for a connecting service, as direct trains won't operate. You should allow extra time for your journey, and your tickets will also be accepted on Thameslink and Gatwick Express trains. You can also use them on London Underground if you need to use Blackfriars or London Bridge instead of Victoria.
If you're travelling to or from Plumpton or Cooksbridge, you'll need to use a replacement bus to or from Haywards Heath or Lewes. You should allow extra time for your journey.
We know many people rely on this railway every day and we're grateful to them and the local community in Lewes for their continued patience and understanding.
Interesting in that this differs from the National Rail advice shared an hour ago that suggested that Lewes passengers to/from Haywards Heath and north thereof use the bus. Also interesting that their accompanying graphic shows Brighton very clearly as lines arriving in three directions sharing a station but not linked by any of the lines sharing operationally.
| Air conditioning at stations - what for the future? In "Looking forward - the next 2, 5, 10 and 20 years" [378339/32374/40] Posted by grahame at 06:32, 17th August 2026 | |
"On this day" 17.8.1988 has flagged up the Long Island Railroad promising air conditioning at Penn Central Station. That was approaching 40 years ago, but with climate change and warming, and people being fussier too (? - discuss) the subject of aircon and other protection of passnegers from extreme elements comes to the fore. Buses, trains (and taxis, ferries and aircraft) are natually sealed for the duration of the journey in most cases. For access points - stations, bus stops, hubs there is the interesting challenge of making them pourous to passengers but impervious to weather.
Penn Central's platforms remained a horrid underground cavern when I was last there (2019?) but the upper levels and waiting areas are - as far as I can recall from that last visit - more modern now, and climate controlled.
| Re: Swindon <-> Westbury service updates and amendments, ongoing discussion - 2026 In "TransWilts line - Swindon, Chippenham, Melksham, Trowbridge, Westbury, Salisbury" [378338/31359/18] Posted by grahame at 06:29, 17th August 2026 | |
05:11 Gloucester to Southampton Central due 08:10
05:11 Gloucester to Southampton Central due 08:10 is being delayed at Swindon.
This is due to the train guard being taken ill.
05:11 Gloucester to Southampton Central due 08:10 is being delayed at Swindon.
This is due to the train guard being taken ill.
Wishing the staff member a quick recovery. I think that Gloucester crews no longer sign the line onwards from Swindon to Westbury - does this reduce the robustness and flexibility in the event of a staffing issue - as people specialise in particular lines is a point of failure being introduced?
Time was (for a year or two after the IET timetable came in) that the 05:11 from Gloucester was a through train to London, and the 06:0? onward from Swindon was fed by an 05:13 or so from Westbury to Swindon. With strong passenger growth now that we are recovered from the pandemic, with so many people living away from London and working there perhaps a handful of days each week, with so much extra housing coming to Chippenham, Melksham and Trowbridge ... and the area served by the South Cotswold line - is it now time to robust-up and go back to what was deemed appropriate before, all the more appropriate with changed work patterns?
| Re: Newquay Line - services, incidents and improvements (merged posts) In "Shorter journeys in Plymouth and Cornwall" [378337/19772/25] Posted by grahame at 06:13, 17th August 2026 | |
One of the problems you have as a train operator is that when you raise the level of s service and then something goes wrong, you have further to fall.
07:07 Par to Newquay due 07:58
08:22 Newquay to Par due 09:10
09:16 Par to Newquay due 09:59
10:28 Newquay to Par due 11:11
11:21 Par to Newquay due 12:09
12:17 Newquay to Par due 13:00
13:16 Par to Newquay due 14:03
14:27 Newquay to Par due 15:11
15:15 Par to Newquay due 16:13
16:18 Newquay to Par due 17:01
17:17 Par to Newquay due 18:05
18:22 Newquay to Par due 19:10
19:16 Par to Newquay due 19:59
20:28 Newquay to Par due 21:17
20:28 Newquay to Par due 21:17 will be cancelled.
This is due to more trains than usual needing repairs at the same time.
08:22 Newquay to Par due 09:10
09:16 Par to Newquay due 09:59
10:28 Newquay to Par due 11:11
11:21 Par to Newquay due 12:09
12:17 Newquay to Par due 13:00
13:16 Par to Newquay due 14:03
14:27 Newquay to Par due 15:11
15:15 Par to Newquay due 16:13
16:18 Newquay to Par due 17:01
17:17 Par to Newquay due 18:05
18:22 Newquay to Par due 19:10
19:16 Par to Newquay due 19:59
20:28 Newquay to Par due 21:17
20:28 Newquay to Par due 21:17 will be cancelled.
This is due to more trains than usual needing repairs at the same time.
How many class 175 units running in passenger service at the moment? A data feed / report from Cornwall the other day says "175003 was the only member of the class in service on Sat 15th." and that's out of - what - over 20 units?
