Recent Public Posts - [guest]
| Joint Melksham Neighbourhood Plan 2 - through to 2038 In "Introductions and chat" [363762/30522/1] Posted by grahame at 06:44, 1st August 2025 |      |
I'm sure that one of my fellow admins / moderators will help me by merging this onto the right topic, but I'm not easily finding it this morning.
Result announced - referendum on the Joint Melksham Neighbourhood Plan 2 passed - detail at https://grahamellis.uk/blog1674.html
Great news locally - amongst many other factors it includes local community support, now with some legal weight, to the railway station in Melksham being / becoming a hub for public transport with better access between the town's various residential and business areas and the train service.
All the jigsaw pieces need to be joined up, and whilst I celebrate this result - which was overwhelming in my view.
Bur we also need to get our train service reliable and to increase the train service to at least one an hour each way as has been done with such success at Okehampton and Barnstaple, and will soon be done at Newquay and Portishead. Bus services to and from the station are needed to connect with trains, and bus service also needs to be considered for all the developing housing on plan to the east of the town, where the develops themselves admit to the housing being within cycling distance of the centre rather than even claiming walking distance.
| Re: More than 12,000 back Cornwall as fifth nation In "The West - but NOT trains in the West" [363761/30521/31] Posted by grahame at 06:28, 1st August 2025 | |
I didn't know about the vote!
It would have been a yes from me.
I'd be sure many others didn't know about the vote either, so perhaps a slightly bigger percentage increase in the vote.
It would have been a yes from me.
I'd be sure many others didn't know about the vote either, so perhaps a slightly bigger percentage increase in the vote.
I don't think it was a vote, but rather a petition that's been going around. The relatively small proportion of signatures to population is a reminder of the danger of petitions that are not fully advertised / don't go viral - that danger being that they illustrate to people who choose to use them for that purpose that the support for the idea is limited.
| Re: More than 12,000 back Cornwall as fifth nation In "The West - but NOT trains in the West" [363760/30521/31] Posted by GBM at 05:35, 1st August 2025 | |
I didn't know about the vote!
It would have been a yes from me.
I'd be sure many others didn't know about the vote either, so perhaps a slightly bigger percentage increase in the vote.
| Re: Bus in flames in central London - Great Portland Street, 31 July 2025 In "Buses and other ways to travel" [363759/30518/5] Posted by GBM at 05:33, 1st August 2025 | |
petroleum & oil leaks....
Bus drivers don't look under the bonnet/boot lid.Not permitted to do so.
Yes, we check for detritus on the ground, and if seen, find the duty engineer/supervisor and report it.
We had a few busses which might (or usually might not) start from the cab. Daytime was an engineer callout.
They finished early evening, we then started the engine from the boot, and just logged it on the sheet.
Nothing was ever repaired/replaced.
| Re: Lelant Saltings, twinned with Pilning? In "Shorter journeys in Plymouth and Cornwall" [363758/30509/25] Posted by Mark A at 23:16, 31st July 2025 | |
Agree, twins more in the intention of the service pattern than anything else.
Thinking of Lelant, yes, there's a train service there but odd, given that the branch itself operates into the late evening, that the decision's been made to curtail calls there after five-ish.
(The last time I caught a train from there the staff really weren't expecting anyone to be on the platform let alone have a hand out: this led to the opportunity to explore a long out-of-use section of the station's platform. I'd earlier been looking for the rumoured section of shore that's bolstered by the plating from a WW1 navy ship. That, I did not find...)
Mark
Thinking of Lelant, yes, there's a train service there but odd, given that the branch itself operates into the late evening, that the decision's been made to curtail calls there after five-ish.
(The last time I caught a train from there the staff really weren't expecting anyone to be on the platform let alone have a hand out: this led to the opportunity to explore a long out-of-use section of the station's platform. I'd earlier been looking for the rumoured section of shore that's bolstered by the plating from a WW1 navy ship. That, I did not find...)
Mark
Lelant still gets served right through to the last train, seven days a week.
Talking about Lelant Saltings, I organised a small celebration of the station's 30th anniversary all the way back in 2008. Here is the press release.
The St Ives Bay Line saw 435,743 journeys in 2008. Last year, it was 841,159.
Ah, so it does - I pulled its timetable from Realtimetrains and either chose the wrong day or got hold of the wrong end of the stick. And yes, the St Ives branch is phenomenal especially considering its resourcing. It's always informative to compare its passenger numbers with Penzance. (Journey lengths from Penzance will be generally rather longer, mind...)
Mark
| Re: Okehampton In "Shorter journeys in Devon - Central, North and South" [363757/18334/24] Posted by grahame at 22:43, 31st July 2025 Already liked by GBM | |
I will admit ... I have not looked at the plan for the Okehampton Interchange in detail, but I was surprised to read in The Sun
The next major stage of work will see the footbridge and lift shaft installed
I hadn't realised that there was a footbridge and lift to be installed here for a single platform on a single track railway - or have I missed something or has the Sun got it a bit confused?
For comparison, here is the station at Wilhelmina North in Sweden, which I believe is an addition in the last year or two. On the train we were on, around 20 people got off there, and the same 20 got back on again after walking up to the restaurant that this station serves and having a gourmet lunch.
| Re: Bus in flames in central London - Great Portland Street, 31 July 2025 In "Buses and other ways to travel" [363756/30518/5] Posted by grahame at 22:10, 31st July 2025 | |
petroleum & oil leaks....
Do buses run on petroleum? Thought most were diesel or, increasingly, electric.
Is diesel not a petroleum product?
However it's defined, I'm pretty sure the bus was running on a fossil fuel based fuel, and this is not the first time one of them has caught fire nor will it be the last.
Any vehicle which carries its own fuel store is going to be a fire risk - the fuel store is pent up energy waiting to get out in a controlled way, and if that control goes wrong you have a problem. Electric, petrol, diesel, gas, biogas, hydrogen, nuclear, duckweed. The method of providing the power is mentioned in the press if it is one of the less common fuels, thus creating an illusion in the public reading the articles that the alternative fuel is inherently more dangerous.
| Re: More than 12,000 back Cornwall as fifth nation In "The West - but NOT trains in the West" [363755/30521/31] Posted by TaplowGreen at 22:07, 31st July 2025 | |
Around 2% of the population of Cornwall then. Not the most overwhelming of mandates.
| Re: 21st Century Folk Celebrates Railway 200 In "Media about railways, and other means of transport" [363754/30520/49] Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 21:54, 31st July 2025 | |
Yes, it is. Thank you for posting that, ChrisB.
| Re: A trip on GWR's Battery Electric Train - 17/12/2024 In "Thames Valley Branches" [363753/29641/13] Posted by TonyK at 21:26, 31st July 2025 | |
The DNO connection at West Ealing is 400 Amps 400 Volts 3 phase supply, there are 2 battery units each has a 3 phase sub main rated at 200 Amps
So 80 kW x2? That seems ample for the job.
| More than 12,000 back Cornwall as fifth nation In "The West - but NOT trains in the West" [363752/30521/31] Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 21:24, 31st July 2025 | |
From the BBC:
A petition calling for Cornwall to be recognised as the UK's fifth nation now has more than 12,000 signatures.
The petition, started following a vote in favour by Cornwall Council on 23 July, urges the government to grant the duchy, which has a population of about 580,000 people "equal status to Wales and Scotland".
Topping 10,000 signatures means it will get a response from the government and, if it reaches 100,000 signatures by 11 September, the issue could be debated in Parliament.
Council leader, Liberal Democrat Leigh Frost, said the move reflected a desire for "fairer funding, better representation and the ability to shape our own future".
MP Ben McGuire, Lib Dem MP for North Cornwall, said he was "really pleased to see such widespread support" for nation status. "I don't see why not. I'm extremely ambitious for Cornwall, and I think if we have nation status, it could be a real game-changer for our duchy," he told BBC Radio Cornwall. "It could give Cornwall real clout in discussions with this government and any future government."
Councillor Rowland O'Connor, deputy leader of the Reform group, the largest single party group on Cornwall Council, stressed that while Reform respected Cornish identity, it did not support the push for devolution. "We are all Cornish and proud of it, but we do not agree with the direction of travel towards a devolution agreement," he said. "There is a symbiotic relationship between Cornwall and the rest of the UK. Taking it to full devolution is a step too far, especially without overwhelming public consent."
Anna Gelderd, Labour MP for South East Cornwall, also expressed caution, emphasising the importance of listening to constituents. "Devolution is not something that comes through my inbox all that often," she said. "I'm hugely supportive of Cornish minority status, but what I want is for the people of South East Cornwall to be better provided for, with easier access to public services and a strong economy. That often means working with our neighbours across the UK. The identity and culture of being Cornish is part of who we are, that exists irrespective of the political situation."
| 21st Century Folk Celebrates Railway 200 In "Media about railways, and other means of transport" [363751/30520/49] Posted by ChrisB at 21:09, 31st July 2025 Already liked by Chris from Nailsea | |
From The BBC
Five people inspire five brand new songs in Radio 2’s 21st Century Folk.
To coincide with 'Railway 200' - the 200th anniversary of passenger train travel - all the people and songs are connected to the railways.
In this show, Mark Radcliffe reveals the stories behind the songs, which have been written by Findlay Napier, Chris While & Julie Matthews, Bill Ryder-Jones, Kate Rusby and Richard Thompson.
They’ve been inspired by Joanne, Tom, Ken, Charlotte & David and Siggy.
Joanne volunteers as a steam locomotive fireman on the Llangollen Railway in Wales. She survived a rare form of cancer in 2019 and is an activist for diversity and inclusion within heritage rail. Scottish musician Findlay Napier, who lives on the Isle of Arran, has written Joanne’s song. Findlay performs as a solo artist and as part of folk-rock supergroup, The Magpie Arc.
Tom is a railway station foundling. In 1965 he was found as a two-week old baby in the ladies’ waiting room at Reading railway station. He was left well-dressed and tucked under a bench with a spare nappy and bottle. Tom only discovered the full story later in life. Singer-songwriters Chris While and Julie Matthews, from South Yorkshire, are Britain’s longest-enduring female duo. They have played more than 2,500 gigs and appeared on more than 100 albums.
Ken has worked on the railways for 50 years and has a train named in his honour. He knew from four years old that he wanted to follow in his dad and grandad’s footsteps, and his family have worked on the railways for a combined 157 years! Ken works for Alstom at their Widnes facility, though he originally comes from Liverpool. His songwriter is Bill Ryder-Jones, co-founder and former lead guitarist with Merseyside band The Coral. Bill has released several solo records and collaborated with artists including Arctic Monkeys, Graham Coxon and Paloma Faith.
Charlotte and David live near Bradford. Charlotte was beside a train track, intending to take her own life, when train driver David got out of his cab and spoke to her until she felt able to board the train safely. She later contacted him to say thank you, they began dating, and are now married with children. Their singer-songwriter is Yorkshire’s own Kate Rusby, one of the most successful folk singers of her generation. Kate performs the song alongside her husband, Northern Irish musician Damien O’Kane.
Siggy came to the UK from Barbados in 1962 and became a railway worker on the day he arrived. He still works at Elstree & Borehamwood station and, in his free time, enjoys his other passion: cricket. He has bowled for the same cricket club in Enfield since the 1960s and has also played for England’s over-70s. Siggy’s singer-songwriter is folk-rock legend Richard Thompson, a fellow Londoner and cricket fan.
21st Century Folk is partly inspired by the BBC Radio Ballads, in which new folk songs were based on the spoken testimonies of real working people. The pioneering format was created by Charles Parker, Ewan MacColl and Peggy Seeger and debuted on the BBC in 1958. The first ever episode was about a heroic train driver called John Axon.
From Monday 28th July, videos of all the songs in 21st Century Folk can be found at bbc.co.uk/folk
To coincide with 'Railway 200' - the 200th anniversary of passenger train travel - all the people and songs are connected to the railways.
In this show, Mark Radcliffe reveals the stories behind the songs, which have been written by Findlay Napier, Chris While & Julie Matthews, Bill Ryder-Jones, Kate Rusby and Richard Thompson.
They’ve been inspired by Joanne, Tom, Ken, Charlotte & David and Siggy.
Joanne volunteers as a steam locomotive fireman on the Llangollen Railway in Wales. She survived a rare form of cancer in 2019 and is an activist for diversity and inclusion within heritage rail. Scottish musician Findlay Napier, who lives on the Isle of Arran, has written Joanne’s song. Findlay performs as a solo artist and as part of folk-rock supergroup, The Magpie Arc.
Tom is a railway station foundling. In 1965 he was found as a two-week old baby in the ladies’ waiting room at Reading railway station. He was left well-dressed and tucked under a bench with a spare nappy and bottle. Tom only discovered the full story later in life. Singer-songwriters Chris While and Julie Matthews, from South Yorkshire, are Britain’s longest-enduring female duo. They have played more than 2,500 gigs and appeared on more than 100 albums.
Ken has worked on the railways for 50 years and has a train named in his honour. He knew from four years old that he wanted to follow in his dad and grandad’s footsteps, and his family have worked on the railways for a combined 157 years! Ken works for Alstom at their Widnes facility, though he originally comes from Liverpool. His songwriter is Bill Ryder-Jones, co-founder and former lead guitarist with Merseyside band The Coral. Bill has released several solo records and collaborated with artists including Arctic Monkeys, Graham Coxon and Paloma Faith.
Charlotte and David live near Bradford. Charlotte was beside a train track, intending to take her own life, when train driver David got out of his cab and spoke to her until she felt able to board the train safely. She later contacted him to say thank you, they began dating, and are now married with children. Their singer-songwriter is Yorkshire’s own Kate Rusby, one of the most successful folk singers of her generation. Kate performs the song alongside her husband, Northern Irish musician Damien O’Kane.
Siggy came to the UK from Barbados in 1962 and became a railway worker on the day he arrived. He still works at Elstree & Borehamwood station and, in his free time, enjoys his other passion: cricket. He has bowled for the same cricket club in Enfield since the 1960s and has also played for England’s over-70s. Siggy’s singer-songwriter is folk-rock legend Richard Thompson, a fellow Londoner and cricket fan.
21st Century Folk is partly inspired by the BBC Radio Ballads, in which new folk songs were based on the spoken testimonies of real working people. The pioneering format was created by Charles Parker, Ewan MacColl and Peggy Seeger and debuted on the BBC in 1958. The first ever episode was about a heroic train driver called John Axon.
From Monday 28th July, videos of all the songs in 21st Century Folk can be found at bbc.co.uk/folk
The videos are here
I'm right in thinking that's Joanne Crompton as was, yes?
| Re: Reopening former rail line between Hythe and Totton - ongoing discussion, merged topic In "Campaigns for new and improved services" [363750/10308/28] Posted by johnneyw at 20:48, 31st July 2025 Already liked by eightonedee | |
Online local news has run an article about the latest regarding reopening the line after the recent setback from the government. The original proposals have been replaced with private investment by Grand Union Trains. Article link below:
https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/25351527.update-proposal-reopen-totton-marchwood-railway-line/
| Re: Bus in flames in central London - Great Portland Street, 31 July 2025 In "Buses and other ways to travel" [363749/30518/5] Posted by ChrisB at 20:07, 31st July 2025 | |
Is diesel not a petroleum product?
| Re: Bus in flames in central London - Great Portland Street, 31 July 2025 In "Buses and other ways to travel" [363748/30518/5] Posted by bobm at 20:02, 31st July 2025 | |
petroleum & oil leaks....
Do buses run on petroleum? Thought most were diesel or, increasingly, electric.
| Re: Bus in flames in central London - Great Portland Street, 31 July 2025 In "Buses and other ways to travel" [363747/30518/5] Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 19:47, 31st July 2025 | |
Daily 'start of shift' checks should identify any of those.
I know: I used to have to do them, every day for eleven years, until I retired.
| Re: Bus in flames in central London - Great Portland Street, 31 July 2025 In "Buses and other ways to travel" [363746/30518/5] Posted by ChrisB at 19:39, 31st July 2025 | |
petroleum & oil leaks....
| Re: Teen (female, 18) suffers 'life-changing' injuries at steam fair - Netley Marsh, 26 July 2025 In "The West - but NOT trains in the West" [363745/30497/31] Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 19:35, 31st July 2025 | |
Thank you for that detailed technical background information, Electric train.
In a previous job, I used to work with, and have to interpret, legislation. Compliance requirements were always somewhat onerous.
CfN.
| Pups on paddleboards for annual surf competition - Poole, Dorset, 27 July 2025 In "The Lighter Side" [363744/30519/30] Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 19:20, 31st July 2025 | |
From the BBC:
It has been compared to the Board Master surfing festival - but for dogs.
Margo the whippet has become the UK's dog surfing champion after taking home the title UK Dog Surfing Champion of the Year. She and her owner, Carl Barnes, competed in the annual event at Branksome Dene Chine Beach in Poole, Dorset, on Sunday.
The duo made it through to the final and dashed ahead on their paddleboard to come first in the "Dog Masters".
The event has been run by Shaka Surf for the past five years and attracted more than 30 dogs with their humans.
As well as the main race, Shaka Surf also hosted a number of Guiness World Record attempts. The venue took home record titles for the most dogs surfing one wave on a board, the fastest dog and human paddleboard 50m (164ft) sprint at 32 seconds and the fastest 50m paddleboard sprint.
Mr Barnes had been volunteering at the event and said he originally entered the race "for fun" because Margo loves to be out on the water with him. "I've developed a relationship with Margo, where trust is involved and a lot of love," he explained. "If I go out on one of our paddleboards without Margo, she will cry and cry and cry at the gate, until I return and then she'll jump on and we can go off in peace."
Since their victory, the duo says it has been "surreal" seeing their faces on social media - but now Mr Barnes said he is setting his sights on next year's competition. He added: "I entered for fun, but there is a little bit of a competitiveness in me and when I realised I was in with a chance, I dug deep and bought the win home for all of us, loved it and next year we'll be training harder to defend our title."
Any chance of our Coffee Shop forum mascot dog Finn tempting member JayMac into the sea water next year?
| Bus in flames in central London - Great Portland Street, 31 July 2025 In "Buses and other ways to travel" [363743/30518/5] Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 18:27, 31st July 2025 | |
From the BBC:
Footage captured by the BBC London team shows a double decker bus on fire outside the Portland Hospital on Great Portland Street.
The number 88 bus was safely evacuated and there were no reported injuries. The cause of the fire is unknown.
London Fire Brigade brought the blaze, near Great Portland Street Tube station, under control by 07:00.
I have posed the question before, but how is it that buses are apparently so ... erm ... combustible?
| Re: All outbound UK flights hit by air traffic control 'technical issue' 30 Jul 2025 In "The Wider Picture in the United Kingdom" [363742/30514/51] Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 18:03, 31st July 2025 | |
An update, from the BBC:
Why did the air traffic control outage cause so much havoc?
An outage in the UK's air traffic control system caused chaos at airports in the UK and beyond on Wednesday.
The fault lasted a mere 20 minutes, but was enough to ground planes across the country, causing 150 flight cancellations and delays that have continued into Thursday.
So, what went wrong with this vital piece of air traffic technology?
NATS, which is partly owned by the government, manages all of the UK's airspace for flights arriving and departing the country's airports. It has said Wednesday's problem was caused by a "radar-related issue" - understood to be problems with the radar display system in its national air traffic control centre in Swanwick.
NATS said the issue was "resolved by quickly switching to the back-up system". However, it said the problem was different to issues that the centre faced in August 2023. Back then, more than 700,000 passengers were affected when some 500 flights were cancelled due to a major outage.
NATS said it reduced traffic during Wednesday's outage for safety reasons and added there was "no evidence" that it was caused by any cyber attack.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said NATS told her it was "an isolated event and there is no evidence of malign activity".
NATS is working on an internal investigation into what happened, but there will be no formal report to the Department for Transport.
To understand how such a brief radar failure could cause such much havoc, Graham Lake, a former director general of the Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation (CANSO), said people should imagine the NATS air traffic network as "national infrastructure".
"Think of the network as motorways in the sky," he told the BBC. "When you lose something like surveillance radar coverage for whatever reason, the capability of your network degrades to a country lane. That's why the systems slow down when there's a technical failure."
(BBC news article continues)
An outage in the UK's air traffic control system caused chaos at airports in the UK and beyond on Wednesday.
The fault lasted a mere 20 minutes, but was enough to ground planes across the country, causing 150 flight cancellations and delays that have continued into Thursday.
So, what went wrong with this vital piece of air traffic technology?
NATS, which is partly owned by the government, manages all of the UK's airspace for flights arriving and departing the country's airports. It has said Wednesday's problem was caused by a "radar-related issue" - understood to be problems with the radar display system in its national air traffic control centre in Swanwick.
NATS said the issue was "resolved by quickly switching to the back-up system". However, it said the problem was different to issues that the centre faced in August 2023. Back then, more than 700,000 passengers were affected when some 500 flights were cancelled due to a major outage.
NATS said it reduced traffic during Wednesday's outage for safety reasons and added there was "no evidence" that it was caused by any cyber attack.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said NATS told her it was "an isolated event and there is no evidence of malign activity".
NATS is working on an internal investigation into what happened, but there will be no formal report to the Department for Transport.
To understand how such a brief radar failure could cause such much havoc, Graham Lake, a former director general of the Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation (CANSO), said people should imagine the NATS air traffic network as "national infrastructure".
"Think of the network as motorways in the sky," he told the BBC. "When you lose something like surveillance radar coverage for whatever reason, the capability of your network degrades to a country lane. That's why the systems slow down when there's a technical failure."
(BBC news article continues)
| Re: North Cotswold line delays and cancellations - 2025 In "London to the Cotswolds" [363741/29711/14] Posted by Worcester_Passenger at 16:40, 31st July 2025 | |
Thursday July 31
Today is going well, except for
13:18 Hereford to London Paddington due 16:24
Toilet facilities are not available.
Last Updated:31/07/2025 12:19
It's a 5-car.Toilet facilities are not available.
Last Updated:31/07/2025 12:19
| Re: Lelant Saltings, twinned with Pilning? In "Shorter journeys in Plymouth and Cornwall" [363740/30509/25] Posted by grahame at 11:43, 31st July 2025 | |
Lelant still gets served right through to the last train, seven days a week.
Talking about Lelant Saltings, I organised a small celebration of the station's 30th anniversary all the way back in 2008. Here is the press release.
The St Ives Bay Line saw 435,743 journeys in 2008. Last year, it was 841,159.
Talking about Lelant Saltings, I organised a small celebration of the station's 30th anniversary all the way back in 2008. Here is the press release.
The St Ives Bay Line saw 435,743 journeys in 2008. Last year, it was 841,159.
The St Ives branch has done amazingly well.
Lelant Saltings is one of those stations which - if so advised by those of you in the know and with local support - really should not be safeguarded - I would not look to protect. I suspect that even with an hourly service, it would hardly be used, the reason for it being there in the first place is no more, it's a short walk to the next station on the same line, and I don't know of any potential other traffic. Should a significant number of new homes be built on the brown field site that once was the park and ride, or there be a prospect of this, then it would have a reason.
Pilning is so different. An hourly service each way would be used - not massively at first but it would be, there is big potential we have explored before. it's a long walk to the next line, etc. In the case of Pilning and a new use, local input needs to be carefully considered alongside the wider needs, and I sense NIMBYism from many who would regret a Pilning station coming into full and proper use.
| Re: Lelant Saltings, twinned with Pilning? In "Shorter journeys in Plymouth and Cornwall" [363739/30509/25] Posted by RichardB at 10:30, 31st July 2025 Already liked by Chris from Nailsea, Mark A | |
Agree, twins more in the intention of the service pattern than anything else.
Thinking of Lelant, yes, there's a train service there but odd, given that the branch itself operates into the late evening, that the decision's been made to curtail calls there after five-ish.
(The last time I caught a train from there the staff really weren't expecting anyone to be on the platform let alone have a hand out: this led to the opportunity to explore a long out-of-use section of the station's platform. I'd earlier been looking for the rumoured section of shore that's bolstered by the plating from a WW1 navy ship. That, I did not find...)
Mark
Thinking of Lelant, yes, there's a train service there but odd, given that the branch itself operates into the late evening, that the decision's been made to curtail calls there after five-ish.
(The last time I caught a train from there the staff really weren't expecting anyone to be on the platform let alone have a hand out: this led to the opportunity to explore a long out-of-use section of the station's platform. I'd earlier been looking for the rumoured section of shore that's bolstered by the plating from a WW1 navy ship. That, I did not find...)
Mark
Lelant still gets served right through to the last train, seven days a week.
Talking about Lelant Saltings, I organised a small celebration of the station's 30th anniversary all the way back in 2008. Here is the press release.
The St Ives Bay Line saw 435,743 journeys in 2008. Last year, it was 841,159.
| Re: North Cotswold line delays and cancellations - 2025 In "London to the Cotswolds" [363738/29711/14] Posted by ChrisB at 10:28, 31st July 2025 | |
Faulty track at Honeybourne I understand from National Rail
| Re: North Cotswold line delays and cancellations - 2025 In "London to the Cotswolds" [363737/29711/14] Posted by Worcester_Passenger at 10:26, 31st July 2025 | |
14:53 London Paddington to Worcester Foregate Street due 17:04 will be delayed at Moreton-In-Marsh.
This is due to a safety inspection on a train.
Last Updated:30/07/2025 14:06
This is due to a safety inspection on a train.
Last Updated:30/07/2025 14:06
1W29 14:53 London Paddington to Foregate St (17:04) was cancelled after Moreton (16:24). The stock ran in service to Evesham (depart 17:30, arrive 17:47).
1W31 15:52 London Paddington to Great Malvern (18:26) was diverted via Swindon and Stroud.
1W33 16:58 London Paddington to Great Malvern (19:25) was delayed Charlbury - Ascott and arrived +24.
1W03 17:34 London Paddington to Hereford (20:25) was delayed before Oxford (+17) and arrived +24.
1W34 17:57 London Paddington to Worcester Foregate Street (20:11) was delayed Charlbury - Ascott and arrived Shrub Hill +15, Foregate St +34.
1P39 17:26 Foregate St to London Paddington (19:52) was started from Evesham (+21) and arrived +26.
1P40 18:02 Worcester Foregate Street to London Paddington (20:29) was cancelled throughout.
1P44 19:45 Great Malvern to London Paddington (22:24) departed +24 and arrived +1.
Big gaps in the afternoon service between Oxzford and Worcester in both directions.
| Re: An example of timetable planing from the north of Norway In "Introductions and chat" [363736/30515/1] Posted by grahame at 09:20, 31st July 2025 Already liked by Witham Bobby, PrestburyRoad, Oxonhutch, rogerw, PhilWakely, GBM, froome, Andy E | |
I am perverse. Or, rather I am on a tour which includes learning about public transport away from home territory - lessons about what can be done and what should not be done in the UK. So when something goes wrong, it may be frustrating but it is also a learning experience.
There are two passenger trains a day on the line down the coast of Norway from Bodoe above the Arctic Circle to Trondheim - the day train at 12:27 and the overnight train at 21:09, taking 10 hours each to complete the journey, though my European Train Timetable shows the overnight train as cancelled until further notice due to a shortage of locomotives. So it was - err - disappointing when the departure board at Bodoe flashed up to tell us that the 12:27 was cancelled an hour before it was due to leave.
There are some local trains from Bodoe to Fauske and Rogan - about an hour out from Bodoe, and a couple of those sat in the platform. Little 2 carriage units designed and great for these shorter runs (80 kms in this case) you'll find in Sweden and Norway. And crowds gathering. The solitary semi-visible official told me that there would be buses to Trondheim - 730 kms away - from the front of the station. I suggest to him that one of the two little local trains could at least help out, but he came back with "don't know - not up to me to sort out" and a few minutes later one of them escaped up the track - took off unannounced and disappeared around the corner. And the crowd grew. Not just people, but serious baggage people had in this far north location for the cold weather.
A new rumour started that the remaining baby local train would take us to Fauske where we would transfer to - it wasn't clear - coaches or the northbound day train which would terminate there. People with bicycles were concerned at how they would get them on the coaches, but were reassured by the official "we will manage it somehow".
More joined the crowd on the platform - The AIDA Bella, which can carry over 2,000 passengers, was visiting the town and one of the tours they were offering was a train trip up to Fauske and then onwards (or perhaps back) by coach.
Oh dear ...
And then as if by a miracle, the little two car train that had slipped out re-appeared, now attached to another similar 2 car train making a 4 car ensemble, and the board showed the 12:27 as re-instated. Even with 4 cars, it looked like it was going to be trying to get a gallon into a pint pot, and after the universally traditional procedure of waiting to open the doors and let people on just a handful of minuted before departure the doors were opened ... or at least one set was, to the tour guide and tour groups who were allowed on first; the rest of us were then admitted, reserved seats totally to pot (wrong type of train, and way too short) but miracle of miracles, we all got seated. And we left on time - really not sure how far the train was going, but feeling re-assured that there were so many of us that we would be helped onwards and a train part of the way then a bus is so much better than a bus for 500 miles. The Proclaimers said they would walk 500 miles ... but better a bus, and even better a train. And, yes Lisa, I would walk the 500 miles. I digress.
A Norwegian, a Dutchman, a French couple, a German couple and myself - 7 of the 8 seats in the bay occupied - and we set off on the journey. The train manager came around working out who she had on board, and the other 6 all said they were headed for Trondheim. I was headed for Mosjoen - about half way as after my early start to get to Bodoe I did not want a late finish as well. I'm in Mosjoen now for a couple of days.
A fascinating study of the mixes of people on the train and in our grouping and how they all come together to make mass and efficient transport possible. And also a note of how the transport system sorts things out. I was on that 4 car local unit all the way to Mosjoen where I said "goodbye" to my french and dutch friends. The Germans had been exceptionally uncommunicative - really outside their comfort zone, I think, and part of the cruise party as the left us at Fauske, and the Norwegian lady kept to herself, again I suspect less that thrilled with all the tourists on the train.
The journey was beautiful - but today this is about the journey and what was done when the things went gloriously wrong. The train has heaters but limited AC (well - it's a long way north) and the train manager brought around water; 10 hours was going to be a very long trip and I'm glad I left just before half way. And it fair bucketed along with the sort of swaying journey you get in so many local trains the continent over.
| Re: An example of timetable planing from the north of Norway In "Introductions and chat" [363735/30515/1] Posted by grahame at 07:01, 31st July 2025 | |
Pictures from yesterday's boat ride ... story of the train being written up ...
| Re: Teen (female, 18) suffers 'life-changing' injuries at steam fair - Netley Marsh, 26 July 2025 In "The West - but NOT trains in the West" [363734/30497/31] Posted by Electric train at 06:22, 31st July 2025 | |
I have very little faith in local authority inspections, as has been suggested this is primarily a paperwork trail. Not a physical inspection for anything bent, broken, dropping off, or unduly worn.
A visit to a fairground will confirm very flexible standards of electrical safety, one might suspect similar standards apply to rides.
And local authorities have some very strange requirements, some of which are CONTRARY to accepted best practice.
Examples that I have met include;
1) Only blue "safety" cable to be used outdoors. Independent experts actually advise AGAINST this, for mains voltage, but no matter, "blue cable only" is a nice simple tick for a local authority safety wallah. Bell wire would probably pass if blue.
2) Self contained emergency lights to be wired in MICC (fire proof) cable. Contrary to accepted best practice.
3) prohibiting use of round pin plugs and sockets.
4) A general fear of three phase electricity supply.
A visit to a fairground will confirm very flexible standards of electrical safety, one might suspect similar standards apply to rides.
And local authorities have some very strange requirements, some of which are CONTRARY to accepted best practice.
Examples that I have met include;
1) Only blue "safety" cable to be used outdoors. Independent experts actually advise AGAINST this, for mains voltage, but no matter, "blue cable only" is a nice simple tick for a local authority safety wallah. Bell wire would probably pass if blue.
2) Self contained emergency lights to be wired in MICC (fire proof) cable. Contrary to accepted best practice.
3) prohibiting use of round pin plugs and sockets.
4) A general fear of three phase electricity supply.
The event operator has to comply with Electricity at Work Regulations 1989; to enable compliance they would work to the IET’s Guide to Temporary Power Systems first published in 2012, this is not just in respect of the British standards BS 7671 and BS 7909, this what the LA inspectorate would be using as a guide
Section 711 of BS7671 - Exhibitions, shows and stands
Section 717 of BS7671 - Mobile or transportable units
(BS7671 known as the Wiring Regs)
There will also be compliance required Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations (LOLER) and numerous other Regulations under the 1974 HSAW Act
| Fourth operator to be renationalised is chosen - West Midlands Trains, Feb 2026 In "The Wider Picture in the United Kingdom" [363733/30517/51] Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 23:10, 30th July 2025 | |
From RailNews:
The fourth former franchise to be renationalised will be West Midlands Trains in February 2026. South Western Railway and c2c have already been transferred from the private sector to the DfT, and Greater Anglia will follow in October.
West Midlands Trains, which is owned by Transport UK Group and Mitsui, has been told by the DfT that its present National Rail Contract will end on 1 February next year.
WMT has been operating under two brands – West Midlands Railway for Birmingham and the surrounding areas, and London Northwestern for longer distance services between Liverpool, Crewe and London Euston, as well as branch lines to Bedford and St Albans Abbey.
WMT managing director Ian McConnell said: ’I am extremely proud of what we have achieved … delivering a £1 billion investment in two new train fleets and delivering significantly improved performance which has transformed rail travel for millions of customers. As we transition to a publicly owned railway, our focus remains on delivering an outstanding service.’
West Midlands Trains, which is owned by Transport UK Group and Mitsui, has been told by the DfT that its present National Rail Contract will end on 1 February next year.
WMT has been operating under two brands – West Midlands Railway for Birmingham and the surrounding areas, and London Northwestern for longer distance services between Liverpool, Crewe and London Euston, as well as branch lines to Bedford and St Albans Abbey.
WMT managing director Ian McConnell said: ’I am extremely proud of what we have achieved … delivering a £1 billion investment in two new train fleets and delivering significantly improved performance which has transformed rail travel for millions of customers. As we transition to a publicly owned railway, our focus remains on delivering an outstanding service.’
