Train fire this morning at taunton. No further info at this time.

Looking at realtime trains and journey updates it appears to be 0654 taunton to paddington involved.

 
From the Shepton Mallet Journal:

 

How would Mr&Mrs Shepton Mallet resident interpret that?

 
As wanton vandalism, probably. 

 
Well, yes it was me on that train....Good Old Flying Scotsman......

Arrived at Taunton, changing ends I noticed a burning smell, with flames coming out between coaches A (TGS) & Coach B.

Informed the signalman, to get line blocked and shut down both engines...electrical fire then becomes a normal fire...used AFFF  fire extinguisher and put the fire out myself.
I removed the jumper cable, which was badly scorched and placed it it the rear cab...

Fire brigade turn up and see that I have put the fire out but they decide to use a CO2 on it themselves...guess what??

THEIR FIRE EXTINGUISHER WAS EMPTY!!!!!!!!!! then a few more firemen turned up with a working fire extinguisher.

After fitter checked the train, I went empty to the MARSH Depot...end of incident.....

No passengers on board as train was 5A08 but returned to Bristol as 5Z74..........

SO LESSON TO BE LEARNED......Never believe everything you read in a paper......

 
Thank you for that first hand account flyingscotsman! Do you earn a fire-fighting badge? 

Glad to hear it was not too serious and there were no passengers to evacuate.

 
Many thanks for providing that amusing insight into the incident, flyingscotsman!  

 
Do "Blue Peter" still issue badges for scenario's such as this!

 
Particularly this rather appropriate Blue Peter badge, which I guess is currently 'available'....

 
Lovely shot - thanks.  Taken at Truro by any chance?

 
I think thats Pinhoe so must be a diverted service......

 

Considering the signalbox name is Pinhoe...

 
Well your eyesight must be better than mine.  I was going by the style of signalbox and the position of the signalling equipment building

 
Indeed - a diverted Plymouth to Paddington service in 1988 passing Pinhoe, just a few weeks before the removal of the signalbox [moved to Bere Ferrers]

 
I learnt yesterday that the Pumpkin cafe on platform 5 at Taunton is being rebranded by SSP to Starbucks by the end of April.

That means no more alcohol sales (that's how I found out as stock is being run down), and no more Bite Card discount.

 
A backward step IMHO, I used to enjoy the odd drink whilst awaiting a train.
Sales of alcohol can of course lead to disorder, but this did not seem to be a problem at Taunton presumably because the outlet was not open in the late evening.

Is this a "one of" ? or part of a policy ?

Alcohol sales at Taunton more desirable than at many other stations because no public house is nearby. Taunton has a number of good, and not so good, pubs but none are very near the station. I used to take refreshment in the snooker club near the station, but that has closed down.

 
Probably a case of money talking.   The average passenger would, I'm sure, prefer a Pumpkin to a more expensive Starbucks.

 
Starbucks have started selling beer and wine in the evening at Stansted Airport.

 
It would seem to be part of a wider trend. A couple of years ago York's Upper Crust was converted to Starbucks. Platform 4 Pumkin (down line) at Doncaster is currently closed for conversion to Starbucks, though I'm not sure what will happen to Platform 3's (up side) Pumkin. Maybe it is to counter completion from Costa Coffee kiosks on these platforms at Doncaster, similarly at York.

 

I sometimes think that coffee is taking over the World!

Upper Crust always a bit of a ripoff though I thought, Subway vastly superior.....quite spoiled at Reading in that respect, M & S, Subway, Costa, Upper Crust and two excellent pubs nearby (Three Guineas and Greyfriar), as well as a decent pasty shop on the footbridge!

 
The Pumpkin at Bath Spa is now a Starbucks.

a bit of googling found this job ad:

http://jobs.thesun.co.uk/job/6064382/full-time-team-members-starbucks-bath-station/

from which we learn three things:
1, They pay their staff a pittance,
2, They describe the outlet as a "licenced Starbacks" - I assume that this means an alcohol licence, and
3, The outlet is run by SSP (Select Service Partners).  There is no change of ownership, it looks like they have simply decided to become a franchisee of Starbucks (conceivably, that is what "licenced" means)

 
I think you will find that your second guess at the meaning of licensed is the intended one. Though I suppose the first might also be true.

 

Woop woop for "The Greyfriar" which is owned by a mate of mine.

Will be there for "a few" with him tomorrow evening.

 
I've always found The Plough Inn to be a good place for a pint nearish to Taunton Station

http://www.theploughtaunton.co.uk/map.htm

 

Give him my compliments, his pub is a gem - full of character, supports local breweries, keeps his ale superbly, great atmosphere - exactly how a pub should be - may pay a bit more for a pint but I'd take that over a JDW warehouse any day of the week.

 

Agree, an excellent pub, but not near enough to the station if burdened with luggage or if waiting for a delayed train and the degree of delay is unknown, in such circumstances one needs to observe the departures indicator frequently and listen to announcements. Licensed facilities in the station are then useful.

 
An enterprising pub close to a station could do well out of a live RTT? feed and a display screen.  An advert to that effect on the station might attract some extra business.

 
Two pubs I know close to stations have an official railway feed to display arrivals and departures - the GW opposite Swindon station and The Prince of Wales opposite Didcot Parkway.

 
After some of the heavier (but still interesting!) topics on the forum this makes a refreshing change.

Pun intended!

 
Posters up at Taunton.

 
"WARM drinks and snacks will be available to buy on selected trains"
I think that at present, that HOT drinks can be purchased from buffets on HSTs, is the reference to WARM drinks a subtle way of getting us ready for the trolley only IEPs ?

 

Knights Templar near Bristol Temple Meads has one also.

Alcohol is available in Bath Spa Starbucks. But the coffee is depressingly overpriced. Dashi which is an independent outlet is both cheaper and nicer IMO.

But for the price of Starbucks when I know I can get a comp coffee on the train 98% of the time if traveling HST. Then sorry. Train wins every time. Even if the coffee isn't as good.

But Coffee in First Class has made a notable improvement over the months. Particularly with the availability of fresh milk

 

Not any more.

 

......might as well have another pint then? 

 

I did!

 
One less refreshment opportunity for me then.   

 
EXD's concourse Pumpkin is also closed for conversion to Starbucks.

Any pub near a station can, if willing, display departure information; for example, the Wethersoons inside VIC has a feed, but they use the NRE live departure website (with horrendous screen burn).
It just doesn't seem to cross any landlord's mind to do so.

RailAleFan has developed an opensource departure board http://www.railalefan.co.uk/rail/departures/nearest/

 
Reading Buses display forthcoming departures from the railway station as the bus gets near the town centre.

 
Starbucks now open at Taunton. Choice of alcoholic beverages vastly reduced. Red or white wine ^4.50 for 187.5ml. Or a Peroni lager ^3.75 for 330ml.

My suggestion. BYO.

See the opening hours attached and spot the mistake.

 
I guess you need to be Marty McFly to shop there on Sunday

 
Or it's open 23.5 hours.

But then that gets confusing as it opens at 0600 on Mondays. 

 
Taunton station is also gaining a catering outlet on the down side platform 2.

It'll be an independently run sushi/sandwich outlet.

 

......sounds like there will be plenty of options at numerous stations for people to purchase food to take on the train.......another nail in the coffin of on train catering (....and/or perhaps retailers capitalising on its decline?)

 
Ah but is it a Starbucks or is it a Starbucks?

I was given a ^10.00 voucher to spend in Starbucks a while ago. Proudly presented it a couple of weeks later at "Starbucks" in the Village Hotel, Swindon, only to be told they don't accept them. Apparently they aren't REALLY a Starbucks, they're a branded franchise.

Could of fooled me!

In fact, they successfully did so.

 
Just like my Burger King smartphone app e-vouchers. I presented one to BK at Paddington and it was declined. Not valid at stations, airports, motorway services, theme parks...

My fault for not reading the small print before activating the voucher.

 
Which is not so bad as you can easily walk the 2 minutes to the branch on Praed Street.

 

Same issue at Starbucks on the footbridge at Reading station - there is actually a sign up there explaining why......then again as (my fellow!) Plymothian points out in a similar manner re:the BK on Praed St, there is another "proper" Starbucks a short distance away!

 
Taunton Starbucks just refused to serve me a glass of tap water. Reminded them of the Licensing Act, but still told me I had to buy a bottle of water.

Let's see what SSP say about that before I contact the local authority.

 
Sorry bignosemac, SSP?

 
My fault. Select Service Partners. The franchisee of Starbucks on Taunton Station.

SSP run the vast majority of station catering outlets in the UK. Pumpkin, Upper Crust, Cafe Ritazza, Pasty Shop,  Burger King, some station bars, to name but a few of their brands.

 

Is there in fact any GENERAL requirement under the licensing act to make tap water available ? I thought that a requirement to make tap water available was sometimes made a requirement of a SPECIFIC licence, but was not a general requirement.
I do of course stand to be corrected, does anyone know for certain .

EDIT TO ADD It would seem that yes, free tap water must be supplied, see following posts for details. I used to run a pub and there was then no obligation to supply tap water, but that was years ago and long before the 2003 legislation referred to

 
From GOV.UK

Relevant extract

 

Ehh?? 

 

Do Starbucks station outlets serve alcohol or is there another piece of legislation that requires them to provide free tap water?

 

Yes - See earlier post in the thread http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=15636.msg176405#msg176405

 
For clarification, yes, the Starbucks on Taunton station has a licence for the sale of alcohol for consumption on or off the premises.

It is was only an 'off' licence then they wouldn't be required to provide tap water on request.

 
From Great Western's website under Assisted Travel, the lifts at Taunton Station are to be replaced.

• work is planned to start on 1 February and will take about 3 months
• lifts to platforms 2, 5 and 6 will all be out of use

• the lift to platforms 3 and 4 won^t be affected, and where possible trains will be redirected to use these platforms
• during this time the track crossing between platforms 2 and 3 and 4 will be used with the help of staff

[/list]

 
going to be fun for those attending TravelWatch SouthWest next month then. TWSW ought to warn attendees

 
I certainly didn't see any warning signs on Monday 1st that work was about to begin, and I did use the lifts to get from platform 2 to 5 late morning.  Perhaps the start up has been delayed.

 
I can only speak for the Devon side of things, but there were posters and audio announcements at the stations I use several weeks in advance, which mentioned Plymouth, Newton Abbot and Taunton, and the help available. Work looks pretty well underway at Newton Abbot.

 
I'm flagging this up - wondering what details anyone has.

Taunton Station / road (side) rather than rail side is being redeveloped.  Various comments I have hear, wonder if any member have heard them too ...

a) On the south side, a multi story car park is being placed outside the pedestrian exit with limited consideration for continued use by pedestrians

b) Buses will now all run from the north side

c) The new link road brings in road vehicles but will dump them into an already congested area.


Effect of (a) and (b) will to mean lots more road traffic passing under the road bridge.    Buses which typically head to the town (which is to the south) will have to go through to get to their stops to the north.    Road traffic, much of which comes from the north, will have to pass through the bridge to get to the parking on the south.

Passengers arriving on the main westbound platform who currently walk out of the station and across the road to head south into the town won't have such an easy route that way.   Arriving on the southern most platform, to get to the town to the south they'll find it easiest to take the subway to the booking hall on the north side, exit the station and pass back under the track via the road bridge.

Please tell me that the plans in reality are sensible and I have been fed the above by a disenchanted cynic!

 
There is a footpath down to Station Road from the south side exit. Exit the gateline, keep the station buildings to your right until you reach the end of the station buildings, then turn left down the slope to Station Road. All that's required here is a dedicated marked walkway and better signage. Even today it's a safer walk than crossing the road across the current car park entrance. No need to take the subway to the north side.

An image of said footpath, cropped from Street View. To the left of the white building coming down from the south side of the station:

 
The road layout coming out of the downside car park is awful because of the intersection with the new bypass  The station approach road abuts the junction at such a bad angle that it looks like you must turn left on to the by pass, though it is possible turn right by swerving past the traffic island, avoiding queuing traffic and ignoring the white lines.

 
I believe the plan is that the station's main entrance and ticket office will be relocated to the south side so maybe the current arrangements are temporary during construction.  Details at http://heartofswlep.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Business-Case-Response-Taunton-station-LTB-150204.pdf

 

Now in the realms of Satanic manifestations, obviously. Devilish drivers intent on turning right please note !

 
Picture the scene, mid afternoon on Friday.   The up "Royal Dutchy" calls at Platform 5 at Taunton at 15:26 before embarking on its sprint to Reading and London, dropping off crowds of people for the 15:33 semi-fast service for Castle Cary, Westbury, Pewsey and Newbury, all of whom have to go down the stairs or lift, through the subway, and up again onto the middle platform (3 and 4) for their onward service.    Lots of luggage, many people who aren't all that mobile ...

Why not have the Royal Dutchy call at platform 4 and provide a much more customer friendly (cross platform) interchange .... this is a major flow as the queues for the lifts (down and up) indicated!

 
I have made that change before and on a couple of occasions it has been cross-platform.  Not sure why it is arbitrary - is it at the whim of the Exeter signaller?

 

That's all right if the semi-fast service is a terminator in platform 3 before returning to 'the smoke', if not I do not think a service from the South West can be signalled into platform 3 from the Exeter direction.

 
The 1533 starts from Taunton.

I agree that cross platform interchange makes sense. There may be an operational reason at present why not, although I can't think of one.

Looking ahead to the new timetable from Monday 21st May, it appears, from RealTime Trains, that the up Royal Duchy will be calling at platform 4 at Taunton.

 
Could it be that the more important market for the Royal Duchy is the Taunton to Paddington customers, who can avoid the lifts/stairs/underpass to get from the car park via the ticket office to their fast train in platform 5, but would have to wait on the next-to-facilitylessness of the island if the train were to use platform 4?

 

Trains can be signalled into Platforms 2 to 5 from the West but only into Platforms 2 and 3 from the East.

 

And platforms 5 and 6 from the east. Reversing after coming from the west. 

 
Yes, but thats cheating BNM.  The trains cannot shunt with passengers onboard.....

 

I thought of that before I made the suggestion.  But I wasn't aware you could get from outside the station onto platform 5 without using the lift of stairs.  I know you can get onto platform 2 without using lift or stairs - I thought it was the only one?

I would agree concerning facilities on 5 v facilities on 4 though.  Perhaps it's part of the refreshment franchise agreement that through train must use that platform (and two fingers to passengers who are connecting!)

 

...and trains cannot access Platform 1 from either direction.... 

 

I thought I was the cynical one. I don't think Starbucks would have such control over railway operations!

As I said, from 21st May the up Royal Duchy is due to call platform 4.

 

Well, not too sure about that.  Platform 1 is accessible from the UP/DOWN RELIEF line at the East end, and although its not signalled for passenger movements as its classed as a siding, you could cheat and use BNMs 'shunting' excuse......

 
I was thinking of passenger trains only but, looking at Open Train Times map, do you mean west rather than east?

 
Ooops sorry - I misread the map on Nationalrail.co.uk, and thought that the ticket office and main car park was on the north - up - side of the track. Google maps suggests some station access on north side - is that right?

 

Whoops!  Time to spend a period sitting in the corner on the naughty stool..... Yes, meant to say from the West.

 

The northern side access that I know of is through the lower level ticket hall / office and barriers - although there are no tracks to cross, use of a lift or stairs is required to platform 5, just as it is to platform 4 - the difference being you a few yards to walk the tracks to get to that lift and stair case.


I recall that historically all trains had to stop at Swindon for 10 minutes so that the refreshment folks could sell them refreshments, so there is a precedent.   And if I was looking to invest in a franchise, I would want some sort of assurance / guarantee that my landlord and other clients of his weren't going to make changes that would route the passing trade away!

 

I'm confused now. OP starts with a passenger friendly suggestion to make interchange easier. Then, when it's confirmed that's what is happening, you express concern that Starbucks might lose trade. 

I think Starbucks on platform 5 will survive despite potentially losing a bit of trade when the up Royal Duchy switches its call to P4. If the loss is too much, if they are concerned that Royal Duchy passengers won't get their caffeine fix, they can always lobby Network Rail for a small unit to be built on the island. 

 

Not concern from me - an asking if Starbucks might be.

 
I don't think they'll be trembling in their boots in Seattle. 

 
It's not an obvious track arrangement, is it? We are used now to the practice of only installing the S&C needed for normal operation, and not valuing flexibility, but it's hard to see what normal operations it was built for. I mean, if P6 is for terminators to or from Bristolwards, why isn't is accessible off the Down Lines? There was a half-plan to do that ten years ago, but no sign of it in the last Route Study. And if all four through tracks need to be signalled in the Up direction, why are only two available the other way?

And as for the track names - if the third track south of the Up and Down Mains west of the station is called Down/Up Relief, and the P5 track is the Up Relief, why is there no path between them? Very odd, and hardly a Victorian hangover as it was only four-tracked less than 100 years ago.

 
The proprietor of the refreshment rooms at Swindon certainly did in the days of Isambard Kingdom...

...so there is a precedent. 

Added in edit: Oops! I see that Grahame got there before me. It's these 10 minute pauses that throw the system...

 

Wonder if they will be "sleepless"?

 

An arrangement that IKB was none too pleased with apparently.

And, even if the Starbucks at Taunton station may lose out on a few Venti, sugar-free, non-fat, vanilla soy, double shot, decaf, no foam, extra hot, Peppermint White Chocolate Mocha with light whip and extra syrup orders, they are at least serving real coffee.

The 'coffee' in the Brunel era refreshment rooms at Swindon was of questionable quality. IKB complained to the proprietor about it:

 
The Great Western Hotel on the south (down) side of Taunton Station, is to reopen as a hotel after being purchased by Somerset Coast YMCA. There will be 20 en suite rooms, conference and meeting facilities, a cafe and restaurant. There will also be ten business units for small businesses and start-ups.

Some of the funding for this project has been secured from the Hinkley C nuclear power station build's Community Impact Mitigation fund. Other sources of funding include a capital loan from Taunton Deane Borough Council and grants from the Heritage Lottery Fund and the Rail Heritage Trust.

Staffing of the hotel will be provided by a training and skills partnership delivering 10 new jobs, 12 apprenticeships, 10 traineeships and many volunteering opportunities. Staff accommodation will also be provided in the hotel's former stables.

I think this is an excellent piece of news, bringing an important facility to one of Taunton's gateways. Providing training and opportunity to young people, and securing the future of an important grade II listed building that has been vacant for many years. Returning the building to its original use after being used by a waste management company, and previously as the offices of BR's district engineers.

Sympathetic restoration is being carried out LHC architects:
http://www.lhc.net/projects/great-western-hotel-restoration/

News item from the Somerset County Gazette on the project and its funding:
https://goo.gl/3mj9aB

More on the funding:
https://www.investtaunton.co.uk/news/council-proposes-to-support-ymca-project/

On a personal note, I have a lot of respect for YMCA Somerset Coast. During a particularly dark period in my mid twenties they were there for me and helped me rebuild my life. We're it not for them I may not be here today. The support and housing they provided help me find my feet after some poor life choices. They were non-judgemental, and, importantly for me, small 'c' christian.

I wish YMCA Somerset Coast every success with this venture.

 
Thank you for posting that very detailed update, bignosemac. 

Our regular 'Coffee Shop forum' readers will no doubt have gathered by now that Taunton is of particular interest to me, so I am delighted to give this topic something of a 'bump'.

May I also offer my own very best wishes to the YMCA there in their enterprise. 

 
I didn’t imagine the Village People to be hoteliers. Good luck to them!   

 
This will be YMCA Somerset Coast's second hotel.

They already run The Beach Hotel in Minehead.

 
I've had a look at the plans from BNM's link and have to say that it seems to make a welcome improvement to the locale, as it seems a very sympathetic treatment. I recall the old building and the area round there will really look all the better for it. The use it is being put to should also be applauded, especially as it's going to be a new and worthy take on it's original purpose. Nice one!

 

Its fun to stay in the Y-M-C-A .......so I'm told. 🙂

 
Council considering loan for £multi-million revamp of Taunton Station



A COUNCIL risks shooting itself in the foot with proposals to lend millions of pounds of taxpayers' cash to redevelop Taunton Station, it is claimed.

A multi-million pound scheme would see improved passenger facilities, retail opportunities around a train/bus hub.

The main entrance would be re-sited from the north to the south side, linking in to the proposed Firepool project for homes, shops, bars and restaurants.

There would also be a multi-storey car park for train travellers at the station revamp, which has already attracted a Government pledge of £4.6 million funding.

Cllr Habib Farbahi, a LibDem on Conservative-run Taunton Deane Borough Council, said a "substantial amount" of council taxpayer money would be given as a loan to the project.

He added: "A high proportion will go towards the development of a multi-storey privately operated car park that will directly compete with the nearby council-owned Kilkenny Car Park."

Mr Farbahi added that the proposed loan, discussed behind closed doors by the council's scrutiny committee, is part of the authority's "unseemly rush...to spend millions of pounds of public money to be seen to have done something in their term of office".

He said that recently the Deane had approved almost £20 million for a 'Hotel California' project - it plans to build a hotel and lease it to an international chain, believed to be Hilton, although the name and exact sum are confidential, while a number of loans to the private sector are also being mooted.

A Deane House spokeswoman said: "The scrutiny committee was asked for its views on a confidential, commercial loan.

"The details of the loan remain confidential as they are commercially sensitive.

"The committee strongly supported the proposal with no votes against and one abstention. The proposal will now be further considered through the democratic process."

 
The above is a news item from the Somerset County Gazette:

http://www.somersetcountygazette.co.uk/news/16197088.OWN_GOAL__Taxpayer_cash_towards_station_car_park_in_competition_with_council_car_park_/

My own take? Council spends council tax revenue on project to improve town. Shock, horror. 

 
More detailed plans for the Taunton station revamp, as well as the YMCA's project to refurbish and reopen the Great Western Hotel, have been revealed.

I missed this story when it was published last week hence it's a little too late to advertise the exhibition of the plans for the station, hotel, and the environs, which took place last Friday, 2nd November 2018.

Further details of the vision for the future of Taunton station can be read here:

https://www.somersetcountygazette.co.uk/news/17193904.revealed-multi-million-pound-revamp-to-transform-taunton-station/

One point to pick up from that article. Whilst GWR may have staged the exhibtion last Friday, it is not they who will be funding and building the car park, north side ticket office and other works. The car park will most likely be funded jointly by Network Rail and the local authorities - Somerset County Council and Taunton Deane Borough Council (TDBC). The station building works will be wholly Network Rail's remit. The hotel is being funded jointly by Somerset Coast YMCA and TDBC. The 'boulevard' plans linking the station with Firepool, Coal Orchard and ultimately the town centre are a long standing part of TDBC's 'Taunton Town Centre Area Action Plan', first drawn up in 2008. Funding for that is presumably from developers and TDBC.

JFDI says I. The improved facilities are sorely needed. One sticking point is the stalled development of the former livestock market site on Priory Bridge Rd, derelict for 10 years since the market moved to a site near Bridgwater. The land is owned by TDBC, but there is currently no developer contract. The former contract with St Modwen, for a mixed use development - residential, retail and leisure - was ended earlier this year by mutual consent. This area would be part of the 'boulevard'. A new developer is not yet on board.

 

Maybe I imagined it, but am sure a number of years ago Somerset CCC had some presentation that showed a path from the train station directly to opposite the cricket club entrance?

 
I would've thought that any path to the Cricket Ground from the station would go through the Firepool/the old livestock market - don't hold your breath!


Will be interesting to see if the car park is jointly funded by TDBC/SCC/Network Rail whether it will then be handed over to GWR/APCOA Connect to let them pocket the parking charges! I hope not.

Like everyone else living in Taunton, I've watched the whole sorry saga for Firepool and - more recently - the station improvements talked about for a very long time. I'll believe it when I see it happening.

 
A special full council meeting, open to the public, has been called by the Liberal Democrat group of Taunton Deane Borough Council to demand answers from the ruling Conservative party councillors over the failure to develop the Firepool site between the station and town centre.

https://www.tdld.co.uk/press-releases/