Great Western Coffee Shop

Great Western Coffee Shop

Re: Wokingham station - improvements, resignalling and siding - merged posts

In "South Western services" [375415/11448/42]
Posted by bobm at 09:05, 24th May 2026

Some photos from yesterday for the record.

Re: [otd] 24th May 2002 - opening of Falkirk Wheel

In "Heritage railways, Railtours, buses, canals, steamships and other public transport based attractions" [375414/32062/47]
Posted by Oxonhutch at 08:36, 24th May 2026
Already liked by Chris from Nailsea

: grahame

... Knowing that the Falkirk Wheel has attracted a number of our members to take a look (has anyone here ridden it?) and it's talked about on our member's area - yes - I'm posting. My own picture (probably one of my worst pictures of any time) is via https://www.wellho.info/share/falkirk.html

I have taken a full revolution of said structure not long after it opened visiting family in that part of the world. We used the touring narrowboat, with half a turn up; through the tunnel and return finishing with a half a turn back down. A wonderful piece of engineering.

Re: A week back in the UK

In "The Lighter Side" [375413/32057/30]
Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 08:36, 24th May 2026

I was on the point of posting exactly what Oxonhutch did.

Re: A week back in the UK

In "The Lighter Side" [375412/32057/30]
Posted by Oxonhutch at 08:28, 24th May 2026

Under the 24 hr rule, can I please add

3: Fleming Way, Swindon.

Re: A week back in the UK

In "The Lighter Side" [375411/32057/30]
Posted by grahame at 08:06, 24th May 2026

So far

1. Stratford (not-upon-Avon) - eightonedee

2. Melksham - ChrisfromNailsea
Indeed, this is the nearest bus stop "for" the station; it's a 6 or 7 minute walk (physically quite close but no direct route) and involves crossing a busy "A" road with no pedestrian crossing.

6. Beaulieu Park - stuving
No lifts / slopes on this bridge - so it must be the secondary way between platforms with another route available. The width of the steps looks astonising - very optimistic? -

8. Paddington - Oxonhutch

Re: Torbay Airshow - ongoing discussion

In "Shorter journeys in Devon - Central, North and South" [375410/21539/24]
Posted by TaplowGreen at 08:05, 24th May 2026

: REVUpminster

: TaplowGreen

: REVUpminster

The 2026 show kicks off Friday evening 645pm-2145pm with the Red Arrows flying. Fireworks at 10pm to finish.

No extra trains.

Saturday from Noon-4pm with the Red Arrows again.

Shuttle train between Newton Abbot-Paignton was to be operated by a probable 175 but since has changed to the usual 80x.

Also a steam train picked up at Taunton for a Wolverhampton-Kingswear tour.

Sunday 1pm-4pm
Shuttle between Newton Abbot and Paignton with an 80x.

As a side issue 16 travellers caravans have parked up on Paignton Green since last tuesday

Probably thought with an airshow going on they'd have an opportunity to tarmac a runway?

Oddly a temporary tarmac pavement has been laid in front of the new sea defences that will be paused for the summer.

If it was laid by those new residents of Paignton Green, it will be very temporary indeed.

Re: [otd] 24th May 2002 - opening of Falkirk Wheel

In "Heritage railways, Railtours, buses, canals, steamships and other public transport based attractions" [375409/32062/47]
Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 07:55, 24th May 2026

I am a great fan of David Johns' video blog 'Cruising the Cut' on YouTube.

For some fascinating footage of the Falkirk Wheel, see https://cruisingthecut.co.uk/2022/06/06/vlog-267b-wheel-meet-again/ (19 minutes)

Re: Swindon <-> Westbury service updates and amendments, ongoing discussion - 2026

In "TransWilts line" [375408/31359/18]
Posted by grahame at 07:54, 24th May 2026

: ChrisB

If all trains cancelled for the day, taxis will be provided. They can't leave you stranded

Indeed - if you know to ask ... the industry systems that talk to passengers should as a matter or course (IMHO) suggest practical alternatives to tell people how they can make their journeys and not leave it up to the wannabe-passengers to say "oy!". The systems for this have improved, but remain patchy as illustrated yesterday.

In the end, the final round trip train ran yesterday, and indeed the [Melksham time] 08:02 and 09:09 that were "cancelled" earlier in the week had been re-instated, giving a 11.8% cancellation rate for the last week. There are two more cancellations already flagged up for today, so the stats in this report will get worse unless the cancellation are then reversed.

Re: UK sees hottest day of year as bank holiday travellers face queues

In "Across the West" [375407/32055/26]
Posted by Bob_Blakey at 07:47, 24th May 2026

From the BBC:
.....Passengers travelling to Europe from the Port of Dover earlier faced delays of several hours, due to the introduction of a new entry and exit system.....

Rather amusingly, at around 09:30 on Saturday due to the queues becoming unmanageable the French Border Police stopped using the EES and reverted to the good old stamping of passports. This has been confirmed by Simon Calder.

So it is not just our government that are crap at designing & implementing technology!

[otd] 24th May 2002 - opening of Falkirk Wheel

In "Heritage railways, Railtours, buses, canals, steamships and other public transport based attractions" [375406/32062/47]
Posted by grahame at 07:40, 24th May 2026

From https://www.scottishcanals.co.uk/visit/canals/visit-the-forth-clyde-canal/attractions/the-falkirk-wheel

The world’s only rotating boat lift, The Falkirk Wheel links the Forth & Clyde Canal to the Union Canal 35 metres above, allowing vessels to sail through the sky thanks to a unique fusion of art and engineering – and the same power it would take to boil eight kettles.

Transforming the contaminated site of a former tar works, The Falkirk Wheel opened in 2002 and replaced a flight of 11 locks that once stepped the Union Canal down to the level of the Forth & Clyde, more than 100 feet below. Whereas weary travellers once had a day’s heavy work opening and closing 44 lock gates to complete the journey between the two canals, The Falkirk Wheel allows vessels to transit between the two waterways in just a few minutes.

Should I be posting this? Are we off topic? Knowing that the Falkirk Wheel has attracted a number of our members to take a look (has anyone here ridden it?) and it's talked about on our member's area - yes - I'm posting. My own picture (probably one of my worst pictures of any time) is via https://www.wellho.info/share/falkirk.html

Re: Torbay Airshow - ongoing discussion

In "Shorter journeys in Devon - Central, North and South" [375405/21539/24]
Posted by REVUpminster at 07:09, 24th May 2026
Already liked by TaplowGreen

: TaplowGreen

: REVUpminster

Probably thought with an airshow going on they'd have an opportunity to tarmac a runway?

Oddly a temporary tarmac pavement has been laid in front of the new sea defences that will be paused for the summer.

Re: Swindon <-> Westbury service updates and amendments, ongoing discussion - 2026

In "TransWilts line" [375404/31359/18]
Posted by TaplowGreen at 05:48, 24th May 2026

16:43 Frome to Swindon due 17:34
24/05/26 16:43 Frome to Swindon due 17:34 will be terminated at Westbury.
It will no longer call at Trowbridge, Melksham, Chippenham and Swindon.
This is due to a shortage of train crew

17:44 Swindon to Salisbury due 18:55
24/05/26 17:44 Swindon to Salisbury due 18:55 will be cancelled.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.

Re: Torbay Airshow - ongoing discussion

In "Shorter journeys in Devon - Central, North and South" [375403/21539/24]
Posted by TaplowGreen at 22:25, 23rd May 2026
Already liked by REVUpminster, GBM, Bob_Blakey

: REVUpminster

Probably thought with an airshow going on they'd have an opportunity to tarmac a runway?

Re: Rail worker set colleague's clothes on fire: said it was common practice!

In "The Wider Picture in the United Kingdom" [375402/32060/51]
Posted by Electric train at 22:17, 23rd May 2026

: ChrisB

I find this hard to believe and cannot find any other corroboration. I have put out feelers into the Welsh community.

From Wales Online Facebook Also on their website, but behind paywall.

A railway worker who set his colleague on fire at the end of a shift said he was fooling around and things like this are common practice at work. However the victim (not the person pictured) was left with burns to his face, chest, and stomach and spent more than a week in hospital

Interestingly, the site won't allow me to copy 'n paste any more of this article, truncating it to that above!

If you had posted this 30 years ago I might have agreed " things like this are common practice at work"
I my recent working experience whist there is "leg pulling" "banter" what is outlined in the reported incident indicates lack of / bad management

Re: UK sees hottest day of year as bank holiday travellers face queues

In "Across the West" [375401/32055/26]
Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 21:46, 23rd May 2026

An update, from the BBC:

Hottest day of year as 30.5C recorded and temperatures set to soar

Temperatures will continue to soar across the bank holiday weekend following the hottest day of the year so far on Saturday.

A high of 30.5C was recorded at Frittenden in Kent, beating Friday's maximum temperature of 28.4C at Heathrow in London, Cranwell in Lincolnshire and Cambridge.

The Met Office said it was very rare for the UK to record temperatures above 30C in May, with the last time being on 25 May 2012.

The heat is forecast to intensify throughout the long weekend, reaching heatwave criteria in a number of locations. Daytime highs are forecast to reach the upper 20s Celsius in many areas, with the low 30s Celsius likely in the week ahead.

Amber heat health alerts remain in effect for the Midlands, eastern and south-east England.

Amber alerts mean there is a risk of a significant impact across health and social care services, with children and those aged over 65 at risk of negative health implications.

The remainder of England is under yellow heat health alerts, meaning adverse weather is "likely to affect vulnerable groups".

(BBC article continues)

Just in case you hadn't noticed.

ACE

In "Heritage railways, Railtours, buses, canals, steamships and other public transport based attractions" [375400/32061/47]
Posted by Clan Line at 21:30, 23rd May 2026
Already liked by PrestburyRoad, bradshaw, Chris from Nailsea, trainbuff, Western Pathfinder, GBM, Oxonhutch

Clan Line heads away from Warminster this evening hauling The Atlantic Coast Express excursion.

Re: Swindon <-> Westbury service updates and amendments, ongoing discussion - 2026

In "TransWilts line" [375399/31359/18]
Posted by ChrisB at 19:52, 23rd May 2026

If all trains cancelled for the day, taxis will be provided. They can't leave you stranded

Re: A week back in the UK

In "The Lighter Side" [375398/32057/30]
Posted by stuving at 19:47, 23rd May 2026
Already liked by grahame

6. looks all shiny and new! I wonder, could that be Beaulieu Park?

Rail worker set colleague's clothes on fire: said it was common practice!

In "The Wider Picture in the United Kingdom" [375397/32060/51]
Posted by ChrisB at 19:44, 23rd May 2026

I find this hard to believe and cannot find any other corroboration. I have put out feelers into the Welsh community.

From Wales Online Facebook Also on their website, but behind paywall.

Interestingly, the site won't allow me to copy 'n paste any more of this article, truncating it to that above!

Re: Thames Valley infrastructure problems causing disruption elsewhere - 2026

In "Across the West" [375396/31163/26]
Posted by TaplowGreen at 19:16, 23rd May 2026

Cancellations to services between London Paddington and Reading

Due to a fault with the signalling system between London Paddington and Reading fewer trains are able to run on some lines.

Train services running to and from these stations will be cancelled or delayed. Disruption is expected until the end of the day.

Re: A week back in the UK

In "The Lighter Side" [375395/32057/30]
Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 19:15, 23rd May 2026

2. The woefully restricted access on the bus stop on Shurngold, Melksham - just north of the railway station, as the crow flies, but a significant hike if you are on foot. No wheelchair access.

Re: Severn Tunnel - engineering improvements, events, incidents and history - merged posts

In "London to South Wales" [375394/3861/11]
Posted by Electric train at 18:48, 23rd May 2026
Already liked by Mark A, Chris from Nailsea

: stuving

Network Rail also have a page of information about this work:

Innovative Severn Tunnel upgrade to transform key rail link between South Wales and England

Region & Route: Wales & Western: Wales & Borders

Passengers are advised to plan ahead as Network Rail carry out major upgrade in the Severn Tunnel and Bristol area, with replacement buses and diversionary routes in place to keep people moving from late May to early June.

This vital project will see Network Rail, and contractors ARQ, complete the transformation of the Severn Tunnel’s overhead power system, designed specifically to withstand the tunnel’s harsh, corrosive environment - making it more resilient, reducing the frequency of maintenance, and helping to minimise disruption for passengers.

The work will take place around the clock from Saturday 23 May until the early hours of Tuesday 9 June, with the railway closed between Newport and Bristol Parkway during this time.

The new system

Running beneath the Severn Estuary, the 4.35-mile Severn Tunnel is one of the toughest environments on the UK rail network, where moisture and saltwater accelerate wear on equipment.

Since electrification, the overhead power system has been prone to corrosion and electrical wear, leading to more frequent maintenance.

To address this, Network Rail’s Wales and Borders team has developed and successfully trialled an innovative new system. It uses a single 7km copper contact wire supported at regular intervals by modified bridge arms, to eliminate previous corrosion issues and improve performance.

Engineers will now install this system along the full length of the tunnel - using a world-first approach on this scale - to create a more resilient railway and reduce the need for frequent maintenance.

The programme of work involves:

Replacing 838 bridge arms that support the overhead electric wires in the Severn Tunnel
Renewing 9,000 metres of overhead wiring in the Severn Tunnel
Carrying out track and infrastructure upgrades, and drainage works in the Bristol and Patchway areas.

Alongside the tunnel work, Network Rail will also carry out improvements in the Bristol area, including upgrades to the railway serving the new Bristol Brabazon station on the former Filton airfield site. The station is due to open in the autumn and will bring passenger services back to the Henbury line for the first time since 1964.

I think they are not "replacing 838 bridge arms", but installing them in place of what was put there in 2019. Unless there has been more going on in the interim, and I missed it, that is Furrer+Frey's ROCS beam system but with aluminium contact wire clamped underneath it rather than the usual copper. That was meant to reduce the corrosion to manageable levels, with increased maintenance. But it looks as if they think having a third go at it will improve that further.

The contact wire is copper (standard OLE profile) it is clamped in an extruded aluminium beam; the beam is supported by "bridge arms".

It has always been know that Seven Tunnel is a hostile environment ie high humidity. I know the Route electrification engineers have been looking for an improved conductor beam and support system

Re: long term future for overhead wires?

In "Campaigns for new and improved services" [375393/31031/28]
Posted by Electric train at 18:42, 23rd May 2026

: John D

: TaplowGreen

: John D

It's coming up to 9 years since Grayling killed parts of Great Western electrification (it was July 2017)

As photographed above there are a number of masts west of Chippenham doing nothing. I think about third of the mast bases and a few masts were also installed Didcot - Oxford.

Things have moved on with cost control, and the stupidity of not resuming it once costs were controlled has never really made sense as a long term strategy (and even less so in new era of high diesel prices).

Ironically the delay to ordering replacements for 158,159,165,166,168 diesel fleet might benefit a few electrified sections, if it means battery charging is possible, and don't have to fit diesel engines (which require servicing and maintenance of the engines). There is obviously a cost implication of adding diesel generators to replacement fleet (plus ongoing extra operational costs), which could be used to pay for some of the electrification instead.

But doing joined up thinking, or any form of mid or longer term planning seems to be beyond current batch of ministers, who seem to be more into short term thinking and regular U turns

Why was it stopped? Was it way behind schedule and/or over budget?

Was going seriously over budget, (and behind schedule) and instead of saying pause and refocus, just took axe to it. Ignored the ongoing alternative costs it created.

It was a time when skills were being outsourced to consultants, so something like a drain cover where a mast was planned, meant leaving it, getting consultants out again, redesigning, expensively coming back later with electrification train. Rather than having skilled and empowered staff doing simple tweak to plan there and then.

The structure at the time was not incentivised to get it finished as efficiently as possible, but was more like see what extra work and revenue can get from it. HS2 contracts were devised in same cost plus era too.

Agreed the GW electrification went over budget, however the DfT got the electrification the specified but then complained it was too expensive and taking too long. Also they dithered over the Oxford station rebuild and failed to take on the NIMBY in Bath and Chippenham area may be there were a few MP's worried about their seats

Re: Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railway - Caernarfon

In "Heritage railways, Railtours, buses, canals, steamships and other public transport based attractions" [375392/31309/47]
Posted by grahame at 17:50, 23rd May 2026
Already liked by Chris from Nailsea

: Chris from Nailsea

Incidentally, 'on this day', 23 May 1832, the Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railway was established.

Indeed - added to "on this day"

From https://www.festrail.co.uk/ffestiniog-railway-history/

In 1830, shortly after Madock’s death, Samuel Holland, who was quarrying slate at Rhiw, joined Henry Archer, a young businessman from Dublin, to promote the Festiniog Railway, incorporated by Act of Parliament on 23 May 1832. James Spooner from Worcestershire was responsible for the survey and construction of the Railway.

Re: Overhead Line Equipment - ongoing discussion

In "Campaigns for new and improved services" [375391/31031/28]
Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 17:14, 23rd May 2026

I have merged a couple of topics here, in the interests of continuity, clarity and ease of future reference.

CfN.

Re: Severn Tunnel - engineering improvements, events, incidents and history - merged posts

In "London to South Wales" [375390/3861/11]
Posted by stuving at 17:05, 23rd May 2026

Network Rail also have a page of information about this work:

Book: 'Railway wonders' by Graeme Bickerdike

In "Railway History and related topics" [375389/32059/55]
Posted by Mark A at 16:42, 23rd May 2026

Pleased to have landed my own copy of this, even if the account of the very first structure in the book has promptly been rendered out of date after, at the start of the year, said structure suffered an engineering disaster. The author's photos in themselves are quite the collection.

Mark

Re: What are the tipping standards across the South West?

In "The West - but NOT trains in the West" [375388/32058/31]
Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 16:34, 23rd May 2026

For some ten years, before I retired, I was a grocery delivery driver with Waitrose.

John Lewis (of which Waitrose is the grocery part) is a mutual partnership, where the partners are all members and there are no shareholders.

The partnership stance was that gratuities should be declined, politely, while the alternative of giving any customer feedback online was to be offered.

There was one memorable exception to that, in my experience, when a very strong-willed customer in Chew Magna (a village south of Bristol) almost bullied my line manager at the time into giving me a pack of beer in appreciation of my customer service.

That particular customer, by the way, was a very interesting individual: he was Greek, but he retired as 'Head of English' at a posh school, and is a keen Arsenal fan.

Re: Severn Tunnel - engineering improvements, events, incidents and history - merged posts

In "London to South Wales" [375387/3861/11]
Posted by Mark A at 16:33, 23rd May 2026

The author of that article is clearly no fan of the rock group Big Big Train, who would have informed them that the water pumped from the Severn Tunnel is in the main, not salt water from the estuary, but ground water from the Great Spring.

Every night, their dreams were filled
With the fear of the river breaking in
But this was not a river god
This was something rising from the deep
From the depths of the mere

https://www.bigbigtrain.com/about-the-new-songs-the-first-rebreather/

Mark

Re: Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railway - Caernarfon

In "Heritage railways, Railtours, buses, canals, steamships and other public transport based attractions" [375386/31309/47]
Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 16:05, 23rd May 2026

Incidentally, 'on this day', 23 May 1832, the Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railway was established.

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