following up, off topic, here - quoting purely pictures from Limoges.  Riots in France this week have resulted in the historic Town Hall being set alight, the spire collapsing, and the building being burnt out. 

https://www.euronews.com/2026/10/18/spire-collapses-at-historic-limoges-town-hall-amid-violent-protests-across-france

We did not find the city to be a pretty or welcoming one - the best bit was the railway station - but oh/my/goodness!!

 
GWR are running a Black Friday sale again this year available via gwr.com/sale and the GWR app.

Available to purchase 30 Oct -02 Nov for travel between 06 Nov - 17 Dec.

Not available for purchase to travel on:
07 Nov/14 Nov/21 Nov/11 Dec/12 Dec between Paddington - Cardiff/Swansea/Carmarthen/Pembroke Dock
Sundays during promotional period between Paddington - Cardiff/Swansea/Carmarthen/Pembroke Dock & Cardiff - Portsmouth
08 Nov/15 Nov/22 Nov/28 Nov/29 Nov/6 Dec on any journey
05 Nov/6 Dec/12 Dec/13 Dec between Bristol TM - Weston SM/Taunton/Exeter/Plymouth/Penzance

 

Yeah - the seats were very uncomfortable and it was just about the only way to be comfortable for long periods.  Heel of shoe you'll notice and not the potentially dirty sole.


A case of art that I would not chose for my home.  No idea why *those* were chosen, though I suppose there is something of a Spanish theme.

 

Sorry about that - now at https://www.passenger.chat/nrtt/2023_05/ - we added a degree of consistency as we moved from http to https.

 
With the exception of the Harwich to Hook of Holland ferry route, we find when using ferries to mainland Europe or Ireland as foot passengers that we are stuffed onto buses that are overcrowded to the "rammed" level. It's for a relatively short ride between the terminal and the ship. And we find that we are loaded onto the bus some time before it leaves while we wait for the last stragglers. And we find that it's very much "survival of the fittest" in getting on and off the bus, and onwards through the next stage - the seats go to those who, perhaps, least need them.

I can understand the ecomomics of keeping a fleet of buses for just one or two very short journeys a day; financially, the arrangement makes sense for the companies.  And they can use the crappest of old vehicles too.

The "survival of the fittest" is an interesting one and I will leave an open question here as to whether that should, or should not, be an issue.  Don't get me wrong - staff are extemely helpful, but as we joined the bus in Portsmoouth, and then again on the ship in Santander, we were back of the line. Just about space for mobility aid "Henry" on the bus, but Lisa had to struggle to stand while people averted their eyes / looked the other way.  And when we got off the bus in Santander to pass through the immigrations system we were, of course, behind everyone else again.  There's no right and wrong here - just a challenge to find a happy medium; no demand for preferrential treatment but it would be lovely not to consistently be the ones waiting or standing.









I am somewhat limited in the pictures here - rules are not to take pictures in security / passport control / customs areas, and I've not done so.

 
The link in the quote isn't working now?

 

Updating - current and recent years all mirrored via https://www.passenger.chat/nrtt.html ... the May to December 2026 set was late arriving - I suspect not uploaded to the National Rail website until late in the day (or it could be that I missed finding it when I looked) so no promise there will be a set there from 13th December 2026 when the timetables change.

 

Interesting pictures on wall… is that Melania?

 
Showing on RTT this morning as 3 coaches!

 
Whilst the new TfW services between Bristol and Cardiff Central/West Wales were showing up on Realtimetrains as starting from Sunday 13th December, for some reason these are now longer showing on there.  Does this mean that these new TfW services have now not been approved as starting from 13th December or that there is a delay to when these services will now start?

 
I have added the Fastnet race disaster to "On this day" for 14th August so we are reminded each year. I will NOT add a pointer to this thread; this thread is in "The Lighter Side" and the race disaster is about as far from that a light topic as you can get!

 

The main policy should be to drastically reduce fossil fuel use, not by trading, offsetting or purchasing indulgences, but actual physical reductions.

Tax road fuel to a greater extent than at present, and extend the same tax to aircraft fuel.
greatly increase wind and solar electricity production.

 

I wonder if that's to do with 175 availability. The GWR facilities book advertises the 175 as serving Falmouth. A 175 hasn't been to Newquay since August.

 

The Fastnet Disaster wason thew other evening.
I was on duty that Monday morning as it all really 'got going'.
The night shift we took over from just had a new yachts in trouble.
Never forgotten.

 

Coincidentally, a former girlfriend of mine and her parents on their yacht were also caught out by the storm and had a pretty grim time of it going by her account.  Fortunately, they all made it back safely.

 
......and bringing up the rear...................

 
Talking yesterday with someone who normally can be trusted who suggested that through trains were likely to be delayed until Dec 2027 possibly May 2028, has anyone heard similar or is the original May 2027 target still on course?

 
If no one has said it before - The Salamanca.

Co incidentally, I was on the Salamanca on Thursday evening this week, and travel back to Portsmouth on Friday week. I will keep a look out for those clouds.

 

My uncle was also caught up in that incident - he was very grateful to be rescued by being picked up from the sea and winched up into a helicopter.

 

Rarely a problem with extra trains between Westbury and Bradford Junction - the throttle point is, I believe, between Avoncliff and Bathampton with long signalling section(s).   There will probably be the regular Sunday service through Melksham, and a couple of steam excursions.   Hopefully people will have gone out to see them yesterday, and anyone on the platform today will stand well back behind the yellow line.

 
2U09 (07:59 Exeter St Davids to Cardiff Central due 10:24) has just passed Bradford Junction and has got to Avoncliff - logically enough.

 
09:31 Liskeard to Looe due 10:01
09:31 Liskeard to Looe due 10:01 will be cancelled.
This is due to a fault on this train.
Further Information


If you require further information please speak to our staff at the station or on the train, use the Customer Help Point, message us on X @GWRHelp or call National Rail Enquiries on 03457 484 950.

If you arrive at your destination 15 or more minutes late because your GWR train was delayed or cancelled, you can claim Delay Repay compensation. Please keep your ticket and visit GWR.com/DelayRepay
Last Updated:18/10/2026 09:08

The 0931/1034 and 1211 all cancelled so far

 

Oh dear. Shoes on the seat. Youngsters today eh?

 
Cancellations to services between Taunton and Bristol Temple Meads
Due to a fault with the signalling system between Taunton and Bristol Temple Meads all lines are blocked.
Train services running through these stations may be cancelled, delayed or diverted. Disruption is expected until 12:00 18/10.

Diverted via Melksham?
07:59 Exeter St Davids to Cardiff Central due 10:24
07:59 Exeter St Davids to Cardiff Central due 10:24 will be diverted between Taunton and Bristol Temple Meads.
It will no longer call at Bridgwater, Highbridge & Burnham, Weston-Super-Mare, Weston Milton, Worle, Yatton, Nailsea & Backwell, Parson Street and Bedminster.
It is being delayed at Exeter St Davids.
This is due to a fault with the signalling system.
(Currently approaching Frome)

Via Melksham?
07:54 Bristol Temple Meads to Plymouth due 10:25
07:54 Bristol Temple Meads to Plymouth due 10:25 will be diverted between Bristol Temple Meads and Taunton.
It will no longer call at Nailsea & Backwell, Yatton, Worle, Weston-Super-Mare, Highbridge & Burnham and Bridgwater.
It is being delayed at Bristol Temple Meads.
This is due to a fault with the signalling system.
(Lost?)

 
A colleague from my teaching days in Dorchester was caught up in the 1979 Fastnet Race tragedy which resulted in 21 deaths. He was competing on one of the 303 yachts which were caught up in the unexpectedly severe storm.

 
Passing Yarnbrook yesterday afternoon.

 
The Bay of Biscay

On a rather more sombre note, from many years ago:

A retired couple, who were family friends of my wife to be, sailed their yacht out of Salcombe towards Gibraltar.  They didn't make it: I seem to remember that one body was found, but no wreckage, in the Bay of Biscay.

Never underestimate the power of the sea. 

 
Thank you for that long, but engaging, post, Grahame. It reminds me that I would have been regarded as eccentric for much of my time in private industry as I visited customers by public transport; anywhere between Perth and Portland.  I gained a lot of pleasure from the journeys at that time, but there was also some logic in that I was working long days and not having to drive when tired was a safer option.

Your post also illustrates that there is a lot more to modal choice than the transport modellers' favourite variables: cost and journey time. The transport planning profession is more alert to these things nowadays,  but it is hard to model qualitative dimensions (things you can't put a number on) and the information to calibrate a model may simply not exist.

Beware!
Things that are easy to measure but relatively unimportant tend to assert excessive influence;
Things that are important but hard to define and measure are overlooked in policy and objective setting.

So often, we approach planning with a preconceived "solution" and then find enough reasons to justify it. That's not how it's supposed to work but the relevant guidance is usually ignored.

Strange, isn't it, that, outside London, the UK is notably poor at making its public transport work as a system (not just bus and rail: even the railway itself struggles to think of itself as a system). It is conceivable that Devizes Gateway could be made to work for the benefit of the town economy. To do so, I think, probably needs revolutionary change over the whole country.