12

 
I have registered - it's free, and fairly easy to do (that qualified comment is only due to Eventbrite, not TWSW).

The venue, at Firepool Centre, Taunton, is very easy to find: it's just a slight slope down from Taunton station and a traffic light controlled pedestrian crossing of Trenchard Way.  If anyone does need assistance with mobility access, that can be arranged - please do just let us know.  The venue itself is very modern, all on the ground floor, with the appropriate facilities.

I look forward to meeting some of our Coffee Shop members (and indeed guests).

CfN. 

 

I'll have a return ticket from Nailsea & Backwell, so I will be able to do either.  I'd suggest the ceremony will probably be outside, as the weather forecast is for 'bright and sunny', and there's more room outdoors for those attending, rather than trying to cram everyone inside into the concourse.

I shall be wearing a Coffee Shop badge for identification, just in case anyone here wants to approach me, and I will hopefully be in company with my esteemed admin colleague here, Red Squirrel.  For a squirrel, he is remarkably tall, when he stands up on his hind legs, so you can't miss him. 

Look forward to seeing some of you there.  CfN. 

 

Indeed - it was very interesting when Lisa and I were courting, with her job in Naples (Florida).  That's where we both learned to work remotely even in the early days of the Internet.

 

Unlikely to have been 1971. The APT-E (Experimental gas turbine) didn't begin testing until 1972. APT-P (Prototype 25kV electric Class 370) First ran in 1978.

 
A strong breeze is about Finn's limit. Plays havoc with his ears.


(Giant's Causeway earlier in 2026)

 
Should we perhaps also include one of Isambard Kingdom Brunel's notable (rather than 'noble' or 'ignoble') failures here?

The Atmospheric Railway, in South Devon: see http://www.ikbrunel.org.uk/index.php?n=Atmospheric-Railway

 

 

I couldn't, but apparently GWR can. 

I was thinking of giving it a go, on that last through train to Weymouth, but I was put off by my premonition that the rail services would very likely go pear-shaped, making it difficult for me to get back home to Nailsea without a load of stress and strain.  So I didn't. 

CfN. 

 
10 plus some not listed.

2 or 3 new countries by Christmas
Definitly Tunisia and Denmark. I will find it difficult to resist a train journey over The Øresund Bridge whilst in Copenhagen adding Sweden to my list.

 
I'm delighted to see that (provided there are enough storms in the next year, which does seem rather likely), the alphabetically sixth one will be named Storm Finn.

From the BBC:


    

 

Couldn't make it up, could you?

 

The Swindon-Weymouth and its return working did, in fact, run! (as I write, the northbound service is at Pen Mill).

 
I make it 22 off that list (not inc UK), plus quite a few not on that list. USA, Norway, Lithuania, Russia, El Salvador, Puerto Rico, Guadaloupe, Malaysia, Pakistan, Senegal ...plus quite a number of UK "protectorates" - or whatever they are called nowadays.


Another large factor in stopping many US citizens travelling abroad is the paucity of paid holiday in most American workplaces coupled with the American work ethic.
In UK/Europe it is easy to take (say) 3 weeks (paid !) holiday in one go - in most American jobs you would probably have to take unpaid leave to do this. This has two effects: 1. Loss of money. 2. Gives the impression (rightly or wrongly) that you don't care about your employer and the wonderful job that he has kindly given you !

 
From Twitter:

The fire brigade is dealing with a fire which has caused a loss of power to overhead power cables between London Paddington-West Ealing.

This has blocked all lines between Paddington-Reading and disruption is expected until the end of the day.


https://x.com/networkrailwest/status/2096312536446431604?s=20

 
High Wycombe station was VERY busy this evening. I had to go to collect Mrs B given the disruption.

 
7 for me, from that particular, rather selective, list of countries.

Do Jersey and Gibraltar count as countries?

 
Cancellations to services between London Paddington and Reading

Due to failure of the electricity supply between London Paddington and Reading all lines are blocked.
Train services running to and from these stations may be cancelled, delayed or terminated at and started back from Reading. Disruption is expected until the end of the day

Elizabeth line customer advice:
You will need to seek alternative routes to complete your journey if you are travelling west of London Paddington. Services will only run between either London Paddington and Abbey Wood / Shenfield. Some trains may be diverted to start from London Liverpool Street.

In other words, you're on your own.

 
25 on that list, including the UK as per Graham's method, plus about 16 others not mentioned.

And if I never go back to Equatorial Guinea, it will be too soon!

 
All lines blocked until 19.00

 


https://www.eventbrite.com/e/travelwatch-southwest-autumn-general-meeting-2026-tickets-1999846046359

 

 

Seconded.

 
Official launch of the University's building is also 7th Sept, but I don't know what time.

 
December 13th is the start of the new national timetable

 
006 doing Newquay today. Have to see what happens tonight when it gets dark.

112 running up and down empty.

 

Well yes, I can see why you think that might be the actual opening date and services serving it.  But the opening date and services serving it could still be sooner than that.  Even though realtimetrains still shows a start date at the start of the winter timetable on 13th December. The services will be extensions of the current Bristol Temple Meads-Filton Abbey Wood stopping services.  These services generally depart Temple Meads at xx:04 and arrive at Filton Abbey Wood at xx:18.  Then they depart Filton Abbey Wood at xx:48.  So the current services can easily be extended to run to and from North Filton, and before 13th December.

Also take into account that even completely brand new services like the West Midlands Railway Birmingham New Street-Kings Norton(via the Camp Hill Line) and Lumo London Euston-Stirling services, the start dates were only announced about 3 weeks in advance.

 
Mainly Europe for me with one visit to the Grenadines and Barbados ( briefly) in the Caribbean.  Also, I guess the Canaries, although Spanish politically, are geographically on an African techtonic plate?

 
Not used them for a bit, but in the last couple of days, several bus trips, and the real-time timetabling information was ragged for some reason.

The Stagecoach 620 was struggling for other reasons, one or more of the buses on the route was in stealth mode, and a cancellation too.

The service that was to form the 16:45 from the bus station... attempting to catch the inbound service it was nowhere to be found.

Coming back up, I headed for the last 620 of the day but catching it from the stop at Green Park. 17:46 came and went, their app not showing it at the bus station.

20 minutes after time, the bus to form the service passed the Green Park stop but in the opposite direction, and after about another 15 minutes, reappeared. I was expecting it to have the passengers for both the 16:45 and 17:45 aboard, but no, it was carrying just one other. Both of those services are usually somewhat busy. Three more did join before we parted company - the driver asking for reassurance as to where the bus stops were as it was their first time out unaccompanied. So, perhaps Stagecoach is struggling for staff, or the route's being delayed by congestion, or both...

 
Likewise, I rather fancy having a pootle down to watch the opening but RS has a good question about inside or outside.  Perhaps the weather might dictate matters but I'm thinking that there would probably be more outdoor photo opportunities that are so prized by our local politicians.  Or there may be a lower key "press/media event" devoid of us plebs held earlier.