Recent Public Posts - [guest]
| Re: Memories of schooldays, and what inspired us In "Introductions and chat" [377090/32234/1] Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 22:58, 15th July 2026 |      |
My inspiration then was not in the classroom but out in the open air. On Friday afternoons at Brislington School (Bristol), the sixth form were timetabled 'Liberal Studies' - when we could choose whichever we liked. My choice, with several others, was on the theme of industrial archeology, led by Martin 'Kipper' Lee. He had a PSV license (which he carried with pride) and thus access to the school minibus for the afternoon.
He took us out to Crofton Pumping House on the Kennet & Avon Canal and the railway signal box at Ashton Gate (now long gone), for example. As the teacher in charge of a group of genuinely interested students, he was given favourable treatment and access at such sites. That is why I was given the opportunity to work a traditional signal lever in the box at Ashton Gate, on the line which was still used for goods traffic. I failed miserably, to the mirth of my fellow students and much eye rolling from the signalman and the train driver, who was waiting outside.
Those were happy days. CfN.
He took us out to Crofton Pumping House on the Kennet & Avon Canal and the railway signal box at Ashton Gate (now long gone), for example. As the teacher in charge of a group of genuinely interested students, he was given favourable treatment and access at such sites. That is why I was given the opportunity to work a traditional signal lever in the box at Ashton Gate, on the line which was still used for goods traffic. I failed miserably, to the mirth of my fellow students and much eye rolling from the signalman and the train driver, who was waiting outside.
Those were happy days. CfN.
Sounds like you had a great teacher there.
If you had a go at the level crossing gates at Ashton Gate as a schoolboy, failure would not be a surprise. If memory serves, the gates were quite long and would have been heavy to swing. And, for a youngster, the levers in the frame, whatever the colour, would have been a bit heavy, I'm sure.
I hate to think of the elf and safety paperwork now, even if we had the infrastructure.
I have quoted selectively above, just so I can cover a few points.
Yes, Martin Lee was a brilliant teacher, very knowledgeable and enthusiastic about industrial archaeology - but I never found out why he was nicknamed 'Kipper'. I just went along with others, who all knew him affectionately as 'Kipper Lee'.
None of us had a go at moving the level crossing gates, but we were all invited up into the signal box to actually operate the levers.- that would be impossible now, allowing a group of 17-year-olds to do that. The Elf-n-Safety paperwork prohibiting it would indeed run into hundreds of pages!
For me, the rather embarrassing aspect of my inability to work a signal lever there was that my girlfriend at the time was one of those fellow students laughing at my ineptitude.
| Re: Holiday home in Torquay (Torre) anyone? - be aware of train noise In "Shorter journeys in Devon - Central, North and South" [377089/24457/24] Posted by grahame at 22:15, 15th July 2026 | |
Back on the market
Paul Fosh Auctions & Lettings
Yesterday at 17:30
Located in the sought-after coastal town of Torquay, a prime tourist hotspot, this truly one-of-a-kind investment with planning permission for conversion into a holiday home is coming up in auction.
* Lot 56: Former Signal Box, Torre Station Newton Road, Torquay, Devon, TQ2 5EU
* Rare Grade II listed signal box
* Full planning approved for holiday home conversion
* Three-storey layout with characterful design potential
* Lot 56: Former Signal Box, Torre Station Newton Road, Torquay, Devon, TQ2 5EU
* Rare Grade II listed signal box
* Full planning approved for holiday home conversion
* Three-storey layout with characterful design potential
| Re: Introduction Of New, More Secure?, Ticket Gates In "The Wider Picture in the United Kingdom" [377088/32237/51] Posted by ChrisB at 21:40, 15th July 2026 | |
From Gov.uk
Press release - £33.4 million to fund new gateline improvements
- new ticket gates for stations across England with £33 million to crack down on fare evasion and deliver a fairer railway
- funding to tackle deliberate fare evasion to recover up to £400 million lost annually and reinvest in better journeys for passengers
- passengers already seeing the benefits of a simpler and fairer ticketing system ahead of the creation of Great
British Railways with expanded Pay As You Go and digital ticketing trials
As part of the government’s landmark rail reforms, new ticket gates will be installed at stations and platforms across England, targeting fare dodger hot spots to crack down on deliberate ticketless travel and make sure fares go towards improving the services passengers depend on.
Passengers will benefit from a fairer railway with £33.4 million of funding to support the rollout of a range of gate types at stations which currently have none, including new taller gates to prevent barrier jumping and more of the standard waist-high gates currently used across Great Britain and on the London Underground.
Fare evasion puts up to £400 million of rail revenue at risk each year and every pound lost to fare dodging is one that can’t be spent on improving services – whether maintaining the network, upgrading carriages, or improving wifi. These new gates will help protect revenue and put it back to work where it belongs: delivering better journeys for passengers.
Great British Railways (GBR) will be focused on creating a fairer deal for passengers, including tackling fare evasion and simplifying the complex web of ticketing to deliver more reliable and affordable services. Changes are already underway with the expansion of contactless Pay As You Go technology, digital ticketing trials across the East Midlands and South Yorkshire and the incoming GBR app, where passengers will be able to buy tickets, check train times and access a range of support all in one place.
The Rail Minister, Lord Peter Hendy, said:
"Fare evasion is not a victimless crime – it undermines confidence in the railway and means passengers lose out on millions in revenue, which should be invested to improve services for everyone.
"By stopping fare dodgers before they reach the platform, we’re protecting taxpayer cash, supporting investment in the network and ensuring the railway works better for the millions of passengers who do the right thing every day by paying their way.
"As we deliver significant reform across our railways in the lead-up to Great British Railways, we are creating a truly joined-up railway, which is more accountable and better equipped to deliver the reliable, modern railway passengers deserve, to create jobs, growth and homes"
The new ticket gates will have passengers in mind with options to scan digital tickets, insert paper tickets or ‘tap out’ where contactless travel is available and follow wider changes coming in across the railway to improve ticketing and stop fraud. Earlier this year, the government announced that under Great British Railways, passengers will be able to claim Delay Repay directly from wherever they buy their ticket, making it quicker and easier to apply for compensation.
Operators allocated funding to support the delivery of new gates include:
- Avanti West Coast: Stafford, Liverpool Lime Street
- East Midlands Railway: Market Harborough
- Greater Anglia: Witham, Rayleigh, Ware, Hertford East and Manningtree
- Thameslink Southern Great Northern: Royston, Stevenage, Elephant and Castle, Worthing and Gipsy Hill
- TransPennine Express: Manchester Piccadilly
- West Midlands Trains: Tamworth, Nuneaton, Worcester Foregate Street and Worcester Shrub Hill
This is the first stage of a wider programme to increase the number of ticket gates in use across England, with the potential for further rollout across the UK in the future. Delivery of the new ticket gates is expected by mid-2028, with the first phase of rollout in place during the first half of 2027.
- new ticket gates for stations across England with £33 million to crack down on fare evasion and deliver a fairer railway
- funding to tackle deliberate fare evasion to recover up to £400 million lost annually and reinvest in better journeys for passengers
- passengers already seeing the benefits of a simpler and fairer ticketing system ahead of the creation of Great
British Railways with expanded Pay As You Go and digital ticketing trials
As part of the government’s landmark rail reforms, new ticket gates will be installed at stations and platforms across England, targeting fare dodger hot spots to crack down on deliberate ticketless travel and make sure fares go towards improving the services passengers depend on.
Passengers will benefit from a fairer railway with £33.4 million of funding to support the rollout of a range of gate types at stations which currently have none, including new taller gates to prevent barrier jumping and more of the standard waist-high gates currently used across Great Britain and on the London Underground.
Fare evasion puts up to £400 million of rail revenue at risk each year and every pound lost to fare dodging is one that can’t be spent on improving services – whether maintaining the network, upgrading carriages, or improving wifi. These new gates will help protect revenue and put it back to work where it belongs: delivering better journeys for passengers.
Great British Railways (GBR) will be focused on creating a fairer deal for passengers, including tackling fare evasion and simplifying the complex web of ticketing to deliver more reliable and affordable services. Changes are already underway with the expansion of contactless Pay As You Go technology, digital ticketing trials across the East Midlands and South Yorkshire and the incoming GBR app, where passengers will be able to buy tickets, check train times and access a range of support all in one place.
The Rail Minister, Lord Peter Hendy, said:
"Fare evasion is not a victimless crime – it undermines confidence in the railway and means passengers lose out on millions in revenue, which should be invested to improve services for everyone.
"By stopping fare dodgers before they reach the platform, we’re protecting taxpayer cash, supporting investment in the network and ensuring the railway works better for the millions of passengers who do the right thing every day by paying their way.
"As we deliver significant reform across our railways in the lead-up to Great British Railways, we are creating a truly joined-up railway, which is more accountable and better equipped to deliver the reliable, modern railway passengers deserve, to create jobs, growth and homes"
The new ticket gates will have passengers in mind with options to scan digital tickets, insert paper tickets or ‘tap out’ where contactless travel is available and follow wider changes coming in across the railway to improve ticketing and stop fraud. Earlier this year, the government announced that under Great British Railways, passengers will be able to claim Delay Repay directly from wherever they buy their ticket, making it quicker and easier to apply for compensation.
Operators allocated funding to support the delivery of new gates include:
- Avanti West Coast: Stafford, Liverpool Lime Street
- East Midlands Railway: Market Harborough
- Greater Anglia: Witham, Rayleigh, Ware, Hertford East and Manningtree
- Thameslink Southern Great Northern: Royston, Stevenage, Elephant and Castle, Worthing and Gipsy Hill
- TransPennine Express: Manchester Piccadilly
- West Midlands Trains: Tamworth, Nuneaton, Worcester Foregate Street and Worcester Shrub Hill
This is the first stage of a wider programme to increase the number of ticket gates in use across England, with the potential for further rollout across the UK in the future. Delivery of the new ticket gates is expected by mid-2028, with the first phase of rollout in place during the first half of 2027.
| Re: Dreadful GWR performance figures In "Across the West" [377087/32150/26] Posted by John D at 21:23, 15th July 2026 | |
GWR have now uploaded period 03 performance figures
Cancellations are even worse than previous period in some areas
EF03 London-Cotswolds 10.38% cancelled
EF10 Bristol suburban 9.11% cancelled
EF13 South Wales - South Coast 11.3% cancelled
https://www.gwr.com/-/media/gwr-sc-website/files/publications/performance-report/gwr-performance-report-period-2703.pdf
If anyone commutes 5 days we're week (2 return journeys) then statistically going to have about 1 of their 10 journeys cancelled (1 in 9 for EF13).
Nowhere near good enough in my opinion.
| Re: Railway bridges struck by road vehicles - many incidents, ongoing discussion In "The Wider Picture in the United Kingdom" [377086/8910/51] Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 21:17, 15th July 2026 | |
Yet another one - from the BBC:
Trains delayed as lorry crashes into railway bridge at Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk
Suffolk Police closed the road while efforts were made to retrieve the large lorry - Image © Marie Cee
Train services were delayed and motorists came to a halt after a lorry crashed into a railway bridge before overturning onto its side.
The large blue heavy good vehicle struck the bridge on Orttewell Road at the junction with Barton Road, in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, at 13:33 BST on Wednesday.
Greater Anglia said services between Ipswich and Cambridge had to operate at reduced speeds "to ensure the safety of the railway". It added that disruption to be expected until Network Rail engineers sent to the scene to inspect the structure were able to confirm it was safe for trains to travel over it.
The large lorry overturned as it struck the bridge in Bury St Edmunds
A spokesperson for the train company said: "Greater Anglia and Network Rail are sorry if your journey has been affected by this disruption. Advance purchase tickets holders will be allowed to travel on earlier or later trains if their booked service is cancelled."
Suffolk Police confirmed officers and other emergency services personnel, including firefighters and paramedics were called to the scene. They had received a report of a lorry that had "toppled over", a spokesperson said. The road was closed and no injuries were reported.
Suffolk Police closed the road while efforts were made to retrieve the large lorry - Image © Marie Cee
Train services were delayed and motorists came to a halt after a lorry crashed into a railway bridge before overturning onto its side.
The large blue heavy good vehicle struck the bridge on Orttewell Road at the junction with Barton Road, in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, at 13:33 BST on Wednesday.
Greater Anglia said services between Ipswich and Cambridge had to operate at reduced speeds "to ensure the safety of the railway". It added that disruption to be expected until Network Rail engineers sent to the scene to inspect the structure were able to confirm it was safe for trains to travel over it.
The large lorry overturned as it struck the bridge in Bury St Edmunds
A spokesperson for the train company said: "Greater Anglia and Network Rail are sorry if your journey has been affected by this disruption. Advance purchase tickets holders will be allowed to travel on earlier or later trains if their booked service is cancelled."
Suffolk Police confirmed officers and other emergency services personnel, including firefighters and paramedics were called to the scene. They had received a report of a lorry that had "toppled over", a spokesperson said. The road was closed and no injuries were reported.
| Re: Thames Valley infrastructure problems causing disruption elsewhere - 2026 In "Across the West" [377085/31163/26] Posted by TaplowGreen at 19:37, 15th July 2026 | |
Delays to services between Reading and Oxford via Didcot Parkway
Following a points failure at Didcot Parkway all lines are now open. Disruption is expected until 20:00 15/07.
Train services between Reading and Oxford via Didcot Parkway are returning to normal but some services have been delayed.
| Re: Memories of schooldays, and what inspired us In "Introductions and chat" [377084/32234/1] Posted by CyclingSid at 18:58, 15th July 2026 | |
Railway related school memories. The Shoreham (Sussex) toll bridge, have never found out why railway staff collected the tolls (same at Hayling Island). Once again the smell of creosote on a wooden bridge in summer. Closely connected to the Shoreham to Christ's Hospital branch, in its last throes. The Beeding cement works up the valley and the geology connected with, good for the chalk with clay coming by underground pipeline from Henfield (?).
Doing my cadet force Cert T at Longmoor Military Railway. A week "playing" with signal boxes (and levers), ground frames, loose shunting in the marshalling yard (the shunting pole was some way taller than me) and driving a small diesel engine on a non-passenger service. And more, a week of bliss, as said I hate to think of the elf and safety paperwork now, even if we had the infrastructure.
| Re: 'Hogwash' - an interesting phrase ... In "The Lighter Side" [377083/32233/30] Posted by CyclingSid at 18:33, 15th July 2026 | |
It originally referred to the slops, kitchen scraps, and refuse given to pigs.
Which we are not allowed to do now. Especially with swine flu on the continent.
| Re: Memories of schooldays, and what inspired us In "Introductions and chat" [377082/32234/1] Posted by Witham Bobby at 17:10, 15th July 2026 | |
I have taken something of a liberty here in splitting the above post off to start a new topic - simply to justify my adding my own schooldays reminiscences.
My inspiration then was not in the classroom but out in the open air. On Friday afternoons at Brislington School (Bristol), the sixth form were timetabled 'Liberal Studies' - when we could choose whichever we liked. My choice, with several others, was on the theme of industrial archeology, led by Martin 'Kipper' Lee. He had a PSV license (which he carried with pride) and thus access to the school minibus for the afternoon.
He took us out to Crofton Pumping House on the Kennet & Avon Canal and the railway signal box at Ashton Gate (now long gone), for example. As the teacher in charge of a group of genuinely interested students, he was given favourable treatment and access at such sites. That is why I was given the opportunity to work a traditional signal lever in the box at Ashton Gate, on the line which was still used for goods traffic. I failed miserably, to the mirth of my fellow students and much eye rolling from the signalman and the train driver, who was waiting outside.
Those were happy days. CfN.
My inspiration then was not in the classroom but out in the open air. On Friday afternoons at Brislington School (Bristol), the sixth form were timetabled 'Liberal Studies' - when we could choose whichever we liked. My choice, with several others, was on the theme of industrial archeology, led by Martin 'Kipper' Lee. He had a PSV license (which he carried with pride) and thus access to the school minibus for the afternoon.
He took us out to Crofton Pumping House on the Kennet & Avon Canal and the railway signal box at Ashton Gate (now long gone), for example. As the teacher in charge of a group of genuinely interested students, he was given favourable treatment and access at such sites. That is why I was given the opportunity to work a traditional signal lever in the box at Ashton Gate, on the line which was still used for goods traffic. I failed miserably, to the mirth of my fellow students and much eye rolling from the signalman and the train driver, who was waiting outside.
Those were happy days. CfN.
Sounds like you had a great teacher there
We had Mr Lessware, who was ex-RAF. He'd been in Bomber Command in WWII and beyond that he told us nothing. I later learned that he was awarded a DFC
As befits a pilot, he took us boys to somewhere up above Wotton-under-EDge and we had the most fantastic day out on gliders. The gliders were launched skywards on a winch. Yours truly enjoyed a couple of flights and a lot of tractor driving to recover the tow rope. Different times. I can't even begin to imagine the amount of paper that would be generated by such an excursion today
If you had a go at the level crossing gates at Ashton Gate as a schoolboy, failure would not be a surprise. If memory serves, the gates were quite long and would have been heavy to swing. And, for a youngster, the levers in the frame, whatever the colour, would have been a bit heavy, I'm sure
| Re: Portishead Line reopening for passengers - ongoing discussion In "Campaigns for new and improved services" [377081/231/28] Posted by Mark A at 15:33, 15th July 2026 | |
Useful to compare and contrast with Leven, Tweedbank. Both terminus stations, lengthy island platforms with two faces.
At Tweedbank, there's the issue, when it's time to do so, of how to take the railway onward through the (virtual) fourth wall. Portishead's unlikely to see an extension but it is certainly going to have a wall. How much of the forthcoming structure will need to go in the bin in the unthinkable situation that demand outstrips supply sufficient for the station to need a second platform is anyone's guess.
Mark
| Re: Portishead Line reopening for passengers - ongoing discussion In "Campaigns for new and improved services" [377080/231/28] Posted by Red Squirrel at 13:30, 15th July 2026 | |
I don’t remember any mention of passive provision for additional platforms at either station. Pill will have an old ‘spare’ platform on the Portbury branch, but a new set of points would be needed at the Portishead end to allow trains to access it.
Interestingly the latest animated renderings show the line being served by 2-car Class 165’s - there’s ambitious for you!
You can see the renderings at source here: https://www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk/news/first-look-at-new-portishead-and-pill-stations-as-railway-restoration-progresses
| Re: New TfW services to Bristol in December timetable In "Shorter journeys in South and West Wales" [377079/32236/23] Posted by Red Squirrel at 13:23, 15th July 2026 | |
Real time trains has some new services (some are extensions of services to/from south west Wales to Cardiff) running through to Bristol from December 2026 timetable
Example Fishguard to Bristol
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:L00529/2026-12-14/detailed
Looks like they will be worked by class 197 DMUs
In England looks like like stations served are Filton Abbey Wood, Stapleton Road and Bristol Temple Meads.
Slightly intrigued by including Stapleton Road, but it is fairly east to park for free nearby so maybe it is for people travelling to Cardiff who object to paying for parking
I think this is first phase of proposed services calling at some new stations (usually referred to as Burns stations) along South Wales main line.
There is a rumour that rail growth in Wales will mean additional new trains will be ordered, so possibly bi-modes will get ordered for Burns station services
Example Fishguard to Bristol
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:L00529/2026-12-14/detailed
Looks like they will be worked by class 197 DMUs
In England looks like like stations served are Filton Abbey Wood, Stapleton Road and Bristol Temple Meads.
Slightly intrigued by including Stapleton Road, but it is fairly east to park for free nearby so maybe it is for people travelling to Cardiff who object to paying for parking
I think this is first phase of proposed services calling at some new stations (usually referred to as Burns stations) along South Wales main line.
There is a rumour that rail growth in Wales will mean additional new trains will be ordered, so possibly bi-modes will get ordered for Burns station services
Stapleton Road is likely to become increasingly important as an interchange, both to/from the Severn Beach line but also for Abbeywood/Brabazon services. I’m not sure that parking is likely to be a factor.
| Re: Portishead Line reopening for passengers - ongoing discussion In "Campaigns for new and improved services" [377078/231/28] Posted by Noggin at 13:19, 15th July 2026 | |
However I am unable to copy the URL from my browser bar, to here.
Right click on URL->copy->paste it into thread
https://www.somersetlive.co.uk/news/somerset-news/first-look-two-new-stations-11059308
Thank you - so is there passive provision for second platforms at Pill and Portishead or are we going to be stuck with a single platform when it inevitably turns into a roaring success and a higher frequency of service is needed?
| Re: SWR timetable consultation - a suggestion In "Portsmouth to Cardiff" [377076/32168/20] Posted by Mark A at 12:58, 15th July 2026 | |
"Direct flows": what a revealing way to present the gains - and stands the argument "This is a duplicate service between Bristol / Bath and London" on its head, lays it on a stretcher, and carries it out of the room.
Mark
| Re: Portishead Line reopening for passengers - ongoing discussion In "Campaigns for new and improved services" [377075/231/28] Posted by chuffed at 11:40, 15th July 2026 | |
Many thanks for doing that Chris B.
| Re: New TfW services to Bristol in December timetable In "Shorter journeys in South and West Wales" [377074/32236/23] Posted by grahame at 09:59, 15th July 2026 Already liked by JohnM | |
Looking at other services for the new timetable I note:
Getting 'not found' pages for both those links 
Sorry - my (coding) bad - it was expanding the MKM and DMH abbreviations within the URLs. Fixed.
| Re: New TfW services to Bristol in December timetable In "Shorter journeys in South and West Wales" [377073/32236/23] Posted by GBM at 09:55, 15th July 2026 | |
Looking at other services for the new timetable I note:
Getting 'not found' pages for both those links | Re: SWR timetable consultation - a suggestion In "Portsmouth to Cardiff" [377072/32168/20] Posted by grahame at 08:52, 15th July 2026 Already liked by GBM, Clan Line, Mark A | |
and someone adds
and extra bloody carriages!
No and yes - the overcrowding is from West Wiltshire into Bath and Bristol at present. The trains that terminate at Salisbury from Bristol are much less heavily loaded as they get further from Bristol and this is an opportunity to help even out loads. Likewise, the Salisbury to London services that start at Salisbury start quieter and are picking up people all the way. So the though trains extra passengers would be biased towards the quieter section of the line.
Having said that, we were promised 5 carriage trains as routine on the Cardiff to Portsmouth service preCovid but they typically run with just 3 carriages (sometimes 2 or 4, very occasionally 5) these days even though traffic levels are back to where they were. There will be an element of relief once the Cordoba (175) fleet is properly in service in Devon and Cornwall and allows some 158 units of the type pictured to be transferred up to Bristol - but this is NOT part of the timetable update request, and we are being careful to ask for something reasonable and achievable in its own right and under the guidelines of it being a timetable change.
| Re: SWR timetable consultation - a suggestion In "Portsmouth to Cardiff" [377071/32168/20] Posted by grahame at 08:45, 15th July 2026 Already liked by Mark A | |
In response to a number of follow ups on Faceplant saying "they're not going to give you more trains ...."
Read my lips - NO MORE TRAINS. Sorry to shout, but I have read so many social media posts in the last fortnight telling me that asking GBR|SW for more trains in their timetable review is unlikely to be delivered. WE ARE NOT ASKING FOR MORE TRAINS - we are asking for existing trains to be retimed and joined up to make a better network product. It seems I have not got this message across; we know this is a timetable review and not an investment plan.
Current:
Bristol to Salisbury - 12 stations = 66 direct station to station flows each way
Salisbury to Waterloo - 9 stations = 35 direct flows (not CLJ to WAT as CLJ is set down / pick up only)
Total - 101 direct flows
Proposed:
Bristol to Waterloo - 20 stations = 189 direct flows each way (still not between CLJ and WAT)
I grant you that many flows (both current and future) are thin but look at some of the direct service gains:
* Basingstoke - that hidden hive of industry half way to London - gets direct Bath and Bristol trains
* Trowbridge and Bradford-on-Avon get direct trains to London
* Oldfield Park gets trains to Clapham Junction and Waterloo - great for student population from south of The Thames
It stikes me that this change of timetables is a once-in-a-decade opportunity to join things up into a network for the passengers, and bring us the gain from nationalisation as we move away from competitive fiefdoms which caused friction and poor service provision across regional territories. A win-win chance.
Carla Denya, Dan Norris, Wera Hobhouse, Anna Sabine, Brian Mathew, Andrew Murrison, Caroline Noakes, Kit Malthouse, Luke Murphy, Will Forster, Marsha De Cordova and Florence Eshalomi - please take note; this will provide residents and businesses around stations in YOUR constituency with better travel options.
Pictures - current express Sprinter trains along the line. Different paint jobs, maybe
| Re: New TfW services to Bristol in December timetable In "Shorter journeys in South and West Wales" [377070/32236/23] Posted by JohnM at 08:19, 15th July 2026 | |
Looking at other services for the new timetable I note:
Getting 'not found' pages for both those links | Re: Introduction Of New, More Secure?, Ticket Gates In "The Wider Picture in the United Kingdom" [377069/32237/51] Posted by JohnM at 08:18, 15th July 2026 | |
Don't know about other stations but at Chippenham in my experience they generally leave the barriers open at the top of the west bridge stairs when an IET arrives to avoid hold-ups.
| Re: New TfW services to Bristol in December timetable In "Shorter journeys in South and West Wales" [377068/32236/23] Posted by grahame at 08:16, 15th July 2026 | |
Interesting ... and that's the first full weekday of the Nationalised Great Western operation. There is sense in calling at some of the lesser served stations such as Stapleton Road ...
Looking at other services for the new timetable I note: DMH MKM WVS
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/search/detailed/gb-nr:DMH/2026-12-14/0000-2359?stp=WVS&show=all&order=wtt - a failure to address the peak gap that was been created at Dilton Marsh last December
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/search/detailed/gb-nr:MKM/2026-12-14/0000-2359?stp=WVS&show=all&order=wtt - and no significant changes at Melksham (weekend services look unchanged too).
Bristol to Oxford remains every 2 hours
12 trains from Westbury (and mostly from beyond there) terminating at Salisbury, and 11 trains starting at Salisbury and running to / via Westbury
Early days, of course ...
| Introduction Of New, More Secure?, Ticket Gates In "The Wider Picture in the United Kingdom" [377067/32237/51] Posted by Bob_Blakey at 08:08, 15th July 2026 | |
https://www.ianvisits.co.uk/articles/railway-fare-evaders-face-a-tougher-challenge-with-new-design-ticket-barriers-91093/ popped up on one of my news feeds.
I don't recall having seen this posted elsewhere on this forum - if that is not the case feel free to make use of the delete key.
Not that long ago, in a thread about fare evasion from memory, I suggested that the style of gates used on the Paris Metro should be used in the UK. Looking at the images in the IV article these new gates do appear to be a significant improvement on what we currently have.
| New TfW services to Bristol in December timetable In "Shorter journeys in South and West Wales" [377066/32236/23] Posted by John D at 07:39, 15th July 2026 | |
Real time trains has some new services (some are extensions of services to/from south west Wales to Cardiff) running through to Bristol from December 2026 timetable
Example Fishguard to Bristol
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:L00529/2026-12-14/detailed
Looks like they will be worked by class 197 DMUs
In England looks like like stations served are Filton Abbey Wood, Stapleton Road and Bristol Temple Meads.
Slightly intrigued by including Stapleton Road, but it is fairly east to park for free nearby so maybe it is for people travelling to Cardiff who object to paying for parking
I think this is first phase of proposed services calling at some new stations (usually referred to as Burns stations) along South Wales main line.
There is a rumour that rail growth in Wales will mean additional new trains will be ordered, so possibly bi-modes will get ordered for Burns station services
| Re: Memories of schooldays, and what inspired us In "Introductions and chat" [377065/32234/1] Posted by chuffed at 06:26, 15th July 2026 Already liked by Chris from Nailsea | |
Not quite schooldays but near enough. One of my main reasons for choosing Geography and History as my principal and subsidiary subjects in 1972 at Worcester College of Education was the time we spent out the lecture room on field trips. It was thumbs down for doing fieldwork for one of our lecturers on Bredon Hill,measuring the angle of poles stuck in the ground measuring soil creep......but it was thumbs up for visiting the very early Ironbridge museums,Black Country musuem at Dudley and the 2 Saxon churches at Deerhurst near Tewkesury.
In the 50 years since I have travelled across most of Europe,giving thanks for the geography and history, that enabled me to see how they interrelated. This culminsted in the holiday of a lifetime earlier this year,when I visited Sicily..a literal melting pot of geology geomorphology and different invaders who all keft their marks on the island eg A Spanish facade on an Arabic temple on Syracuse Cathedral and trips up Etna and viewing Stromboli.
| Numbers are fun! In "The Lighter Side" [377064/32235/30] Posted by grahame at 05:56, 15th July 2026 | |
We are a very odd forum / place ... every digit in this report is odd ...
We have 373973 posts
Of course, if we were in base 8 (and most of our trains have 8 wheels per carriage) the number would be 1332325 which is not as odd.
I - remember - numbers by patterns. My new passport, 9 digit number, is 2 x 3 digit train classes and the number of the oil exploration contract I worked on in 1972 in my pre-Uni job, and from which I gained an understanding of some geology and rock behaviour and formations which was fascinating but really doesn't have much practical application these days.
This morning, our Friends of Melksham Assembly Hall Facebook Group has attracted its 500th member ... a numeric milestone which I will probably comment on there ...
P.S. The very act of posting this is going to break the pattern. Never mind - we look forward here! Just over 26,000 more posts and we'll be all evened out for a while.
| Re: Memories of schooldays, and what inspired us In "Introductions and chat" [377062/32234/1] Posted by Oxonhutch at 22:20, 14th July 2026 Already liked by Chris from Nailsea, GBM | |
For me it began with a lifetime of experience - all six years of them - and a small pale blue bicycle with white rubber tyres. Destination of choice was a level crossing on the old Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway at Brownedge Crossing, near Bamber Bridge, south of Preston about half a mile away - this was the mid-sixties - a different planet, I know.
The roadway of the crossing was creosoted timbers that exuded a wonderful smell in the warm summers of my childhood, white gates, and sweet music of the telegraph bells coming from the adjacent signalbox. Black Fives - I was hooked.
Fifty years later I became a signalman, and S&T volunteer, on the Chinnor and Princes Risborough Railway, and relived my childhood dream.
| Re: Nationalised operation maybe - but who OWNS the trains? In "Across the West" [377061/32220/26] Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 22:08, 14th July 2026 | |
With thanks for your update post, ChrisB, I have now added DfTO to our Coffee Shop forum 'abbreviations and acronyms' page.
| Re: Nationalised operation maybe - but who OWNS the trains? In "Across the West" [377060/32220/26] Posted by ChrisB at 20:15, 14th July 2026 | |
There was a slide shown at the Stakeholders conference recently that referred to a DfTO stock replacement Policy being formed for later 2026/7 to run in the 2030s outside the ROSCOS
