Recent Public Posts - [guest]
| Re: Night Riviera Sleeper train - between Paddington and Penzance - ongoing discussion In "London to the West" [381907/31911/12] Posted by TaplowGreen at 16:07, 13th November 2026 |      |
Currently sat at Exeter St David's.
Held at Exeter Central and 72 late.
Arrived EXD 145 minutes late.
As of 0724 still at EXD.
Not much moving around EXD, with many cancellations so far.
Held at Exeter Central and 72 late.
Arrived EXD 145 minutes late.
As of 0724 still at EXD.
Not much moving around EXD, with many cancellations so far.
I did read elsewhere that it finally arrived over 4 hours late - not sure if that's accurate however.
| Re: Is special safety care needed at special events? In "London to Swindon and Bristol" [381906/32718/10] Posted by grahame at 15:59, 13th November 2026 | |
They'll no doubt say (and probably were) keeping an eye out for approaching trains
From which direction? 
It *is* bidirectional though used as left hand running 99% of the time. In other words, if something is coming through "wrong road" it is liable to take people by surprise.
| Re: GWR reassures passengers: No radical change after nationalisation on 13 Dec 2026 In "Across the West" [381905/32716/26] Posted by TaplowGreen at 15:57, 13th November 2026 | |
Should we laugh or cry?
. What has happened in the time I have retired is far better communications between the train operators and the infrastructure managers.
The journey to full GBR is about evolution and not revolution; many of the industry senior leaders today were working in the industry at the time of privatisation or in the years just after; they are acutely aware of Ladbrook Grove, Southall, Potters Bar, Hatfield all major incidents after a revolution in the industry had taken place, there are other parallels in the history of UK rail industry changes in management structure.
If that's the case, and all those decades worth of experience exists with vastly improved communications between operators/infrastructure management, how on Earth has said infrastructure been allowed to descend into such a state of utter decreptitude over the past few decades?
(The LTV corridor being a perfect example, which of course contains the sites of two of the major incidents to which you refer)
Surely if safety is the first priority (and I am sure no-one would dispute that it should be), the constant failures of track, signals, points, OHL etc must surely present a very real risk to it?
It sounds very much to me as if all we have to look forward to is more of the same, with perhaps a few differently painted trains.
I recall asking the experts when all the excitement was triggered on this forum several years ago by the announcement of GWR, what tangibly could customers expect as an improvement. I never really got an answer, but perhaps this has indirectly provided it - very little, for the foreseeable future at least.
| Shropshire, Llangollen Canal - another flooding incident, 12 Nov 2026 In "Buses and other ways to travel" [381904/32719/5] Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 14:30, 13th November 2026 | |
From the BBC:
Canal bank breached and homes flooded after pipe collapse
It is the third such incident on the canal since December 2025
A canal bank has been breached, flooding two homes, after a pipe carrying water underneath it collapsed.
The Canal and River Trust (CRT) said it was responding to an incident on the Llangollen Canal at Hampton Bank in Shropshire following the collapse of the pipe, known as a culvert.
A CRT spokesperson said its team along with infrastructure partner, Kier, were on site and had closed the affected section of canal. The trust added it was carrying out emergency works to slow the flow of water into a neighbouring field.
According to CRT, two nearby properties have also been affected by flooding.
The spokesperson added: "We know this will be a distressing time for those affected. Our teams remain on site and in direct contact with the residents, providing support and assistance while we work as quickly as possible to bring the situation under control.
"Investigations are underway to establish the possible cause of the collapse, and we will provide further details in due course."
(BBC article continues)
It is the third such incident on the canal since December 2025
A canal bank has been breached, flooding two homes, after a pipe carrying water underneath it collapsed.
The Canal and River Trust (CRT) said it was responding to an incident on the Llangollen Canal at Hampton Bank in Shropshire following the collapse of the pipe, known as a culvert.
A CRT spokesperson said its team along with infrastructure partner, Kier, were on site and had closed the affected section of canal. The trust added it was carrying out emergency works to slow the flow of water into a neighbouring field.
According to CRT, two nearby properties have also been affected by flooding.
The spokesperson added: "We know this will be a distressing time for those affected. Our teams remain on site and in direct contact with the residents, providing support and assistance while we work as quickly as possible to bring the situation under control.
"Investigations are underway to establish the possible cause of the collapse, and we will provide further details in due course."
(BBC article continues)
| Re: GWR reassures passengers: No radical change after nationalisation on 13 Dec 2026 In "Across the West" [381903/32716/26] Posted by Phantom at 12:44, 13th November 2026 | |
I see GWR have released the new logo that will appear before the completer repaint
Does seem all a bit of waste of time, energy and money
| Re: Is special safety care needed at special events? In "London to Swindon and Bristol" [381902/32718/10] Posted by Fourbee at 12:28, 13th November 2026 | |
...I should have read the OP better as I thought it was Melksham (note to self for any subsequent picture quiz), don't know if that Chippenham platform is bi-directional?
| Re: Is special safety care needed at special events? In "London to Swindon and Bristol" [381901/32718/10] Posted by Fourbee at 12:26, 13th November 2026 Already liked by Mark A | |
They'll no doubt say (and probably were) keeping an eye out for approaching trains
From which direction? | Re: Is special safety care needed at special events? In "London to Swindon and Bristol" [381900/32718/10] Posted by Ralph Ayres at 10:54, 13th November 2026 Already liked by grahame | |
They'll no doubt say (and probably were) keeping an eye out for approaching trains, but still a fair point Graham as it's easy to get distracted and sets a bad example to others who may not be aware of potential dangers. It's an odd choice of location anyway and not particularly photogenic with that temporary fencing clearly visible, road cones in the background etc.
| Is special safety care needed at special events? In "London to Swindon and Bristol" [381899/32718/10] Posted by grahame at 10:39, 13th November 2026 | |
1. Because participants may not be railway familiar or risk aware
2. Because a herd mentality can click in and people can be swept along with others in group risk-taking
3. Because the special events get wide publicity and pictures will be shared and lauded widely, and will set an example
From Chippenham Town Council on Facebook
| Re: Shortages out of Paddington feel almost routine these days In "Introductions and chat" [381898/32695/1] Posted by GBM at 10:20, 13th November 2026 | |
5 cars only for today's 0503 Penzance to Paddington.
Another 'cozy' run!
| Re: GWR reassures passengers: No radical change after nationalisation on 13 Dec 2026 In "Across the West" [381897/32716/26] Posted by GBM at 10:06, 13th November 2026 | |
Cancellations to services between Exeter St Davids and Okehampton via Crediton
Cancellations to services between Exeter St Davids and Paignton via Newton Abbot
Cancellations to services between Exeter St Davids and Plymouth via Newton Abbot
Those down to a broken rail just outside Exeter St David's - that also prevented trains from leaving the Exeter depot.
I posted about the sleeper being held there earlier (didn't realise a broken rail could cause so much of a problem)!
https://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=31911.msg381887#msg381887
(My post being
Currently sat at Exeter St David's.
Held at Exeter Central and 72 late.
Arrived EXD▸ 145 minutes late.
As of 0724 still at EXD.
Not much moving around EXD, with many cancellations so far).
| Re: Possible forthcoming road works in Bath to address additional woes with vaults In "Buses and other ways to travel" [381896/32715/5] Posted by Red Squirrel at 09:37, 13th November 2026 Already liked by Mark A, Witham Bobby | |
It’s all about damp, see. Damp will only rise about 1.3m, so if you raise the level of your ground floor by about that you will be, as it were, home and dry. If you round it up to 2m then you also get a useful storage space under your house for your coal, wine and cheese.
The problem with this arrangement is that your front door is now rather a big step up from the ground. So the Georgians raised the roads to match, adding even more useful subterranean storage space.
Nowadays we have fridges and central heating, so we’d just buy a roll of DPC from Screwfix and avoid all this complication.
If you go the western end of Kingsmead Street in Bath, walk down the steps and stand in the car park, you can see how this works. Half of Kingsmead Street was flattened in the interests of progress, and the resulting car park is at the original ground level.
| Bath Christmas Market - Nov / Dec 2026 In "Bristol and Bath (WECA, now WEMCA)" [381895/32717/21] Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 09:35, 13th November 2026 | |
From the BBC:
Christmas market fears as roadworks cause long delays
Roadworks could spark traffic chaos as thousands of people attempt to reach Bath Christmas Market - Image © Getty Images
Roadworks are causing major disruption on one of the main routes leading to the UK's largest Christmas market.
Temporary traffic lights have reduced A36 Beckford Road in Bath to a single lane, with people saying they are spending "hours sitting" in traffic.
But residents fear the delays will become even worse when the Christmas market opens on 26 November and have urgently called on council leaders to reopen a route shut for the city's low traffic scheme.
Bath and North East Somerset Council (Banes) said it could not confirm whether it would temporarily adjust rules on nearby Sydney Road, which has been closed to vehicles since 2024.
Sydney Road and Beckford Road were once both official parts of the A36, with the major route splitting in two around Sydney Gardens.
However, Sydney Road was closed to motorists in 2024 as part of the council's programme of liveable neighbourhoods.
There are now long delays on Beckford Road, which is undergoing improvements to its pavements, main road and cycling path.
A 200-year-old canal tunnel under the road is also being worked on after contractors widening a pavement accidentally broke through its roof.
(BBC article continues)
Roadworks could spark traffic chaos as thousands of people attempt to reach Bath Christmas Market - Image © Getty Images
Roadworks are causing major disruption on one of the main routes leading to the UK's largest Christmas market.
Temporary traffic lights have reduced A36 Beckford Road in Bath to a single lane, with people saying they are spending "hours sitting" in traffic.
But residents fear the delays will become even worse when the Christmas market opens on 26 November and have urgently called on council leaders to reopen a route shut for the city's low traffic scheme.
Bath and North East Somerset Council (Banes) said it could not confirm whether it would temporarily adjust rules on nearby Sydney Road, which has been closed to vehicles since 2024.
Sydney Road and Beckford Road were once both official parts of the A36, with the major route splitting in two around Sydney Gardens.
However, Sydney Road was closed to motorists in 2024 as part of the council's programme of liveable neighbourhoods.
There are now long delays on Beckford Road, which is undergoing improvements to its pavements, main road and cycling path.
A 200-year-old canal tunnel under the road is also being worked on after contractors widening a pavement accidentally broke through its roof.
(BBC article continues)
| Re: GWR reassures passengers: No radical change after nationalisation on 13 Dec 2026 In "Across the West" [381894/32716/26] Posted by Electric train at 09:27, 13th November 2026 Already liked by PrestburyRoad, Mark A, RichardB | |
Should we laugh or cry?
When I was still at work the "Nationalisation" of SE Trains happened. This resulted in the SE Trains Board and the NR SE Route Executive joining into a combined Board. Individuals in the respective employers remained and still remain on their respective contracts of employment. What has happened in the time I have retired is far better communications between the train operators and the infrastructure managers.
The journey to full GBR is about evolution and not revolution; many of the industry senior leaders today were working in the industry at the time of privatisation or in the years just after; they are acutely aware of Ladbrook Grove, Southall, Potters Bar, Hatfield all major incidents after a revolution in the industry had taken place, there are other parallels in the history of UK rail industry changes in management structure.
The railway industry wants to run first of all a safe service, second a reliable service, third a cost effective service.
Remember Great British Railways (GBR) is not yet an independent statutory legal entity, the TOC are under the Operator of Last Resort basically the DfT, NR is a independent statutory legal entity but is not a licenced train operator
| Re: Thames Valley infrastructure problems causing disruption elsewhere - 2026 In "Across the West" [381893/31163/26] Posted by Electric train at 09:08, 13th November 2026 Already liked by Mark A | |
Very apt on the day after Hopwood claims there will be "no radical change" under GBR..........
Cancellations to services between Reading and London Paddington
Due to a points failure between Reading and London Paddington fewer trains are able to run on some lines.
Train services running to and from these stations will be cancelled, delayed or terminated at Reading. Disruption is expected until 08:00 13/11.
Customer Advice
What has happened?
-
The points have broken near Slough, so less trains can run.
Cancellations to services between Reading and London Paddington
Due to a points failure between Reading and London Paddington fewer trains are able to run on some lines.
Train services running to and from these stations will be cancelled, delayed or terminated at Reading. Disruption is expected until 08:00 13/11.
Customer Advice
What has happened?
-
The points have broken near Slough, so less trains can run.
What will completely go will be the "wooden dollar" payment discussions which consume so much management time and money; time and money which will be better spent on resolving problems.
| Re: Lewes, East Sussex - derailment of train, 20 injured, 13 August 2026 In "The Wider Picture in the United Kingdom" [381892/32362/51] Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 09:06, 13th November 2026 | |
An update, from the BBC:
Repairs after train derailment set to cost £5m
Three carriages of a train carrying 150 passengers derailed just outside Lewes - Image © BBC / Oliver Whitfield-Miocic
The cost of repairs following a train derailment in Lewes in August is expected to reach more than £5m, it has been revealed.
Two people were seriously injured after a service carrying about 150 passengers derailed close to the railway station, resulting in the route between Haywards Heath and Lewes being closed for more than two weeks.
In response to a Freedom of Information request, Network Rail said the "anticipated final cost" of repairs would be £5.4m.
The letter reads: "These costs will cover a range of activities associated with recovery after an event like this, including hiring heavy plant machinery and infrastructure renewal and repair."
Sim Harris, managing editor of industry newspaper Railnews, said this was "a lot of money" but there was context. He said: "The reality is all kinds of costs will have arisen, it was a derailment involving three coaches which turned over on an embankment.
"They will have been damaged to some extent. They had to be retrieved, they had to get special cranes in. The line was closed for quite a while, that means disruption, and that means at the moment delay attribution charges which Network Rail has to pay to the operators."
While initial findings from the Rail Accident Investigation Branch uncovered an "irregularity" with the tracks, authorities have not confirmed the cause and investigations are ongoing.
A group of people, including Rob Bradley who was on the service with his six-year-old daughter, are taking legal action against Southern Rail over their injuries.
Network Rail said it only held estimated information about costs at this point.
Three carriages of a train carrying 150 passengers derailed just outside Lewes - Image © BBC / Oliver Whitfield-Miocic
The cost of repairs following a train derailment in Lewes in August is expected to reach more than £5m, it has been revealed.
Two people were seriously injured after a service carrying about 150 passengers derailed close to the railway station, resulting in the route between Haywards Heath and Lewes being closed for more than two weeks.
In response to a Freedom of Information request, Network Rail said the "anticipated final cost" of repairs would be £5.4m.
The letter reads: "These costs will cover a range of activities associated with recovery after an event like this, including hiring heavy plant machinery and infrastructure renewal and repair."
Sim Harris, managing editor of industry newspaper Railnews, said this was "a lot of money" but there was context. He said: "The reality is all kinds of costs will have arisen, it was a derailment involving three coaches which turned over on an embankment.
"They will have been damaged to some extent. They had to be retrieved, they had to get special cranes in. The line was closed for quite a while, that means disruption, and that means at the moment delay attribution charges which Network Rail has to pay to the operators."
While initial findings from the Rail Accident Investigation Branch uncovered an "irregularity" with the tracks, authorities have not confirmed the cause and investigations are ongoing.
A group of people, including Rob Bradley who was on the service with his six-year-old daughter, are taking legal action against Southern Rail over their injuries.
Network Rail said it only held estimated information about costs at this point.
| Re: Possible forthcoming road works in Bath to address additional woes with vaults In "Buses and other ways to travel" [381891/32715/5] Posted by grahame at 08:53, 13th November 2026 | |
Hooo boy.
The article outlines a series of vault repairs similar to the ones from the last six months at the south end of Manvers Street, potentially starting with the other half of Manvers Street from spring next year and then tackling other areas such as Terrace Walk (about which I seem to recall a lot of discussion as to how to progress repairs as long ago as the 1990s). All dependent on a grant from the national government.
https://www.bathecho.co.uk/news/community/32m-bid-stop-vaults-city-centre-roads-collapsing-120650/
The article outlines a series of vault repairs similar to the ones from the last six months at the south end of Manvers Street, potentially starting with the other half of Manvers Street from spring next year and then tackling other areas such as Terrace Walk (about which I seem to recall a lot of discussion as to how to progress repairs as long ago as the 1990s). All dependent on a grant from the national government.
https://www.bathecho.co.uk/news/community/32m-bid-stop-vaults-city-centre-roads-collapsing-120650/
That rather explains the story heard but not corroborated that Manvers Street will be open for the Christmas Market but then closed again in the new year. Vunderball!
| Re: GWR reassures passengers: No radical change after nationalisation on 13 Dec 2026 In "Across the West" [381890/32716/26] Posted by grahame at 08:47, 13th November 2026 Already liked by Mark A, Witham Bobby | |
Should we laugh or cry?
| Re: GWR reassures passengers: No radical change after nationalisation on 13 Dec 2026 In "Across the West" [381889/32716/26] Posted by TaplowGreen at 07:59, 13th November 2026 Already liked by Mark A, Witham Bobby | |
From the BBC:
No radical change after nationalisation, GWR says
Great Western Railways will go back into national ownership from 13 December - Image © Press Association
The boss of Great Western Railway (GWR) has said customers should not expect "radically different" change ahead of the company returning to public ownership next month.
From 13 December 2026, a new company called Greater Western Railway Limited will operate the services, replacing First Greater Western Limited, as part of the government's plan to nationalise all rail services in England by 2027.
Speaking on BBC Radio Gloucestershire's Your Voice segment, GWR managing director Mark Hopwood said staff had been working hard behind the scenes to ensure passengers do not notice too much change. Fundamentally, it's going to be the same staff on the same trains at the same stations," he said.
Mark Hopwood says GWR customers will not notice a "radical change"
The GWR boss added: "I think people should be reassured that this isn't a change that's going to make everything radically different, but it will be a change that I think will put the right foundations in for us to build a better railway."
The Swindon-based operator, which is owned by FirstGroup, has run services and linked London to the south-west of England and Wales since 1996.
Several rail firms around the country are already publicly owned, including Great Anglia and South Western Railway. Welsh services were nationalised in 2021 and Scotland took trains into public ownership the following year.
While there will be little immediate change to day-to-day services and timetables, Hopwood said they were working on future plans, including freeing up more carriages for services. "We have got a plan to lengthen some trains, but we don't have enough rolling stock to lengthen everything," he explained.
"We are currently introducing some additional rolling stock in Devon and Cornwall and that is then releasing some trains to lengthen services in this part of the world. Perhaps not as many as everyone would like, but it is important that we take this step by step."
Hopwood also addressed commuter concerns over cancellations and delays.
One passenger who works in Birmingham said he found commuting "frustrating" due to cancellations which often make him late for work. "Since the last month it has been horrible," Adedoio said. "I'll have to do an extra hour at work to cover up my hour that the train has been delayed."
Responding to concerns about a lack of drivers, Hopwood said the company has "more drivers than ever before". However, he added: "We've got a lot more trains being cancelled than I would like. A lot of the issues that we've seen on my side of the business are more about rolling stock than drivers."
Hopwood said it had been a challenging summer due to the extreme weather and there were ongoing discussions about replacing some of the older trains in the future. He said: "In the summer, the higher temperatures are an issue. And I think they're particularly an issue for our older diesel trains that were built in the 1980s, the early 1990s. They either don't have air conditioning or they have a very basic version. And they're the trains that I'm really keen to get replaced."
Hopwood said it was hoped nationalisation would help to bring in more funding. "We haven't fully recovered from what happened during Covid because we've got more people working from home, we've got more people travelling off-peak, and while that's great for those people, it has reduced our revenue. So, the government is subsidising the railway quite a lot."
Great Western Railways will go back into national ownership from 13 December - Image © Press Association
The boss of Great Western Railway (GWR) has said customers should not expect "radically different" change ahead of the company returning to public ownership next month.
From 13 December 2026, a new company called Greater Western Railway Limited will operate the services, replacing First Greater Western Limited, as part of the government's plan to nationalise all rail services in England by 2027.
Speaking on BBC Radio Gloucestershire's Your Voice segment, GWR managing director Mark Hopwood said staff had been working hard behind the scenes to ensure passengers do not notice too much change. Fundamentally, it's going to be the same staff on the same trains at the same stations," he said.
Mark Hopwood says GWR customers will not notice a "radical change"
The GWR boss added: "I think people should be reassured that this isn't a change that's going to make everything radically different, but it will be a change that I think will put the right foundations in for us to build a better railway."
The Swindon-based operator, which is owned by FirstGroup, has run services and linked London to the south-west of England and Wales since 1996.
Several rail firms around the country are already publicly owned, including Great Anglia and South Western Railway. Welsh services were nationalised in 2021 and Scotland took trains into public ownership the following year.
While there will be little immediate change to day-to-day services and timetables, Hopwood said they were working on future plans, including freeing up more carriages for services. "We have got a plan to lengthen some trains, but we don't have enough rolling stock to lengthen everything," he explained.
"We are currently introducing some additional rolling stock in Devon and Cornwall and that is then releasing some trains to lengthen services in this part of the world. Perhaps not as many as everyone would like, but it is important that we take this step by step."
Hopwood also addressed commuter concerns over cancellations and delays.
One passenger who works in Birmingham said he found commuting "frustrating" due to cancellations which often make him late for work. "Since the last month it has been horrible," Adedoio said. "I'll have to do an extra hour at work to cover up my hour that the train has been delayed."
Responding to concerns about a lack of drivers, Hopwood said the company has "more drivers than ever before". However, he added: "We've got a lot more trains being cancelled than I would like. A lot of the issues that we've seen on my side of the business are more about rolling stock than drivers."
Hopwood said it had been a challenging summer due to the extreme weather and there were ongoing discussions about replacing some of the older trains in the future. He said: "In the summer, the higher temperatures are an issue. And I think they're particularly an issue for our older diesel trains that were built in the 1980s, the early 1990s. They either don't have air conditioning or they have a very basic version. And they're the trains that I'm really keen to get replaced."
Hopwood said it was hoped nationalisation would help to bring in more funding. "We haven't fully recovered from what happened during Covid because we've got more people working from home, we've got more people travelling off-peak, and while that's great for those people, it has reduced our revenue. So, the government is subsidising the railway quite a lot."
Not sure that "reassures" anyone.
Perhaps radical change is what is needed, rather than the same people in a different tie maintaining the status quo , based on this morning, certainly.............
Cancellations to services between Fareham and Cosham
Cancellations to services between Maidenhead and Marlow
Cancellations to services between Reading and London Paddington
Cancellations to services between Exeter St Davids and Okehampton via Crediton
Cancellations to services between Exeter St Davids and Paignton via Newton Abbot
Cancellations to services between Exeter St Davids and Plymouth via Newton Abbot
Cancellations to services between Slough and Windsor & Eton Central
Cancellations to services between Reading and Basingstoke
| Re: Thames Valley infrastructure problems causing disruption elsewhere - 2026 In "Across the West" [381888/31163/26] Posted by TaplowGreen at 07:36, 13th November 2026 | |
Very apt on the day after Hopwood claims there will be "no radical change" under GBR..........
Cancellations to services between Reading and London Paddington
Due to a points failure between Reading and London Paddington fewer trains are able to run on some lines.
Train services running to and from these stations will be cancelled, delayed or terminated at Reading. Disruption is expected until 08:00 13/11.
Customer Advice
What has happened?
-
The points have broken near Slough, so less trains can run.
| Re: Night Riviera Sleeper train - between Paddington and Penzance - ongoing discussion In "London to the West" [381887/31911/12] Posted by GBM at 07:25, 13th November 2026 | |
Currently sat at Exeter St David's.
Held at Exeter Central and 72 late.
Arrived EXD 145 minutes late.
As of 0724 still at EXD.
Not much moving around EXD, with many cancellations so far.
| GWR reassures passengers: No radical change after nationalisation on 13 Dec 2026 In "Across the West" [381886/32716/26] Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 22:30, 12th November 2026 Already liked by RichardB | |
From the BBC:
No radical change after nationalisation, GWR says
Great Western Railways will go back into national ownership from 13 December - Image © Press Association
The boss of Great Western Railway (GWR) has said customers should not expect "radically different" change ahead of the company returning to public ownership next month.
From 13 December 2026, a new company called Greater Western Railway Limited will operate the services, replacing First Greater Western Limited, as part of the government's plan to nationalise all rail services in England by 2027.
Speaking on BBC Radio Gloucestershire's Your Voice segment, GWR managing director Mark Hopwood said staff had been working hard behind the scenes to ensure passengers do not notice too much change. Fundamentally, it's going to be the same staff on the same trains at the same stations," he said.
Mark Hopwood says GWR customers will not notice a "radical change"
The GWR boss added: "I think people should be reassured that this isn't a change that's going to make everything radically different, but it will be a change that I think will put the right foundations in for us to build a better railway."
The Swindon-based operator, which is owned by FirstGroup, has run services and linked London to the south-west of England and Wales since 1996.
Several rail firms around the country are already publicly owned, including Great Anglia and South Western Railway. Welsh services were nationalised in 2021 and Scotland took trains into public ownership the following year.
While there will be little immediate change to day-to-day services and timetables, Hopwood said they were working on future plans, including freeing up more carriages for services. "We have got a plan to lengthen some trains, but we don't have enough rolling stock to lengthen everything," he explained.
"We are currently introducing some additional rolling stock in Devon and Cornwall and that is then releasing some trains to lengthen services in this part of the world. Perhaps not as many as everyone would like, but it is important that we take this step by step."
Hopwood also addressed commuter concerns over cancellations and delays.
One passenger who works in Birmingham said he found commuting "frustrating" due to cancellations which often make him late for work. "Since the last month it has been horrible," Adedoio said. "I'll have to do an extra hour at work to cover up my hour that the train has been delayed."
Responding to concerns about a lack of drivers, Hopwood said the company has "more drivers than ever before". However, he added: "We've got a lot more trains being cancelled than I would like. A lot of the issues that we've seen on my side of the business are more about rolling stock than drivers."
Hopwood said it had been a challenging summer due to the extreme weather and there were ongoing discussions about replacing some of the older trains in the future. He said: "In the summer, the higher temperatures are an issue. And I think they're particularly an issue for our older diesel trains that were built in the 1980s, the early 1990s. They either don't have air conditioning or they have a very basic version. And they're the trains that I'm really keen to get replaced."
Hopwood said it was hoped nationalisation would help to bring in more funding. "We haven't fully recovered from what happened during Covid because we've got more people working from home, we've got more people travelling off-peak, and while that's great for those people, it has reduced our revenue. So, the government is subsidising the railway quite a lot."
Great Western Railways will go back into national ownership from 13 December - Image © Press Association
The boss of Great Western Railway (GWR) has said customers should not expect "radically different" change ahead of the company returning to public ownership next month.
From 13 December 2026, a new company called Greater Western Railway Limited will operate the services, replacing First Greater Western Limited, as part of the government's plan to nationalise all rail services in England by 2027.
Speaking on BBC Radio Gloucestershire's Your Voice segment, GWR managing director Mark Hopwood said staff had been working hard behind the scenes to ensure passengers do not notice too much change. Fundamentally, it's going to be the same staff on the same trains at the same stations," he said.
Mark Hopwood says GWR customers will not notice a "radical change"
The GWR boss added: "I think people should be reassured that this isn't a change that's going to make everything radically different, but it will be a change that I think will put the right foundations in for us to build a better railway."
The Swindon-based operator, which is owned by FirstGroup, has run services and linked London to the south-west of England and Wales since 1996.
Several rail firms around the country are already publicly owned, including Great Anglia and South Western Railway. Welsh services were nationalised in 2021 and Scotland took trains into public ownership the following year.
While there will be little immediate change to day-to-day services and timetables, Hopwood said they were working on future plans, including freeing up more carriages for services. "We have got a plan to lengthen some trains, but we don't have enough rolling stock to lengthen everything," he explained.
"We are currently introducing some additional rolling stock in Devon and Cornwall and that is then releasing some trains to lengthen services in this part of the world. Perhaps not as many as everyone would like, but it is important that we take this step by step."
Hopwood also addressed commuter concerns over cancellations and delays.
One passenger who works in Birmingham said he found commuting "frustrating" due to cancellations which often make him late for work. "Since the last month it has been horrible," Adedoio said. "I'll have to do an extra hour at work to cover up my hour that the train has been delayed."
Responding to concerns about a lack of drivers, Hopwood said the company has "more drivers than ever before". However, he added: "We've got a lot more trains being cancelled than I would like. A lot of the issues that we've seen on my side of the business are more about rolling stock than drivers."
Hopwood said it had been a challenging summer due to the extreme weather and there were ongoing discussions about replacing some of the older trains in the future. He said: "In the summer, the higher temperatures are an issue. And I think they're particularly an issue for our older diesel trains that were built in the 1980s, the early 1990s. They either don't have air conditioning or they have a very basic version. And they're the trains that I'm really keen to get replaced."
Hopwood said it was hoped nationalisation would help to bring in more funding. "We haven't fully recovered from what happened during Covid because we've got more people working from home, we've got more people travelling off-peak, and while that's great for those people, it has reduced our revenue. So, the government is subsidising the railway quite a lot."
| Possible forthcoming road works in Bath to address additional woes with vaults In "Buses and other ways to travel" [381885/32715/5] Posted by Mark A at 21:03, 12th November 2026 | |
Hooo boy.
The article outlines a series of vault repairs similar to the ones from the last six months at the south end of Manvers Street, potentially starting with the other half of Manvers Street from spring next year and then tackling other areas such as Terrace Walk (about which I seem to recall a lot of discussion as to how to progress repairs as long ago as the 1990s). All dependent on a grant from the national government.
https://www.bathecho.co.uk/news/community/32m-bid-stop-vaults-city-centre-roads-collapsing-120650/
| Re: Shortages out of Paddington feel almost routine these days In "Introductions and chat" [381884/32695/1] Posted by IndustryInsider at 19:19, 12th November 2026 | |
New trains=shorter.
Flexible train length=shorter.
Flexible train length=shorter.
Noting that the 17:30 Paddington - Bristol - Taunton service is just 5 carriages this evening. That's likely to be very "matey".
Looks like it's a 10-car to me.
JourneyCheck was reporting 5 at around the time I wrote. Perhaps they've found 5 more? Latest update on JourneyCheck is timed 15:35, so something has changed.
Anything on JourneyCheck prior to 8am for much later on in the day quite often does change. They've got the majority of the day to sort it out. It's why I never trust JourneyCheck.
Indeed you pointed out earlier on when half of the Marlow's listed as cancelled first thing were reinstated, and that was with much shorter notice.
| Re: Shortages out of Paddington feel almost routine these days In "Introductions and chat" [381883/32695/1] Posted by grahame at 16:20, 12th November 2026 | |
New trains=shorter.
Flexible train length=shorter.
Flexible train length=shorter.
Noting that the 17:30 Paddington - Bristol - Taunton service is just 5 carriages this evening. That's likely to be very "matey".
Looks like it's a 10-car to me.
JourneyCheck was reporting 5 at around the time I wrote. Perhaps they've found 5 more? Latest update on JourneyCheck is timed 15:35, so something has changed.
| Re: Marlow Branch line, Marlow Donkey - services, engineering work, closures and incidents In "Thames Valley Branches" [381882/168/13] Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 14:49, 12th November 2026 | |
Perhaps a case of, 'the usual train needing repair'?
| Re: Sydney Australia frightening train footage In "The Wider Picture Overseas" [381881/32714/52] Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 14:45, 12th November 2026 Already liked by GBM | |
I can only assume that infoman was referring to this incident, reported on Sky News:
What is 'train surfing'? Teen falls from carriage in Sydney while performing social media stunt
More than 100 cases of 'train surfing' have been recorded in Sydney since the start of the year. It comes as a 15-year-old boy fell from a moving train on the Sydney Harbour Bridge while performing the dangerous social media stunt.
More than 100 cases of 'train surfing' have been recorded in Sydney since the start of the year. It comes as a 15-year-old boy fell from a moving train on the Sydney Harbour Bridge while performing the dangerous social media stunt.
Candidates for a Darwin Award. CfN.
| Re: Shortages out of Paddington feel almost routine these days In "Introductions and chat" [381880/32695/1] Posted by IndustryInsider at 14:44, 12th November 2026 | |
New trains=shorter.
Flexible train length=shorter.
Flexible train length=shorter.
Noting that the 17:30 Paddington - Bristol - Taunton service is just 5 carriages this evening. That's likely to be very "matey".
Looks like it's a 10-car to me.
| Re: Thames Valley infrastructure problems causing disruption elsewhere - 2026 In "Across the West" [381879/31163/26] Posted by grahame at 13:26, 12th November 2026 | |
I wasn't aware of anyone jumping to any conclusions, it has been confirmed that this was the train involved in the incident and the statement from the BTP is;
"We were called at around 6.30am today (11 November) to reports of a casualty on the tracks at Hanwell railway station.
Officers responded with paramedics, however sadly a person was pronounced dead at the scene. The incident is not being treated as suspicious, and a file will be prepared for the coroner".
"We were called at around 6.30am today (11 November) to reports of a casualty on the tracks at Hanwell railway station.
Officers responded with paramedics, however sadly a person was pronounced dead at the scene. The incident is not being treated as suspicious, and a file will be prepared for the coroner".
I agree - the alert was really written as a warning to self no to go too far in my thoughts.
| Re: LNER’s ‘Simpler Fares’ pilot: the results are in In "Fare's Fair" [381878/32708/4] Posted by WSW Frome at 12:30, 12th November 2026 Already liked by Mark A | |
Currently I am struck by the "leading" that occurs on the GWR ticket site (and perhaps others). The up front pricing for a journey often leads one to the Advance Single fares. Now whilst this "might" be a bargain for a single journey it is rarely the case for return journeys.
Purchase of 2 Advance Singles is generally more expensive than buying a normal Off-Peak or Super Off Peak return, which also offer flexibility.
So is this "leading" a marketing tool, perhaps still emanating from TOC-specific tickets, or some other revenue generating trick. How many people get misled by this into buying 2 Advances?
