Recent Public Posts - [guest]
| Re: Carlisle and Settle - AQ23 In "The Lighter Side" [369992/31323/30] Posted by brooklea at 09:13, 23rd December 2025 | ![]() |
9. Kirkcaldy
| Re: Carlisle and Settle - AQ23 In "The Lighter Side" [369991/31323/30] Posted by Oxonhutch at 09:11, 23rd December 2025 | ![]() |
13: Budapest, Hungary
| Re: SWT "More trains than usual needing repairs" 23/12/25 In "South Western services" [369990/31322/42] Posted by Bob_Blakey at 08:59, 23rd December 2025 | ![]() |
This started yesterday 22/12 when some services ran SAL>EXD with 3 cars when 6 would have been expected, and some trains were 3 cars for the entire WAT>EXD trip.
Many services were reported as 'Full & Standing' and consequently delays resulted, one assumes, from issues with pax changeovers at stations.
1L33, the 1220 ex-Waterloo, departed as a 5 coach train, was almost full when it reached BSK, where one of my sons boarded, and then dropped the 158 unit at SAL. It arrived at EXD 48 mnutes late, ran into Platform 1 rather than the customary P3, skipped the Exeter New Yard 'tea break', and immediately returned 10 minures late to WAT as 1L64.
Given that this seems to have taken SWR by surprise is fuel contamination a possible cause?
| Re: Swindon <-> Westbury service updates and amendments, ongoing discussion - 2025 In "TransWilts line" [369989/29726/18] Posted by TaplowGreen at 08:56, 23rd December 2025 | ![]() |
20:06 Westbury to Cheltenham Spa due 22:06
20:06 Westbury to Cheltenham Spa due 22:06 will be terminated at Swindon.
It will no longer call at Kemble, Stroud, Stonehouse, Gloucester and Cheltenham Spa.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.
| Re: Carlisle and Settle - AQ23 In "The Lighter Side" [369988/31323/30] Posted by stuving at 08:56, 23rd December 2025 | ![]() |
20. Périgueux, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France.
| Re: Carlisle and Settle - AQ23 In "The Lighter Side" [369987/31323/30] Posted by Western Pathfinder at 08:54, 23rd December 2025 | ![]() |
No.16 .York.
| Re: Carlisle and Settle - AQ23 In "The Lighter Side" [369986/31323/30] Posted by PrestburyRoad at 08:23, 23rd December 2025 Already liked by Western Pathfinder | ![]() |
we want to be tidied up and at the station by 23:55 on Christmas Eve in time for 1X01
I had a quick look at 1X01's schedule on RTT and the passenger stations that stood out to me as having variations on the standard calling pattern are: Winslow, a nameless station between London Fenchurch Street and Barking, a nameless station between Elsenham and Bishops Stortford, Altnabreac, and Aberdare, presumably for various reasons.
I was reassured to see that Naughty Kid is due to receive their usual present.
| Re: Carlisle and Settle - AQ23 In "The Lighter Side" [369985/31323/30] Posted by Bob_Blakey at 08:06, 23rd December 2025 | ![]() |
2. Regua, Douro Valley, Portugal.
| Re: Carlisle and Settle - AQ23 In "The Lighter Side" [369984/31323/30] Posted by grahame at 07:37, 23rd December 2025 | ![]() |
Sorry Grahame, can you clarify please, are you looking for the precise location or just the country for each photo?
I'm happy with either / both - some of the locations within the countries are very difficult questions
| Re: Cornish delays In "Shorter journeys in Plymouth and Cornwall" [369983/28556/25] Posted by GBM at 07:31, 23rd December 2025 | ![]() |
Cancellations to services between Liskeard and Looe
Due to flooding between Liskeard and Looe the line is closed.
Train services running to and from these stations will be cancelled. Disruption is expected until the end of the day on 04/01/26.
I note Mark A's reference to Thingley Junction and the associated OLE terms mentioned. I can recommend Garry Keenor's self published "Overhead Line Electrification for Railways" available both as a pdf and a hard back book. Garry is a Chartered Engineer, have a gander at www.ocs4rail.com. Perhaps I ought to add I have no connection to Gary, just a strictly amateur interest.
My quick glance through the Garry Keenor pfd it is very comprehensive, anyone reading it cover to cover will have a very good understanding of OLE railway electrification.
Although I will add the techniques, equipment and systems are evolving all the time | Re: Problems with IET trains from April 2021 In "Across the West" [369981/24934/26] Posted by GBM at 07:30, 23rd December 2025 | ![]() |
05:03 Penzance to London Paddington due 09:54
Facilities on the 05:03 Penzance to London Paddington due 09:54.
This is due to more trains than usual needing repairs at the same time.
Will be formed of 5 coaches instead of 10 from Plymouth. There are no reservations on this service
04:54 Plymouth to London Paddington due 08:35
Facilities on the 04:54 Plymouth to London Paddington due 08:35.
This is due to more trains than usual needing repairs at the same time.
Will be formed of 5 coaches instead of 10. There are no reservations on this service.
| Re: Carlisle and Settle - AQ23 In "The Lighter Side" [369980/31323/30] Posted by eightonedee at 07:29, 23rd December 2025 | ![]() |
Sorry Grahame, can you clarify please, are you looking for the precise location or just the country for each photo?
| Re: Swindon <-> Westbury service updates and amendments, ongoing discussion - 2025 In "TransWilts line" [369979/29726/18] Posted by grahame at 07:21, 23rd December 2025 | ![]() |
16:23 Westbury to Swindon due 17:06
17:35 Swindon to Westbury due 18:19
17:35 Swindon to Westbury due 18:19 will be cancelled.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.
17:35 Swindon to Westbury due 18:19
17:35 Swindon to Westbury due 18:19 will be cancelled.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.
| Re: North Cotswold line delays and cancellations - 2025 In "London to the Cotswolds" [369978/29711/14] Posted by Worcester_Passenger at 07:02, 23rd December 2025 | ![]() |
Tuesday December 23
Due to the emergency services dealing with an incident between Evesham and Worcester Shrub Hill the line is blocked.
Train services running through these stations may be cancelled, delayed or diverted. Disruption is expected until 07:30 23/12.
Customer Advice
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What has happened?
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A person has been struck by a train, leading to the line being blocked.
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[...]
Last Updated:23/12/2025 06:47
Train services running through these stations may be cancelled, delayed or diverted. Disruption is expected until 07:30 23/12.
Customer Advice
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What has happened?
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A person has been struck by a train, leading to the line being blocked.
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[...]
Last Updated:23/12/2025 06:47
Sad news indeed, especially at this time of year.
Service changes currently reported on JourneyCheck:
05:16 Worcester Shrub Hill to London Paddington due 07:24 is being delayed between Pershore and Evesham.
05:23 Hereford to London Paddington due 08:24 will be diverted between Worcester Shrub Hill and Reading.
06:43 Worcester Shrub Hill to London Paddington due 08:44 is being delayed at Worcester Shrub Hill.
07:00 Worcester Shrub Hill to Didcot Parkway due 08:46 will be started from Moreton-In-Marsh.
07:13 Great Malvern to London Paddington due 09:43 will be delayed at Worcester Shrub Hill.
08:18 Worcester Shrub Hill to London Paddington due 10:26 will be starting late from Worcester Shrub Hill.
08:56 Great Malvern to London Paddington due 11:27 will be started from Oxford.
05:53 London Paddington to Great Malvern due 08:38 will be terminated at Oxford.
05:23 Hereford to London Paddington due 08:24 will be diverted between Worcester Shrub Hill and Reading.
06:43 Worcester Shrub Hill to London Paddington due 08:44 is being delayed at Worcester Shrub Hill.
07:00 Worcester Shrub Hill to Didcot Parkway due 08:46 will be started from Moreton-In-Marsh.
07:13 Great Malvern to London Paddington due 09:43 will be delayed at Worcester Shrub Hill.
08:18 Worcester Shrub Hill to London Paddington due 10:26 will be starting late from Worcester Shrub Hill.
08:56 Great Malvern to London Paddington due 11:27 will be started from Oxford.
05:53 London Paddington to Great Malvern due 08:38 will be terminated at Oxford.
EDIT (08:45):
Line now reported open. Updated service changes:
05:16 Worcester Shrub Hill to London Paddington due 07:24 is being delayed between Pershore and Evesham.
05:23 Hereford to London Paddington due 08:24 will be diverted between Worcester Shrub Hill and Reading.
06:43 Worcester Shrub Hill to London Paddington due 08:44 - cancelled
07:00 Worcester Shrub Hill to Didcot Parkway due 08:46 will be started from Moreton-In-Marsh.
07:13 Great Malvern to London Paddington due 09:43 - cancelled.
08:18 Worcester Shrub Hill to London Paddington due 10:26 - departed Shrub Hill on time.
08:56 Great Malvern to London Paddington due 11:27 will be started from Oxford.
05:53 London Paddington to Great Malvern due 08:38 will be terminated at Oxford.
06:52 London Paddington to Great Malvern due 09:29 is being delayed at Oxford. This is due to a fault on this train.
08:51 London Paddington to Great Malvern due 11:14 will be cancelled.
05:23 Hereford to London Paddington due 08:24 will be diverted between Worcester Shrub Hill and Reading.
06:43 Worcester Shrub Hill to London Paddington due 08:44 - cancelled
07:00 Worcester Shrub Hill to Didcot Parkway due 08:46 will be started from Moreton-In-Marsh.
07:13 Great Malvern to London Paddington due 09:43 - cancelled.
08:18 Worcester Shrub Hill to London Paddington due 10:26 - departed Shrub Hill on time.
08:56 Great Malvern to London Paddington due 11:27 will be started from Oxford.
05:53 London Paddington to Great Malvern due 08:38 will be terminated at Oxford.
06:52 London Paddington to Great Malvern due 09:29 is being delayed at Oxford. This is due to a fault on this train.
08:51 London Paddington to Great Malvern due 11:14 will be cancelled.
| Re: Carlisle and Settle - AQ23 In "The Lighter Side" [369977/31323/30] Posted by grahame at 06:45, 23rd December 2025 | ![]() |
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| Re: Carlisle and Settle - AQ23 In "The Lighter Side" [369976/31323/30] Posted by grahame at 06:44, 23rd December 2025 | ![]() |
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| Carlisle and Settle - AQ23 In "The Lighter Side" [369975/31323/30] Posted by grahame at 06:42, 23rd December 2025 | ![]() |
I was planning to do "Home and Away" pictures for the last two Advent days. However, the home clues are going to be easy and solved in a day, and I suspect the away ones many take longer that 24 hours, and of course we want to be tidied up and at the station by 23:55 on Christmas Eve in time for 1X01.
So here you are - I have been through the pictures on my camera and found no less than 30 with transport links, each from a different country. Tomorrow there will be transport pictures from our own area. I've called the quiz "Carlisle and Settle" because we're running in the opposite order to convention.
1.

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| SWT "More trains than usual needing repairs" 23/12/25 In "South Western services" [369974/31322/42] Posted by TaplowGreen at 05:58, 23rd December 2025 | ![]() |
It's not just GWR singing this song, but this will no doubt create extra pressure on already overcrowded services today.....
From National Rail
Disruption between London Waterloo and Exeter St Davids, and between Salisbury and Yeovil Junction via Westbury until the end of the day
Service alteration details
Incident reported: Tuesday 23 December 2025 at 04:11
Last updated
Tuesday 23 December 2025 at 04:35
Train operators affected
South Western Railway
Route(s) affected
Between London Waterloo and Salisbury / Yeovil Junction / Exeter St Davids, and also between Salisbury and Yeovil Junction
Description
More trains than usual needing repairs at the same time that run between London Waterloo and Exeter St Davids, and also between Salisbury and Yeovil Junction via Westbury means fewer services are able to run. Trains running between stations may be cancelled or revised.
Disruption is expected until the end of the day.
Customer advice:
Due to more trains than usual needing repairs at the same time, some services between London Waterloo and Exeter St Davids along with services between London Waterloo and Salisbury and onto Yeovil Junction via Westbury will either be cancelled, revised or formed of fewer carriages than normal.
South Western Railway are arranging for you to be able to use your ticket at no extra cost with other train operators. We will let you know when this is in place.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/czdg795m5epo
But are they really in chaos, or is it planned?
Or if they are in chaos at Christmas, are they in chaos the rest of the year too?
"Why the railways often seem to be in such chaos over Christmas"
But are they really in chaos, or is it planned?
Or if they are in chaos at Christmas, are they in chaos the rest of the year too?
I think the distinction is that Christmas on the railways is planned chaos, whereas the rest of the year chaos happens randomly and at any time.
Twelve minutes of live footage, from one of the canal users on the scene, via YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4DGXAPE_lA

| Re: Major incident declared over Whitchurch Shropshire canal 'sinkhole': 22 Dec 2025 In "The Wider Picture in the United Kingdom" [369971/31316/51] Posted by Mark A at 22:40, 22nd December 2025 | ![]() |
That's two events in the last week or so that involved transport infrastructure, and for both of them the visuals have suggested that they were a product of artificial intelligence - but they were all too real. Add that to the episode the other week in which Network Rail were spooked into thinking that a viaduct on the WCML had failed, when it had not, and then on top of that the power of A.I. to recreate someone's voice from a short sample of their speech and then use that for malicious purposes, this ... *waves hands at everything* ... is very difficult for many people.
Mark
| Re: Caledonian MacBrayne ferries in Scotland In "Buses and other ways to travel" [369970/30034/5] Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 22:30, 22nd December 2025 | ![]() |
May I post here, to the effect that I have probably only continued to quote such ongoing 'news' updates from the BBC, as they enable me to add yet more fresh images of ferries on this forum.
I love ferries. CfN.

| Re: Caledonian MacBrayne ferries in Scotland In "Buses and other ways to travel" [369969/30034/5] Posted by TonyK at 22:01, 22nd December 2025 | ![]() |
Complete and ongoing fiasco from Day 1 of the procurement process.
Even by the usual standards of public investment, this has been a shocker. I would expect Turkey to be cheaper than elsewhere, as it is for dental implants and weight loss surgery.
The ride home from Cemre is going to be a plum job for the crew if they haven't retired by then. It's on the Asian side of the Sea of Marmara, close the the Bosphorus (translation: Ox-ford). Tourists pay good money for a cruise along that route.
A major traffic for East-West rail via the Marston Vale line - from the BBC
Universal Studios' UK theme park was given the green light this week, a decision creating buzz for families up and down the country who might one day want to go.
After months of discussions, Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government Steve Reed gave planning permission for the park to be constructed in Kempston Hardwick, close to Bedford.
This isn't just another attraction - it's an attempt by the US entertainment giant to build one of the biggest theme parks in the world.
Universal mentioned in planning documents that a country like the UK should have at least two global theme parks, and this project was described as a "generational opportunity".
But can Universal pull off something of quite this scale, going up against the likes of Disneyland Paris? As BBC News heard from locals, it might be a tall order - and not everyone is happy.
After months of discussions, Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government Steve Reed gave planning permission for the park to be constructed in Kempston Hardwick, close to Bedford.
This isn't just another attraction - it's an attempt by the US entertainment giant to build one of the biggest theme parks in the world.
Universal mentioned in planning documents that a country like the UK should have at least two global theme parks, and this project was described as a "generational opportunity".
But can Universal pull off something of quite this scale, going up against the likes of Disneyland Paris? As BBC News heard from locals, it might be a tall order - and not everyone is happy.
Years ago, we took our kids (youngest now 40) the the Disney park outside Paris.
| Re: Reopening Cullompton and Wellington stations (merged topic) In "Campaigns for new and improved services" [369967/5272/28] Posted by TonyK at 21:44, 22nd December 2025 | ![]() |
By chance, an aerial view of the site on the following link:
https://tinyurl.com/mtv3phyh
Very close to some lovely industrial archaeology - and also the rail over road bridge under which passed the driveway for Nynehead Court, though the architects/builders of the station perhaps will not be able to take advantage of that.
Mark
https://tinyurl.com/mtv3phyh
Very close to some lovely industrial archaeology - and also the rail over road bridge under which passed the driveway for Nynehead Court, though the architects/builders of the station perhaps will not be able to take advantage of that.
Mark
Indeed. The remains of the Nynehead boat lift being one such piece.
For some information on the charity, at least initially, tasked with the ... erm, unenviable task of repairing the Llangollen Canal at Whitchurch, Shropshire, see https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/about-us .
All the best of good luck and public support to them. CfN.

Agreed, Timmer.

I know we have a possibly disproportionate number of current and previous 'canal users' among our admin and moderater team here on the Coffee Shop forum (myself included).
That's why I have been following this topic so closely. This is a truly shocking event, on which is otherwise such a placid and relaxing environment.
Chris from Nailsea (via the Kennet and Avon Canal).

This never happened on Rosie and Jim
Looks like a mega-money repair will be needed. Not sure what recourse to funds the C&RT has, these days. I imagine they're not all that well off
That’s going to need government help. Mega money, mega repair job.Looks like a mega-money repair will be needed. Not sure what recourse to funds the C&RT has, these days. I imagine they're not all that well off
| Re: Swindon <-> Westbury service updates and amendments, ongoing discussion - 2025 In "TransWilts line" [369963/29726/18] Posted by TaplowGreen at 19:48, 22nd December 2025 | ![]() |
Cancellations to services between Westbury and Swindon
Due to a shortage of train crew between Westbury and Swindon fewer trains are able to run.
Train services running through these stations will be cancelled. Disruption is expected until the end of the day.
Customer Advice
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What has happened?
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Due to crew shortages GWR services at Melksham are cancelled today.














