I'd be interested to know what sort of (hover)craft they'll be using - some new design, or something that's already being used elsewhere with a proven track record?

 
Electrical failure affecting the points at Dolphin Junction near Slough and one signal in the area.

Hope to be resolved in the next hour. 

 
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c0m2ner2yvjo

Railway feasibility study 'huge step forward'
A study into whether a multibillion-pound rail link through Cornwall would work has been hailed as a "huge step forward" by campaigners.

They said the proposed line would link Okehampton, in Devon, to Launceston, continuing onto a new station near Bodmin and joining the existing Cornish mainline.

Cornwall Council said it would now look at a more detailed study into the scheme - admitting it had the potential to improve rail resilience and open up the opportunity for more freight trains.

.........snip.............

 

Now sorted - my apologies.

 

Now been expanded to "all routes".

Cancellations to services on all routes

Due to a points failure between Reading and London Paddington fewer trains are able to run on some lines.
Train services running across the whole Great Western Railway network may be cancelled, delayed or revised. Disruption is expected until 15:00 01/06.

Customer Advice
-
What has happened?
-
There has been a points failure between Reading and London Paddington. A points failure is a fault with the movable pieces of track that enable trains to change tracks.


................I got to Taplow at around 0540 to find everything being cancelled in both directions, hung around for half an hour, advised to go to Maidenhead although there was very little moving from there either and no taxis available for at least half an hour, so am working from home - fortunately I am able to although there were other customers arriving at the station who clearly weren't, and were extremely concerned/frustrated about how they were going to get to work.

What a (woeful) mess.

 
Don't know if this ties in with your observations (and it might just be making stuff up, wouldn't be the first time...):

 
By 2030, B&NES is intending to remodel the road layout at the City end of Broad Street, pedestrianising it. It's not at all clear as to where they intend to route the buses that currently use Walcot Street and also Broad Street. The results of a complete block might slightly resemble the M.O. that's in place for the next couple of weeks. I'm going to ask them about their intentions.

Mark

 
(BBC link appears to be broken)

 

Now going to take extra 7 hours to fix disruption

Disruption is expected until 15:00 01/06.

 
Coffeeshop map's a mess, or rather, reflecting a mess, and a lot of cancellations from the likes of Oxford.

Mark

 
Leisure, business, commute? How you grow these different sectors can be in conflict. Having this weekend travelled from Reading to Brockenhurst, for Lymington. Cross Country have reinstated the Brockenhurst stop, quite a few got off.

The return journey by SWR was telling on a 444 or 450 didn't check which, classic commuter trains and not suited to most passengers seeming to have two massive suitcases and possibly a buggy. Not to mention an old geezer with a bike cluttering up the place because of inadequate and inappropriate bike storage.

 

There is some deep irony here, being old enough to remember the regular departure of Services hovercraft from HMS Daedalus (Lee on the Solent airfield). Be interesting to see where they would actually run a permanent service from. I don't think the slipway on its own is big enough, and the old entrance to Daedalus has been taken over by a transport company from the Hovercraft Museum. Not sure traffic lights on the road (as used to be) would be resoundingly popular with the local motorists.

 
Why do people travel by train?  How can we attract more to train travel?

Here is a selection of pictures of passengers whom I have - in many cases hence the crap picture quality - caught in my lens in the last few days. Worthy of thought to ask "why are they travelling", "why are they using the train" and "How [in the UK] can we encourage more passengers travelling for what me might guess are these reasons". 

 
Normal weather - normal service

Cancellations to services between Reading and London Paddington

Due to a points failure between Reading and London Paddington some lines are blocked.

Train services running to and from these stations may be cancelled or delayed. Disruption is expected until 08:01 01/06.

 
21:15 Penzance to London Paddington due 05:04

31/05/26 21:15 Penzance to London Paddington due 05:04 was terminated at Reading.
It will no longer call at London Paddington.

This is due to a fault on this train.

- a rude awakening.

 
I would concur that current WiFi performance on board UK trains leaves much to be desired - and it's not necessarily a fault of the train operators, rather the effect of growing customer expectations and the failure of the train providers (OK, perhaps I am pointing a finger) to keep up with those expectations.  And - these days - on train WiFi is a "free" service, or rather it's included in the cost of your ticket, so the economics of it get interesting when someone suggest providing better - "Who's going to pay for it?"

From that article ...


and the stats in a graph (though they say from "selected" countries without defining how they make the selection)



The issues I find when using train WiFi relate not only to speed, but to service dropping out for periods / as the train passes certain places, and perhaps have another access method via satellites will help that. 

Having said all of which, I find accessing the Coffee Shop online from a train's WiFi much more practical in the UK than accessing other sites I use.   Much of that is (I like to remind myself) by design in that it's been kept fiercely thin in its bandwidth needs - and (it must be admitted) it has remained thin because we have not moved on to use some of the bulkier and clever things we could include in our pages.

Effect of better train WiFi?   Here's a picture I took the other day on a very long distance train - running from Amsterdam (08:31)  to Munich (15:43).



I can work out what five of the six people pictured or partially pictured are doing - they are doing things on computers.  Picture taken in Germany which comes in 10 times better than the UK in the survey above.  And it means that the train is a useful time for these travellers - likely swaying some decisions made between the travel modes available to them.   I will admit that the picture is of the cream on the milk - our passes are first class ones as the differential on Interrail makes it a sensible choice.

 
A further update, from the BBC:

 
Can’t beat the traditional signaller’s duster/tea towel.

 
I think rather a high level of spit and polish right up to the end. Quite traditional, and I noted that too from the photos.

 
From the BBC

Politicians have welcomed a trial of a new hovercraft route, describing it as a major step towards improving cross-Solent travel.

The proposed service, which would connect Lee-on-the-Solent with the Isle of Wight, is being tested as part of efforts to explore faster and more flexible transport options.

The proposed route will set off from the slipway at the Hovercraft Museum and will take place on 28 June, 22 August and 5 September.

MP for Gosport, Caroline Dinenage said: "The trial could help change how local waterways are viewed."

She said: "For too long the waterways around the Gosport peninsula have been seen as obstacles, not connectors.

"The Hovertravel trials are a step in the right direction towards genuinely innovative transport solutions across the Solent.

"If the trials prove popular, and I am hopeful that they will be, we can have conversations about expanding the coverage."

The trial forms part of wider efforts to improve transport links between the mainland and the Isle of Wight, with hovercraft seen as a potential alternative to traditional ferry routes due to their speed and flexibility.

It has also been backed by Conservative for Harbourside and Town councillor Lesley Meenaghan, who said it could bring economic and tourism benefits as well as improved commuting options.

She said: "The hovercraft trial is great news for Gosport.

"Improved connectivity with the island is welcome – whether residents are visiting for a 'trip out' or commuting for work, reduced travel costs and quicker journey times will be genuinely welcome."

"My message to residents is simple – use it, because demonstrating the demand is the best way to secure this service for the future," she added.[/quote]

 
From the BBC


Using Elon Musk's near satellite broadband, you can kiss goodbye to peaceful train journeys. Web seminars/meetings/calls & streaming TV & audio - all without headphones.

"I'm on the train, dear!"

 
Surprised the lever handles were so... corrosion-free in those photos, if the box has been out of use since February 2024. Perhaps there were a variety of different metals used for signal lever handles though.

Mark

 
During the time of the works to Bridge Street, it's good to be aware that Northgate Street (i.e. past Waitrose and heading for the Guildhall)... at busy times it doesn't provide a good experience on foot.

It's still open to traffic one way northbound, closure of the pavement on the west side means that the east side (barriered) pavement is very busy indeed, while some people on foot are simply using the road. The one-way system is pushing drivers of private cars through the bus gate (bridge street being shut they cannot turn right to avoid it) - hopefully the fines ANPR has been turned off as by the time people pass the signage they have no choice but to proceed.

Mark

 

The tone of comments, II, is a real issue that worries me.   And, I know, I am a critical one and very much so at times; I feel it as I log various happenings.   I *try*, personally, to at least offer constructive criticisms, to help explain and be pragmatic, but it can get really difficult - and good news at times is no news.   

Touring "Sur le Continent" as I am at present, to the extent of boring my social media friends and making them jealous, confirms to me that some the issues we report in the UK that are frustrating and discussed exist here too. As an example, yesterday, my journeyplanner-offered connection failed and as I pulled delayed in to Amstetten, I watched the train I wanted to carry onto pulling out across the station.   And we were asked to vacate first class - very politely - after having our tickets checked.  We pointed out that they are first class passes ... and (oops!) the ticket inspector was rather apologetic at having assumed.   But there I go again - this time in Austria - picking on things which go wrong.

We had a lovely trip today and rode the Wachaubahn from Krems to Emmesdorf an der Donau ... post to follow?  Weather has been very hot and we had storms yesterday in which the sky went so dark I thought I had misread sunset (but it got light again after) and then another unbearably hot middle of the day today, broken also by a storm.  I'm new to the area so don't know if this is typical here for May ...

 

My wife presents me with that option whenever I tell her I'm going to Twickenham! 

 
Not keen on SNCF presenting passengers with a choice between 'Risk dying' or 'Pay a €200 fine'. Hope their internal investigation resolves this.

Mark

 
I meant it was reassuring for me on a forum where, sometimes rightly, the majority of comments on GWR and the British rail network are negative/critical.  YMMV.

 

I'm not sure that GWR's (or other TOCs customers) will find it "reassuring" after the last week's performance.

"Reassuring" would be hearing a plan from the industry to address the UK railways apparent inability to cope with late Spring/Summer weather, for which the trend has been getting hotter year on year for well over a decade now.

Surely we should aspire to do better, not simply seek to take solace from others problems?

 
Always reassuring to hear that the railways of mainland Europe have just the same issues as we do.  We just wouldn’t get to hear about them if it wasn’t for Stuving!