Recent Public Posts - [guest]
| 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 |      |
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 | |
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 | |
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 | |
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 | |
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 | |
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 | |
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?
| Re: Workers fear losing jobs over train delays In "The Wider Picture in the United Kingdom" [381877/32711/51] Posted by JohnM at 11:30, 12th November 2026 | |
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2026/11/10/workers-fear-losing-jobs-over-train-delays-warn-mps/
In case the pay wall gets you....
Free 'gifted' version, valid for a month I think:In case the pay wall gets you....
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/gift/4dd3dccf66bb1b88
| Re: Class 175s to Great Western Railway (GWR) In "Across the West" [381876/28982/26] Posted by Rhydgaled at 11:09, 12th November 2026 | |
How are we doing on Welsh 158s? Can they come, please, without the normal 2 years in a field? And can we retain enough of the other old stuff as they arrive to have capacity to handle "more trains that normal require repair at the same time"?
Oi! Hands off the Welsh 158s! They (together with the 21x class 197e units) make up around half of the DMUs able to operate on the Cambrian lines, and I dread to think what the overcrowding is going to be like at Welshpool when the Tour de France visits next July unless the 158s are kept to allow 6-car formations. Even this year, I understand the planned 4-car workings on the Cambrian Coast in summer were mostly short-formed due to "more trains that normal require repair at the same time", and that's before TfW have Bristol services to cover.In any case, the 'Welsh' class 158s are under different ownership to those with GWR, and have Perkins engines rather than GWR's preferred Cummins-R1 type. Indeed, with Great British Railways supposedly bringing all the (former) English rail franchises under one banner, surely there is an opportunity to allocate similar units to the same depots? For example, TfW might be able to spare up to 6 of their Perkins 158s, which could go to the east midlands (where there are already some Perkins-engined class 158s, I believe) to release a number of Cummins-engined units, including allowing the small batch of 10 Cummins-R3 (400hp) engined units to be co-allocated together 'up north' rather than split between Northern and EMR. Slim pickings for GWR in the short term unfortunately but, looking a bit further ahead, why doesn't GBR pool the SWR+GWR class 158/159 fleets between Salisbury and Bristol depots and replace the class 158s on (SWR) Salisbury-Romsey 'figure of six' duties with class 166s or 165s from what is currently the GWR pool? Obviously the 166s/165s would need to be released from their current duties (probably the Thames Valley branches) to allow that, but GWR have Electrostars and it was an Electrostar (albeit an Greater Anglia unit, not the same class as GWR have) that was used for the IPEMU (battery-electric) trial.
| Re: Thames Valley infrastructure problems causing disruption elsewhere - 2026 In "Across the West" [381875/31163/26] Posted by TaplowGreen at 11:07, 12th November 2026 | |
Train involved was a railtour ECS movement, headed to London Victoria, being hauled by steam locomotive 34028 'Eddystone'. It was due to operate an 'Armistice Day' special to Canterbury.
Seen the question asked elsewhere in relation to yesterday's unfortunate events - when was the last time someone was killed by a steam train on the GWML?
We should not jump to any conclusions and await - presumably an inquest and investigation. I don't know the "last time" answer. I do know that people have put themselves (and at times their children and grandchildren) at risk when out to see a steam train in the GW area in times since the 1960s and very recently too when they became a novelty spectacle.
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".
| Re: Thames Valley infrastructure problems causing disruption elsewhere - 2026 In "Across the West" [381874/31163/26] Posted by grahame at 10:39, 12th November 2026 | |
Train involved was a railtour ECS movement, headed to London Victoria, being hauled by steam locomotive 34028 'Eddystone'. It was due to operate an 'Armistice Day' special to Canterbury.
Seen the question asked elsewhere in relation to yesterday's unfortunate events - when was the last time someone was killed by a steam train on the GWML?
We should not jump to any conclusions and await - presumably an inquest and investigation. I don't know the "last time" answer. I do know that people have put themselves (and at times their children and grandchildren) at risk when out to see a steam train in the GW area in times since the 1960s and very recently too when they became a novelty spectacle.
| Re: The United States to sink without trace off the Florida coastline ... In "The Lighter Side" [381873/32713/30] Posted by Mark A at 10:21, 12th November 2026 | |
Vessels sinking (or being raised, or even being) can be very psychologically significant for some reason. Sending props.
| Re: The United States to sink without trace off the Florida coastline ... In "The Lighter Side" [381872/32713/30] Posted by grahame at 09:24, 12th November 2026 | |
Lisa recalls a journey from Le Havre to New York on SS United States at the age of 13 (1968) as part of a family relocation - her dad had finished his work in Germany. Tales of being encouraged to try all the foods, and being taken on board to see a film that these days would be "X" rated. I read her the article and she's tinged with a sadness at the sinking.
| Re: Padlocking your luggage to the train to prevent theft In "Across the West" [381871/32706/26] Posted by Western Pathfinder at 09:13, 12th November 2026 | |
Ah yes I remember it Chris.
| Re: Thames Valley infrastructure problems causing disruption elsewhere - 2026 In "Across the West" [381870/31163/26] Posted by TaplowGreen at 08:56, 12th November 2026 | |
Train involved was a railtour ECS movement, headed to London Victoria, being hauled by steam locomotive 34028 'Eddystone'. It was due to operate an 'Armistice Day' special to Canterbury.
Seen the question asked elsewhere in relation to yesterday's unfortunate events - when was the last time someone was killed by a steam train on the GWML?
| Re: The United States to sink without trace off the Florida coastline ... In "The Lighter Side" [381869/32713/30] Posted by Mark A at 08:39, 12th November 2026 | |
Pro tip: next time, ask the U.S. navy to provide lighting for the event.
| Re: Workers fear losing jobs over train delays In "The Wider Picture in the United Kingdom" [381868/32711/51] Posted by grahame at 08:32, 12th November 2026 Already liked by TaplowGreen, Chris from Nailsea | |
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2026/11/10/workers-fear-losing-jobs-over-train-delays-warn-mps/
Workers fear (1) losing their jobs because rail services are regularly late, MPs have warned.
A spate of line closures and cancellations during the summer heatwaves made it impossible for thousands of commuters to arrive at the office on time.
[snip]
Simon Lightwood, the minister for local transport, said he could not rule out further weather-related disruption (2).
He added that while speed restrictions and closures might be frustrating, the railway’s primary duty (3) was to keep passengers safe.
A spate of line closures and cancellations during the summer heatwaves made it impossible for thousands of commuters to arrive at the office on time.
[snip]
Simon Lightwood, the minister for local transport, said he could not rule out further weather-related disruption (2).
He added that while speed restrictions and closures might be frustrating, the railway’s primary duty (3) was to keep passengers safe.
(1) More than just a fear - employment and education not happening and not being taken up because of cancellations. We have examples raised with GWR, who give us marketing responses.
(2) It's about much more than weather, though, isn't it? How convenient for the minister that the questioning MP noted weather as one of the causes, as it allowed him to answer just one element, and not address crew shortages, working train shortages, signalling problems, point and OHLE problems, and person hit by train, which are the majority of reasons over all behind cancellations and delays over all.
(3) The primary duty of the railway - the reason it's there at all - is to convey people and goods. Yes, safety is a necessary corollary, but it is not the prime reason for rail being there.
| Re: The United States to sink without trace off the Florida coastline ... In "The Lighter Side" [381867/32713/30] Posted by Red Squirrel at 08:24, 12th November 2026 Already liked by Chris from Nailsea | |
Always good journalism to shoehorn in a reference to the Titanic…
