Recent Public Posts - [guest]
| Re: Grotty Scotty Piccies In "The Lighter Side" [359245/30004/30] Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 23:33, 9th March 2025 |      |
How many guesses was that?
| Re: Grotty Scotty Piccies In "The Lighter Side" [359244/30004/30] Posted by stuving at 23:24, 9th March 2025 | |
3. is obviously new, but there a are several new stations it might be - none of which I've seen, of course. First thought was Dalcross/Inverness Airport, because it has that look. But it's not, nor is it Kintore. Then there's Leven, known to have been visited, which does indeed have a round thingy a lot like the one in the picture. However, that has tiled paving ... but nearby there's Cameron Bridge, also on the Leven Rail Link. And that also has a "pebble" (?) that fits.
| Re: Plym Valley Railway - Marsh Mills to Plym Bridge - merged posts In "Heritage railways, Railtours, buses, canals, steamships and other public transport based attractions" [359243/11624/47] Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 23:12, 9th March 2025 | |
From the BBC:
Maiden voyage for locomotive named after young boy
A steam locomotive, which has been restored in memory of a boy from Plymstock, has made its maiden voyage.
The 'Lord Oliver Brown' locomotive at the Plym Valley Railway made its first journey in 17 years on Sunday, on what would have been Oliver Brown's 17th birthday.
Oliver died aged 11 from Myelodysplastic Syndrome which affects only four in a million children worldwide.
Hundreds of people gathered at the station to wave the train off on its first journey.
The 1959 engine was painted in Oliver's favourite colour - hot pink - and the shades of green represent Children's Hospice South West, where he was looked after before he died.
Oliver's mum, Nicky Brown, said: "I'm so incredibly proud, it's wonderful to see everybody come together to celebrate Children's Hospice South West, who continue to take care of us as a family. Just looking at the train epitomises Oliver, it's so bright and colourful and it just makes you smile - that's what Oliver did every day of his life. He would be in his element today and I'm just so proud that we can wish him happy birthday in such a remarkable way," she added.
Oliver's brother Ben, who helped with the restoration of the engine, said: "It's exciting to have everyone here - it's been a big project for a long time now and hopefully we can bring awareness not just to our story, but to other families and help them out. Oliver loved pink, he loved trains - every time he got out of the hospital the first thing he'd do would be to go to West Hoe and get on the Gus Honeybun trains. It's amazing, such a nice atmosphere - seeing other people having fun and enjoying the train, it's a great day."
Annabel Roberts from Children's Hospice South West said the train was a fantastic way to raise awareness of the work the charity does. "The amount of effort that has gone into this train is absolutely astonishing. It's such a beautiful spectacle, such a beautiful thing and I think it will appeal to loads of people who will be entranced by this locomotive - it's unique." She added: "We're so fortunate to have them [Oliver's family] as fantastic champions for our charity and the services we provide."
A steam locomotive, which has been restored in memory of a boy from Plymstock, has made its maiden voyage.
The 'Lord Oliver Brown' locomotive at the Plym Valley Railway made its first journey in 17 years on Sunday, on what would have been Oliver Brown's 17th birthday.
Oliver died aged 11 from Myelodysplastic Syndrome which affects only four in a million children worldwide.
Hundreds of people gathered at the station to wave the train off on its first journey.
The 1959 engine was painted in Oliver's favourite colour - hot pink - and the shades of green represent Children's Hospice South West, where he was looked after before he died.
Oliver's mum, Nicky Brown, said: "I'm so incredibly proud, it's wonderful to see everybody come together to celebrate Children's Hospice South West, who continue to take care of us as a family. Just looking at the train epitomises Oliver, it's so bright and colourful and it just makes you smile - that's what Oliver did every day of his life. He would be in his element today and I'm just so proud that we can wish him happy birthday in such a remarkable way," she added.
Oliver's brother Ben, who helped with the restoration of the engine, said: "It's exciting to have everyone here - it's been a big project for a long time now and hopefully we can bring awareness not just to our story, but to other families and help them out. Oliver loved pink, he loved trains - every time he got out of the hospital the first thing he'd do would be to go to West Hoe and get on the Gus Honeybun trains. It's amazing, such a nice atmosphere - seeing other people having fun and enjoying the train, it's a great day."
Annabel Roberts from Children's Hospice South West said the train was a fantastic way to raise awareness of the work the charity does. "The amount of effort that has gone into this train is absolutely astonishing. It's such a beautiful spectacle, such a beautiful thing and I think it will appeal to loads of people who will be entranced by this locomotive - it's unique." She added: "We're so fortunate to have them [Oliver's family] as fantastic champions for our charity and the services we provide."
Poignant for me personally - I was born in 1959, and used to live in Plymstock. My thoughts are with you, Oliver Brown, RIP.
CfN.
| Re: Grotty Scotty Piccies In "The Lighter Side" [359242/30004/30] Posted by eightonedee at 22:58, 9th March 2025 | |
Is 2 Duirinish? I think I've only been twice, once by road, but it seems to be popular with Highland cattle and looks like it's been plonked in a stereotypical Scottish Highland landscape!
| Re: Grotty Scotty Piccies In "The Lighter Side" [359240/30004/30] Posted by DR7835 at 22:33, 9th March 2025 | |
4. Site of former Dundee Esplanade station looking back at the Tay Bridge from the Northern end.
| Re: Grotty Scotty Piccies In "The Lighter Side" [359239/30004/30] Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 22:19, 9th March 2025 | |
That would have been my second answer.
I only know the Edinburgh one because I used to work for a Scottish financial services company, and their head office is in the shadow of Edinburgh Castle. When we from the Bristol branch travelled to Edinburgh for team meetings, I was so envious of one of my colleagues there: her desk overlooked, through a full height picture window, the entire castle. How inspiring is that, for a workstation?
CfN.
| Re: Grotty Scotty Piccies In "The Lighter Side" [359238/30004/30] Posted by PhilWakely at 21:24, 9th March 2025 | |
7. Tay Bridge
| Re: Grotty Scotty Piccies In "The Lighter Side" [359237/30004/30] Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 21:07, 9th March 2025 | |
1. Edinburgh, Waverley station, looking up to the castle.
| Grotty Scotty Piccies In "The Lighter Side" [359236/30004/30] Posted by grahame at 20:55, 9th March 2025 | |
Some pictures take in or from a train or zoomed - fuzzies, reflections and so forth about - can you identify one each ...
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
| Re: 21 March 2025 - TravelWatch SouthWest General meeting In "Diary - what's happening when?" [359235/30000/34] Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 20:38, 9th March 2025 | |
I'm sorry for that confusion, ChrisB: I've now moved your post here and will amend the topic headings for those historic TravelWatch SouthWest meetings.
CfN.
| Re: 21st March 2025 - TravelWatch SouthWest General meeting In "Diary - what's happening when?" [359234/30000/34] Posted by ChrisB at 20:11, 9th March 2025 | |
This thread now has the wrong subect line and dopes not refer to the March 21 2025 meeting!
| Re: Rolling stock projections - ongoing discussion In "Looking forward - the next 5, 10 and 20 years" [359233/26134/40] Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 19:40, 9th March 2025 | |
Fair comment: this ongoing topic is no longer specific to any particular 'on this day', so I've broadened it here.
CfN.
| Re: Train fare dodger told to pay nearly £1,000 In "Fare's Fair" [359232/29998/4] Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 19:31, 9th March 2025 Already liked by johnneyw | |
It would be worth paying £41.50, purely to be able to enjoy this view out of a train window, on a journey between Didcot Parkway and Cardiff Central:
From the BBC.
| Re: Thames Valley infrastructure problems causing disruption elsewhere - 2025 In "Across the West" [359231/29650/26] Posted by BBM at 19:22, 9th March 2025 | |
I’m on the 19:04 EL train from TWY (I’m going to Hayes) which left from P2 (which I was fortunate to aim for as according to RTT the previous one ran 13 minutes late and didn’t call there). This particular train is non-stopping Taplow and Burnham as indeed all EL trains are doing this evening with no advice that I’ve seen or heard so I don’t know what passengers to and from those stations are meant to do.
Also all the GWR trains on the PAD-DID route are shown on the screens at TWY as cancelled - from RTT it looks like they’re running but not stopping at TWY or MAI as in the message posted above.
| Re: Thames Valley infrastructure problems causing disruption elsewhere - 2025 In "Across the West" [359230/29650/26] Posted by grahame at 18:49, 9th March 2025 | |
How would you describe that piece of hard-coded text then?
* An apology.
* An expression of care in acknowledging it is not as it should be.
I'm not sure it even needs a title though
| Re: Thames Valley infrastructure problems causing disruption elsewhere - 2025 In "Across the West" [359229/29650/26] Posted by ChrisB at 18:45, 9th March 2025 | |
How would you describe that piece of hard-coded text then?
| Re: Thames Valley infrastructure problems causing disruption elsewhere - 2025 In "Across the West" [359228/29650/26] Posted by grahame at 18:42, 9th March 2025 | |
Customer Advice
We are sorry for the delay to your journey today.
We are sorry for the delay to your journey today.
Is it just me - or is that really NOT customer advice?
I would expect "Customer advice" to be something like "People who normally use GWR trains to Maidenhead or Telford should allow an extra half hour and will need to change at Reading if coming from further west" . It actually advises the customers what to do!
| Re: Thames Valley infrastructure problems causing disruption elsewhere - 2025 In "Across the West" [359227/29650/26] Posted by grahame at 18:34, 9th March 2025 | |
Alterations to services between Reading and Slough
Due to a points failure between Reading and Slough some lines are blocked.
Train services running to and from these stations may be delayed or revised. Twyford and Maidenhead will not be served. Disruption is expected until 21:00 09/03.
Customer Advice
We are sorry for the delay to your journey today.
Can you tell me more about the incident?
Due to a points failure at Twyford, GWR services cannot call at Twyford and Maidenhead. Elizabeth line services can still call at these stations.
Due to a points failure between Reading and Slough some lines are blocked.
Train services running to and from these stations may be delayed or revised. Twyford and Maidenhead will not be served. Disruption is expected until 21:00 09/03.
Customer Advice
We are sorry for the delay to your journey today.
Can you tell me more about the incident?
Due to a points failure at Twyford, GWR services cannot call at Twyford and Maidenhead. Elizabeth line services can still call at these stations.
| Re: Portishead Line reopening for passengers - ongoing discussion In "Campaigns for new and improved services" [359226/231/28] Posted by Red Squirrel at 18:18, 9th March 2025 Already liked by Chris from Nailsea | |
I wouldn't have.
| Re: Portishead Line reopening for passengers - ongoing discussion In "Campaigns for new and improved services" [359225/231/28] Posted by grahame at 17:47, 9th March 2025 | |
https://www.somersetlive.co.uk/news/somerset-news/portishead-railway-line-group-criticised-9996451
I am not sure whether I should be giving that space. All for expression of different views and bringing all the ideas out, but isn't now the time with a decision made and so many parties aligned in the view that the public transport connection to Portishead should be restored as a railway for parties that think it is not an ideal solution to let them get on with it.
The Portishead Bus Campaign is in the press again telling everyone "The Portishead Busway Campaign has labelled the return of trains between Bristol and Portishead as "ill-conceived", "scandalous" and "pure kneejerk nostalgia"" ... and suggesting again their solution of a rubber matted bus way. All they (who are they - I can only find one name associated with it) in my view is to break the consensus - they (or Barry) want(s) better public transport and so do we - a shame to divide the public transport advocates and risk ending up with nothing.
| 30,000 threads - the Coffee Shop In "News, Help and Assistance" [359224/30002/29] Posted by grahame at 17:34, 9th March 2025 Already liked by Mark A | |
https://www.passenger.chat/r30000.html
Another milestone passed - topic number 30,000. There are just shy of 25,800 topics on the forum as around 13% have been merged and a tiny number - my guess is less than 1% - have been deleted. 1135 members have contributed with posts (920 making multiple posts) which total 356192 in number, no one member posting more than 12%.
I happen to have hit no. 30,000 on the agenda and call for TravelWatch SouthWest a week on Friday - 21st March 2025.
| Re: Taxi access to stations In "Buses and other ways to travel" [359223/29997/5] Posted by Mark A at 17:17, 9th March 2025 Already liked by Chris from Nailsea | |
*Admires Nailsea and Backwell station and surrounds on Google Streetview*
Ah, of course, the Bristol and Exeter Railway. Money was squeaky-tight.
Mark
| Re: Why no London trains from Bath Spa 2/3? In "London to Swindon and Bristol" [359221/29969/10] Posted by ChrisB at 16:17, 9th March 2025 | |
Suspect engineering trains getting the way for that, Infoman.
The lines are only shut to passenger & freight trains. They have to get equipment to sites to/from each end.
| Watch: Man survives being run over by train In "The Wider Picture Overseas" [359220/29999/52] Posted by ChrisB at 16:13, 9th March 2025 | |
well, I wouldn't directly embed the sort of video....but this is on the BBC website.
It is actually amazing - the guy is drunk asleep & is not woken by the Peruvian train - but gets up after a definite collision with the train....
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/videos/cq6yzll9j92o
| Re: Rolling stock projections- ongoing discussion In "Looking forward - the next 5, 10 and 20 years" [359219/26134/40] Posted by ChrisB at 16:09, 9th March 2025 | |
Updating the subject header?
| Train fare dodger told to pay nearly £1,000 In "Fare's Fair" [359218/29998/4] Posted by ChrisB at 16:06, 9th March 2025 | |
From the BBC
A man who failed to pay his £41.50 train fare has been told to pay nearly £1,000 in fines and costs.
Kyle Brown, 22, of Wootton, Oxfordshire, was found to have dodged paying for his journey between Didcot Parkway and Cardiff Central stations on 1 June 2024.
He denied not paying his fare in January but Oxford magistrates found him guilty in his absence on 26 February.
He was told to pay £600 costs and a victim surcharge of £88, fined £220 and told to pay compensation of £41.50 - a total of £949.50. Brown must pay that by 26 March.
Kyle Brown, 22, of Wootton, Oxfordshire, was found to have dodged paying for his journey between Didcot Parkway and Cardiff Central stations on 1 June 2024.
He denied not paying his fare in January but Oxford magistrates found him guilty in his absence on 26 February.
He was told to pay £600 costs and a victim surcharge of £88, fined £220 and told to pay compensation of £41.50 - a total of £949.50. Brown must pay that by 26 March.
| Re: Ticket offices - changes afoot? In "Fare's Fair" [359217/29965/4] Posted by ChrisB at 16:01, 9th March 2025 | |
That seems to be pretty much what the DfT wanted to do in England
| Re: Taxi access to stations In "Buses and other ways to travel" [359216/29997/5] Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 15:11, 9th March 2025 | |
At Nailsea & Backwell, there is no taxi rank and neither taxis nor private hire cars ply for trade anywhere near the station.
The same is true of Bedminster, Parson Street, Yatton and Worle - stations either side of Nailsea & Backwell on the main line.
| Re: Cirencester branch: Thames bridge question In "Railway History and related topics" [359215/29996/55] Posted by Mark A at 14:47, 9th March 2025 Already liked by Chris from Nailsea | |
Thanks for this. So... a single, substantial & distinctive masonry arch. Somewhere, I've read some derogatory comment about it (the author biassed by their feelings for this modern-world intrusion into the world of the upper Thames). Perhaps it did put a kink into the road, or perhaps someone was keen to demolish it for the masonry, which elsewhere on the Cirencester branch is good stuff.
Good to have a name too: Clayfurlong bridge (marked as a viaduct on some OS maps).
(The photos are from the same negative - in the tinted one, someone's removed the figure...)
It was quite a dramatic crossing of the valley. Here's the view from upstream, the gap slightly lost in trees.
Mark
