Recent Public Posts - [guest]
| Re: Heathfield Tunnel reopens to walkers for 60th anniversary In "The Wider Picture in the United Kingdom" [362282/30355/51] Posted by Ralph Ayres at 10:11, 15th June 2025 |      |
From Wikipedia:
In 2019, Wealden District Council stated: "due to constant vandalism and anti-social behaviour, the tunnel is to remain closed indefinitely with no plans to look into it".
So it seems occasional openings such as this will be all that happens, which is a pity. I wonder why this particular location suffers more than similar tunnels elsewhere such as in the Bristol/Bath area.
| Re: Weymouth - Westbury cancellations, 14 and 15 June 2025 In "Heart of Wessex" [362281/30356/19] Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 10:09, 15th June 2025 | |
With thanks to my colleague Timmer for his update posts, I have now further expanded the heading of this whole topic, to draw attention to this very frustrating situation.
Today being Fathers Day, when some families would like to have been able to have a day out in Weymouth, just for example?
CfN.
| Re: Looe branch line - timetables, cancellations, engineering work, closures and incidents (merged p In "Shorter journeys in Plymouth and Cornwall" [362280/569/25] Posted by TaplowGreen at 09:45, 15th June 2025 | |
Multiple cancellations today due to crew shortage - the type of sunny weekend summer day when branch lines such as this get the chance to really show their worth, but GWR have failed to provide anyone to run them.
Cancellations to services between Liskeard and Looe
Due to a shortage of train crew between Liskeard and Looe the line is closed.
Train services running to and from these stations may be cancelled. Disruption is expected until 15:00 15/06.
Customer Advice
Due to crew shortages, we are unable to run train services today.
Due to a shortage of train crew between Liskeard and Looe the line is closed.
Train services running to and from these stations may be cancelled. Disruption is expected until 15:00 15/06.
Customer Advice
Due to crew shortages, we are unable to run train services today.
An astonishing failure ... on what would be a peak early summer's day. Should someone come back and explain that there's a local transmitted flu or something else that has struck all the crews in the last 24 hours, this service decimation is "unforgivable" ... but of course it will probably get forgotten in the mists of time and the fog of the next issue.
Two questions when something goes wrong:
1. What lessons will be learned from today?
2. How will those lessons result in actions which make sure this should not happen again?
1) Judging by the repetition in similar circumstances across the region over a number of years, none.
2) They won't. GWR are staggering towards the end of their franchise, there is little or no motivation for them to make the efforts required.
| Re: 2025 - Service update and amendment log, Swindon <-> Westbury In "TransWilts line" [362279/29726/18] Posted by grahame at 09:38, 15th June 2025 | |
Quoting from Heart of Wessex ...
Updated the subject title to reflect another bad day on the Heart of Wessex Line:
08.01 Weymouth - Bristol Parkway Cancelled
11.32 Swindon - Weymouth Cancelled
13.32 Swindon - Weymouth Cancelled
16.05 Weymouth - Bristol Temple Meads Part cancelled*
*starts at Westbury
Only four trains you may say, but on Sundays, where the service is a lot less frequent, that leaves some big gaps in the timetable.
Like yesterday, is this because of only Westbury crew signing Weymouth now?
08.01 Weymouth - Bristol Parkway Cancelled
11.32 Swindon - Weymouth Cancelled
13.32 Swindon - Weymouth Cancelled
16.05 Weymouth - Bristol Temple Meads Part cancelled*
*starts at Westbury
Only four trains you may say, but on Sundays, where the service is a lot less frequent, that leaves some big gaps in the timetable.
Like yesterday, is this because of only Westbury crew signing Weymouth now?
On the TransWilts service, don't forget that the first round trip was a rail replacement bus this morning - not really a replacement but a substitution by something different and inferior.
A lot of TransWilts southbound in the morning use it for onward connections which leave Westbury (today) at ...
09:32 and 09:57 (yes, 2 at 25 minutes apart) for Weymouth
09:37 for London
09:54 for Penzance
10:02 for Portsmouth
and these would normally offer connections off the train from Swindon. Guess what - the bus arrives at Westbury at 10:14 and that breaks all of these connections. Only 2 other GWR trains are timetabled to leave Westbury before 11:00 and could be described as connection - 10:40 to London (by Real Time Trains tells me it's not expected until 11:10) and a train at 10:41 which - oh dear - heads up to Swindon which is where the direction the bus came in from in the first place!
| Re: Shortage of train crews on Great Western Railway - ongoing discussion In "Across the West" [362278/18719/26] Posted by TaplowGreen at 09:12, 15th June 2025 | |
Summer Sunday, so.................
Cancellations to services between Liskeard and Looe
Due to a shortage of train crew between Liskeard and Looe the line is closed.
Train services running to and from these stations may be cancelled. Disruption is expected until 15:00 15/06.
Customer Advice
Due to crew shortages, we are unable to run train services today.
-
We have very limited road transport in place, taxis will shuttle hourly. Please note, they may not run to the train timetable. Please see station staff.
-
We're sorry for the delay to your journey.
| Re: 15th June 2018 - GWR Community Rail Conference In "Diary - what's happening when?" [362277/19245/34] Posted by grahame at 09:06, 15th June 2025 | |
Came up "on this day". A conference that was the turning point (or rather brought things to a head) for me. Lovely to be back in Swindon yesterday - with European Passengers' Federation / TravelWatch SouthWest, and lovely to have local support there from the likes of the Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire CRPs helping bring in the local level. After the conference I travelled home and was joined by one of the key EPF officers who's stopping in the UK for a few more days, and we travelled on a nicely busy (running in time) TransWilts train where I left him as he carried on to make a connection in Westbury.
| Re: North Cotswold line delays and cancellations - 2025 In "London to the Cotswolds" [362276/29711/14] Posted by Worcester_Passenger at 09:02, 15th June 2025 | |
Sunday June 15
15/06/25 07:36 London Paddington to Great Malvern due 10:15 will be started from Reading.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.
Last Updated:14/06/2025 20:13
This is due to a shortage of train crew.
Last Updated:14/06/2025 20:13
RTT reports this as starting from Paddington.
15/06/25 13:12 Worcester Foregate Street to London Paddington due 15:24 will be cancelled.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.
Last Updated:14/06/2025 20:18
This is due to a shortage of train crew.
Last Updated:14/06/2025 20:18
| Re: Falmouth Branch Line - stations, facilities, services and improvements - ongoing discussion, mer In "Shorter journeys in Plymouth and Cornwall" [362275/33/25] Posted by old original at 08:57, 15th June 2025 | |
Naive question. ........Could a 5 car IET go down the docks?
GWR sent an HST to Falmouth to celebrate the 150th Anniversary of the branch, so, probably, yes ?
but it would take longer to load / unload at the docks as only the front half would platformed and so a lot of passenegers would have to walk through the train...
| Re: Looe branch line - timetables, cancellations, engineering work, closures and incidents (merged p In "Shorter journeys in Plymouth and Cornwall" [362274/569/25] Posted by grahame at 08:57, 15th June 2025 | |
Multiple cancellations today due to crew shortage - the type of sunny weekend summer day when branch lines such as this get the chance to really show their worth, but GWR have failed to provide anyone to run them.
Cancellations to services between Liskeard and Looe
Due to a shortage of train crew between Liskeard and Looe the line is closed.
Train services running to and from these stations may be cancelled. Disruption is expected until 15:00 15/06.
Customer Advice
Due to crew shortages, we are unable to run train services today.
Due to a shortage of train crew between Liskeard and Looe the line is closed.
Train services running to and from these stations may be cancelled. Disruption is expected until 15:00 15/06.
Customer Advice
Due to crew shortages, we are unable to run train services today.
An astonishing failure ... on what would be a peak early summer's day. Should someone come back and explain that there's a local transmitted flu or something else that has struck all the crews in the last 24 hours, this service decimation is "unforgivable" ... but of course it will probably get forgotten in the mists of time and the fog of the next issue.
Two questions when something goes wrong:
1. What lessons will be learned from today?
2. How will those lessons result in actions which make sure this should not happen again?
| Re: Bus Service 205 In "Transport for London" [362273/30357/46] Posted by grahame at 08:10, 15th June 2025 Already liked by Worcester_Passenger, Chris from Nailsea | |
Your best bet in probably getting an 18 from bus stop R at "Bishops Bridge Road/Little Venice" (really between the two) which goes to Euston station itself. That's pretty close to Paddington - the traipse from Euston to St Pancras is longer, though still quicker in many cases than another bus.
Many ideas - and thanks for that one. I understand the 30 is changing too and will provide a route as far as Euston from the current 205 stops too.
I have dropped TfL a note asking for official advice ... let's see how / if they respond.
I am a repeated but not frequent use of bus service 205 from Paddington to St Pancras, interchanging from main line trains from Wiltshire where I live to onward services via Eurostar and also to places like Cambridge. I am also a passenger advocate advising others how best to travel and a number of us have mobility and sensory issues that mean we need to minimise interchanges, distance moved and level changes, even if lifts are provided.
I am disappointed to read that the through bus will no longer run from Paddington to Kings Cross as from a weeks time. We heard this news late in the day as I understand that consultations have been with London residents - which we are not - we are visitors who together help make your city work and help you justify the public transport which is usually very good.
1. What consultation was done and reach put out to groups like ours who use London's services but don't live there?
2. Is there an alternative I have missed of direct surface provision that works without an extra interchange for those who find the underground difficult?
You say "no personal information" BUT you are very welcome to share my details and get back in touch as appropriate - indeed I encourage you to do so to help make systems / alternatives better and well known - Graham
I am disappointed to read that the through bus will no longer run from Paddington to Kings Cross as from a weeks time. We heard this news late in the day as I understand that consultations have been with London residents - which we are not - we are visitors who together help make your city work and help you justify the public transport which is usually very good.
1. What consultation was done and reach put out to groups like ours who use London's services but don't live there?
2. Is there an alternative I have missed of direct surface provision that works without an extra interchange for those who find the underground difficult?
You say "no personal information" BUT you are very welcome to share my details and get back in touch as appropriate - indeed I encourage you to do so to help make systems / alternatives better and well known - Graham
| Re: Looe branch line - timetables, cancellations, engineering work, closures and incidents (merged p In "Shorter journeys in Plymouth and Cornwall" [362272/569/25] Posted by TaplowGreen at 08:06, 15th June 2025 | |
Multiple cancellations today due to crew shortage - the type of sunny weekend summer day when branch lines such as this get the chance to really show their worth, but GWR have failed to provide anyone to run them.
| Re: Falmouth Branch Line - stations, facilities, services and improvements - ongoing discussion, mer In "Shorter journeys in Plymouth and Cornwall" [362271/33/25] Posted by PhilWakely at 08:03, 15th June 2025 Already liked by GBM | |
Naive question. ........Could a 5 car IET go down the docks?
GWR sent an HST to Falmouth to celebrate the 150th Anniversary of the branch, so, probably, yes ?
| Tube driver knitting and watching TV In "The Wider Picture in the United Kingdom" [362270/30361/51] Posted by TaplowGreen at 07:55, 15th June 2025 | |
Almost beyond belief, but thankfully no longer employed on the railway........
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/travel/news/tube-driver-caught-knitting-and-watching-video-on-his-phone-while-operating-northern-line-train/ar-AA1GH8in?ocid=socialshare
| Re: Weymouth - Westbury cancellations, 14 and 15 June 2025 In "Heart of Wessex" [362269/30356/19] Posted by Timmer at 07:53, 15th June 2025 Already liked by Mark A | |
Updated the subject title to reflect another bad day on the Heart of Wessex Line:
08.01 Weymouth - Bristol Parkway Cancelled
11.32 Swindon - Weymouth Cancelled
13.32 Swindon - Weymouth Cancelled
16.05 Weymouth - Bristol Temple Meads Part cancelled*
*starts at Westbury
Only four trains you may say, but on Sundays, where the service is a lot less frequent, that leaves some big gaps in the timetable.
Like yesterday, is this because of only Westbury crew signing Weymouth now?
| Re: European Passengers Federation - 13th and 14th June 2025 In "The Wider Picture Overseas" [362268/29670/52] Posted by grahame at 06:30, 15th June 2025 Already liked by Chris from Nailsea | |
What a fantastically useful and thought provoking conference! It has helped set me up for a long time to come ... more to tell in coming posts perhaps, and certainly to trickle out over time as it helps me tune my thoughts and see the bigger picture.
| Re: Falmouth Branch Line - stations, facilities, services and improvements - ongoing discussion, mer In "Shorter journeys in Plymouth and Cornwall" [362267/33/25] Posted by grahame at 06:10, 15th June 2025 | |
Sea Shanty weekend 2025 - steered well clear. Huge queue ....
Naive question. Is it still 2 car? Could in be 3? 4? Could a 5 car IET go down the docks?
| Re: 2025 - Service update and amendment log, Swindon <-> Westbury In "TransWilts line" [362266/29726/18] Posted by grahame at 05:21, 15th June 2025 | |
19:38 Weymouth to Swindon due 22:00
19:38 Weymouth to Swindon due 22:00 will be terminated at Westbury.
It will no longer call at Trowbridge, Melksham, Chippenham and Swindon.
It is being delayed at Yeovil Pen Mill.
This is due to a fault with the signalling system.
19:38 Weymouth to Swindon due 22:00 will be terminated at Westbury.
It will no longer call at Trowbridge, Melksham, Chippenham and Swindon.
It is being delayed at Yeovil Pen Mill.
This is due to a fault with the signalling system.
Wonderful end to a day trip
And for today ... the first train is replace by a bus because, as far as I can tell, the line is needed to run a more important West Country express that calls at Westbury, with engineering works closing the normal line through Pewsey. Then ...
Sun, 15 June 11:12 Weymouth to Swindon due 13:24
15/06/25 11:12 Weymouth to Swindon due 13:24 will be terminated at Westbury.
It will no longer call at Trowbridge, Melksham, Chippenham and Swindon.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.
15/06/25 11:12 Weymouth to Swindon due 13:24 will be terminated at Westbury.
It will no longer call at Trowbridge, Melksham, Chippenham and Swindon.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.
13:32 Swindon to Weymouth due 15:45
15/06/25 13:32 Swindon to Weymouth due 15:45 will be cancelled.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.
15/06/25 13:32 Swindon to Weymouth due 15:45 will be cancelled.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.
16:43 Frome to Swindon due 17:34
16:43 Frome to Swindon due 17:34 will be started from Westbury.
It will no longer call at Frome.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.
16:43 Frome to Swindon due 17:34 will be started from Westbury.
It will no longer call at Frome.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.
| Re: Storing petrol In "The Wider Picture in the United Kingdom" [362265/22213/51] Posted by broadgage at 22:54, 14th June 2025 | |
With thanks for your 'heads up', broadgage, I will tomorrow morning fill up my 5 litre green can with motor mower petrol (it's stored in the garage), the car (it's parked out on the drive) and I will also stock up with barbeque charcoal (also stored in the garage). We have gas central heating, so I'm unable to panic buy that. 
Do you have any other heating, apart from gas central heating? or electric heaters.
If not it might be worth buying a portable heater that uses paraffin or bottled gas. And fuel for at least a weeks heavy use.
Any serious crisis is liable to interrupt electricity supplies, as a lot of our electricity is still from gas.
| A coffee story with a difference ... In "The Lighter Side" [362264/30360/30] Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 22:40, 14th June 2025 | |
From the BBC:
Cornwall seagull sips man's coffee before stealing his mug
A gull has taken revenge on a man who was installing anti-bird spikes in a Cornish town - by drinking his coffee and pinching his mug.
Maintenance worker Darren Pardoe had been bird proofing houses in Porthleven when he stopped at a pub for a coffee on 3 June. He said he had been talking to someone before he turned around to find the gull helping himself to the hot brew. Before he could take action, the feathered thief flew off with the mug. "I think it had remembered me," he joked.
Recalling the coffee heist, Mr Pardoe said: "I turn round and sure enough a seagull's got its beak in my coffee... next minute the bird picks up the coffee cup by its handle and takes off across the harbour with it. It flew round the harbour and then landed on the water, put the cup down, and the cup just sank."
Mr Pardoe captured a photo of the bird in flight with his coffee mug.
A gull has taken revenge on a man who was installing anti-bird spikes in a Cornish town - by drinking his coffee and pinching his mug.
Maintenance worker Darren Pardoe had been bird proofing houses in Porthleven when he stopped at a pub for a coffee on 3 June. He said he had been talking to someone before he turned around to find the gull helping himself to the hot brew. Before he could take action, the feathered thief flew off with the mug. "I think it had remembered me," he joked.
Recalling the coffee heist, Mr Pardoe said: "I turn round and sure enough a seagull's got its beak in my coffee... next minute the bird picks up the coffee cup by its handle and takes off across the harbour with it. It flew round the harbour and then landed on the water, put the cup down, and the cup just sank."
Mr Pardoe captured a photo of the bird in flight with his coffee mug.
| Re: Storing petrol In "The Wider Picture in the United Kingdom" [362262/22213/51] Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 22:18, 14th June 2025 Already liked by broadgage, TaplowGreen | |
With thanks for your 'heads up', broadgage, I will tomorrow morning fill up my 5 litre green can with motor mower petrol (it's stored in the garage), the car (it's parked out on the drive) and I will also stock up with barbeque charcoal (also stored in the garage). We have gas central heating, so I'm unable to panic buy that.
| Re: 2025 - Service update and amendment log, Swindon <-> Westbury In "TransWilts line" [362261/29726/18] Posted by grahame at 21:52, 14th June 2025 | |
19:38 Weymouth to Swindon due 22:00
19:38 Weymouth to Swindon due 22:00 will be terminated at Westbury.
It will no longer call at Trowbridge, Melksham, Chippenham and Swindon.
It is being delayed at Yeovil Pen Mill.
This is due to a fault with the signalling system.
19:38 Weymouth to Swindon due 22:00 will be terminated at Westbury.
It will no longer call at Trowbridge, Melksham, Chippenham and Swindon.
It is being delayed at Yeovil Pen Mill.
This is due to a fault with the signalling system.
Wonderful end to a day trip
| Re: 2025 - Service update and amendment log, Swindon <-> Westbury In "TransWilts line" [362259/29726/18] Posted by TaplowGreen at 21:36, 14th June 2025 | |
22:12 Swindon to Westbury due 22:55
22:12 Swindon to Westbury due 22:55 will be cancelled.
This is due to a fault with the signalling system.
Sun, 15 June 13:32 Swindon to Weymouth due 15:45
15/06/25 13:32 Swindon to Weymouth due 15:45 will be cancelled.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.
| Re: Storing petrol In "The Wider Picture in the United Kingdom" [362258/22213/51] Posted by Clan Line at 20:33, 14th June 2025 | |
Morrisons must have good contacts in Tel Aviv - they put their petrol prices up the day before the Israelis started bombing Iran
| Re: Bus Service 205 In "Transport for London" [362257/30357/46] Posted by John D at 20:32, 14th June 2025 | |
Appears 205 is being diverted from Baker Street to go to Marble Arch, as a replacement for 30 (withdrawn Euston-Marble Arch).
Clearly TfL money saving idea
| Re: Bus Service 205 In "Transport for London" [362256/30357/46] Posted by stuving at 20:13, 14th June 2025 | |
Your best bet in probably getting an 18 from bus stop R at "Bishops Bridge Road/Little Venice" (really between the two) which goes to Euston station itself. That's pretty close to Paddington - the traipse from Euston to St Pancras is longer, though still quicker in many cases than another bus.
| Re: Last minute at "fill my seat" prices on Eurostar In "Fare's Fair" [362255/30260/4] Posted by grahame at 19:50, 14th June 2025 | |
Has anyone come across - used - this?
https://snap.eurostar.com/uk-en
https://snap.eurostar.com/uk-en
Well - that drew a resounding silence.. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Report to follow.
| Re: Gone to the dogs? A look at greyhound racing's future - June 2025 In "Introductions and chat" [362254/30358/1] Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 19:30, 14th June 2025 | |
Err - you haven't asked, Chris - happy to respond if that WAS a question. Think I have done.
No, grahame, it wasn't a question - more of a hopefully tactful introduction to my own post on this topic, relevant particularly to you.
They nearly got that squirrel, though!
CfN.
| Re: Storing petrol In "The Wider Picture in the United Kingdom" [362253/22213/51] Posted by broadgage at 19:14, 14th June 2025 Already liked by Mark A | |
With a new war well underway in the ME, it would be well to review and perhaps to increase stocks of oil derived fuels.
Not just petrol, but also diesel, heating oil, paraffin, and LPG.
Shortages are possible, esp. if the situation escalates.
Petrol storage is limited to 30 L. It should not be stored in living accommodation.
Butane storage within a home is limited to two cylinders each of 15 kilos or less, no limit on outdoor storage.
Propane should not be stored in a home, no limit outdoors.
Almost any volume of paraffin, diesel fuel, or heating oil may be stored.
A war in the ME is most unlikely to affect supplies of coal and fire wood, but shortages are possible if people use extra coal or wood in place of other fuels that are scarce or expensive.
