Recent Public Posts - [guest]
| Re: Railways Bill 2025: introducing and designing Great British Railways - general topic In "Looking forward - the next 2, 5, 10 and 20 years" [369281/31038/40] Posted by Oxonhutch at 19:30, 10th December 2025 |      |
Never a good idea to be wearing red in any kind of operational role on the railways, I've always thought
Yet out and about on the track operationally, we are only allowed to wear fluorescent orange so it can never be mistaken for yellow and green. Certainly never wear road workers' fluorescent yellow which does have a greenish hue under certain light conditions.
Also if the day warms up, never to hang up fluorescent outer garments, as they can't acknowledge a warning sound from a driver, and create unnecessary tension.
But certainly, a red 'flag' exhibited from a box should induce a dramatic, and highly disruptive, series of events on passing trains
| Re: AQ10 - "Pilning" - West Country Mornington Crescent In "The Lighter Side" [369279/31234/30] Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 19:12, 10th December 2025 | |
Hmm. I'm not convinced that a direct progression from Yatton to Yate isn't a technical breach of the Fernicular Rule.
You can't have two consecutive locations starting with the same letter: that's why Lynton followed by Lynmouth isn't allowed.
| Re: Swindon <-> Westbury service updates and amendments, ongoing discussion - 2025 In "TransWilts line" [369278/29726/18] Posted by grahame at 19:07, 10th December 2025 | |
18:37 Westbury to Swindon due 19:21
18:37 Westbury to Swindon due 19:21 has been delayed at Westbury and is now 14 minutes late.
This is due to train crew being delayed.
18:37 Westbury to Swindon due 19:21 has been delayed at Westbury and is now 14 minutes late.
This is due to train crew being delayed.
| Warning as drivers seen queuing on level crossing near Willington In "The Wider Picture in the United Kingdom" [369277/31238/51] Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 18:59, 10th December 2025 | |
From the BBC:
Drivers have been warned not to queue on a railway level crossing near a south Derbyshire village.
Network Rail said vehicles had been seen "idling on the track" in recent weeks at the Etwall Road crossing in Willington.
Train services were disrupted after a car was struck by a train there on 28 November. Network Rail said no injuries were report and an investigation was under way.
Temporary warning signs to drivers have been set up in Etwall Road, Derbyshire Police said.
A vehicle was struck by a barrier on 1 December, Network Rail added.
Dan Matthews, Network Rail operations director, said: "Level crossings are there to keep everyone safe, but they can be extremely dangerous if used incorrectly. The trend we've seen recently at Willington, with drivers ignoring mandatary signage, is very worrying and could have tragic consequences. It's imperative that motorists remain alert, comply with the signage and make sure the exit is clear before moving on to a crossing. It's important to be patient, and it's never worth the risk just to move a few metres further forward."
Insp Robert Drysdale, of British Transport Police, said: "I urge drivers to take extra caution and care at the Willington level crossing. You might think you're saving time, but you could be putting yourself and others in serious danger. Level crossings can be incredibly dangerous and if warning signs are ignored or missed, the consequences could potentially be catastrophic."
| Re: AQ10 - "Pilning" - West Country Mornington Crescent In "The Lighter Side" [369276/31234/30] Posted by grahame at 18:45, 10th December 2025 | |
... enough of all our yesterdays,moving on we find ourselves at Yate.
And looking forward on to Henbury? Or is it too early for that? Should I have waited an hour and three quarters to 20:30?
| Re: 175s to GWR In "Across the West" [369275/28982/26] Posted by REVUpminster at 18:36, 10th December 2025 | |
Ely Mif :9: 175004/005/008/010 175103/104/105/109/110 (175008 is in two halves)
Wolverton : 10 : 175101/102/106/107/108/111/112/113/115/116
Laira : 8: 175002/007/009 175114; 175001/003/006/011 are refurbished.
Updated 10 December 2025
| Re: First Group win concession to operate London Overground In "Across the West" [369274/31233/26] Posted by Western Pathfinder at 18:31, 10th December 2025 | |
Nothing New There then.
| Re: AQ10 - "Pilning" - West Country Mornington Crescent In "The Lighter Side" [369273/31234/30] Posted by Western Pathfinder at 18:24, 10th December 2025 | |
Good old Yatton one of my favourite country railway stations,and I know it's mainline and cross-country go rattling through Without stopping just to disturb the peace,I've quite often in the past sat on the down platform and watched the glint of the setting sun.
Now enough of all our yesterdays,moving on we find ourselves at Yate.
| Re: Closures of loops and through services - on this day, 10th December In "Across the West" [369272/28244/26] Posted by Timmer at 17:56, 10th December 2025 Already liked by Chris from Nailsea, Mark A | |
Indeed we do now have a second service to Salisbury. However it’s very unreliable, either terminating short at Westbury or not running at all.
Sad to say that not much has changed regards reliability in the year since I wrote this.| Re: Railways Bill 2025: introducing and designing Great British Railways - general topic In "Looking forward - the next 2, 5, 10 and 20 years" [369271/31038/40] Posted by TaplowGreen at 17:18, 10th December 2025 | |
With a certain depressing inevitability I've noticed comments from predictable sources bemoaning that the Government has chosen a colour scheme for GBR that "panders to the far right"
| Re: Railways Bill 2025: introducing and designing Great British Railways - general topic In "Looking forward - the next 2, 5, 10 and 20 years" [369270/31038/40] Posted by Witham Bobby at 16:59, 10th December 2025 | |
I sure hope so - awful. Never a good idea to be wearing red in any kind of operational role on the railways, I've always thought
I turned-up at Witham box one summer afternoon for late turn, and Adrian, who I was relieving, had the great railway photographer Ivo Peters with him in the box. Ivo had brought along a friend, who was wearing a bright red shirt. I had to ask him to stay at the back of the box, out of the view of passing drivers. He'd been quite happily perched on the windowsill at the London end of the box - in full view
I wish I'd known more about Ivo at the time. It was several years later when I realised what a great photographer and friend of the railway that he was. Some of the pictures he took on that day are in "Railway Elegance", which covers (mostly) Somerset and Wiltshire in the 1960s and up to the mid 70s diesel days. Recommended. Particularly if you like the Westbury to Bathampton line
| Re: Railways Bill 2025: introducing and designing Great British Railways - general topic In "Looking forward - the next 2, 5, 10 and 20 years" [369269/31038/40] Posted by IndustryInsider at 16:24, 10th December 2025 Already liked by Mark A, Witham Bobby, Oxonhutch | |
| Re: First Group win concession to operate London Overground In "Across the West" [369268/31233/26] Posted by TaplowGreen at 16:21, 10th December 2025 | |
Unions aren't happy....
https://x.com/i/status/1998733355400024390
| Re: Railways Bill 2025: introducing and designing Great British Railways - general topic In "Looking forward - the next 2, 5, 10 and 20 years" [369267/31038/40] Posted by ChrisB at 16:17, 10th December 2025 | |
Arrgh - worse than the trains!
Meanwhile, the Bill received it's second reading today, with MPs voting 329 to 173 in favour.
Now into Committee Stage.
| Re: Railways Bill 2025: introducing and designing Great British Railways - general topic In "Looking forward - the next 2, 5, 10 and 20 years" [369266/31038/40] Posted by TaplowGreen at 16:14, 10th December 2025 | |
Here are the new staff uniforms, matching the trains colour scheme!
| Re: 175s to GWR In "Across the West" [369265/28982/26] Posted by REVUpminster at 16:13, 10th December 2025 Already liked by IndustryInsider | |
Two 2 car units just gone through Dawlish 45 minutes early. Reported elsewhere as 175006+175011.
| Re: Gatwick Airport - facilities, improvements and incidents - merged posts, ongoing discussion In "Buses and other ways to travel" [369264/20849/5] Posted by TonyK at 15:38, 10th December 2025 Already liked by IndustryInsider, eightonedee | |
From the BBC:
Date set for challenge over second Gatwick runway
A legal challenge over plans for a second runway at Gatwick Airport is set to be heard in January, a High Court judge has said.
The privately-funded scheme, costing £2.2bn, will see the airport move its emergency runway 12m (39ft) north, enabling it to be used for about 100,000 more flights a year.
Campaign group Communities against Gatwick Noise Emissions (Cagne) and chairman of the Gatwick Area Conservation Campaign Peter Barclay are taking legal action against the Department for Transport (DfT) over Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander's decision to approve plans.
The DfT and the airport's owner, Gatwick Airport Limited (GAL), are opposing the challenge, which will begin on 20 January 2026. At a hearing on Tuesday, Mr Justice Mould said the case would be heard over four days.
Estelle Dehon KC, for Cagne, had asked the court for the challenge to be heard in February or March due to barristers for the group being unavailable in January, resulting in an "inequality of arms".
But Mr Justice Mould said that while he was "not oblivious" to the group's concerns, the date would not change. He said: "It is in the highest degree desirable that it should be dealt with as expeditiously as possible. I am afraid I have to be pretty hard-nosed about this, and I appreciate this will create inconvenience to quite a number of people in the room."
Announcing its legal challenge in November, Cagne said there was a failure to properly evaluate the significance of inbound flight emissions and to assess the effect of non-carbon dioxide emissions on the climate.
In written submissions for Tuesday's hearing, Nigel Pleming KC, for the DfT, said some of Mr Barclay's and Cagne's arguments were "irrefutably unarguable".
James Strachan KC, for GAL, said in written submissions: "GAL first applied for development consent in July 2023, almost two-and-a-half years ago, and GAL is keen to begin the development which has been granted consent. It is obviously contrary to the public interest that (unmeritorious) litigation such as these claims should unnecessarily delay national infrastructure projects such as the proposed development."
A legal challenge over plans for a second runway at Gatwick Airport is set to be heard in January, a High Court judge has said.
The privately-funded scheme, costing £2.2bn, will see the airport move its emergency runway 12m (39ft) north, enabling it to be used for about 100,000 more flights a year.
Campaign group Communities against Gatwick Noise Emissions (Cagne) and chairman of the Gatwick Area Conservation Campaign Peter Barclay are taking legal action against the Department for Transport (DfT) over Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander's decision to approve plans.
The DfT and the airport's owner, Gatwick Airport Limited (GAL), are opposing the challenge, which will begin on 20 January 2026. At a hearing on Tuesday, Mr Justice Mould said the case would be heard over four days.
Estelle Dehon KC, for Cagne, had asked the court for the challenge to be heard in February or March due to barristers for the group being unavailable in January, resulting in an "inequality of arms".
But Mr Justice Mould said that while he was "not oblivious" to the group's concerns, the date would not change. He said: "It is in the highest degree desirable that it should be dealt with as expeditiously as possible. I am afraid I have to be pretty hard-nosed about this, and I appreciate this will create inconvenience to quite a number of people in the room."
Announcing its legal challenge in November, Cagne said there was a failure to properly evaluate the significance of inbound flight emissions and to assess the effect of non-carbon dioxide emissions on the climate.
In written submissions for Tuesday's hearing, Nigel Pleming KC, for the DfT, said some of Mr Barclay's and Cagne's arguments were "irrefutably unarguable".
James Strachan KC, for GAL, said in written submissions: "GAL first applied for development consent in July 2023, almost two-and-a-half years ago, and GAL is keen to begin the development which has been granted consent. It is obviously contrary to the public interest that (unmeritorious) litigation such as these claims should unnecessarily delay national infrastructure projects such as the proposed development."
This could be interesting. Mr Justice Mould (there are some who call him...Tim) hasn't been a High Court judge for very long, but is not afraid to find against government departments. From what I have read, we can expect a full and thorough examination of the points raised, provided that the plaintiffs can find a barrister who hasn't flown off on holiday for the winter golf season.
| Re: Swindon <-> Westbury service updates and amendments, ongoing discussion - 2025 In "TransWilts line" [369263/29726/18] Posted by matth1j at 15:24, 10th December 2025 | |
BTW the 15:37 Chippenham-Melksham is also showing as cancelled in National Rail.
which is actually the Chippenham-Bath-Trowbridge-Melksham option (I was looking on the 'plan your journey' tab); it's the 16:29 Trowbridge-Melksham leg that's (still) cancelled.| Re: AI videos simulating railway accidents In "Media about railways, and other means of transport" [369262/31188/49] Posted by matth1j at 15:11, 10th December 2025 | |
Not sure whether the typo ("...announced has the entry...") means it's more likely to be AI, or real
| Re: First Group win concession to operate London Overground In "Across the West" [369261/31233/26] Posted by grahame at 15:08, 10th December 2025 | |
A bit more at Railnews
FirstGroup, which is set to lose its remaining National Rail contracts by 2027, said it was ‘delighted’. CEO Graham Sutherland added that First was looking forward ‘to welcoming employees who will be joining the Group and to play our part in the success of this vital rail network’.
However the RMT has reacted with dismay, and pledged to resist the transfer of any more National Rail routes to the Overground system.
The union’s general secretary Eddie Dempsey said: ‘Despite the Mayor saying he backs public ownership of rail, the London Overground is being reprivatised on a lucrative eight-year deal that puts profit before passengers. It’s beyond belief, especially when a Labour government is bringing the railways back into public hands.
However the RMT has reacted with dismay, and pledged to resist the transfer of any more National Rail routes to the Overground system.
The union’s general secretary Eddie Dempsey said: ‘Despite the Mayor saying he backs public ownership of rail, the London Overground is being reprivatised on a lucrative eight-year deal that puts profit before passengers. It’s beyond belief, especially when a Labour government is bringing the railways back into public hands.
| Re: AI videos simulating railway accidents In "Media about railways, and other means of transport" [369260/31188/49] Posted by grahame at 15:02, 10th December 2025 | |
AI, Artwork or real?
That has to be some sort of battery enhanced train if it's on that line with no 3rd rail or OHLE ... and I wonder about just how green and remote the countryside is - are there really places that are so remote-looking on the core valley network?
| Re: Social media check before you travel? In "The Wider Picture Overseas" [369259/31237/52] Posted by eightonedee at 14:03, 10th December 2025 Already liked by GBM, PrestburyRoad, rogerw | |
What was that the Great Orange-Coloured Clown said in his tirade on the decline of Europe about supressing freedom of speech?
Don't register your like if you are thinking of applying for a US ESTA soon
| Re: Swindon <-> Westbury service updates and amendments, ongoing discussion - 2025 In "TransWilts line" [369258/29726/18] Posted by matth1j at 14:02, 10th December 2025 | |
Keep an eye open for the next couple of hours - 1 in 3 cancellations get re-instated.
Will do. BTW the 15:37 Chippenham-Melksham is also showing as cancelled in National Rail.
| Re: Swindon <-> Westbury service updates and amendments, ongoing discussion - 2025 In "TransWilts line" [369257/29726/18] Posted by grahame at 13:59, 10th December 2025 | |
Drat. That'll be the 271 Bath-Melksham bus for me then.
To be fair that service is usually ok (in TransWilts terms
). I've used it 17 times since 13/10 for my Chippenham-Melksham hop and that's the first cancellation, with 4 delays >5 mins (range 9-17).
To be fair that service is usually ok (in TransWilts terms
). I've used it 17 times since 13/10 for my Chippenham-Melksham hop and that's the first cancellation, with 4 delays >5 mins (range 9-17).Keep an eye open for the next couple of hours - 1 in 3 cancellations get re-instated.
Since 17th November - a checkpoint at which we had a significant meeting with GWR - cancellations are measurably less. I am not quoting the measurements yet - too soon to have a reliable sample over a reasonable time period. The request to GWR was not a request for perfection - it was a request to bring cancellations down to the same rate (percentage wise) as we see across the region - 3% at many stations, but 9% at Dilton Marsh and 11% at Melksham in the periods leading up to to that meeting - stats there for the last 6 months, 12 weeks and 4 weeks all similar.
So - there will, and we expect, there to still be be occasional issues.
Of course, as the cancellations drop to about a quarter of what they were, that should allow GWR to concentrate of getting the passenger experience of people being let down far more. Easier to deal with one cancellation than four, and even if they spend twice as much on replacement services, that's still only half the spend of the higher historic cancelation rate.
| Re: Chance meeting on a train In "The Wider Picture in the United Kingdom" [369256/31236/51] Posted by eightonedee at 13:56, 10th December 2025 Already liked by Oxonhutch | |
I hope someone was on hand to play Rachmaninov's Second Piano Concerto in the background!
| Social media check before you travel? In "The Wider Picture Overseas" [369255/31237/52] Posted by grahame at 13:48, 10th December 2025 Already liked by Mark A, Western Pathfinder | |
I looked back at the sub-title of this board to see what it says and - yes - I think this is just about in scope for the Coffee Shop.
From The BBC
Tourists from dozens of countries including the UK could be asked to provide a five-year social media history as a condition of entry to the United States, under a new proposal unveiled by American officials.
The new condition would affect people from dozens of countries who are eligible to visit the US for 90 days without a visa, as long as they have filled out an Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) form.
Since returning to the White House in January, President Donald Trump has moved to toughen US borders more generally - citing national security as a key reason.
Analysts say the new plan could pose an obstacle to potential visitors, or harm their digital rights.
The new condition would affect people from dozens of countries who are eligible to visit the US for 90 days without a visa, as long as they have filled out an Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) form.
Since returning to the White House in January, President Donald Trump has moved to toughen US borders more generally - citing national security as a key reason.
Analysts say the new plan could pose an obstacle to potential visitors, or harm their digital rights.
I'm not aware of any Coffee Shop members who's postings - at least here - are outside or even borderline to what the UK law allows (and we admins / moderators are obliged to keep an eye open for some categories and delete as appropriate). However, some of the views that I and other express are not going to be to the liking of Mr Trump.
| Re: Swindon <-> Westbury service updates and amendments, ongoing discussion - 2025 In "TransWilts line" [369254/29726/18] Posted by matth1j at 13:45, 10th December 2025 | |
17:35 Swindon to Westbury due 18:19 will be cancelled.
Oh dear - here we go again.
Drat. That'll be the 271 Bath-Melksham bus for me then.
To be fair that service is usually ok (in TransWilts terms
). I've used it 17 times since 13/10 for my Chippenham-Melksham hop and that's the first cancellation, with 4 delays >5 mins (range 9-17).| Re: AQ10 - "Pilning" - West Country Mornington Crescent In "The Lighter Side" [369253/31234/30] Posted by grahame at 13:32, 10th December 2025 Already liked by Chris from Nailsea | |
Personally, to avoid that forfeit, grahame, I'd have gone for Yatton.
Yeah - but I've been stuck at Yatton without a train and had to get out on a lemon (big one). It was worth the risk on no-one noticing. Nothing ventured, nothing gained!
| Chance meeting on a train In "The Wider Picture in the United Kingdom" [369252/31236/51] Posted by grahame at 13:15, 10th December 2025 Already liked by matth1j, Chris from Nailsea, GBM | |
From The BBC
A couple who had a brief encounter on a late-night train have got engaged on the same service one year later.
Steve Higgs, 56, from Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire, set up the surprise proposal to Payal Pandya, from Harrow, London, after a train company got on board with the plans.
He said he first met Ms Pandya, 49, on the 23:09 London Northwestern Railway (LNR) service from Euston towards Milton Keynes in November 2024.
To mark their anniversary the couple boarded the same service and Mr Higgs got down on one knee to ask Ms Pandya to marry him - and wedding plans are now moving full steam ahead.
Steve Higgs, 56, from Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire, set up the surprise proposal to Payal Pandya, from Harrow, London, after a train company got on board with the plans.
He said he first met Ms Pandya, 49, on the 23:09 London Northwestern Railway (LNR) service from Euston towards Milton Keynes in November 2024.
To mark their anniversary the couple boarded the same service and Mr Higgs got down on one knee to ask Ms Pandya to marry him - and wedding plans are now moving full steam ahead.
I hope they have a happy life on track together. The puns continue, if you can stand them, in the rest of the article.
| Re: Swindon <-> Westbury service updates and amendments, ongoing discussion - 2025 In "TransWilts line" [369251/29726/18] Posted by grahame at 13:07, 10th December 2025 | |
