Recent Public Posts - [guest]
| Re: Images show £140m revamp plan for Cardiff Central In "Shorter journeys in South and West Wales" [359409/30018/23] Posted by Noggin at 15:58, 14th March 2025 |      |
Would the money be better spent on electrification from Cardiff to Swansea/Carmarthen
Not sure of the cost of Cardiff to Swansea electrification though
Not sure of the cost of Cardiff to Swansea electrification though
It seems likely that the effect of the Valley Lines electrification, new stations between Cardiff and Bristol, proposed extra services between Birmingham and Cardiff etc will push up numbers significantly.
Given that user numbers roughly doubled in the 20 years pre-COVID, it doesn't seem unreasonable that the user numbers could double in the next 20. That would bring the number of users to something like the same as that of Leeds (with half the number of platforms)
| Re: GWR responds to concerns over rising rail fares in North Devon In "Shorter journeys in Devon - Central, North and South" [359408/30022/24] Posted by grahame at 15:44, 14th March 2025 | |
‘New’ trains 
I looked up "new" in the dictionary
I also took a look at the "new" season ticket fare and it's 15p per mile (7 day ticket, assuming 5 return journeys) which was easily accessible data. And that compares to 33p per mile Tonbridge to London (cheaper by the slower route via Redhill and to 36p per mile Reading to London - similar distances. All the more stark when you look at cost per minute on the train I suspect if anyone wants to do the maths!
| Re: GWR responds to concerns over rising rail fares in North Devon In "Shorter journeys in Devon - Central, North and South" [359407/30022/24] Posted by Timmer at 15:27, 14th March 2025 | |
‘New’ trains
| GWR responds to concerns over rising rail fares in North Devon In "Shorter journeys in Devon - Central, North and South" [359406/30022/24] Posted by grahame at 15:24, 14th March 2025 | |
From North Devon Today
GWR responds to concerns over rising rail fares in North Devon
GWR responds to fare rise concerns with plans for new trains to improve service
Great Western Railway (GWR) has provided a response following concerns raised by North Devon’s MP, Ian Roome, regarding the recent 4.6 per cent rise in rail fares.
Roome had highlighted that an annual season ticket from Barnstaple to Exeter now costs £2,724, while passengers continue to face overcrowding and infrastructure challenges.
GWR, which operates trains to and from Barnstaple, has clarified that fare rises are determined by government policy rather than individual train operators.
A spokesperson for GWR explained that all revenue raised through fares is returned to the Treasury.
[snip]
As part of this ongoing investment, GWR is set to welcome 26 new Class 175 trains to its fleet, which will run to Barnstaple.
These new trains are expected to replace older diesel models, offering better fuel efficiency, improved environmental performance, and enhanced passenger comfort.
The Class 175 trains will help improve punctuality and reliability for commuters travelling across the network, including those in North Devon.
GWR responds to fare rise concerns with plans for new trains to improve service
Great Western Railway (GWR) has provided a response following concerns raised by North Devon’s MP, Ian Roome, regarding the recent 4.6 per cent rise in rail fares.
Roome had highlighted that an annual season ticket from Barnstaple to Exeter now costs £2,724, while passengers continue to face overcrowding and infrastructure challenges.
GWR, which operates trains to and from Barnstaple, has clarified that fare rises are determined by government policy rather than individual train operators.
A spokesperson for GWR explained that all revenue raised through fares is returned to the Treasury.
[snip]
As part of this ongoing investment, GWR is set to welcome 26 new Class 175 trains to its fleet, which will run to Barnstaple.
These new trains are expected to replace older diesel models, offering better fuel efficiency, improved environmental performance, and enhanced passenger comfort.
The Class 175 trains will help improve punctuality and reliability for commuters travelling across the network, including those in North Devon.
| Re: Upcoming closure consultation - Bordesley Station In "Chiltern Railways services" [359405/30020/44] Posted by Richard Fairhurst at 15:15, 14th March 2025 | |
It's well worth visiting Bordesley Station on maps.nls.com.
Also, as an aside, much taken with the name of the lock above the (moved) Sandy Lane Lock. Seeing "Hen's Row Lock" has made the day better.
Also, as an aside, much taken with the name of the lock above the (moved) Sandy Lane Lock. Seeing "Hen's Row Lock" has made the day better.
I never knew any of the Camp Hill Flight had individual names!
| Re: Upcoming closure consultation - Bordesley Station In "Chiltern Railways services" [359404/30020/44] Posted by grahame at 14:10, 14th March 2025 | |
I could have sworn there were more than one service on a match day
When I have returned home starting here there have been a number of services available
When I have returned home starting here there have been a number of services available
Possibly the case and it would make sense of the numbers.
| Re: Upcoming closure consultation - Bordesley Station In "Chiltern Railways services" [359402/30020/44] Posted by Phantom at 13:58, 14th March 2025 | |
I could have sworn there were more than one service on a match day
When I have returned home starting here there have been a number of services available
| Re: Upcoming closure consultation - Bordesley Station In "Chiltern Railways services" [359401/30020/44] Posted by grahame at 13:47, 14th March 2025 | |
https://www.greatwesternrailway.info/BBS.html?limit=50&sortby=5 as well
Over 15,000 ticketed journeys a year with just 52 trains calling is pretty good going - over 250 journeys per train - have I got something wrong there?
| Re: Engineering Work Swindon area weekends of 22/23 and 29/30 March In "London to Swindon and Bristol" [359400/30016/10] Posted by Timmer at 13:45, 14th March 2025 | |
I wonder if someone high up has noticed my comment at https://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=29251.msg352532#msg352532
And realised the big problem that has developed over the last few years.
Indeed, and as the last paragraph pertains to this particular diversion to avoid the engineering works in the Swindon area, I’ve quoted it below:And realised the big problem that has developed over the last few years.
As Paddington and Bristol HSS▸ drivers finish the ability to do short notice diversions via the B+H is drastically reduced. Out of all the GWR depots only Exeter are capable of going Reading Newbury Westbury Bath. No other GWR depot signs between Bedwyn and Westbury.
So once again there is potential for passengers to face an overcrowded train because of the risk GWR don’t have enough crew on a Sunday who sign the Berks and Hants so they can only run one service an hour instead of two. The only plus I see in doing this is that there will be more certainty that this reduced timetabled service will actually run.
| Re: FGW announce link with Singapore Airlines In "Buses and other ways to travel" [359399/13495/5] Posted by Bob_Blakey at 13:24, 14th March 2025 | |
Anybody wanting to try the UK > Singapore 'All The Way By Train' journey better get a move on because when the new Johor Bahru<>Singapore RTS link opens in the near future the current KTM heavy rail service across the Causeway will cease and, I suspect, shortly thereafter the tracks will be lifted to provide more space for motor vehicles.
| Re: 13th March 2025 - Community Rail Awards, Newcastle In "Diary - what's happening when?" [359398/30021/34] Posted by grahame at 13:15, 14th March 2025 | |
Devon & Cornwall CRP picked up at least two places....hopefully, Mr Bermingham will advise us soon
Delighted - I was careful not to miss any out from the initial press release - but it did list winners only and there's a lot of fabulous other work going on that would have reached the placed and commended level not shown in that first release.
I would be - almost certain - that there would be many others across our region who got excellent national recognition last night and I would ask that they, or others who where there, please fill us in
| Re: 13th March 2025 - Community Rail Awards, Newcastle In "Diary - what's happening when?" [359397/30021/34] Posted by ChrisB at 12:43, 14th March 2025 | |
Devon & Cornwall CRP picked up at least two places....hopefully, Mr Bermingham will advise us soon
| 13th March 2025 - Community Rail Awards, Newcastle In "Diary - what's happening when?" [359396/30021/34] Posted by grahame at 12:38, 14th March 2025 | |
An inspiring range of community rail initiatives, delivered by community rail partnerships, station friends volunteers, and other community groups across Britain, has been recognised at the 20th Community Rail Awards this week.
The event, organised by Community Rail Network and headline partnered by Lumo, was this year held in Newcastle, to honour the wider railway industries’ celebration of 200 years since the birth of modern railways. A record-breaking 510 guests were in attendance including senior rail and transport leaders and community rail officers and volunteers. The evening recognised projects supporting diversity, accessibility and inclusion, sustainable travel and tourism, youth and schools engagement, community-led station improvements, empowered communities and influencing positive change.
The event, organised by Community Rail Network and headline partnered by Lumo, was this year held in Newcastle, to honour the wider railway industries’ celebration of 200 years since the birth of modern railways. A record-breaking 510 guests were in attendance including senior rail and transport leaders and community rail officers and volunteers. The evening recognised projects supporting diversity, accessibility and inclusion, sustainable travel and tourism, youth and schools engagement, community-led station improvements, empowered communities and influencing positive change.
The night’s winners across included within our area ...
Most Effective Communications Campaign sponsored by West Midlands Trains
Gloucestershire Community Rail Partnership for Black History Month Every Month
Influencing Positive Change and Sustainability sponsored by Northern
Gloucestershire Community Rail Partnership for Youth Travel Toolkit
Most Enhanced Railway Spaces sponsored by Greater Anglia
Severnside Community Rail Partnership for Mike Hodge Community Room at Bridgwater Station
Gloucestershire Community Rail Partnership for Black History Month Every Month
Influencing Positive Change and Sustainability sponsored by Northern
Gloucestershire Community Rail Partnership for Youth Travel Toolkit
Most Enhanced Railway Spaces sponsored by Greater Anglia
Severnside Community Rail Partnership for Mike Hodge Community Room at Bridgwater Station
The above gleaned from the Community Rail Network web site, which also tells me that 510 guests attended in Newcastle.
| Re: 175s to GWR In "Across the West" [359395/28982/26] Posted by IndustryInsider at 12:03, 14th March 2025 Already liked by Timmer | |
BTW, I agree with CfN on the repaint/vinyl issue. All they need is a GWR logo on the side for the time being, much in the way the C2C stock drafted in at the height of the cracking IET crisis did, or the Thames Trains liveried Turbos acquired FGW Link logos for a couple of years after termination of the former's franchise. Spend the time and money saved on more maintenance of the rest of the current fleet.
Yes, I think that is sensible and kind of what I meant in my earlier post.
The exteriors should be in a decent enough state as they had not long gone from Arriva to TfW livery and the TfW one is very neutral anyway.
As for transformational qualities? We all know what we’re going to get. A mid-life train with very good interior layouts, but relatively low capacity and slightly questionable reliability.
| Re: 175s to GWR In "Across the West" [359394/28982/26] Posted by Mark A at 10:58, 14th March 2025 | |
Confirming good news - but will it really "transform South West travel"?
Not exactly a transformation: the doors being at the ends of the carriages are welcome though.
It may be just me: 1/3 2/3 doors combined with longer distance travel is a bit meh: e.g. on runs such as Cardiff and up the Marches it feels as if TfW are using the likes of 197s for the wrong purpose.
Mark
| Re: Upcoming closure consultation - Bordesley Station In "Chiltern Railways services" [359393/30020/44] Posted by Mark A at 10:48, 14th March 2025 | |
It's well worth visiting Bordesley Station on maps.nls.com.
Also, as an aside, much taken with the name of the lock above the (moved) Sandy Lane Lock. Seeing "Hen's Row Lock" has made the day better.
Mark
https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=17.6&lat=52.47151&lon=-1.87769&layers=258&b=GoogleSat&o=88
| Re: 175s to GWR In "Across the West" [359392/28982/26] Posted by eightonedee at 10:42, 14th March 2025 Already liked by Timmer | |
Confirming good news - but will it really "transform South West travel"?
In the breathless world of shock horror probe Reach local newspapers (or perhaps some cheap AI they now use to write this stuff?) - it does, as it will (partly) replace stories on 40 year old trains breaking down in Devon!
BTW, I agree with CfN on the repaint/vinyl issue. All they need is a GWR logo on the side for the time being, much in the way the C2C stock drafted in at the height of the cracking IET crisis did, or the Thames Trains liveried Turbos acquired FGW Link logos for a couple of years after termination of the former's franchise. Spend the time and money saved on more maintenance of the rest of the current fleet.
| Re: 175s to GWR In "Across the West" [359391/28982/26] Posted by grahame at 09:59, 14th March 2025 | |
From Plymouth Live
New GWR trains set to transform South West travel
Great Western Railway (GWR) is set to roll out a fleet of 26 Class 175 trains, replacing its ageing diesel fleet with a more efficient and environmentally friendly alternative. The move is expected to enhance punctuality and reliability for passengers while paving the way for future decarbonisation.
The fleet upgrade, which marks the first phase of GWR’s regional and suburban service improvements, will introduce 10 two-car and 16 three-car trains. These units will enter service in Devon and Cornwall later this year, with full deployment expected by the end of next year.
Great Western Railway (GWR) is set to roll out a fleet of 26 Class 175 trains, replacing its ageing diesel fleet with a more efficient and environmentally friendly alternative. The move is expected to enhance punctuality and reliability for passengers while paving the way for future decarbonisation.
The fleet upgrade, which marks the first phase of GWR’s regional and suburban service improvements, will introduce 10 two-car and 16 three-car trains. These units will enter service in Devon and Cornwall later this year, with full deployment expected by the end of next year.
Confirming good news - but will it really "transform South West travel"?
| Upcoming closure consultation - Bordesley Station In "Chiltern Railways services" [359390/30020/44] Posted by grahame at 09:35, 14th March 2025 Already liked by Mark A | |
From Birmingham World
A consultation to close Birmingham’s ‘ghost’ railway station which delivers one service a week to St Andrews is set to get underway.
Rail bosses confirmed a formal process to close Bordesley Railway Station will start in late spring and early summer, as part of the major Midlands Rail Hub project.
The station hosts one service a week on a Saturday to help football fans get to St Andrews for Birmingham City home games. Other football specials are put on when Blues are playing home games at other times.
Rail bosses confirmed a formal process to close Bordesley Railway Station will start in late spring and early summer, as part of the major Midlands Rail Hub project.
The station hosts one service a week on a Saturday to help football fans get to St Andrews for Birmingham City home games. Other football specials are put on when Blues are playing home games at other times.
| Re: Transport focus passenger survey vs train operating company In "The Wider Picture in the United Kingdom" [359389/30019/51] Posted by Mark A at 09:17, 14th March 2025 | |
Each individual toc scorecard uses the same pair of (negative) quotes from passengers pulled from the general pool, which does emphasise two valid passenger concerns but perhaps it would be better if those quotes were related to the individual TOC. It would improve the, er, focus.
Mark
| Transport focus passenger survey vs train operating company In "The Wider Picture in the United Kingdom" [359388/30019/51] Posted by Mark A at 09:10, 14th March 2025 | |
Here's a link to the survey. Not straightforward to take this in at a glance, need to dig.
Mark
https://www.transportfocus.org.uk/insight/rail-passenger-scorecard/
| Re: Night Riviera - merged posts, ongoing discussion In "London to the West" [359387/489/12] Posted by TaplowGreen at 09:10, 14th March 2025 Already liked by alexross42 | |
Apparently 57305 and 57311 are being hired in for a year to cover 602 and 604 which are both due heavy maintenance exams.
Hopefully that will improve reliability, however time will tell!
Hopefully that will improve reliability, however time will tell!
Trigger's broom.
| Re: Night Riviera - merged posts, ongoing discussion In "London to the West" [359386/489/12] Posted by alexross42 at 08:57, 14th March 2025 | |
Apparently 57305 and 57311 are being hired in for a year to cover 602 and 604 which are both due heavy maintenance exams.
Hopefully that will improve reliability, however time will tell!
| Re: Images show £140m revamp plan for Cardiff Central In "Shorter journeys in South and West Wales" [359385/30018/23] Posted by grahame at 08:39, 14th March 2025 | |
Would the money be better spent on electrification from Cardiff to Swansea/Carmarthen
Not sure of the cost of Cardiff to Swansea electrification though
Not sure of the cost of Cardiff to Swansea electrification though
The best I could find was at https://www.gov.wales/sites/default/files/publications/2017-10/great-western-main-line-electrification-cardiff-to-swansea-outline-business-case.pdf which is very old costings - my reading is that the cost of electrifying on current costs Cardiff to Swansea would be several/multiple times that of revamping Cardiff Central Station.
| Re: New Oxford - Bristol direct service, ongoing developments and discussion In "Oxford, Didcot and Reading from the West" [359384/28355/22] Posted by grahame at 08:31, 14th March 2025 | |
An hourly service with a running time of just over 1 hour Bristol to Oxford - 3 trains in the "cycle" - extend it to Milton Keynes and the running time looks like it would be around 1 hour 45 minutes, so 4 trains in the cycle (educated guess - looking at the running time of the Verney Venurer as shown on Six Bells Junction). With the extra train required for this, we must note that it would / will be one of the Oxford - Milton Keynes services anyway, so that the it's not really an "extra" train.
For sure, ChrisB, more peoeple coming into Oxford from Swindon would get off than stay on, but quite a number would stay on and many more would join. Rather like the Cardiff - Portsmouth service has major changeovers at Bristol and at Southampton.
| Re: 2025 - Service update and amendment log, Swindon <-> Westbury In "TransWilts line" [359383/29726/18] Posted by grahame at 07:47, 14th March 2025 | |
06:35 Salisbury to Worcester Foregate Street due 09:47
14/03/25 06:35 Salisbury to Worcester Foregate Street due 09:47 will be started from Westbury.
It will no longer call at Salisbury and Warminster.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.
14/03/25 06:35 Salisbury to Worcester Foregate Street due 09:47 will be started from Westbury.
It will no longer call at Salisbury and Warminster.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.
| Re: Images show £140m revamp plan for Cardiff Central In "Shorter journeys in South and West Wales" [359382/30018/23] Posted by infoman at 01:42, 14th March 2025 | |
Would the money be better spent on electrification from Cardiff to Swansea/Carmarthen
Not sure of the cost of Cardiff to Swansea electrification though
| Re: New Oxford - Bristol direct service, ongoing developments and discussion In "Oxford, Didcot and Reading from the West" [359381/28355/22] Posted by grahame at 22:04, 13th March 2025 Already liked by IndustryInsider | |
Why would Milton Keynes be a more attractive destination than Oxford? 
People could travel there to connect with other services and destinations plus this service would allow people to avoid have to travel across London or even changing at Birmingham new street etc
Taken to extremis, this is a pretty good - err "CrossRail 3"
Weymouth
Dorchester for Poole and Bournemouth
Yeovil Junction Lower Platform for Salisbury - Exteter line
Castle Cary for Taunton, Plymouth, Cornwll
Westbury for Reading, Newbury, Bath, Bristol
Chippenham for Bath and Bristol
Swindon for South Wales and Gloucseter
Oxford for Banbury and Leamington and for Worcester and Hereford
Bicester Village for Bang & Olufsen, Barbour, Beauté Prestige International, Belstaff, Benefit Cosmetics, Bonpoint, BOSS and many more
Bletchley for Northampton, North West, North Wales, Scotland
Bedford for Leicester, Derby, Nottingham and Sheffield. Also for Luton
Sandy for Peterbourough, Doncaster, Leeds, York and Newcastle
Cambridge for Kings Lynn and for Ipswich and Harwich
Norwich for Cromer, Sheringham, Lowestoft
Great Yarmouth
| Re: New Oxford - Bristol direct service, ongoing developments and discussion In "Oxford, Didcot and Reading from the West" [359380/28355/22] Posted by anthony215 at 21:18, 13th March 2025 | |
Why would Milton Keynes be a more attractive destination than Oxford?
People could travel there to connect with other services and destinations plus this service would allow people to avoid have to travel across London or even changing at Birmingham new street etc
