Recent Public Posts - [guest]
| Re: Sharp Brewery's Doom Bar from Rock, Cornwall? Apparently not! In "The West - but NOT trains in the West" [372874/15849/31] Posted by JayMac at 20:17, 27th February 2026 |      |
Big bucks buys the brewery. Not for the skills and capacity - they've got those elsewhere at their mega brewery sites - but for the brands. Big bucks transfers the production of the core brands, lays off the local staff and asset strips, then says the site isn't viable, despite 31 years of successful brewing in this instance.
A tale as old as the hills.
All that said, Sharps do make a very good Pilsner.
| Re: 200 years of powered passenger transport on rails in the media In "Media about railways, and other means of transport" [372872/29859/49] Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 19:16, 27th February 2026 | |
Michael Portillo's 200 years of the railways, on BBC iPlayer.
| Re: Go-Op Cooperative - proposals for additional rail services In "Campaigns for new and improved services" [372871/11010/28] Posted by ChrisB at 18:45, 27th February 2026 | |
The rights are dependent on raising funds & some rail works, no?
So they don't yet exist to be sold on?.....
The paths from SWI to OXF will surely go elsewhere very quickly
| Re: Birmingham's new railway stations on Camp Hill Line In "The Wider Picture in the United Kingdom" [372870/30899/51] Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 18:35, 27th February 2026 | |
An update, from the BBC:
Fares for new Birmingham railway stations revealed
A return ticket to New Street Station is expected to cost £5.50 at peak times
Rail bosses have revealed how much it will cost passengers to use much-heralded new railway stations in Birmingham.
Three stations on the Camp Hill line at Moseley, Kings Heath and Pineapple Road are due to open shortly, providing passenger services to the area for the first time since the 1940s.
At a public meeting in Moseley, Transport for West Midlands told attendees that the three stations would come under Zone 3, with a return ticket to New Street Station costing £5.50 or £3.70 off peak.
For people travelling from Moseley to Kings Heath or Kings Heath to Pineapple Road, an anytime return will cost £3.90 while an off peak return will cost £3.10.
A peak single ticket will also cost £3.10.
Moseley to Pineapple Road will cost £4.30 for an anytime return, £3.60 for an off-peak return and £3.50 for a peak single.
On her Facebook page, Moseley councillor Izzy Knowles said the timetable meant there would be trains every half hour, but only one an hour after 20:00 and on Sundays, adding: "We were assured this could be revised later".
People in Moseley said they felt the rail fares were reasonable and comparable with the existing price of bus services in the area, which currently include costs of £3 for a single trip and a £5.20 for a daysaver.
Local resident Isaac Samuel said: "£5.50 from here to Birmingham doesn't sound to bad to me. £3 from here to Kings Heath, that's quite a lot for what actually isn't going very far, because it's really only around the corner. I suppose it depends what kind of use you're putting it to - compared to the bus it's also not that bad. The buses don't have a single return ticket but they do have a daysaver which is £5.20 so they sound pretty comparable really in terms of fares."
A return ticket to New Street Station is expected to cost £5.50 at peak times
Rail bosses have revealed how much it will cost passengers to use much-heralded new railway stations in Birmingham.
Three stations on the Camp Hill line at Moseley, Kings Heath and Pineapple Road are due to open shortly, providing passenger services to the area for the first time since the 1940s.
At a public meeting in Moseley, Transport for West Midlands told attendees that the three stations would come under Zone 3, with a return ticket to New Street Station costing £5.50 or £3.70 off peak.
For people travelling from Moseley to Kings Heath or Kings Heath to Pineapple Road, an anytime return will cost £3.90 while an off peak return will cost £3.10.
A peak single ticket will also cost £3.10.
Moseley to Pineapple Road will cost £4.30 for an anytime return, £3.60 for an off-peak return and £3.50 for a peak single.
On her Facebook page, Moseley councillor Izzy Knowles said the timetable meant there would be trains every half hour, but only one an hour after 20:00 and on Sundays, adding: "We were assured this could be revised later".
People in Moseley said they felt the rail fares were reasonable and comparable with the existing price of bus services in the area, which currently include costs of £3 for a single trip and a £5.20 for a daysaver.
Local resident Isaac Samuel said: "£5.50 from here to Birmingham doesn't sound to bad to me. £3 from here to Kings Heath, that's quite a lot for what actually isn't going very far, because it's really only around the corner. I suppose it depends what kind of use you're putting it to - compared to the bus it's also not that bad. The buses don't have a single return ticket but they do have a daysaver which is £5.20 so they sound pretty comparable really in terms of fares."
| Italy - Tram derails in Milan, leaving two dead and dozens injured - Feb 2026 In "The Wider Picture Overseas" [372868/31682/52] Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 17:23, 27th February 2026 | |
From the BBC:
Tram derails in Milan, leaving one dead and dozens injured
The tram crashed into the side of a building after it derailed
At least one person has been killed and 39 others are reported to have been injured some seriously, after a tram derailed in the northern Italian city of Milan.
The crowded tram was travelling on Milan's Vittorio Veneto street at about 16:00 local time (15:00 GMT) when it appeared to crash into the side of a building.
The person who died is thought to have been hit by the tram, and most of the injured were passengers. Numerous ambulances are at the scene and there are reports of people trapped in the wreckage.
Passengers described hearing a noise underneath the tram, after which it veered off, gathered speed and hit a building.
"I thought it was an earthquake. I was sitting down and I fell on the floor, along with the other passengers," one man told Ansa news agency. "It was terrible."
"I just heard an enormous bang," said 27-year-old Anna, who was in an office nearby, quoted by AFP. "I saw a bit of the tram had gone into a shop."
Civil protection teams have set up a tent at the scene to help the injured.
It is not clear what caused the derailment, although media reports suggested the tram had taken a sharp corner too quickly, as it turned out of Vittorio Veneto street.
Milan Mayor Giuseppe Sala and other city officials have arrived at the scene of the crash.
The tram crashed into the side of a building after it derailed
At least one person has been killed and 39 others are reported to have been injured some seriously, after a tram derailed in the northern Italian city of Milan.
The crowded tram was travelling on Milan's Vittorio Veneto street at about 16:00 local time (15:00 GMT) when it appeared to crash into the side of a building.
The person who died is thought to have been hit by the tram, and most of the injured were passengers. Numerous ambulances are at the scene and there are reports of people trapped in the wreckage.
Passengers described hearing a noise underneath the tram, after which it veered off, gathered speed and hit a building.
"I thought it was an earthquake. I was sitting down and I fell on the floor, along with the other passengers," one man told Ansa news agency. "It was terrible."
"I just heard an enormous bang," said 27-year-old Anna, who was in an office nearby, quoted by AFP. "I saw a bit of the tram had gone into a shop."
Civil protection teams have set up a tent at the scene to help the injured.
It is not clear what caused the derailment, although media reports suggested the tram had taken a sharp corner too quickly, as it turned out of Vittorio Veneto street.
Milan Mayor Giuseppe Sala and other city officials have arrived at the scene of the crash.
| Why has the world's first hydrogen double-decker fleet failed? In "Buses and other ways to travel" [372867/31681/5] Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 16:59, 27th February 2026 | |
From the BBC:
Why has the world's first hydrogen double-decker fleet failed?
The world's first hydrogen double-decker bus fleet has reached the end of the road.
The multi-million pound project in Aberdeen - involving 25 buses - was meant to be the future of clean public transportation, with the city billed as the global hub for hydrogen-powered buses. But the zero emissions vehicles are now being ditched, along with the ambition that 700 jobs could be created.
The council announced on Thursday evening that it was to drop its hydrogen double-decker bus fleet in favour of electric vehicles following a meeting of its urgent business committee.
Aberdeen City Council and oil and gas giant BP became commercial partners in 2022 for Aberdeen's hydrogen ambitions.
After a number of technical problems, the hydrogen fleet has now fallen foul of the fast pace of progress in electric vehicle technology. The hydrogen buses have been out action since September 2024, due to problems with fuelling stations at Kittybrewster and Cove.
The council said it had been engaged in "ongoing discussions" with BP about the future viability of the city as a hydrogen hub, prompted by significant advancements in electric vehicle technology.
Hydrogen buses have been left parked up in Aberdeen
"As manufacturers and operators increasingly favour EVs, demand for hydrogen in transport has diminished," a statement said. "In light of these developments, both parties are reassessing their strategic direction to align with the evolving market landscape."
The council will now negotiate the transfer of the joint venture from BP and move towards a full transition towards electric vehicles.
The council has been asked about the total cost of the project, which is understood to have run to tens of millions of pounds.
BP said it would work closely around the "next steps" with the council.
Bus operator First Bus said it remained in discussion about the future options of the fleet.
The writing has been on the wall for hydrogen buses for years, as more and more cities opted for the battery alternative.
In 2021, First Bus in Glasgow confirmed that it was investing in a fleet of 120 single and double-decker buses which could be charged very quickly overnight before spending 18 hours on the road. More recently, the electric inter-city bus operator Ember has seen its fleet between all of Scotland's major conurbations grow to 98 vehicles.
Battery capacity and efficiency has come on enormously, meaning electric buses can be charged at incredible speeds and cover very long distances. They cost more than the diesel equivalent, but running costs are very low, meaning operators are saving millions from the moment the vehicles hit the bus lanes.
Hydrogen, by contrast, is expensive to produce. It takes a huge amount of green electricity to create the fuel using a process called electrolysis. And while it has the advantage that the bus can be refuelled in a matter of minutes rather than hours, that premium is now perceived as not worth paying.
The world's first hydrogen double-decker bus fleet has reached the end of the road.
The multi-million pound project in Aberdeen - involving 25 buses - was meant to be the future of clean public transportation, with the city billed as the global hub for hydrogen-powered buses. But the zero emissions vehicles are now being ditched, along with the ambition that 700 jobs could be created.
The council announced on Thursday evening that it was to drop its hydrogen double-decker bus fleet in favour of electric vehicles following a meeting of its urgent business committee.
Aberdeen City Council and oil and gas giant BP became commercial partners in 2022 for Aberdeen's hydrogen ambitions.
After a number of technical problems, the hydrogen fleet has now fallen foul of the fast pace of progress in electric vehicle technology. The hydrogen buses have been out action since September 2024, due to problems with fuelling stations at Kittybrewster and Cove.
The council said it had been engaged in "ongoing discussions" with BP about the future viability of the city as a hydrogen hub, prompted by significant advancements in electric vehicle technology.
Hydrogen buses have been left parked up in Aberdeen
"As manufacturers and operators increasingly favour EVs, demand for hydrogen in transport has diminished," a statement said. "In light of these developments, both parties are reassessing their strategic direction to align with the evolving market landscape."
The council will now negotiate the transfer of the joint venture from BP and move towards a full transition towards electric vehicles.
The council has been asked about the total cost of the project, which is understood to have run to tens of millions of pounds.
BP said it would work closely around the "next steps" with the council.
Bus operator First Bus said it remained in discussion about the future options of the fleet.
The writing has been on the wall for hydrogen buses for years, as more and more cities opted for the battery alternative.
In 2021, First Bus in Glasgow confirmed that it was investing in a fleet of 120 single and double-decker buses which could be charged very quickly overnight before spending 18 hours on the road. More recently, the electric inter-city bus operator Ember has seen its fleet between all of Scotland's major conurbations grow to 98 vehicles.
Battery capacity and efficiency has come on enormously, meaning electric buses can be charged at incredible speeds and cover very long distances. They cost more than the diesel equivalent, but running costs are very low, meaning operators are saving millions from the moment the vehicles hit the bus lanes.
Hydrogen, by contrast, is expensive to produce. It takes a huge amount of green electricity to create the fuel using a process called electrolysis. And while it has the advantage that the bus can be refuelled in a matter of minutes rather than hours, that premium is now perceived as not worth paying.
| Re: North Cotswold line delays and cancellations - 2026 In "London to the Cotswolds" [372866/31371/14] Posted by Witham Bobby at 16:04, 27th February 2026 | |
13:18 Hereford to London Paddington due 16:24 has been cancelled.
This is due to a fault on this train.
This is due to a fault on this train.
Ran ECS, destined for Paddington. Routed via Kemble
| Re: Class 175s to Great Western Railway (GWR) In "Across the West" [372865/28982/26] Posted by bobm at 15:48, 27th February 2026 | |
Same with the 10:56 from Chippenham to London Paddington this morning. Journeycheck suggested it was a 5 car rather than a 9. I was in coach H.
| Re: Model Britain are proud to announce the establishment of their advisory board In "Heritage railways, Railtours, buses, canals, steamships and other public transport based attractions" [372864/31657/47] Posted by eightonedee at 15:04, 27th February 2026 Already liked by JayMac | |
Meanwhile, it appears to have a rival that (1) looks to be ahead of the game, and (2) is revealed in a much more entertaining and informative way by YouTuber, the Tim Traveller in this video about a French version-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XX2K0YNnDQ
| Re: Petition for double track on Cotswold line... In "London to the Cotswolds" [372862/1129/14] Posted by charles_uk at 13:46, 27th February 2026 Already liked by Chris from Nailsea, Mark A | |
Deviating from the reason Grahame reactivated this thread, the original postings date back to before I joined the site but do make interesting reading in hindsight.
For the year to March 2008, which was around the time the thread was last active, the station usage for the seven main GWR exclusive stations totalled 950K. For the year to March 2025 this figure was over 1,860K, an increase of almost 100%. There has been some investment in the line in that time with the redoubling from Ascott to Charlbury and Evesham to Moreton-in-Marsh, the introduction of the IETs and the platform extensions but there are still times when there is congestion due to delays and the single track sections.
I do have an interest in Hanborough which is my local station. Back in 2008 there were some posts suggesting Hanborough (as well as Pershore and Honeybourne) should receive a secondary service to improve the service at the busier stations. Of course, what happened was that the number of trains stopping at Hanborough was increased (though there are still a couple which pass through) along with a massive increase in car parking capacity. And today, Hanborough has the most passenger entries/exits of all the stations.
| Re: North Cotswold line delays and cancellations - 2026 In "London to the Cotswolds" [372861/31371/14] Posted by charles_uk at 13:32, 27th February 2026 | |
13:18 Hereford to London Paddington due 16:24 has been cancelled.
This is due to a fault on this train.
This is due to a fault on this train.
| Re: Auschwitz anniversary, 27 February 1942 - merged posts In "Railway History and related topics" [372860/15281/55] Posted by Witham Bobby at 13:03, 27th February 2026 Already liked by TaplowGreen | |
All of the above makes for some very sombre reading again, on this sad anniversary.
Lest we forget.
Chris.
Lest we forget.
Chris.
Too many forget, though. This, on the day British wartime Prime Minister's statue on Parliament Square was discovered to have been defaced and plastered with antisemitic slogans, allegedly by a Netherlands national, now arrested
| Re: North Cotswold line delays and cancellations - 2026 In "London to the Cotswolds" [372859/31371/14] Posted by Witham Bobby at 12:46, 27th February 2026 | |
09:56 Great Malvern to London Paddington due 12:23 has been delayed at Honeybourne and is now 20 minutes late.
This is due to a late running train being in front of this one.
Last Updated:27/02/2026 11:05
This is due to a late running train being in front of this one.
Last Updated:27/02/2026 11:05
Looks like there may have been a problem with a departmental off Honeybourne Sidings headed for Gloucester Horton Road, which left the sidings right time at 0940, but didn't get to Evesham until 1026, best part of half an hour late (according to RTT) This impacted the Great Malvern to Paddington fast, which appears to have been stuck at Norton Junction for 12-15 minutes waiting for the single line
| Re: Baby alpacas born at Suffolk farm who 'look like ET' need names - Feb 2026 In "The Lighter Side" [372858/31678/30] Posted by Western Pathfinder at 12:36, 27th February 2026 | |
The male Mac ,the female picnic.
| Re: Class 175s to Great Western Railway (GWR) In "Across the West" [372857/28982/26] Posted by IndustryInsider at 12:07, 27th February 2026 Already liked by Witham Bobby, Mark A | |
07:12 Plymouth to Penzance due 09:19
09:50 Penzance to Plymouth due 11:47
12:18 Plymouth to Penzance due 14:14
14:50 Penzance to Plymouth due 16:45
17:00 Plymouth to Liskeard due 17:37
All cancelled due to "more trains than usual needing repairs at the same time" - more problems with these "new" trains?
09:50 Penzance to Plymouth due 11:47
12:18 Plymouth to Penzance due 14:14
14:50 Penzance to Plymouth due 16:45
17:00 Plymouth to Liskeard due 17:37
All cancelled due to "more trains than usual needing repairs at the same time" - more problems with these "new" trains?
Booked for a 4-car Class 150.
Another spin of the famous JourneyCheck 'AM reality is PM fantasy' wheel - with the last three all now reinstated...using a 2-car 150.
| Re: North Cotswold line delays and cancellations - 2026 In "London to the Cotswolds" [372855/31371/14] Posted by charles_uk at 10:13, 27th February 2026 | |
From Realtime Trains:
0713 Great Malvern to London Paddington - this service was cancelled between Worcester Shrub Hill and London Paddington due to a points failure (IB).
| Re: Rail replacement buses while River Plym bridge work carried out In "Shorter journeys in Devon - Central, North and South" [372854/31637/24] Posted by GBM at 09:15, 27th February 2026 | |
Blimey! It's nearly 3 hours by road from Walsall to Tiverton, and the same back: that doesn't leave much time for the coach driver to also go to Plymouth.
They must be staying overnight somewhere in Devon.
Drivers and vehicles are usually employed for the duration of the rail replacement works, rather than just a day.They must be staying overnight somewhere in Devon.
So a coach is brought down (or up from Cornwall) to where the operations centre is (probably Exeter, or Plymouth).
Drivers stay in a hotel there, and arrangements are in hand for vehicles to be cleaned and fuelled locally as well.
When the rail replacement ends, drivers and vehicles return to their respective depots.
| Re: Class 175s to Great Western Railway (GWR) In "Across the West" [372853/28982/26] Posted by grahame at 08:57, 27th February 2026 Already liked by Witham Bobby | |
All cancelled due to "more trains than usual needing repairs at the same time" - more problems with these "new" trains?
With Barnstaple, Okehampton and Exmouth all running again ... and I suspect this week that in these days of specialisation there are trains in Plymouth that need to get to Exeter for repair but can't because the line from Totnes to Plymouth is closed for engineering works, and the old alternative from Bere Alston to Okehampton has been closed for much longer.
| Re: Petition for double track on Cotswold line... In "London to the Cotswolds" [372852/1129/14] Posted by grahame at 08:52, 27th February 2026 | |
I have come back to a very old thread ... though it may be ripe for a split. Picking up a discussion on making proper use of facilities at some lesser used stations,
I am - noting - the Green byelection success at Gorton and Denton last night, and congratulate Hannah Spencer on her victory. I celebrate the wide range of views to be expressed in parliament, and the thoughts expressed in her victory speech are good, though elements are of concern. And yet, the Green Party comes from environmental roots and references to that have faded away.
In the early days of "Save the Train", Denton station was one we compared Melksham to - a sleeping resource, hanging on to life by its finger tips. It still does; it still waits for an opportunity to be re-woken. That needs (and they have been suggested) purpose and flows - the trains, or trams, going somewhere people want to usefully go. Last time I went through Denton by train, it was on the Aberystwyth to York service, long since gone. I visited the station a number of years ago too - situated off a main road bridge and what a contrast between the busyness of the road and the lack of trains.
| Re: Class 175s to Great Western Railway (GWR) In "Across the West" [372851/28982/26] Posted by GBM at 08:30, 27th February 2026 | |
07:12 Plymouth to Penzance due 09:19
09:50 Penzance to Plymouth due 11:47
12:18 Plymouth to Penzance due 14:14
14:50 Penzance to Plymouth due 16:45
17:00 Plymouth to Liskeard due 17:37
All cancelled due to "more trains than usual needing repairs at the same time" - more problems with these "new" trains?
RTT not showing a 175, but 150'type.09:50 Penzance to Plymouth due 11:47
12:18 Plymouth to Penzance due 14:14
14:50 Penzance to Plymouth due 16:45
17:00 Plymouth to Liskeard due 17:37
All cancelled due to "more trains than usual needing repairs at the same time" - more problems with these "new" trains?
| Re: Swindon <-> Westbury service updates and amendments, ongoing discussion - 2026 In "TransWilts line" [372850/31359/18] Posted by grahame at 08:17, 27th February 2026 | |
06:35 Salisbury to Worcester Foregate Street due 09:47
06:35 Salisbury to Worcester Foregate Street due 09:47 will be terminated at Gloucester.
It will no longer call at Cheltenham Spa, Ashchurch For Tewkesbury, Worcester Shrub Hill and Worcester Foregate Street.
This is due to a points failure.
06:35 Salisbury to Worcester Foregate Street due 09:47 will be terminated at Gloucester.
It will no longer call at Cheltenham Spa, Ashchurch For Tewkesbury, Worcester Shrub Hill and Worcester Foregate Street.
This is due to a points failure.
| Re: Class 175s to Great Western Railway (GWR) In "Across the West" [372849/28982/26] Posted by TaplowGreen at 08:00, 27th February 2026 | |
07:12 Plymouth to Penzance due 09:19
09:50 Penzance to Plymouth due 11:47
12:18 Plymouth to Penzance due 14:14
14:50 Penzance to Plymouth due 16:45
17:00 Plymouth to Liskeard due 17:37
All cancelled due to "more trains than usual needing repairs at the same time" - more problems with these "new" trains?
| Re: Go-Op Cooperative - proposals for additional rail services In "Campaigns for new and improved services" [372848/11010/28] Posted by grahame at 06:54, 27th February 2026 Already liked by GBM, Witham Bobby | |
Also in the Co-op news
https://www.thenews.coop/one-last-chance-for-go-op-passenger-train-co-operative/
The wider economic case for an Oxford - Swindon - Westbury - Frome - Taunton service makes sense. The financial case, making it into a business operation, is a problem. That problem is compounded where a new business model - a co-operative - is to be used, and as a matter of so-far unbent principle. And the problem is compounded further where incumbent industry players may not be taking a "let's help you get this going" stance - perhaps the reverse. Final problems that the industry and structures are so s-l-o-w in picking up ideas and are hard to work with, and having tried for over a decade, Go-op finds itself considered a "that won't happen" laughing stock based on passed and failed projections.
The economic cases for Oxford - Swindon, Swindon - Westbury and Frome - Taunton all remain. You'll note that the first two have those have been improved under the auspices of First and the DfT since the formation of Go-op, and with further improvements to the first of those from May. Extra trains are running (calling) now Westbury - Castle Cary - Taunton, and Westbury - Frome, and to me these improvements confirm that Go-op does / did have a sensible analysis of where a service should / could run.
Now - if they were willing to tear up their principles, could the Go-op team sell / transfer their access rights to a commercial company? Who runs open access trains under commercial or open access rights? There are two other companies running trains from Taunton ... and a service from (say) Paignton to Marylebone or to Milton Keynes ... I wonder what the timing would be; what a joyous selection of journeys and for longer distance passengers the attraction of through services might be a factor that brought them on board.
| Re: Rail replacement buses while River Plym bridge work carried out In "Shorter journeys in Devon - Central, North and South" [372847/31637/24] Posted by grahame at 06:28, 27th February 2026 | |
Always a very telling sign of the state of the U.K. coach industry and how difficult it is to source coaches for any rail replacement work, there’s coaches operating between Plymouth and Tiverton that are based as far away as Walsall!!
With the closure of their public bus operation in the far west, my social media feed has been stuffed with reports of First shipping / driving buses out of Cornwall to all sorts of other far flung places in Great Britain.
| Re: Rail replacement buses while River Plym bridge work carried out In "Shorter journeys in Devon - Central, North and South" [372846/31637/24] Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 06:27, 27th February 2026 | |
Blimey! It's nearly 3 hours by road from Walsall to Tiverton, and the same back: that doesn't leave much time for the coach driver to also go to Plymouth.
They must be staying overnight somewhere in Devon.
| Re: Accessability at Bath Spa - the Garibaldi Bridge In "Railway History and related topics" [372845/31680/55] Posted by grahame at 06:24, 27th February 2026 | |
I don't know if the hotel has a lift ...
Apparently, the Royal Hotel in Bath does have a lift - a very small one, not suitable for modern disabled access - as an alternative to the spiral staircase:
Wheelchair Accessibility
Regretfully our bedrooms are not suitable for wheelchair users, and our lift is not large enough to accommodate both a wheelchair and a passenger. This is due to the fact that the property was built in 1846, and is also Grade Two listed, which restricts us from making major structural alterations.
Regretfully our bedrooms are not suitable for wheelchair users, and our lift is not large enough to accommodate both a wheelchair and a passenger. This is due to the fact that the property was built in 1846, and is also Grade Two listed, which restricts us from making major structural alterations.
Yep - we found similar at The Queen in Chester a couple of weekends ago ... and we had similar constraints from in accessability access at our old (listed) home and business premises; "don't even ask!" was the message from the heritage officer when we made tentative enquiries.
Booking-dot-com does have a "elevator/lift to upper floors" that we look for when booking. We have learned that it does not guarantee that a disability aid will fit into the lift, that you can get into and out of the lobby without going upon and down steps, or there won't be steps along the way from the hotel's lift to the hotel room.
