Years ago, for reasons so obscure that I won't bore you with them here, I conveyed a folding table from Nailsea & Backwell to Melksham by train.

The dimensions of that table exceeded many surfboards, and it weighed considerably more, but I was able (just) to carry it from home to NLS, then from MKM to grahame's. The train journeys in between were no problem at all: I simply propped the table against the bulkhead in the cycle area, without inconveniencing any cycle rack users, obviously.

CfN. 

 

I found it interesting that the minister (?) replying on behalf of the government did not point out that his claim was wrong, but pointed out that electric trains will bring efficiencies ... which (he hoped) would include the minister's consituency.   I find myself wondering if GBR|SW in their timetable recast is considering terminating diesel trains from west of Basingstoke at Basingstoke, with connections from there onwards into London?

 

Which one? 
(Not a serious question)

 
The replies on Facebook are quite fun to read, but so far he doesn't seem to have explained what he has based his bizarre claim on.

 
We don't even need to look that far. The 398s being introduced in South Wales are based on the same tram-train platform and some of the extensions being done and planned in terms of street running are great examples for showing what you could do.

 
From Will Foster, MP for Woking


Has he heard something we have not?

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=2539177199864931

 

There is an argument that says that trains are MASS transit and should provided for the overwhelming majority of people.  On that basis, they can do without the few who wish to take skateboards, bicycles. mobility aids, prams and those with big packs or suitcases.   This is not an argument I would support.

 

St Thomas had minimal effect on Okehampton and Barnstaple services. Some trains delayed getting through St David's due to platform occupancy.

 
I've noted on some of the videos that were recorded that the platform information signs were still indicating no services on opening day.

 

Far better info now ...


And I note that the raft of bus alternative options is much reduced, probably reflecting those that actually run on a Sunday.

 
I do like the cheery GWR message on X/Twitter for those travelling to Boardmasters in Newquay next weekend, which concludes by sternly reminding those considering going by train that "surfboards are not permitted on long-distance services"

The Famous Five evidently shouldn't plan on going surfing by train! 

 
Yesterday ... my first visit to Chemnitz, travelling through on the hourly train from Aue in Saxony that turned itself into a tram at Technopark, switched from diesel to electric, and combed in with other services to give a more frequent mass transit through the heart of the city and to the main railway station where I left it to continue out on the other side. It's not unique - I have arrived in Saabrucken on a tram that started on a train. And in the UK, we have a similar system in Sheffield though I have not travelled on it.   

The idea seems sensible and appears to work well - so why has it not seen wider adoption, and might it work in places like Bristol and Bath, Exeter and Plymouth, Southampton and Swindon?

 

It's when I read posts like that I really want to acknowledge and totally agree with you - but somehow using the "like" button conveys too positive a response.

Reliability is key to any public transport service.   Occasional failures for good external cause can be forgiven, but routine failure to provide the contracted and advertised service drives customers away. 

 
Saturday. If you a passenger with an hourly service you need it to run. Okehampton went two hourly after the 1724hr so probably crew shortage.
Barnstaple after the 1335 departed at 1356 and the next train was 1639. Shoppers to Exeter on a Saturday will think twice before going by train or parents letting their children use the train.

 
The portacabin ticket office was at Paignton Saturday but closed. A 5 car voyager came in from Manchester 47 late at 1941 and left for Bristol at 1947 using platform 2 instead of it's usual shunt via the crossover.
I was there at 1700 to see the Kingswear-Shrewsbury train depart at 1727 which waited just off the platform so it could pass through without stopping when the signal cleared to yellow. As usual there were no staff on the station after 1700 and there were people on platform 1; train spotters like me?. The gate to the platform has been locked since the fire so I don't know how they got there.

 
Note also the long and no doubt expensive litigation about right to roam/camping on Dartmoor.

 
When is luggage not luggage? Is a folded bike luggage? What about bikes in general?

Regrettably the new SWR Arterio trains suggest that whoever specs these things has not made any progress on the bike storage front. Time for some training in this area for GBR by Active Travel England (ATE)?

 
Oh ... look what I have found for today from https://www.onthisday.com/events/august/2
1870 Tower Subway, the world's first underground tube railway, opens in London
1873 First trial run of San Francisco cable car in Clay Street between Kearny and Jones

Tower Subway certainly worth adding if the day can be confirmed ... I probably won't add the cable car as it's a bit distant

 
I have the following events listed, but neither reference nor linked thread:
0815   2012   Virgin pulls out of further franchise bids
0827   1939   First Jet Aircraft flight
0830   1906   Fishguard Harbour station opened
0831   1966   Harrier Jump Jet makes first flight

And August tends to be those quiet days when nothing happens, and we have no "on this day" public transport events listed for 2nd, 6th, 9th, 16th, 17th, 20th, 23rd, 24th or 29th.   In contrast, we have 3 for 11th, and looking wider we have 5 events on each of 4th February, 1st and 6th May, and 1st July.

Members are more than welcome to tell me - or tell readers - what has happened on any of these quieter days and I'll add them to the "On this day" index.  Positive stories especially welcome!

 
Looking to see what's happening today ... updated on Journey Check at 04:52 on 2.8.2026 ... however most of the text reads like it did last night and says "Due to the severity of the fire, this has affected signalling and the overhead electricity power. We request that you do not travel from either Bristol Parkway or Bristol Temple Meads to Newport and Cardiff central for the rest of today as we cannot provide a rail service." and I would not like to hazard a guess as to whether the line will be open in any form today or not.  No doubt the next update (in two hours) or one after that will help tell us what's happening.

 
I understand that 15 people joined the train - it left a couple of minutes down but was back on time within a handful of stops. A photo appeared on my social media feeds but, as these things do, flashed by and I can't find it again. I do notice that the group photo on the platform showed everyone crammed behind the yellow line.

Big "thank you" to GWR for arranging the extra stop - really enjoyed day out, and good marketing for Avoncliff.

 


Indeed I am "seeding" a thread. "On this day" headlines a topic from midnight to midnight on the day in question, and it has struck me a number of times that something that comes up there without a reference thread results in a bit of a rushed addition of a thread reference / response.  Not necessarily a bad thing though the addition of the link is something which relies on a piece of kludge "webmaster only" code that puts urgent action solely onto me.   It's not a huge issue in the history of mankind (or even of the coffee shop) but in this case I chose to sew the seeds early.

 

Not exactly ideal given its the last train and especially on a Saturday is usually very very busy (I dont understand why there isn't s later service like there is on other nights). Feel sorry for the passengers and whoever has to deal with the situation at Cardiff!

 
Two separate incidents are involved, although information is sparse.

There was a fire at the Star Trading Estate in the early hours of the morning that caused cancellation of several early morning services, but seems to have been sorted out  by 07:00 (the fire itself looked rather severe: see https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cdrvkp87e1xo.

The second fire was described on Journeycheck as "in the Marshfield area" but may have been a bit closer to Newport, but definitely west of Ebbw Junction. Last train through appeared to be a Cardiff-Exeter IET at about 14:15.

After that, nearly all train services were cancelled. The number turning back at Newport was small and the Ebbw Vale services also disappeared.

Interestingly, though, a small number of trains did make it between Newport and Cardiff using the relief line. There were Newport-Cardiff ad-hoc services running as 1O01 ... 1O06 and a Penzance-Cardiff 2U32 (1645 off Penzance) that reached Cardiff at 22:53; 37 minutes late.

However, as I type, the 2C97, 22:47 Cardiff-Bristol, has halted between Pengam and Wentloog and is signalled to go back towards Cardiff.

 
Here's the Beeb's news coverage of today's opening.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c4gdzyyv7g8o

 
I rather think grahame was asking for contributions ready to start a new topic on 8 August.  I started a new topic on the Wantage Tramway today, so grahame could add it to 'OTD', but that was done somewhat at the last minute.

 
It's only 01.08 today - you're a week ahead of yourself?

 
Bearing in mind that you need to produce evidence of your Eurostar ticket to obtain that - hence only being able to purchase in person

 
Journeycheck is reporting the fire is at Marshfield which is west of Newport. 

 
I'm informed that these additional staff are NOT safety-critical (I thought they were?) and Bletchley-MKC is not DOO compliant, which I did know.