Same happened with those pair of services last week, only it was crew shortage then. 

 
Replacement unit came from Reading to pick up service with the 11:02 to Marlow.  The Henley service resumed with the 10:45 from Twyford.

 

Was only one round trip donkey cancelled listed as problems with the doors

 

The Siemens e320 / class 374 have 902 seats compared to the old e300 / class 373 which had 758.  Also part of the restriction on the number of services is the capacity of the Chunnel also SE-trains operate more services on HS1 than in 2007

 

Lance Corporal Jones would probably have bought a few from you too!

 

Another good reason why not ...


Which leaves a gap of about 4 hours each way ... and I think festival go-ers will be headed home?

 

Business balance, perhaps ... fill all the trains you are running, retire some of the older ones, and sell as a product where the demand outstrips the supply and you can charge a premium price?   Just asking ...

 

 

Eurostar might be filling their trains, but they are running lot less than in the past.

Eg the summer 2000 timetable had 10 weekday departures for Brussels, and no less than 24 to Paris on Fridays.
5 only operated Fridays : 10:53, 13:37, 15:53, 1648, 1923
3 operated Mon & Fri : 07:53, 09:53, 12:23
Tue-Thur was just 16 trains to Paris

17 of the 34 services called at Ashford, and 4 called at Calais-Frethun

https://www.reddit.com/r/trains/comments/g064jl/eurostar_southbound_timetable_from_summer_2000/

The current offering based on next Friday (31st July) is a mere 17 trains, a lot less than the 24 trains that operated 26 summers ago

 
How times have changed.

I am old enough to remember when the Min of Ag (then MAFF, now DEFRA) used to pay you for shooting pigeons. I believe the rate was 6d (=2 1/5 p).

 

Agreed - from a business viewpoint, if you can fill all of your trains alll the way in England, why offer an intermediate station with the empty seats it leaves for part of the journey, for the delay to other passengers, for the hassle of having a second set of border controls, and for those extra minutes on the train time that will impinge on reliability at best and may cause you to have to put another train in the cycle due to longer running and shortened turn around time.   Of course, if someone else wanted run an Ashford to somewhere-on-the continent shuttle and connect with trains in many directions from Ashford ...

 
Not a good morning in the Thames Valley.   The unit on the Marlow branch has also broken down.  Both have gone back to Reading.

 
4 Halle (Saale) Hbf

 
Cancellations to services between Twyford and Henley-On-Thames

Due to a fault on this train between Twyford and Henley-On-Thames all lines are closed.
Train services running to and from these stations will be cancelled. Disruption is expected until 13:00 26/07.

 

Please, no more "praying", we've been asked to stick to the subject and avoid religion! 

.........that said, if anyone finds themselves near John Lewis in Oxford St around 0630 on Mondays/Wednesdays and in need of amusement, you may just spot me desperately sidestepping, waving my hand around and running (well, trotting)  trying to avoid being crapped on by our feathered friends who congregate in enormous numbers at that time of day and target me whilst I nip through to Cavendish Square!

 

This good news, it is the result of the complete merger of Thalys and Eurostar into the single Eurostar branding.

I use used Eurostar London - Paris 2 weeks ago, I will say the boarder passport check at St Pancras was the simplest I have seen since we exited the EU.  The French border passport check was via an E-gate and no passport stamp.  The return at Gare de Nord did involve a French boarder Police physical check of my passport the UK entry via E-gate.

I cannot see Eurostar returning to stops at Ashford and Ebbsfleet any time soon as most trains are fully booked London - Paris / Brussels and form recollection of the times I stood on the domestic platforms at Ashford when Eurostar arrived only a handful of passengers  were waiting to embark on trains to  Paris / Brussels likewise disembarking

 
Pigeon guano is corrosive, it destroys masonry, attacks paint thus increases steel rusting.  The guano also contains diseases and toxins which are a risk to human health; breathing this dust can cause infections like Cryptococcosis, Histoplasmosis, and Psittacosis.

When I was working I had been around when the pest control teams have been working, the use of birds of pray does keep the numbers down to an extent by scaring the pigeons away, but there are times when the pigeon population is large culling with lethal force is the only option.

When we had a pigeon infestation in traction power substation in the larger Southern Region 'cathedral' substations it could take an environmental cleaning team 2 - 3 weeks or longer to remove the guano and then the substation maintainer can make good the  damage caused to the electrical equipment enclosures

 
It'd be good to keep this on topic for what is a transport forum: purpose-built dovecots aside, a combination of e.g. pigeons and buildings isn't a positive one and needs to be addressed, and we can add grey squirrels and brown rats to that catalogue too.

Mark

 

To put that % into perspective, based on the latest figures (2024), over 30 million animals were subjected to non stun slaughter- that is, had their throat slit whilst fully conscious and able to feel what was going on.

27 million halal, 3 million for kosher.

Chickens, sheep, cattle.

The dastardly Islamophobes/racists who make up the RSPCA have noted with concern that this represents a huge rise on previous years, and are calling for a removal of the religious exemption which allows for this brutal and cruel process to continue, a campaign which I am sure anyone who claims to have any interest in animal welfare will wholeheartedly support.

 

All correct, as is the extra information - I suspect you have been there, Dave 

1 ?? (yes - somewhere in Poland)
2 Vienenberg
3 Wernigerode Westerntor
4 ??
5 Eisfelder Talmühle
6 Drei Annen Hohne
7 Berlin Hbf
8 Pasewalk
9 Hotel Altora dining room, Wernigerode

 
3; Wernigerode Westerntor station with the works just behind the hedge on the left.  Note the "heritage" train information display fixed to the lamp post!
5; Eisfelder Talmühle.  Railcar for Gernerode?
6; Drei Annen Hohne. Junction for the Brocken.
9; "Restaurant 1835"/Hotel Altora dining room, Wernigerode.  Drinks and desserts delivered by train!

Dave

 
Kingswear-Southend tour train leaving at 1730hrs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVMD41t3N3M

 
Went down Saturday morning 25 July 2026 at 100hrs and 1700hrs to see out the Kingswear-Southend tour train. The dry weather has meant the tour trains in the last few weeks have not picked up a steam locomotive at Taunton.

Notices were up today and three station staff were sitting at a table behind the wire fence. All staff gone at 1700hrs. No work being carried on at the station or the demolition opposite. Gilpen don't work weekends. I suppose that's why Tuesday is the mooted date for reopening to the public. No rush down here. No priority. There is still a smell of acrid smoke in the air.

The footbridge does have significant damage.
Paignton Station 25 July 2026 damage to footbridge 1 by Robert, on Flickr

General view of area. There is a crane from Devon lifting services which I don't think Gilpen are using to demolish the building opposite. Maybe something happening Sunday or Monday to station.
Paignton Station 25 July 2026 damage to footbridge by Robert, on Flickr

Damaged roofing to canopy removed
Paignton Station 25 July 2026 canopy outside station, damage to footbridge by Robert, on Flickr

 
It would appear that Dilton Marsh is not unique

From West Leed Dispatch


Oh dear - the GBR headline is to "make trains more reliable" and changes like this do so.  But in the process they disenfranchise customers - and customers are the whole reason for passenger train services.

 
From Stroud Times

 


Image is shared Creative Commons (by poster) (?)



Image copyright Reserved (by poster) (?)



Image is in Public Domain (?)

I have followed the first image (after the image tag closed with [CC] to say I have shared it under collective commons - if you click on the extra link it gives you, you get details of how you can reuse it

I have followed the second image (after the image tag closed with [CR] to say I have shared it here but retain copyright and I might get miffed if you share it further.  Nothing to stop you asking if you may.

I believe the their image to be in the public domain - so it has a [PD] tag.  I am trusting that belief from the research I have done and as a courtesy and help I can tell you I got it from .     The date on the image file suggests it's over 65 years old and copyright in Poland lasts for the life of the photographer plus 70 years - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_copyright_duration_by_country - slight risk taken then and if anyone knows different on this photo, please let me know!

 
Oops, I haven't a clue as to how I apply a tag to an image.

Mark

 

Good question - pictures 5 and 6 are both metre gauge / within station limits as it happens, but here - from my library - and some standard gauge examples. 9 pictures, 7 different countries.