Alternative routes was probably one thing that wasn't automatically OK (hence my mention of via Bath vs. via Melksham). However, if someone checking tickets ever raised an objection, I think the worst outcome (according to NRCoT) would be a route-change excess fare (and no penalty or need to buy a complete new ticket).

 

I am relieved to read this, albeit that since I retired this is no longer the issue it was. I'd guess on average about twice a year there would be a blockage or closure of the North Downs line between Reading and Guildford, so I'd use the "zig-zag" alternative, namely Reading-Basingstoke (usually by Cross-Country), Basingstoke-Woking then Woking Guildford (both SWT/SWR) or the same in reverse if this occurred on my return journey, in any such case to undertake a GWR service. This was never a problem on the rare occasion that my season ticket was checked, and on a few occasions this was encouraged by staff. Hence much of my confusion when the story broke. 

 
Back to the topic..

I'm surprised that the station at Moulsford has not been mentioned (why didn't I do so?).

This was the station between Goring & Streatley and Didcot between 1840 and 1892, also known as Wallingford Road. It was on the north side of the A329 road bridge, and some of the buildings survive. I think they now form part of a development of flats.

When the Wallingford branch was opened, it ran alongside the mainline from this station before diverging at the point where Cholsey station now stands. When the mainline was quadrupled, the junction was moved to what is now the Cholsey station site (the junction has sadly since been removed) and the new/current Cholsey station opened (as Cholsey & Moulsford), and Moulsford station closed.

 
Caradog looms strong over his smaller counterpart.

 

Did they run?

 
Outside of peak hours I normally get an hourly service so before I leave my house I check https://tiger.worldline.global/BOOKHAM/ciss

If I am out and about I often check https://my.live-departures.info/ which uses my GPS to find the nearest station to me. You can also key in the station name if you want. It will then show the departures screen for the next couple of services.

 
Manana, manana.

I misread that. Now I've got an annoying earworm.

 
A station somewhere in the country of y Ddraig Goch.

 
One wag on Facebook:

"It’s great to see that railway passengers can now switch to another operator without charge when their train is cancelled.
The next time I go to the Isle of Wight and can’t get from Shanklin to Ryde Pier Head, I’ll just hop onto ScotRail instead."

(Yes, I know ScotRail aren't part of the scheme)

 
(Accompanied by SWTSMBO who indulged in some ‘Retail Therapy’ while I was at Edgbaston.)

10/09/26 - Exeter To Birmingham
DIG 1342 (OT) > EXD 1354 (OT) : 2T20 EXM > PGN : 1 x 166/2 (3 Cars)
EXD 1427 (1429) > BHM 1655 (1658) : 1S53 PNZ > EDB : 1 x 221/1 + 1 x 220/0 (9 Cars)

Tickets (All With Senior Railcard, 2 Pax, Price Per Person):
DIG > BRI Advance Single £7.35
BRI > BHM Advance Single £11.55

2T20 not busy. Tickets/railcards not checked.
At EXD the usual PIS Train Formation display for 1S53 was absent. We, along I suspect with lots of other pax, used RTT (or similar) to ascertain approximately where to stand on P5. Big mistake - when the train arrived it proved to be in the reverse order of what RTT showed resulting in a passenger melee on the platform. (NB. On RTT the information has since been corrected). Our coach (D) was virtually full.Tickets but not railcards checked. In the front unit (221135) the catering trolley only provided a static service in the first coach F.
At BRI there was a PA announcement instructing any pax without a reservation to head for the rear 4-car unit which was apparently completely unreserved.
Having left PLY on time 1S53 started to lose time after Teignmouth and, despite timetabled extended stops of 6 minutes at BRI and 5 at BPW, still arrived at BHM 3 late. A delay leaving CNM seems to have been the main culprit.

(Overnight stay - HIE City Centre - with dinner at the rather splendid Tamatanga restaurant)

11/09/26 - Cricket/Shopping + Birmingham To Exeter
BHM 1912 (1920) > EXD 2145 (2151) : 1V66 EDB > BRI/PLY : 2 x 220/0 BHM > BRI, 1 x 220/0 BRI > PLY
(EXD 2152 (2151) > DIG 2203 (2202) : 2F35 Missed Connection)
EXD 2240 (2244) > DIG 2256 (OT) : 2F36 PGN > EXM : 1 x 165/1 (3 Cars)

Tickets (All With Senior Railcard, 2 Pax, Price Per Person):
BHM > BRI Advance Single £11.55
BRI > DIG Advance Single £7.35

1V66 had been previously delayed after Tamworth and arrived at BHM 8 down. The timetabled 5 minute wait did not produce any delay reduction. Nothing much changed until an obvious longer wait than expected at BPW led to a departure 10 down and an 8 minute late arrival at BRI. No matter; the booked 13 minute stop, where the rear unit was detached, resulted in a departure delay of only 2 minutes. Various presumed signal checks delayed the train to a 6 minute late arrival at EXD where GWR managed, not for the first time in similar circumstances, to annoy the hell out of me.
1V66 was scheduled for a 2145 arrival. 2F35 was timetabled to leave for Exmouth at 2152. The actual numbers were 2151 & 2151. So we, and other pax with Avocet Line destinations, were 2/3rds of the way across the footbridge from P4 > P1 when the GWR dispatcher evidently decided it would be OK to let 2F35 go slightly early. One can only hope that the full implementation of GBR will stop this sort of thing (fat chance). So we patiently waited for the subsequent 2F36 2240 Exmouth departure. Which, just to annoy everybody even more, was held for nearly 5 minutes to collect pax from the 12 late 1C96 ex-PAD GWR service.
I think the behaviour of the EXD platform staff qualifies as completely crap customer service. National Rail? Really?

BTW we made the entire BHM >DIG journey without any ticket or railcard checks.

 

I don't think I've ever used that phrase. 

 
Here (I believe within the rules of the open government data license) are the headlines

 

Member's mirror (there so we can read back in a decade and see what has been achieved, long after the original has gone) at https://www.passenger.chat/mirror/LTRS_holb_2026.pdf

And I will flush-flip the initials in the title.

 

In essence then, "GBR" only fully covers England, given devolution of many rail matters to Scotland and Wales, and has the potential to be further diluted by current and upcoming regional devolution........there will, however, be "expectations" of devolved administrations.

 
LTRS maybe?

 
Just published by DfT, a briefing paper for House of Lords called Long Term Rail Strategy

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6aaa782344ec1aa417346b36/proposals-for-long-term-rail-strategy.pdf

Plenty to discuss .......

 
Ellesmere Port was built, but not the Ellesmere Canal as originally envisaged. It was going to be a more or less north-south route via Chester, Wrexham and Ruabon, then on to Trevor, Ellesmere and on to Shrewsbury. But the Chester-Trevor section was never built, nor the Ellesmere-Shrewsbury section. Eventually a rather indirect route was provided via what we now call the Shropshire Union main line and the Llangollen Canal, joining up some of the bits of the Ellesmere that had been constructed.

 

I've never tried to hide my rum.

 
Cancellations to services between London Paddington and Reading

Due to a fault with the signalling system between London Paddington and Reading fewer trains are able to run on some lines.

Train services running to and from these stations may be cancelled or delayed by up to 30 minutes. Disruption is expected until 11:30 16/09.

 
While we're on off-topic, another Port that is a long way from the town after which it was named is Ellesmere Port, some 30 miles from Ellesmere.  Though to be fair they did have a direct link, namely the Ellesmere Canal.

 

Not much good for signalling by by means of coloured lights, or use as an emergency tail light.

 
We have a little LED live departure board in the dining room that makes it easy to check.

I do often keep an eye on RTT a few hours before to see if an outbound (i.e. to Worcester/Hereford) journey has been cancelled, in case the train was due to form the inbound service I was planning to catch to Oxford.

 

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/port has no fewer that 10 definitions of "port".  Does this place produce a fortified wine?   Is there a business there that translates software between languages and operating systems?  Is there a place called Starboard Douglas on the other side of the village?

 

I'm sure I recognise a few Forum members in that picture - was it produced at an AGM? 

 
Ah... off-topic... a puzzling one from last week: the terminus station called "Port Douglas" - not particularly near the village of Douglas in Lanarkshire, and in no way a port (or particularly near what was for a short term, a canal) but very much a railhead for extractive industries that have now moved on.

 
I do wonder if the lobbing a metal object over a fence at a railway substation in UK last week, which has caused so many problems for electric trains to Paddington should be deemed sabotage.    Unless a fluke happened was clearly going to cause damage.

Vandalism was official version, but that feels wrong because it clearly created a fire (maybe arson ?) causing damage.

I think there is a section in Victorian Railways Act about causing damage that is likely to lead to a fatal accident or endanger a passenger.

 

That "express" pauses long enough for loo breaks:

8 minutes at Swindon
9 minutes at Westbury
12 minutes at Salisbury

From https://swindonian.me/2024/02/19/33-swindon-railway-station-1842/


^* - no longer a loco change - but probably a crew change


The Buffet, Swindon Station (1863)
George Elgar Hicks (English, 1824 – 1914
via https://artvee.com/dl/the-buffet-swindon-station/


Image is in Public Domain (?)

 
I/we have a 10-15 minute walk to Digby & Sowton so the status of the service to Exeter Central / St.Davids (or very occasionally further on) is always checked. Where onward connections are involved I always use RTT to see whether the subsequent train is on time or not.

 
Maidenhead Boyne Hill station opened 1 Aug 1854 closed 1 Nov1871
Maidenhead Riverside station opened June 4, 1838, renamed Maidenhead and Taplow in 1854 closed 1 Nov 1871

 
Crossed legs express!

05:11 Gloucester to Southampton Central due 08:10
Facilities on the 05:11 Gloucester to Southampton Central due 08:10.
Toilet facilities are not available. Disabled toilet facilities are not available.
This is due to a fault on this train.