Something that made me think of the coffeeshop.

I think AI is going to eventually tank in the longterm, but...

the only real way to combat this is single-interest communities. Forums, user comms, etc, with a barrier to entry. They become trustable knowledgebases. It's really the only way forward is to return to what worked best the first time

Source (and thread...)

https://bsky.app/profile/jametc.bsky.social/post/3lsepss7l7s2x

Mark

 
I imagine whoever maintains the railways in the UK could learn from the places you've visited Graham and significantly reduce their maintenance bills by getting rid of all that namby pamby safety fencing we have around our tracks

 
Thinking of the fares, the GWR ticketing site lists the 'Anytime Return' Bath Spa to Weymouth at £299, which is a bit optimistic.

Having a few minutes at Weymouth, checking the price of a Weymouth - Thurso single, I think an anytime one of those came in at £298 (and an off peak ticket at £155, though it's curious to apply peak restrictions to long distance tickets, especially *that* long distance...)

Mark

 
Makov - not in the European Rail Timetable, not shown as a pretty line on the rail map of Europe - but I beg to differ from that judgement. We bucked along from Cadca in a 4 carriage train each carriage with just 4 wheels - a bus on rails and at Turzokva changed to a shorter (2 carriage) train of the same type.

My plan yesterday was a zero-train day to attend a Zoomed conference from Swindon,  so Makov was a last minute addition - about 90 minutes each way - an afternoon trip out from Zilina and a worthy alternative to Swindon!

-------  Text from my Facebook post

 

 
The story develops. 

From the BBC


(Article continues)

 
From the Bridgwater Mercury:

 
From the Falmouth Packet:

 

 
Meanwhile in Wallingford last week I saw signs asking visitors not to feed the red kites common in that area.  They are apparently starting to associate humans with food in much the way gulls do at the seaside and risk becoming a similar pest, which would be a great shame given their successful reintroduction across the Chilterns.

 

Ah, it wasn't a Cadburys Flake advert being filmed in front of you then.

 

Err- no it was not! There was a large colony of Herring and Lesser Black-backed Gulls (much reduced since with the decline in coastal breeding of both species in the area) on Walney Island, on the southern tip of the Furness peninsula, that has a footpath running through it that has long been famous for the un-nerving aggression of some of the residents. But for real aggressive behaviour, nothing beats their much-smaller distant cousins, Arctic Terns, as anyone who has visited the Farne Islands during their breeding season and landed on Inner Farne will be able to attest!

 
Alterations to services at Twyford

Due to a fault with the signalling system at Twyford trains have to run at reduced speed on all lines.

Train services running through this station will be delayed or terminated at and started back from Reading.

Some stations between Reading and London Paddington will not be served. Disruption is expected until 18:15 24/06.

 
Travelled from Bristol to Plymouth last month, (behind D1015) and the encroaching undergrowth bashing the rolling stock was very noticeable. 

I'm absolutely certain that the vegetation on the trackside and on infrastructure (such as bridges) is not as well controlled as it used to be.  I assume it's less costly to deal with events such as fallen trees here and there, than it is to keep things neat and tidy.  I daresay there would be massive outrage if there was a significant programme to remove the lineside plants, shrubs and trees

 


Network Rail’s regularly programmed line and infrastructure monitoring trains detect tree and vegetation etc encroachments close to and in contact with trains and record and classify them as a ‘Guage Restriction’.
Infrastructure Managers are thus informed and should act accordingly to remove the offending
vegetation etc that caused a Guage Restriction.

 
To add to the above comments about Castle Cary - Platform 2 (the down main) is not accessible to trains coming from the Taunton direction. There is a barrow crossing at the down end of the platforms at Castle Cary. It does have gates and ?warning lights and is only usable with staff assistance.

Anecdotally, I was once travelling on a special from Minehead/Taunton to Weymouth and beyond. The initial plan was to reverse on the crossover to the east of the station (regularly used by trains travelling east from Weymouth). Such a reversal is not a signalled move so it was never allowed, especially with a loaded train. So it was necessary to reverse at Frome instead! 

 

Cynic 

 

Lets consider how difficult it is to transport water.
500mL = 500g
Allowing for on person can carry 25kg on flat level ground that's 50 bottles but as it would have to be carried over rough track ballast 12kg so that 24 bottles

To supply a train with 300 plus people that's 12 people or a number of multiple trips.

Better to utilise those people to evacuate the train and have the water at the station or track exit point.

The cause is allegedly down to a shake proof washer not being fitted on the shoe when the unit was last serviced

 
The old mysterious fire weeks after planning permission is refused

 
From the BBC:


My highlighting. CfN.

 
19-21/06/2025 - A Quick Family Visit For A Day At The Cricket
Including many of the usual rail service issues and failures.

Tickets
2 x Senior Railcard (SR) Off-Peak Day Singles DIG>PIN £5.70 (£2.85 each)
2 x SR Advance Singles PIN>LON £41.80 (£20.90 each)
2 x SR TfL Off-Peak Singles WAT>KGX £3.70 (£1.85 each)
2 x SR 1st Class Advance Singles KGX>WAK £78.00 (£39.00 each)
2 x SR Anytime Day Singles WAK>PFM £5.40 (£2.70 each)
1 x SR Anytime Day Return POF>HDY £6.05
2 x SR Anytime Day Singles PFM>WAK £5.40 (£2.70 each)
2 x SR Advance Singles WAK>KGX £31.40 (£15.70 each)
2 x SR TfL Off-Peak Singles KGX>PAD £3.70 (£1.85 each)
2 x SR Advance Singles LON>DIG £53.90 (£26.95 each)

Station group codes: WAK = Wakefield Westgate/Kirkgate - we changed at WKF in both directions.
LON - WAT outbound & PAD return.
POF = Pontefract Monkhill/Tanshelf

Outward - 19/06/25
DIG 0913 (OT)>EXC 0922 (OT): 2T11 EXM>PGN : 1 x 166/2 (3 Cars)
EXC 0930 (OT)>WAT 1249 (1303) : 1L36 EXD>WAT: 2 x 159/0 (6 Cars)
TfL Underground WAT>Warren Street (Northern Line)+Warren Street>KGX (Victoria Line)
KGX 1403 (1417)>WKF 1558 (1619) : 1D17 KGX>LDS : 1 x IC225 (9 Cars)
WKF 1642 (1643)>PFM 1705 (1706) : 2A23 LDS>KNO : 1 x 150/2 (2 Cars)

As seems to be increasingly common on the route there were no ticket checks on 2T11 between DIG & EXC.
1L36 was initially delayed by 8 minutes at PIN waiting for the late running 1L09 to clear the single line. 1L09 (SAL>EXD) left Salisbury on schedule, lost time after AXM, was 7 late at HON and got to PIN 9 minutes down. No idea why. Our train lost a little more time up to GIL where it was further delayed, to +24, waiting for 1L21 (OT) to clear the section from TIS. These two trains should have passed at the Tisbury Loop. Shortly after leaving GIL the TM announced that the ADV, WOK & CLJ scheduled stops would be skipped and passengers for those stations should change at either SAL or BSK as necessary. This enabled 1L36 to reach WAT only 14 minutes late (bit of a saving on Delay Repay!)
Tickets / railcards were checked.
Of the 6 carriages only 2 had working air conditioning.
It is episodes such as this which reinforces my view that  some more of the line should be restored to double track as a matter of urgency; it takes very little to throw the timetable out of kilter. Not surprisingly the TfL journey was somewhat toasty.
The delayed departure of 1D17 was announced as a power supply train fault. Given that these units are all at least 34 years old, and are due to be replaced by 10 CAF trains in 2027, the occasional glitch is probably to be expected. The LNER 1st class service was, as usual, very good. Also, as per normal, there was a full ticket / railcard check shortly after leaving KGX.
Unusually for Northern there was no ticket check on 2A23.
Possibly slightly off topic but nobody could miss that the viaduct immediately south of WKF, to/from Doncaster, seems to have more vegetation growing on it than Kew Gardens and Network Rail should be thoroughly ashamed of themselves for allowing it to get into such a state.

20/06/25 - Cricket England v India Ist Test Day 1 At Headingley
PFM 0845 (OT)>LDS 0925 (0927) : 2A04 KNO>LDS : 1 x 158/7 (2 Cars)
LDS 0959 (0953)>HDY 1006 (1007) : 2C30 LDS>YRK : 1 x 170/4 (3 Cars)
HDY 1943 (1953)>LDS 1953 (2001) : 2C67 YRK>LDS : 1 x 170/4 (3 Cars)
LDS 2029 (2030)>PFM 2104 (2113) : 2A31 LDS>KNO : 2 x 150/2 (4 Cars)

Slight delay on 2A04 at Whitehall Junction; most passengers familiar with the area would be surprised if this didn’t happen.
Yes, you read it correctly, as soon as they could cram no more pax onto 2C30 it was permitted to depart from LDS 6 minutes early. Operational common sense. Where possible more of this please. Obviously no onboard ticket check but revenue protection were in attendance at HDY. When asked one of the team said very little ticketless travel was being detected.
After play had finished for the day we decamped to the Headingley Taps pub rather than join the inevitable scrum. Good call - on 2C67 there were almost more Northern Trains Travel Safe officers than paying passengers.
2A31 is formed of the 2 x 150/2 stock from 2L28 (SHF 1902>LDS 2024) so wasn’t exactly overcrowded. 

Return - 21/06/25
PFM 1245 (OT)>WKF 1309 (1312) : 2A12 KNO>LDS : 1 x 150/2 (2 Cars)
WKF 1329 (OT)>KGX 1530 (1535) : 1A31 LDS>KGX : 1 x 801/2 (9 Cars)
TfL Underground KGX>PAD  (H&C Line)
PAD 1703 (1704)>EXD 1910 (1914) : 1C90 PAD>PNZ : 2 x 802/0 (10 Cars)
(2F30 EXD 1916>DIG 1929 Missed Connection)
EXD 1946 (1947)>DIG 1959 (2000) : 2F31 PGN>EXM : 1 x 166/2 (3 Cars)

The trains between Pontefract and Leeds via Wakefield are frequently subject to minor delays due to poor quality track, conflicts with a significant number of non-passenger services, and especially the absence of a fourth platform at Kirkgate (WKK).
1A31 proceeded normally until between New Southgate and Alexandra Palace where the service was temporarily switched to the slow line. A number of the ‘Orange Army’ team were observed trackside.
During the journey south perusal of the TfL website indicated that the Underground had suffered a serious meltdown; just before our arrival at KGX 7 lines were shown as having ‘severe delays’. On arrival at the Circle / H&C / Metropolitan Lines westbound platform we waited 1 minute for an H&C train to PAD. Reggie Perrin (actually his brother-in-law Jimmy) syndrome - bit of a cock-up on the information delivery front?
Of no importance whatsoever but 1C90 left PAD slightly late whereas the TM decided a specific PA announcement of an on-time departure was necessary. Odd.
IC90 arrived at RDG to time but was then held for no apparent reason - it certainly wasn’t anything to do with passenger numbers - and departed west 6 minutes late.
A little later when the TM appeared to perform a ticket check I asked him whether he could enquire about the possibility of the Exmouth train (a 6 minute connection) waiting for a short while. Computer said ‘No’ but he expressed the hope/expectation that the delay would be recovered en-route, and he also explained to me how such an action would delay loads of other services and cause absolute chaos. Given that a self-contained ‘dead-end’ branch line would have been involved this was of course absolute cobblers.
The train arrived at 1914 on EXD P4 and we got to P1 to see our intended connection depart. System still being run to suit the staff rather than for the benefit of the paying passengers?
One slight oddity I noticed at EXD was that our train to EXM used P3, and P2 at EXC, whilst the 1L49 from Waterloo used EXC P2 as normal but then ran down the hill into EXD P1 the reverse of the normal arrangement. RTT indicates that this is a Saturdays-only job. Anybody out there knows why this is done?

 

Looks like the train has been uncancelled ... let's see what's said today - mind you, I have heard so much on the topic of cancellations in past years that I'll only believe that they are down to an reasonable level when we actually see trains on the line, consistently, at all the times in the timetable, week in and week out.  Words are cheap - "you can fool all of the people some of the time, some of the people all of the time - but you can't fool all of the people all of the time".

By the way - there will be rare occasions when a train is logged as cancelled but then re-instated, but they should be rare.  This is a major disruption to people who have replanned their day based on the initial report - they have cancelled / reformed their plans. 

 
Thankfully the booking office was staffed and also the passenger assistance cave, with two or three staff from that also out and about being proactive. It's fortunate though that they didn't seem to have many passengers to deal with, and the lack of on train loos (cos, no trains) was an issue. There were also three police at the station, mainly dealing with one of the three alcohol / mental health I'd encountered on the 100 metre walk up the road to the station from the beach. Oh, and parts of the pavement on that road have their width massively comprimised by scaffolding, including a generous helping on both ends of the pelican crossing close to the station - something that contributed to one of said incidents.

To answer Infoman's query about Castle Cary - the station had all three platforms occupied so the train to London was in its usual place and around 20 people took the footbridge. Not sure what the provision is for wheelchair users at that station, perhaps there's a barrow crossing for accompanied use only. If not, it would have been on to Westbury... but are the lifts out of use at Westbury?

Mark

PS The lifts at Bath Spa are fully operational again now and not constrained to 2 people only.

 

Sardines, anyone?

No reason for the substitution supplied.  The appeal to allow those most in need the use of available seats is something I'd not noticed before on JourneyCheck

 
I guess this could have been a pretty serious incident had it fallen at the wrong time. Is trackside vegetation monitored in any way to check for and prevent this sort of thing? Doesn't look easy along the lines in the picture.

 
From the BBC:

 
A further update, from the BBC:

 

Customer care at Weymouth Station has left something to be desired for a while.   I sometimes get the feeling that the railways would run much more smoothly without customers - and indeed that was proven during the earlier part of Covid lockdown.  Perhaps, now that there's no financial incentive, we'll continue to see a further reduction to a very basic service indeed in an attempt to reduce complaints and costs, without too much worry about the loss of income.  Fares can always be "simplified" up and the taxpayer help.  I have my fingers crossed that this is not the nightmare scenario planned.

The other thing of note is that Weymouth is just one station on that line - it isn't hugely busy mid afternoon, with services to London gathering substantial traffic at Dorchester South, Wareham and Poole even before they reach Bournemouth - and for those other stations, GWR services would have been no use.

If the 17:28 was 3 car - probably a turbo.  2+3 seating and plenty of standing room - that should squeeze 'em in!

 

Blimey!  Did they not have access to a spirit level when they built that?   

 
An update, from the BBC: