Recent Public Posts - [guest]
| Re: Closures of loops and through services - on this day, 10th December In "Across the West" [369272/28244/26] Posted by Timmer at 17:56, 10th December 2025 |      |
Indeed we do now have a second service to Salisbury. However it’s very unreliable, either terminating short at Westbury or not running at all.
Sad to say that not much has changed regards reliability in the year since I wrote this.| Re: Railways Bill 2025: introducing and designing Great British Railways - general topic In "Looking forward - the next 2, 5, 10 and 20 years" [369271/31038/40] Posted by TaplowGreen at 17:18, 10th December 2025 | |
With a certain depressing inevitability I've noticed comments from predictable sources bemoaning that the Government has chosen a colour scheme for GBR that "panders to the far right"
| Re: Railways Bill 2025: introducing and designing Great British Railways - general topic In "Looking forward - the next 2, 5, 10 and 20 years" [369270/31038/40] Posted by Witham Bobby at 16:59, 10th December 2025 | |
I sure hope so - awful. Never a good idea to be wearing red in any kind of operational role on the railways, I've always thought
I turned-up at Witham box one summer afternoon for late turn, and Adrian, who I was relieving, had the great railway photographer Ivo Peters with him in the box. Ivo had brought along a friend, who was wearing a bright red shirt. I had to ask him to stay at the back of the box, out of the view of passing drivers. He'd been quite happily perched on the windowsill at the London end of the box - in full view
I wish I'd known more about Ivo at the time. It was several years later when I realised what a great photographer and friend of the railway that he was. Some of the pictures he took on that day are in "Railway Elegance", which covers (mostly) Somerset and Wiltshire in the 1960s and up to the mid 70s diesel days. Recommended. Particularly if you like the Westbury to Bathampton line
| Re: Railways Bill 2025: introducing and designing Great British Railways - general topic In "Looking forward - the next 2, 5, 10 and 20 years" [369269/31038/40] Posted by IndustryInsider at 16:24, 10th December 2025 Already liked by Mark A, Witham Bobby, Oxonhutch | |
| Re: First Group win concession to operate London Overground In "Across the West" [369268/31233/26] Posted by TaplowGreen at 16:21, 10th December 2025 | |
Unions aren't happy....
https://x.com/i/status/1998733355400024390
| Re: Railways Bill 2025: introducing and designing Great British Railways - general topic In "Looking forward - the next 2, 5, 10 and 20 years" [369267/31038/40] Posted by ChrisB at 16:17, 10th December 2025 | |
Arrgh - worse than the trains!
Meanwhile, the Bill received it's second reading today, with MPs voting 329 to 173 in favour.
Now into Committee Stage.
| Re: Railways Bill 2025: introducing and designing Great British Railways - general topic In "Looking forward - the next 2, 5, 10 and 20 years" [369266/31038/40] Posted by TaplowGreen at 16:14, 10th December 2025 | |
Here are the new staff uniforms, matching the trains colour scheme!
| Re: 175s to GWR In "Across the West" [369265/28982/26] Posted by REVUpminster at 16:13, 10th December 2025 Already liked by IndustryInsider | |
Two 2 car units just gone through Dawlish 45 minutes early. Reported elsewhere as 175006+175011.
| Re: Gatwick Airport - facilities, improvements and incidents - merged posts, ongoing discussion In "Buses and other ways to travel" [369264/20849/5] Posted by TonyK at 15:38, 10th December 2025 Already liked by IndustryInsider, eightonedee | |
From the BBC:
Date set for challenge over second Gatwick runway
A legal challenge over plans for a second runway at Gatwick Airport is set to be heard in January, a High Court judge has said.
The privately-funded scheme, costing £2.2bn, will see the airport move its emergency runway 12m (39ft) north, enabling it to be used for about 100,000 more flights a year.
Campaign group Communities against Gatwick Noise Emissions (Cagne) and chairman of the Gatwick Area Conservation Campaign Peter Barclay are taking legal action against the Department for Transport (DfT) over Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander's decision to approve plans.
The DfT and the airport's owner, Gatwick Airport Limited (GAL), are opposing the challenge, which will begin on 20 January 2026. At a hearing on Tuesday, Mr Justice Mould said the case would be heard over four days.
Estelle Dehon KC, for Cagne, had asked the court for the challenge to be heard in February or March due to barristers for the group being unavailable in January, resulting in an "inequality of arms".
But Mr Justice Mould said that while he was "not oblivious" to the group's concerns, the date would not change. He said: "It is in the highest degree desirable that it should be dealt with as expeditiously as possible. I am afraid I have to be pretty hard-nosed about this, and I appreciate this will create inconvenience to quite a number of people in the room."
Announcing its legal challenge in November, Cagne said there was a failure to properly evaluate the significance of inbound flight emissions and to assess the effect of non-carbon dioxide emissions on the climate.
In written submissions for Tuesday's hearing, Nigel Pleming KC, for the DfT, said some of Mr Barclay's and Cagne's arguments were "irrefutably unarguable".
James Strachan KC, for GAL, said in written submissions: "GAL first applied for development consent in July 2023, almost two-and-a-half years ago, and GAL is keen to begin the development which has been granted consent. It is obviously contrary to the public interest that (unmeritorious) litigation such as these claims should unnecessarily delay national infrastructure projects such as the proposed development."
A legal challenge over plans for a second runway at Gatwick Airport is set to be heard in January, a High Court judge has said.
The privately-funded scheme, costing £2.2bn, will see the airport move its emergency runway 12m (39ft) north, enabling it to be used for about 100,000 more flights a year.
Campaign group Communities against Gatwick Noise Emissions (Cagne) and chairman of the Gatwick Area Conservation Campaign Peter Barclay are taking legal action against the Department for Transport (DfT) over Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander's decision to approve plans.
The DfT and the airport's owner, Gatwick Airport Limited (GAL), are opposing the challenge, which will begin on 20 January 2026. At a hearing on Tuesday, Mr Justice Mould said the case would be heard over four days.
Estelle Dehon KC, for Cagne, had asked the court for the challenge to be heard in February or March due to barristers for the group being unavailable in January, resulting in an "inequality of arms".
But Mr Justice Mould said that while he was "not oblivious" to the group's concerns, the date would not change. He said: "It is in the highest degree desirable that it should be dealt with as expeditiously as possible. I am afraid I have to be pretty hard-nosed about this, and I appreciate this will create inconvenience to quite a number of people in the room."
Announcing its legal challenge in November, Cagne said there was a failure to properly evaluate the significance of inbound flight emissions and to assess the effect of non-carbon dioxide emissions on the climate.
In written submissions for Tuesday's hearing, Nigel Pleming KC, for the DfT, said some of Mr Barclay's and Cagne's arguments were "irrefutably unarguable".
James Strachan KC, for GAL, said in written submissions: "GAL first applied for development consent in July 2023, almost two-and-a-half years ago, and GAL is keen to begin the development which has been granted consent. It is obviously contrary to the public interest that (unmeritorious) litigation such as these claims should unnecessarily delay national infrastructure projects such as the proposed development."
This could be interesting. Mr Justice Mould (there are some who call him...Tim) hasn't been a High Court judge for very long, but is not afraid to find against government departments. From what I have read, we can expect a full and thorough examination of the points raised, provided that the plaintiffs can find a barrister who hasn't flown off on holiday for the winter golf season.
| Re: Swindon <-> Westbury service updates and amendments, ongoing discussion - 2025 In "TransWilts line" [369263/29726/18] Posted by matth1j at 15:24, 10th December 2025 | |
BTW the 15:37 Chippenham-Melksham is also showing as cancelled in National Rail.
which is actually the Chippenham-Bath-Trowbridge-Melksham option (I was looking on the 'plan your journey' tab); it's the 16:29 Trowbridge-Melksham leg that's (still) cancelled.| Re: AI videos simulating railway accidents In "Media about railways, and other means of transport" [369262/31188/49] Posted by matth1j at 15:11, 10th December 2025 | |
Not sure whether the typo ("...announced has the entry...") means it's more likely to be AI, or real
| Re: First Group win concession to operate London Overground In "Across the West" [369261/31233/26] Posted by grahame at 15:08, 10th December 2025 | |
A bit more at Railnews
FirstGroup, which is set to lose its remaining National Rail contracts by 2027, said it was ‘delighted’. CEO Graham Sutherland added that First was looking forward ‘to welcoming employees who will be joining the Group and to play our part in the success of this vital rail network’.
However the RMT has reacted with dismay, and pledged to resist the transfer of any more National Rail routes to the Overground system.
The union’s general secretary Eddie Dempsey said: ‘Despite the Mayor saying he backs public ownership of rail, the London Overground is being reprivatised on a lucrative eight-year deal that puts profit before passengers. It’s beyond belief, especially when a Labour government is bringing the railways back into public hands.
However the RMT has reacted with dismay, and pledged to resist the transfer of any more National Rail routes to the Overground system.
The union’s general secretary Eddie Dempsey said: ‘Despite the Mayor saying he backs public ownership of rail, the London Overground is being reprivatised on a lucrative eight-year deal that puts profit before passengers. It’s beyond belief, especially when a Labour government is bringing the railways back into public hands.
| Re: AI videos simulating railway accidents In "Media about railways, and other means of transport" [369260/31188/49] Posted by grahame at 15:02, 10th December 2025 | |
AI, Artwork or real?
That has to be some sort of battery enhanced train if it's on that line with no 3rd rail or OHLE ... and I wonder about just how green and remote the countryside is - are there really places that are so remote-looking on the core valley network?
| Re: Social media check before you travel? In "The Wider Picture Overseas" [369259/31237/52] Posted by eightonedee at 14:03, 10th December 2025 Already liked by GBM, PrestburyRoad, rogerw | |
What was that the Great Orange-Coloured Clown said in his tirade on the decline of Europe about supressing freedom of speech?
Don't register your like if you are thinking of applying for a US ESTA soon
| Re: Swindon <-> Westbury service updates and amendments, ongoing discussion - 2025 In "TransWilts line" [369258/29726/18] Posted by matth1j at 14:02, 10th December 2025 | |
Keep an eye open for the next couple of hours - 1 in 3 cancellations get re-instated.
Will do. BTW the 15:37 Chippenham-Melksham is also showing as cancelled in National Rail.
| Re: Swindon <-> Westbury service updates and amendments, ongoing discussion - 2025 In "TransWilts line" [369257/29726/18] Posted by grahame at 13:59, 10th December 2025 | |
Drat. That'll be the 271 Bath-Melksham bus for me then.
To be fair that service is usually ok (in TransWilts terms
). I've used it 17 times since 13/10 for my Chippenham-Melksham hop and that's the first cancellation, with 4 delays >5 mins (range 9-17).
To be fair that service is usually ok (in TransWilts terms
). I've used it 17 times since 13/10 for my Chippenham-Melksham hop and that's the first cancellation, with 4 delays >5 mins (range 9-17).Keep an eye open for the next couple of hours - 1 in 3 cancellations get re-instated.
Since 17th November - a checkpoint at which we had a significant meeting with GWR - cancellations are measurably less. I am not quoting the measurements yet - too soon to have a reliable sample over a reasonable time period. The request to GWR was not a request for perfection - it was a request to bring cancellations down to the same rate (percentage wise) as we see across the region - 3% at many stations, but 9% at Dilton Marsh and 11% at Melksham in the periods leading up to to that meeting - stats there for the last 6 months, 12 weeks and 4 weeks all similar.
So - there will, and we expect, there to still be be occasional issues.
Of course, as the cancellations drop to about a quarter of what they were, that should allow GWR to concentrate of getting the passenger experience of people being let down far more. Easier to deal with one cancellation than four, and even if they spend twice as much on replacement services, that's still only half the spend of the higher historic cancelation rate.
| Re: Chance meeting on a train In "The Wider Picture in the United Kingdom" [369256/31236/51] Posted by eightonedee at 13:56, 10th December 2025 Already liked by Oxonhutch | |
I hope someone was on hand to play Rachmaninov's Second Piano Concerto in the background!
| Social media check before you travel? In "The Wider Picture Overseas" [369255/31237/52] Posted by grahame at 13:48, 10th December 2025 Already liked by Mark A | |
I looked back at the sub-title of this board to see what it says and - yes - I think this is just about in scope for the Coffee Shop.
From The BBC
Tourists from dozens of countries including the UK could be asked to provide a five-year social media history as a condition of entry to the United States, under a new proposal unveiled by American officials.
The new condition would affect people from dozens of countries who are eligible to visit the US for 90 days without a visa, as long as they have filled out an Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) form.
Since returning to the White House in January, President Donald Trump has moved to toughen US borders more generally - citing national security as a key reason.
Analysts say the new plan could pose an obstacle to potential visitors, or harm their digital rights.
The new condition would affect people from dozens of countries who are eligible to visit the US for 90 days without a visa, as long as they have filled out an Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) form.
Since returning to the White House in January, President Donald Trump has moved to toughen US borders more generally - citing national security as a key reason.
Analysts say the new plan could pose an obstacle to potential visitors, or harm their digital rights.
I'm not aware of any Coffee Shop members who's postings - at least here - are outside or even borderline to what the UK law allows (and we admins / moderators are obliged to keep an eye open for some categories and delete as appropriate). However, some of the views that I and other express are not going to be to the liking of Mr Trump.
| Re: Swindon <-> Westbury service updates and amendments, ongoing discussion - 2025 In "TransWilts line" [369254/29726/18] Posted by matth1j at 13:45, 10th December 2025 | |
17:35 Swindon to Westbury due 18:19 will be cancelled.
Oh dear - here we go again.
Drat. That'll be the 271 Bath-Melksham bus for me then.
To be fair that service is usually ok (in TransWilts terms
). I've used it 17 times since 13/10 for my Chippenham-Melksham hop and that's the first cancellation, with 4 delays >5 mins (range 9-17).| Re: AQ10 - "Pilning" - West Country Mornington Crescent In "The Lighter Side" [369253/31234/30] Posted by grahame at 13:32, 10th December 2025 Already liked by Chris from Nailsea | |
Personally, to avoid that forfeit, grahame, I'd have gone for Yatton.
Yeah - but I've been stuck at Yatton without a train and had to get out on a lemon (big one). It was worth the risk on no-one noticing. Nothing ventured, nothing gained!
| Chance meeting on a train In "The Wider Picture in the United Kingdom" [369252/31236/51] Posted by grahame at 13:15, 10th December 2025 Already liked by matth1j, Chris from Nailsea, GBM | |
From The BBC
A couple who had a brief encounter on a late-night train have got engaged on the same service one year later.
Steve Higgs, 56, from Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire, set up the surprise proposal to Payal Pandya, from Harrow, London, after a train company got on board with the plans.
He said he first met Ms Pandya, 49, on the 23:09 London Northwestern Railway (LNR) service from Euston towards Milton Keynes in November 2024.
To mark their anniversary the couple boarded the same service and Mr Higgs got down on one knee to ask Ms Pandya to marry him - and wedding plans are now moving full steam ahead.
Steve Higgs, 56, from Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire, set up the surprise proposal to Payal Pandya, from Harrow, London, after a train company got on board with the plans.
He said he first met Ms Pandya, 49, on the 23:09 London Northwestern Railway (LNR) service from Euston towards Milton Keynes in November 2024.
To mark their anniversary the couple boarded the same service and Mr Higgs got down on one knee to ask Ms Pandya to marry him - and wedding plans are now moving full steam ahead.
I hope they have a happy life on track together. The puns continue, if you can stand them, in the rest of the article.
| Re: Swindon <-> Westbury service updates and amendments, ongoing discussion - 2025 In "TransWilts line" [369251/29726/18] Posted by grahame at 13:07, 10th December 2025 | |
| Re: Swindon <-> Westbury service updates and amendments, ongoing discussion - 2025 In "TransWilts line" [369250/29726/18] Posted by grahame at 13:04, 10th December 2025 Already liked by matth1j | |
16:23 Westbury to Swindon due 17:06
17:35 Swindon to Westbury due 18:19
17:35 Swindon to Westbury due 18:19 will be cancelled.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.
17:35 Swindon to Westbury due 18:19
17:35 Swindon to Westbury due 18:19 will be cancelled.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.
Oh dear - here we go again. Busiest southbound train of the day. No alternatives on offer. It was due off Chippenham at 10 to six - quarter of an hour AFTER the last bus to Melksham and Trowbridge has left ... next train 70 minutes later.
| Re: AQ10 - "Pilning" - West Country Mornington Crescent In "The Lighter Side" [369249/31234/30] Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 12:37, 10th December 2025 | |
Fair point, Red Squirrel: as you know, we have no banks remaining open in Nailsea.
Personally, to avoid that forfeit, grahame, I'd have gone for Yatton.
| Re: Swindon <-> Westbury service updates and amendments, ongoing discussion - 2025 In "TransWilts line" [369248/29726/18] Posted by Mark A at 12:27, 10th December 2025 | |
That charter reached Victoria at a quarter to one in the morning. The train recovered an hour in one go as it was booked to wait an hour at Salisbury, which put me in mind of something, I can't quite put my thumb on it.
Running two hours late, it missed out on the opportunity to, oh yes, that was it, pay homage to the current evening connections Waterloo to Bristol there by waiting for an hour at Salisbury, and set off straightaway on its circuitous route back via Hampshire and Surrey and up to London.
Mark
| Re: Bristol Temple Meads - station, facilities, incidents and events (merged posts) In "Bristol (WECA) Commuters" [369247/10737/21] Posted by matth1j at 11:50, 10th December 2025 | |
Ticket inspectors on the (open) exit gates this morning; it was still pretty quiet when I passed through and I didn't see them grilling anyone.
| Re: North Somerset free bus route to North Bristol In "Buses and other ways to travel" [369246/31235/5] Posted by grahame at 11:35, 10th December 2025 | |
X10 until Christmas Eve via Cribbs Causway and South mead hospital
TIME TABLE
https://thebiglemon.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/The-Big-Lemon-X10-31-08-2025-1.pdf
TIME TABLE
https://thebiglemon.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/The-Big-Lemon-X10-31-08-2025-1.pdf
Where does the "free" of your title come from? When Railfuture met at Yatton a couple of months ago, we used the X10 from the station there into Clevedon as there was no rail service that day. "Old fogies card" swiped so no charge of me, but others were paying.
| Re: AQ10 - "Pilning" - West Country Mornington Crescent In "The Lighter Side" [369245/31234/30] Posted by Red Squirrel at 10:47, 10th December 2025 Already liked by grahame, Western Pathfinder, GBM | |
Time to employ the reverse Rushton and block that then takes us to Saint Andrews Road .
Parallel move to South Bank - one of the few banks remaining open
That's an illegal move, grahame - Western Pathfinder has put you in Nailsea (the local equivalent of Nidd). You forfeit a turn.
| North Somerset free bus route to North Bristol In "Buses and other ways to travel" [369244/31235/5] Posted by infoman at 10:36, 10th December 2025 | |
X10 until Christmas Eve via Cribbs Causway and South mead hospital
TIME TABLE
https://thebiglemon.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/The-Big-Lemon-X10-31-08-2025-1.pdf
| Re: Closures of loops and through services - on this day, 10th December In "Across the West" [369243/28244/26] Posted by grahame at 10:28, 10th December 2025 Already liked by Clan Line, Witham Bobby, GBM, PrestburyRoad, Timmer | |
Four years ago today, Bradford-on-Avon and Trowbridge lost their through train services from London - a well used and much loved service. You now have to change at Salisbury, or Westbury, or Bath to get to Bradford-on-Avon, or at one of those or Swindon or Chippenham to get to Trowbridge.
The removal of these service was said to be either to save money, or to relieve the load on the Bath - Bristol section. The irony is that since these trains were cancelled, other trains often using exactly the same type of rolling stock, have been added on the line and with a bit of joined up thinking the Bristol - Salisbury and Salisbury - Waterloo trains could become a Bristol - Salisbury - Waterloo service. Why has that not been done? The economic value of a though service from London is considerable, and the extra cost in providing it withing GBR minimal.
Pictures - from the final day of the SWR services from Bristol Temple Meads to London. Busy trains, and only a handful of passengers on them were there for the funeral. Indeed, an announcement on the final train off Bristol that "this is the last train" induced an almost-panic amongst the significant crowd of regulars.
