Recent Public Posts - [guest]
| Re: Crosscountry axe UK's longest direct rail route In "Cross Country services" [361545/30131/43] Posted by PhilWakely at 06:13, 17th May 2025 |      |
Cornish News (FB) reports that final run
........ Spanning the entire length of mainland Britain......
Not quite - unless it had a Wick to Aberdeen portion
| Re: Night Riviera Sleeper train - between Paddington and Penzance In "London to the West" [361544/489/12] Posted by TaplowGreen at 04:43, 17th May 2025 | |
Not a good week for the Up sleeper.
21:45 Penzance to London Paddington due 05:08
21:45 Penzance to London Paddington due 05:08 has been delayed at Penzance and is now 61 minutes late.
This is due to a fault on this train.
| Re: Crosscountry axe UK's longest direct rail route In "Cross Country services" [361543/30131/43] Posted by grahame at 04:36, 17th May 2025 | |
Cornish News (FB) reports that final run
After more than a century of service, the iconic Aberdeen to Penzance cross-country train has made its final journey today. Spanning the entire length of mainland Britain, the route was the UK’s longest direct train service, beloved by rail enthusiasts and weary travellers alike. Its cancellation marks the end of an era, with many passengers describing the farewell trip as emotional. The service had connected the granite coast of Cornwall to Scotland’s rugged northeast, passing through over 40 stations and weaving together countless memories across generations.
| Re: 2025 - Service update and amendment log, Swindon <-> Westbury In "TransWilts line" [361541/29726/18] Posted by grahame at 20:14, 16th May 2025 | |
17:50 Gloucester to Salisbury due 20:06
17:50 Gloucester to Salisbury due 20:06 has been delayed between Gloucester and Stonehouse and is now 15 minutes late.
This is due to this train being late from the depot.
17:50 Gloucester to Salisbury due 20:06 has been delayed between Gloucester and Stonehouse and is now 15 minutes late.
This is due to this train being late from the depot.
| Re: Interrail, Summer 2025 - my catering thread In "Introductions and chat" [361540/30275/1] Posted by eXPassenger at 18:56, 16th May 2025 | |
You're making my mouth water.
| Re: HS2 - Government proposals, alternative routes and general discussion In "The Wider Picture in the United Kingdom" [361539/5138/51] Posted by TaplowGreen at 16:26, 16th May 2025 | |
Further delays and costs..................
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/newsbirmingham/fears-birmingham-hs2-station-could-be-delayed-amid-new-2039-finish-date/ar-AA1ERgS1?ocid=socialshare
| Re: May Timetable Change In "Across the West" [361538/30225/26] Posted by TaplowGreen at 16:19, 16th May 2025 | |
Are there any real improvements? Anything positive?
| Interrail, Summer 2025 - my catering thread In "Introductions and chat" [361537/30275/1] Posted by grahame at 12:24, 16th May 2025 Already liked by Mark A, Timmer | |
Melksham to Cheltenham Spa (GWR) ... no catering
Cheltenham Spa to Newcastle Central (XC) ...
Newcastle Central to Royal Quay (Go-ahead North East) ... no catering
Royal Quay to Amsetdam (DFDS) ...
| Bridge Bash on Paignton Branch 16/05/2025 In "London to the West" [361536/30274/12] Posted by Witham Bobby at 11:50, 16th May 2025 | |
Cancellations to services between Newton Abbot and Paignton
Due to a road vehicle colliding with a bridge at Paignton the line is blocked. Disruption is expected until 13:30 16/05.
Train services between Newton Abbot and Paignton may be cancelled or delayed.
Customer Advice
We have been informed that a road vehichle has struck a railway bridge near Paignton.
In order to run trains safely, engineers from Network Rail will need to assess the structure. Teams are heading to site, and if no significant damage is noted, then we will be able to resume our train service.
In the meantime, customers can use their tickets at no extra cost on the local bus service, which serves all stations along the GWR route. Further details below:
Stagecoach route 12: Newton Abbot (Station), Torre (Station), Torquay (Grand Hotel), Paignton (Bus Station) are conveying passengers via any reasonable route until further notice. Arrangements have been made for Great Western Railway rail tickets to be accepted for these journeys.
Further Information
If you require further information please speak to our staff at the station or on the train, use the Customer Help Point, tweet us @GWRHelp or call National Rail Enquiries on 03457 484 950
Last Updated:16/05/2025 11:41
Due to a road vehicle colliding with a bridge at Paignton the line is blocked. Disruption is expected until 13:30 16/05.
Train services between Newton Abbot and Paignton may be cancelled or delayed.
Customer Advice
We have been informed that a road vehichle has struck a railway bridge near Paignton.
In order to run trains safely, engineers from Network Rail will need to assess the structure. Teams are heading to site, and if no significant damage is noted, then we will be able to resume our train service.
In the meantime, customers can use their tickets at no extra cost on the local bus service, which serves all stations along the GWR route. Further details below:
Stagecoach route 12: Newton Abbot (Station), Torre (Station), Torquay (Grand Hotel), Paignton (Bus Station) are conveying passengers via any reasonable route until further notice. Arrangements have been made for Great Western Railway rail tickets to be accepted for these journeys.
Further Information
If you require further information please speak to our staff at the station or on the train, use the Customer Help Point, tweet us @GWRHelp or call National Rail Enquiries on 03457 484 950
Last Updated:16/05/2025 11:41
| Re: May Timetable Change In "Across the West" [361534/30225/26] Posted by REVUpminster at 08:41, 16th May 2025 Already liked by Mark A, TaplowGreen, Witham Bobby, trainbuff | |
Today's Railways UK has a good summary. The "highlight" in the South West seems to be no through London Newquay weekday trains. Lack of Penzance-Cardiff trains and dodgy connections throughout.
| Re: May Timetable Change In "Across the West" [361533/30225/26] Posted by Timmer at 07:08, 16th May 2025 | |
The summer weekday extension of a London-Plymouth to Newquay and return isn’t running this year.
| Re: Where was Finn today, 15th May 2025? In "The Lighter Side" [361532/30273/30] Posted by JayMac at 00:24, 16th May 2025 | |
For myself, I haven’t got a Scooby. But my son Robin thinks it’s in Cornwall…
Too far west...
| Re: May Timetable Change In "Across the West" [361531/30225/26] Posted by trainbuff at 22:48, 15th May 2025 Already liked by Mark A, TaplowGreen, Witham Bobby | |
Crosscountry may have made changes to their timetable but there are no double sets booked before 12.27 from Plymouth. I suspect with passengers being put onto XC services at Plymouth that these trains, particularly in the Summer will be full and standing at varying points between Plymouth and Bristol. I do believe that the GWR changes are a backwards step therefore
| Re: Where was Finn today, 15th May 2025? In "The Lighter Side" [361530/30273/30] Posted by johnneyw at 22:37, 15th May 2025 Already liked by JayMac, GBM, Mark A | |
Typical! , This one doesn't appear to be in my copy of "I-Spy Railway Foot Crossings".
| Re: Where was Finn today, 15th May 2025? In "The Lighter Side" [361529/30273/30] Posted by Red Squirrel at 22:33, 15th May 2025 Already liked by JayMac | |
For myself, I haven’t got a Scooby. But my son Robin thinks it’s in Cornwall…
| Re: Great British Railways In "Looking forward - the next 5, 10 and 20 years" [361528/30032/40] Posted by Oxonhutch at 21:21, 15th May 2025 Already liked by Mark A, Witham Bobby, Hal | |
Mighty Cholsey station with its five platforms! As many as Didcot Parkway - and more than either Swindon or Oxford
And with six tracks, it pips Twyford, Maidenhead, West Drayton and West Ealing.
| Re: Two plus Three seating in class 150? In "Shorter journeys in Plymouth and Cornwall" [361527/30255/25] Posted by grahame at 16:45, 15th May 2025 | |
I remember 2+3 in the Wales & West 150/2s, these were converted to 2+2 when they were refurbished by Wessex Trains in 2002/3.
I have looked back at my pictures, and I suspect the carriage with 2 + 3 was part on 150202. Did it miss the refurb? Was it a later arrival?
Saw its older sister 150201 earlier today. Dressed differently, but looked like 2+3 as well.
| Re: May Timetable Change In "Across the West" [361525/30225/26] Posted by grahame at 15:54, 15th May 2025 Already liked by Timmer, trainbuff | |
From GWR ...
Just a quick reminder that train timetables will be changing this Sunday, 18 May as part of the twice-yearly changes to timetables nationwide.
All amendments are now in journey planners and online systems, including www.gwr.com and National Rail Enquiries. We’re asking customers to double-check their journey before travelling as there may be some minor changes in timings affect their travel plans.
As well as our usual Summer Saturday services to Pembroke Dock, this change sees more connections to and from Gatwick Airport, helping to provide more rail options for customers travelling to and from the airport.
We’re also changing times on the Looe Valley line to provide quicker connections and a later train on the branch line, helping to increase opportunities both for leisure and business travel.
Looking ahead we are also adding some additional calls at Saltash to help with customers switching to rail from road during work on the Saltash road tunnels planned for later this year.
And finally, with a significant remodelling of CrossCountry train’s timetable, there will also be some changes to our services between Cardiff and Penzance. GWR will operate Penzance to Exeter direct, and Exeter to Cardiff (Taunton to Cardiff on Sundays), with cross-platform changes available at Newton Abbot/Taunton.
We have shared a news release here with more details of the changes - https://news.gwr.com/news/gwr-urges-customers-to-check-their-journey-as-timetable-changes-this-sunday - and as always if you have any questions please do not hesitate to let me know.
All amendments are now in journey planners and online systems, including www.gwr.com and National Rail Enquiries. We’re asking customers to double-check their journey before travelling as there may be some minor changes in timings affect their travel plans.
As well as our usual Summer Saturday services to Pembroke Dock, this change sees more connections to and from Gatwick Airport, helping to provide more rail options for customers travelling to and from the airport.
We’re also changing times on the Looe Valley line to provide quicker connections and a later train on the branch line, helping to increase opportunities both for leisure and business travel.
Looking ahead we are also adding some additional calls at Saltash to help with customers switching to rail from road during work on the Saltash road tunnels planned for later this year.
And finally, with a significant remodelling of CrossCountry train’s timetable, there will also be some changes to our services between Cardiff and Penzance. GWR will operate Penzance to Exeter direct, and Exeter to Cardiff (Taunton to Cardiff on Sundays), with cross-platform changes available at Newton Abbot/Taunton.
We have shared a news release here with more details of the changes - https://news.gwr.com/news/gwr-urges-customers-to-check-their-journey-as-timetable-changes-this-sunday - and as always if you have any questions please do not hesitate to let me know.
I kinda-associated the break of the Cardiff - Penzance service at Exeter with the introduction of 175s on the western leg of those service. Some see this split as a degradation, and it's interesting to associate it with the Cross Country changes
| Where was Finn today, 15th May 2025? In "The Lighter Side" [361524/30273/30] Posted by JayMac at 15:32, 15th May 2025 | |
Finn stopped and looked. He didn't listen though, what with being Mutt n' Jeff.
Bonus point for the exact name of the crossing.
| Re: Great British Railways In "Looking forward - the next 5, 10 and 20 years" [361523/30032/40] Posted by bobm at 12:51, 15th May 2025 Already liked by Witham Bobby, Oxonhutch, GBM | |
Cholsey certainly did have GWR branding on the Up Relief platform in May 2019.
| Re: Great British Railways In "Looking forward - the next 5, 10 and 20 years" [361522/30032/40] Posted by Richard Fairhurst at 12:04, 15th May 2025 | |
I’m currently on a journey from Charlbury to Basingstoke. Lots of the stations appear no longer to have GWR green branding on the signs. Most have FGW purple and Cholsey appeared to have nothing at all.
I swear that at least some of these (eg Oxford platform 3) were fully GWR-ed up until recently. Is this a deliberate debranding in anticipation of Great British Railways? Or am I imagining things and these were never GWR green at all?
| Re: Two plus Three seating in class 150? In "Shorter journeys in Plymouth and Cornwall" [361518/30255/25] Posted by Hafren at 22:21, 14th May 2025 | |
There were some of the 150s that don't have gangways (150/0?) transferred from West Mids to GWR in the 2010s IIRC. As they arrived well after the 2+2 refurbs were done they retained 3+2 seating. Not great when they turned up on the CDF-PMH journeys! I think most/all have left GWR since. Not sure if the remaining one was from that transfer or another one. I think some/all of the West Mids ones came in 3 car formation with /0 vehicles outside and a /1 vehicle in the middle i.e. middle car had gangways at both ends but outer cars didn't.
A couple of Northern 3+2 /1 units were with TfW temporarily in the last 1-2 years. Unlike the likes of Turbos where only the bays are 3+2, the 150s had 3+2 on the face-to-back seats as well, so two people have to move (or be climbed over) if the person in the window seat needs to get up. Comfort is also affected by the 3+2 seats being more bench-like, without armrests (or indeed space for them) and being low-backed - I find these affect the sense of personal space and make it harder to doze. Also the narrower gangways mean less space to stand or move around.
| Re: North Cotswold line delays and cancellations - 2025 In "London to the Cotswolds" [361517/29711/14] Posted by charles_uk at 22:09, 14th May 2025 | |
Not showing on JourneyCheck but tonight's 1953 Paddington to Hereford and 2251 Paddington to Worcestershire Parkway are both five car short-formations which, presumably, will mean short-forms on the first two up services tomorrow morning.
| Re: English Regional Transport Association (ERTA) - now BRTA In "Who's who on Western railways" [361516/22385/2] Posted by Red Squirrel at 22:03, 14th May 2025 | |
I was there. All very interesting, and a good day out.
| Re: Bid to reduce single-use plastic at railway station - Bristol Temple Meads, 2025 In "The Wider Picture in the United Kingdom" [361515/30270/51] Posted by Timmer at 19:14, 14th May 2025 Already liked by Red Squirrel, johnneyw | |
South Western Railways contribution to this is to replace its water point at Southampton Central with a pot plant! And then have repeated announcements to remind people to have enough water!!
Hope someone’s watering it. I’ll get my coat.