Recent Public Posts - [guest]
| Re: Across the South West over Easter - trains in pictures In "Across the West" [360697/30166/26] Posted by RobT at 19:26, 19th April 2025 |      |
10. Southampton Central
| Re: Across the South West over Easter - trains in pictures In "Across the West" [360696/30166/26] Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 19:06, 19th April 2025 | |
No, I couldn't identify any 'Tauntons' in that original post. Mind you, that doesn't mean much, with my own appalling record of failing to spot any Taunton pictures.
Nevertheless, picture 6 is rather scary.
| Re: Across the South West over Easter - trains in pictures In "Across the West" [360695/30166/26] Posted by grahame at 18:46, 19th April 2025 | |
OK, if no-one else has done it - I'll nominate no. 6 as the Melksham one - and let someone else pick the Taunton one (if it's there!).
This, sorry, is not a traditional quiz. Neither Taunton nor Melksham is present ....
| Re: Too young to travel on that ticket? In "Fare's Fair" [360694/30155/4] Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 17:29, 19th April 2025 | |
An update, from the BBC:
Inspector wrong to say baby wasn't child - mayor
The mayor of Greater Manchester has apologised to a mother who was threatened with a fine over a family tram ticket because her baby and toddler were considered "too young" to be classed as children.
Cassie from Droylsden in Tameside said she was shocked when a ticket inspector said her £7.10 off-peak family day travel card was invalid because under-fives travel for free, and did not count as children.
Andy Burnham told BBC Radio Manchester the mother-of-two had "done everything right", adding he was "sorry this was your experience". He said Transport for Greater Manchester (TFGM) had since clarified the inspector had wrongly interpreted the rules.
Family tram tickets can be used by a group of one to three children accompanied by one or two adults travelling together, and there is no minimum age requirement for the children.
Cassie had been travelling with her husband and two children, both under five, to a church service in Manchester city centre on the Metrolink tram service.
The inspector told the couple they should have each purchased a £4.30 adult day ticket instead.
TFGM previously said that all inspectors have been made aware that there is no minimum age for children travelling on a family ticket.
Burnham said he was sure the transport operator would be "making things right" for Cassie. He said: "To be fair to our inspectors out there, I've thrown a lot of change at our system in a short space of time, and you know there will be bits and bobs of things that need to be fixed. And the point of having control of the Bee Network is when people do raise things we'll look at them honestly and fix them as quick as we can."
The mayor of Greater Manchester has apologised to a mother who was threatened with a fine over a family tram ticket because her baby and toddler were considered "too young" to be classed as children.
Cassie from Droylsden in Tameside said she was shocked when a ticket inspector said her £7.10 off-peak family day travel card was invalid because under-fives travel for free, and did not count as children.
Andy Burnham told BBC Radio Manchester the mother-of-two had "done everything right", adding he was "sorry this was your experience". He said Transport for Greater Manchester (TFGM) had since clarified the inspector had wrongly interpreted the rules.
Family tram tickets can be used by a group of one to three children accompanied by one or two adults travelling together, and there is no minimum age requirement for the children.
Cassie had been travelling with her husband and two children, both under five, to a church service in Manchester city centre on the Metrolink tram service.
The inspector told the couple they should have each purchased a £4.30 adult day ticket instead.
TFGM previously said that all inspectors have been made aware that there is no minimum age for children travelling on a family ticket.
Burnham said he was sure the transport operator would be "making things right" for Cassie. He said: "To be fair to our inspectors out there, I've thrown a lot of change at our system in a short space of time, and you know there will be bits and bobs of things that need to be fixed. And the point of having control of the Bee Network is when people do raise things we'll look at them honestly and fix them as quick as we can."
| Re: Across the South West over Easter - trains in pictures In "Across the West" [360693/30166/26] Posted by eightonedee at 17:18, 19th April 2025 | |
OK, if no-one else has done it - I'll nominate no. 6 as the Melksham one - and let someone else pick the Taunton one (if it's there!).
| Re: Across the South West over Easter - trains in pictures In "Across the West" [360692/30166/26] Posted by Southernman at 14:52, 19th April 2025 | |
In 1985 there were embryonic plans for a platform on the WR lines near where they crossed. The walk from there passed the signal box along live lines meant it progressed no further. I wrote an article mentioning it in Modern Railways for March 1988.
If such a link were to go ahead now I believe that it would use the S to W curve, earthworks for which can still be seen. Part of the Clifton Maybank extension they were never used. Use could be also made of the N to W curve of the 1860s broad gauge goods link which led to the transfer shed, now the Yeovil Railway Centre. The old down platform might serve this but alternative arrangements will be need for the heritage centre.
If such a link were to go ahead now I believe that it would use the S to W curve, earthworks for which can still be seen. Part of the Clifton Maybank extension they were never used. Use could be also made of the N to W curve of the 1860s broad gauge goods link which led to the transfer shed, now the Yeovil Railway Centre. The old down platform might serve this but alternative arrangements will be need for the heritage centre.
There are already West Country connections at Castle Cary for passengers from Dorchester/Weymouth. Other alternatives might involve Salisbury terminators (aspiration is to expand to hourly) continuing to Yeovil Pen Mill from Yeovil Junction. When/if Langport Station is ever reopened a round service to/from Exeter St Davids via the Yeovil Stations stopping at all stations might become viable. That would directly link Yeovil and Taunton the two largest towns in Somerset and provide all the links anyone would wish for. The link mentioned was costed at £90M around 5 years ago not including station alterations. That's not going to be at the top of any 'value for money' scheme and has been discounted in the latest Network Rail plans.
| Re: Across the South West over Easter - trains in pictures In "Across the West" [360691/30166/26] Posted by bradshaw at 14:24, 19th April 2025 | |
In 1985 there were embryonic plans for a platform on the WR lines near where they crossed. The walk from there passed the signal box along live lines meant it progressed no further. I wrote an article mentioning it in Modern Railways for March 1988.
If such a link were to go ahead now I believe that it would use the S to W curve, earthworks for which can still be seen. Part of the Clifton Maybank extension they were never used. Use could be also made of the N to W curve of the 1860s broad gauge goods link which led to the transfer shed, now the Yeovil Railway Centre. The old down platform might serve this but alternative arrangements will be need for the heritage centre.
| Re: FOSS and FOSW validity - some quirks In "Fare's Fair" [360690/30127/4] Posted by ChrisB at 14:12, 19th April 2025 | |
I don't know - but is a figure I was quoted when I raised a similar query a few years ago
| Re: Across the South West over Easter - trains in pictures In "Across the West" [360689/30166/26] Posted by Cattewater Junction at 13:44, 19th April 2025 Already liked by grahame | |
No 5 is the Cattewater Branch and Cattewater Junction is at the end of the curve
| Re: Across the South West over Easter - trains in pictures In "Across the West" [360688/30166/26] Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 12:57, 19th April 2025 | |
5. Cattewater Branch Line, Plymouth.
Chris from Plymouth.
| Re: Across the South West over Easter - trains in pictures In "Across the West" [360687/30166/26] Posted by johnneyw at 10:49, 19th April 2025 | |
4. Plym Valley railway perchance?
| Re: Delays on Devon services - merged posts, ongoing discussion In "Shorter journeys in Devon - Central, North and South" [360686/28378/24] Posted by plymothian at 09:55, 19th April 2025 | |
Slightly more involved than a tresspasser - someone with end of life intentions.
| Re: 10 Reasons that rail investment should continue In "Looking forward - the next 5, 10 and 20 years" [360685/24275/40] Posted by ellendune at 09:13, 19th April 2025 | |
... and then Donald Trump barges his way into the arena ...
Not really. Broadgage is expressing a preference is for classic Keynesian economics. A theory that, despite being adopted by Franklin Roosevelt during the 1930, Trumps Republican allies at least would regard as so left wing as to be communist.
| Re: Across the South West over Easter - trains in pictures In "Across the West" [360684/30166/26] Posted by grahame at 09:01, 19th April 2025 | |
0. Diverted XC service passing through Bath due to a points issue between Bridgwater and Taunton on Tuesday.
Ah - I had wondered what it was doing there!
7. Heading for Kingswear from Bridge Halt (now removed?).
Paignton to Kingswear.
Dartmouth used to have a ticket and luggage office, but no trains of course.
Used to alight from Churston school at Bridge Halt many years ago.
Paignton to Kingswear.
Dartmouth used to have a ticket and luggage office, but no trains of course.
Used to alight from Churston school at Bridge Halt many years ago.
Yes; I'm a little sad that intermediate stations between Paignton and Kingswear are no longer served. Picture shown Goliath pulling Madelaine, Rebecca and others about ...
Sorry - No. 5 is not the Heathfield Branch
| Re: Across the South West over Easter - trains in pictures In "Across the West" [360683/30166/26] Posted by ellendune at 08:54, 19th April 2025 | |
5. I am going to guess Heathfield Branch at Newton Abbot from Newton Road Bridge
| Re: Across the South West over Easter - trains in pictures In "Across the West" [360682/30166/26] Posted by GBM at 08:24, 19th April 2025 | |
7. Heading for Kingswear from Bridge Halt (now removed?).
Paignton to Kingswear.
Dartmouth used to have a ticket and luggage office, but no trains of course.
Used to alight from Churston school at Bridge Halt many years ago.
| Re: Across the South West over Easter - trains in pictures In "Across the West" [360681/30166/26] Posted by Timmer at 08:23, 19th April 2025 | |
0. Diverted XC service passing through Bath due to a points issue between Bridgwater and Taunton on Tuesday.
| Re: Across the South West over Easter - trains in pictures In "Across the West" [360680/30166/26] Posted by grahame at 08:16, 19th April 2025 | |
11 Thornford (Bridge Halt), that and Chetnole used the old platform from Cattistock Halt, replacing the timber one originally used.
Correct - also know as Thornford for Beer Hackett, and as Thornford International in some quarters. I walked there from Yeovil Junction - and the walk reminded me of just how crass (IMHO) it is that there's no good passenger interchange between the main line East-West and the North-South line. Of course, one was "Southern" and the other was "Western" and so never the two shall talk - surely we could overcome that history?
3. Truro.
Yep! My intent was to head to Falmouth Docks but plans changed (nothing to do with the railway) ... another day, perhaps.
| Re: Across the South West over Easter - trains in pictures In "Across the West" [360679/30166/26] Posted by old original at 08:12, 19th April 2025 | |
3. Truro.
| Re: Across the South West over Easter - trains in pictures In "Across the West" [360678/30166/26] Posted by bradshaw at 08:00, 19th April 2025 | |
11 Thornford (Bridge Halt), that and Chetnole used the old platform from Cattistock Halt, replacing the timber one originally used.
| Re: Most remote stations.... In "The Lighter Side" [360677/7683/30] Posted by grahame at 06:46, 19th April 2025 | |
I wonder if the residents of the former station house and it's surrounding land are granting access for Network Rail to carry out the work. If not then there's little NR and BTP can do.
Except try to arrest the landowners for trespassing on their own property again!
It's a long running saga of claim and counter-claim with Network Rail consistently calling BTP out as their "personal security force".
https://youtube.com/@altnabreac
Except try to arrest the landowners for trespassing on their own property again!
It's a long running saga of claim and counter-claim with Network Rail consistently calling BTP out as their "personal security force".
https://youtube.com/@altnabreac
From The Scotsman
Trains have once again been calling at the request stop after the station was closed for the last 18 months.
One of the country’s remotest train stations that takes passengers to the heart of a world heritage site has reopened.
Altnabreac is located in the Flow Country, a vast expanse of blanket bog and peatlands stretching across Caithness and Sutherland in the north Highlands.
One of the country’s remotest train stations that takes passengers to the heart of a world heritage site has reopened.
Altnabreac is located in the Flow Country, a vast expanse of blanket bog and peatlands stretching across Caithness and Sutherland in the north Highlands.
| Across the South West over Easter - trains in pictures In "Across the West" [360676/30166/26] Posted by grahame at 06:33, 19th April 2025 | |
A little more free time, and a need to brush up on what's going on with public transport across the region "encouraged" me to take a FOSW ticket that I am half way through, Rather more serious than "lighter side", here are a dozen rail related pictures taken over the last few days as I brush up showing a great variety.
As an Easter Quiz, how many can you recognise from the great variation we have across the region? Please name one each (I'm sure they will all be identified very quickly ...)
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
| Re: FOSS and FOSW validity - some quirks In "Fare's Fair" [360675/30127/4] Posted by grahame at 06:19, 19th April 2025 | |
The 'QR code style ticket could be programmed to work, but the magstrip tickets have only 8 bytes of data storage on them & writing used dates isn't possible in that space
Is that the limit of what the ticket barriers can write or a total storage limit?
| Re: Cornish delays In "Shorter journeys in Plymouth and Cornwall" [360674/28556/25] Posted by GBM at 22:44, 18th April 2025 | |
2P27 arrived at Plymouth 74 minutes late with 1Z99 waiting for it.
2M77 arrived Plymouth 59 minutes late; left 57 minutes late.
5P90 arrived 59 late; still sat at platform.
1Z99 seems to have departed back to Laira without 2P27 (5P27).
5P27 departed for Laira 22h37.
2P29 arrived 26 late.
5P86 arrived 24 late.
| Re: St Erth station - facilities, footbridge, improvements, incidents and awards (merged posts) In "Shorter journeys in Plymouth and Cornwall" [360673/3828/25] Posted by RailCornwall at 22:19, 18th April 2025 | |
Deep winter months the south St Erth P&R site is more or less moribund with very few users M-F, most weekdays customers can be accomodated on the northern side of the station (on the right side for St Ives) although desirable a bus service wouldn't see much use at all. Rail passengers from east of St Erth can of course use the longstanding easement detailed below and travel to St Ives via Penzance at no additional cost.
700221 Customers travelling from, to or via Truro to St Ives, Carbis Bay, Lelant and Lelant Saltings may double back between St Erth and Penzance. This easement applies in both directions.
| Re: Cornish delays In "Shorter journeys in Plymouth and Cornwall" [360672/28556/25] Posted by GBM at 21:53, 18th April 2025 | |
2P27 1850 Penzance to Plymouth (HST) WAS reported as delayed at St Germans due to a safety inspection of this train.
Please clarify - do the train crew inspect the outside and inside; or what!
It has been sat at (or just passed) St Germans since 20h30.
2M77 1915 Penzance to Bristol Temple Meads (5 car IET) seems to have driven up to 2P27 (or near it), but has been sat there since 21h28.
5P90 2041 Par to Exeter Tmd (2 car unit) sat at Liskeard since 21h30.
2P29 2015 Penzance to Plymouth (9 car IET) sat at Bodmin since 21h30.
5P86 2039 Penzance to Laira T.& R.S.M.D. (9 car IET) sat outside Lostwithiel since 21h31.
| Re: Steam trains to return at Severn Beach In "Heritage railways, Railtours, buses, canals, steamships and other public transport based attractions" [360671/29794/47] Posted by johnneyw at 21:31, 18th April 2025 | |
That rather explains the lack of progress that I saw when I visited the site a month or two back. It seems that even miniature railways have their fair share of the bureaucracy that the "big" railways enjoy.
Still, it looks like there'll be a bit more to see next time I pootle down there.
| Re: Wiltshire Day Rover - new multi-operator bus ticket In "Buses and other ways to travel" [360670/12333/5] Posted by Mark A at 20:39, 18th April 2025 | |
This is a magnificent thread, and it's rumbled on for a decade or so.
Also me: yes, bus day rover fares are the gateway to a right old adventure.
Also me: I'm careful to only turn up at that pub at Horton on the K&A by... either a bus or some other distinctive transport, in order not to break the spell.
Marm
| Re: Wiltshire Day Rover - new multi-operator bus ticket In "Buses and other ways to travel" [360669/12333/5] Posted by bobm at 20:15, 18th April 2025 Already liked by JayMac | |
Indeed. Ignoring the fact you sound like a child in the playground.
| Re: Destination: London Travelcard Zones 1-6 In "Fare's Fair" [360668/30163/4] Posted by Mark A at 19:29, 18th April 2025 Already liked by Chris from Nailsea | |
(Mark's problem was he was trying to be too clever, of course.)
Mark, if you require a second in any subsequent duel, I'm free!
Goodness no, terrible tradition, duelling. Also, Stuving was bang on the nail. Also, I'm grateful for anyone prepared to wade into issues of fares. Thanks for offering though.
Mark
Mark
