4 Santorini.  It's a very long climb up the stepped path from the quay to the town.  On a darker note, I have read of concerns for the welfare of the donkeys.

I wonder if they will open up the restricted diameter section which was installed as a repair for bomb damage in WWII▸

12:49 London Paddington to Hereford due 16:04 will be terminated at Worcester Shrub Hill.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.
Last Updated:07/12/2025 03:08

17:30 Hereford to London Paddington due 20:25 will be started from Worcester Shrub Hill.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.
Last Updated:07/12/2025 03:13

London is one step closer to getting a direct high-speed train to some of Germany’s most iconic cities.

Eurostar and German national rail company Deutsche Bahn (DB) are exploring options to run non-stop services between the UK and Europe’s largest economy, the Department of Transport has confirmed.

Set to start in the early 2030s, the routes would use Eurostar’s new double-decker Celestia fleet, set to be the first double-decker rolling stock operated in the UK and the Channel Tunnel.

If plans go ahead, millions of passengers could reach Cologne in four hours and Frankfurt in less than five hours from the UK capital.

But nothing has been said about a direct service to Berlin, despite Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander, praising the idea earlier this year.

Comedian Dom Joly has ripped into train operator GWR saying it'd be easier to travel from New York than it is to commute by train from his home in Cheltenham.

[snip]

In his funny video, the award-winning television comedian, broadcaster and travel-writer, said: "It is very early in morning but I am doing my new thing, not going by train from Cheltenham to London which costs me more than it'd cost me to get to New York and takes an insane amount of time and crazy waiting time at Gloucester train station for no reason whatsoever.

There has been a development on the Station announcements at Pershore.

Instead of WOP it now says Newcourt 

**snip**
Through trains between Cheltenham and London are further reduced from the existing 3 at 10.47, 15.00 and 17.00 to just a single working at 10.47, the other two workings terminating at Swindon.
**snip**

There has been a development on the Station announcements at Pershore.

Instead of WOP it now says Newcourt 

A major development at Pershore this week another 12 car park spaces have been marked out in the area in font of the Carlton-Smith works west of the station entrance.

Met Office issues weather warning for rain, 8-9 December

Areas of England and Wales have been warned of potential flooding and travel disruption caused by heavy rain.

The Met Office issued a yellow weather warning for south west England and south Wales earlier, which will be in place from 18:00 GMT on Monday to 18:00 on Tuesday.

The forecaster said an area of low pressure approaching the UK from the south west would bring heavy rain as well as strong winds, which could last until early Wednesday.

"At present, the exact track, depth, and timings of this low are uncertain, which makes it harder to determine where will be most impacted by strong winds and/or heavy rain," said Steven Keates, the Met Office's deputy chief meteorologist.

"This system has the potential to cause disruption, and severe weather warnings are likely to be issued over the weekend as details become clearer," he added.

Outbreaks of rain will become persistent and heavy, the Met Office said, with up to 40mm (1.6in) of rainfall in some areas and 60-80mm of rain over Dartmoor and high ground in south Wales, which could amount to more than half the average monthly rainfall in December.

Spray and flooding on the roads could cause difficult driving conditions, the forecaster said, with a chance of cancellations to train and bus services.

There is a small chance of some communities being cut off by flooded roads, as well as of homes and businesses being damaged by rising water.

The Met Office warning also highlights the possibility of fast flowing water causing danger to life, with some areas also facing the potential of power cuts.



The weather warning covers much of the south-west of England and south Wales.

(BBC article continues)

That's the connecting theme, isn't it?  

Blandford Forum

Scholar Green