Recent Public Posts - [guest]
| Re: Collision between two trains at Llanbrynmair, in Powys, Wales - 21 October 2024 In "The Wider Picture in the United Kingdom" [376098/29345/51] Posted by Mark A at 21:02, 18th June 2026 |      |
30mph. Ugh. Passenger here: to any drivers reading this, in the most unlikely case that you find your train is in this predicament, it's fine, once you've set its systems to do their best, to see you out of your cab and heading down the first carriage.
Mark
| Re: Birmingham based CrossCountry ranked Britain's worst train operator - March 2026 In "Cross Country services" [376097/32147/43] Posted by ChrisB at 20:30, 18th June 2026 | |
And Chiltern are somewhat surprisingly, bottom of the LSE operators.
| Birmingham based CrossCountry ranked Britain's worst train operator - March 2026 In "Cross Country services" [376096/32147/43] Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 20:17, 18th June 2026 | |
From the BBC:
Birmingham based CrossCountry ranked Britain's worst train operator
Train operator CrossCountry has been told to raise its performance, after receiving the worst score in a passenger survey.
In three months to the end of March, 72% of Birmingham-based CrossCountry's stops at stations were made within three minutes of the schedule, while 7% of services were cancelled, said Transport Focus.
The watchdog added that of those surveyed, 79% were satisfied with the Arriva Group-owned operator, 77% reported being satisfied with their journey's punctuality and reliability, and 46% said they were satisfied with how the company dealt with delays. The operator said despite slight improvements in some areas, it knew it "must do more to deliver the service our customers rightly deserve".
Transport Focus has asked CrossCountry to improve the passenger experience, reduce delays, provide better information during disruption and cut overcrowding on services.
Hull Trains achieved the best overall satisfaction score at 94%, followed by LNER with 93%.
87% of passengers overall said they were satisfied with their journey and disabled passengers reported lower satisfaction than non-disabled passengers, at 85%. More than 100,000 passengers were questioned in the six months to the end of March.
CrossCountry, the Arriva Group-owned operator, runs long-distance trains serving cities such as Cambridge, Cardiff and Manchester.
Mark Anderson, CrossCountry's customer and commercial director, said that looking forward, its refurbished trains were "transforming" journeys and its new timetable was "delivering better regional connectivity across the country".
"We're always working to improve onboard experience – from cleaning to catering, better wi-fi and clearer information during disruption. In particular, we know that crowding is a challenge and we're working with industry partners to explore all possible options to ease this."
Transport Focus chief executive Alex Robertson said: "This is the first report of its kind. I'm optimistic the railway understands the importance of using it to create a more customer focused culture and we'll be holding them to account to make sure they do."
The chief executive also stated more than nine in 10 people would report a positive experience if a delay was "handled well – a remarkably high figure given their train is late – but this falls to one in four when it isn't".
(BBC article includes graphics, with drop-down menus for individual providers)
Train operator CrossCountry has been told to raise its performance, after receiving the worst score in a passenger survey.
In three months to the end of March, 72% of Birmingham-based CrossCountry's stops at stations were made within three minutes of the schedule, while 7% of services were cancelled, said Transport Focus.
The watchdog added that of those surveyed, 79% were satisfied with the Arriva Group-owned operator, 77% reported being satisfied with their journey's punctuality and reliability, and 46% said they were satisfied with how the company dealt with delays. The operator said despite slight improvements in some areas, it knew it "must do more to deliver the service our customers rightly deserve".
Transport Focus has asked CrossCountry to improve the passenger experience, reduce delays, provide better information during disruption and cut overcrowding on services.
Hull Trains achieved the best overall satisfaction score at 94%, followed by LNER with 93%.
87% of passengers overall said they were satisfied with their journey and disabled passengers reported lower satisfaction than non-disabled passengers, at 85%. More than 100,000 passengers were questioned in the six months to the end of March.
CrossCountry, the Arriva Group-owned operator, runs long-distance trains serving cities such as Cambridge, Cardiff and Manchester.
Mark Anderson, CrossCountry's customer and commercial director, said that looking forward, its refurbished trains were "transforming" journeys and its new timetable was "delivering better regional connectivity across the country".
"We're always working to improve onboard experience – from cleaning to catering, better wi-fi and clearer information during disruption. In particular, we know that crowding is a challenge and we're working with industry partners to explore all possible options to ease this."
Transport Focus chief executive Alex Robertson said: "This is the first report of its kind. I'm optimistic the railway understands the importance of using it to create a more customer focused culture and we'll be holding them to account to make sure they do."
The chief executive also stated more than nine in 10 people would report a positive experience if a delay was "handled well – a remarkably high figure given their train is late – but this falls to one in four when it isn't".
(BBC article includes graphics, with drop-down menus for individual providers)
| Re: Stonehenge - National Monument in Wiltshire: merged posts, ongoing discussion In "The West - but NOT trains in the West" [376095/22806/31] Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 19:58, 18th June 2026 | |
An update, from the BBC:
Simpler, older version of Stonehenge found three miles from famous site
Archaeologists believe they have discovered an earlier, much simpler version of Stonehenge about 3 miles (5km) away from the prehistoric monument.
All that remains of the older structure is two holes in the ground, but the team says they held wooden posts that lined up with the Sun on the summer and winter solstices - the longest and shortest days of the year - in the same way as Stonehenge.
The site has been dated to about 5,000 years old, which predates Stonehenge by 500 years. Artefacts were also found at the site, including pottery, flint tools and animal bone, suggesting prehistoric people held gatherings there.
Phil Harding, from Wessex Archaeology, who led the excavation, said it was one of the best finds of his long career. "Two post pits tell me [much] more about the people 5,000 years ago," he said. "This tells me about the whole community, this tells me about how they were thinking, how they were behaving, how they were revering the heavens."
......
The structure, discovered in the village of Bulford, was a much more simple construction made up of just two wooden posts, which have long since rotted away. They were positioned 120m (394ft) apart and estimated to be between 2m and 4m high.
When Harding uncovered the intriguing holes, he noticed that they seemed to line up with the Sun, just like Stonehenge located a few miles away. "I got my pencil and ruler, and I joined them up, and I was aware that they were kind of pointing in the general direction of the sunrise on midsummer," he said.
(BBC article continues, with more details, images and explanations)
Archaeologists believe they have discovered an earlier, much simpler version of Stonehenge about 3 miles (5km) away from the prehistoric monument.
All that remains of the older structure is two holes in the ground, but the team says they held wooden posts that lined up with the Sun on the summer and winter solstices - the longest and shortest days of the year - in the same way as Stonehenge.
The site has been dated to about 5,000 years old, which predates Stonehenge by 500 years. Artefacts were also found at the site, including pottery, flint tools and animal bone, suggesting prehistoric people held gatherings there.
Phil Harding, from Wessex Archaeology, who led the excavation, said it was one of the best finds of his long career. "Two post pits tell me [much] more about the people 5,000 years ago," he said. "This tells me about the whole community, this tells me about how they were thinking, how they were behaving, how they were revering the heavens."
......
The structure, discovered in the village of Bulford, was a much more simple construction made up of just two wooden posts, which have long since rotted away. They were positioned 120m (394ft) apart and estimated to be between 2m and 4m high.
When Harding uncovered the intriguing holes, he noticed that they seemed to line up with the Sun, just like Stonehenge located a few miles away. "I got my pencil and ruler, and I joined them up, and I was aware that they were kind of pointing in the general direction of the sunrise on midsummer," he said.
(BBC article continues, with more details, images and explanations)
While this has absolutely nothing to do with the railways, public transport or indeed any other means of travel, I do recommend it as a fascinating development in our understanding of history.
CfN.
| Re: New ORR data, GWR shrinks 3% in a year In "Across the West" [376094/32145/26] Posted by grahame at 18:41, 18th June 2026 | |
Just had a thought, if the branch lines affected by flooding were operated by short trains, which were suspended, and train lengths on average got shorter, then figures to some extent masking bigger train lengths cuts elsewhere on network
Gotta love stats!
| Re: Collision between two trains at Llanbrynmair, in Powys, Wales - 21 October 2024 In "The Wider Picture in the United Kingdom" [376093/29345/51] Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 17:59, 18th June 2026 | |
An update, from the BBC:
Train crash that killed one man and injured four others could have been avoided
A head-on fatal collision between two trains in mid Wales could have been avoided, an investigation has found.
One passenger died and four other people were seriously injured when two trains collided in the village of Talerddig, Powys, in October 2024.
An investigation by the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) has concluded the crash would not have happened if one or both of the automatic and manual sanding systems - which increase wheel adhesion to the rails - had been activated.
Transport for Wales (TfW) and Network Rail said that while incidents of this nature were "extremely rare", they would consider the report's recommendations to "help prevent a similar incident".
Tudor Evans from Capel Dewi in Aberystwyth was travelling home from a holiday in Italy when he died on the westbound train.
The 66-year-old was a passenger in the rear carriage of the train to Aberystwyth, as were other people who were seriously injured in the crash just before 19:00 on 21 October, 2024.
The driver of the Shrewsbury train was also seriously injured – the RAIB said he was in the process of leaving the cab when the crash happened and became trapped.
The trains, both operated by Transport for Wales, were travelling on the Cambrian Line. Most of the Cambrian Line is single track but there is a section of dual track near to where the crash happened called the Talerddig Loop. The trains were meant to pass each other in the loop but, on the night of the collision, the train heading towards Aberystwyth was unable to stop despite the brakes being fully applied.
The RAIB said the train slid through the loop and rejoined the single-track section, continuing towards a slope heading for the train coming from the opposite direction. As it slid down the hill, the train gathered speed and collided head on with the train heading towards Shrewsbury.
The RAIB investigators found that, at the point of impact, the Aberystwyth train was travelling at 24mph, and the Shrewsbury train at just 6mph – the driver of the Shrewsbury train had managed to slow down after being warned by the signaller that the other train had failed to stop in the loop. However, due to the failed sanding systems and low wheel-rail adhesion, the speed "was such that the deceleration required to slow the train for the loop could not be sustained".
Both trains involved were fitted with two separate sanding systems – an automatic one which is designed to deliver sand when the train is braking, and an emergency sander, which is activated manually to deliver sand to the front wheels.
The report found "the automatic sander did not function, probably due to the presence of electrical faults in its control circuit, while the manually-operated emergency sander was not activated by the driver". It also noted the "driver stated that it had not occurred to them to use the emergency sanders", with the author of the report adding the driver was not made aware that the automatic system had not sprayed sand on the train's wheels. The report also concluded that adverse weather conditions were another crucial factor in causing the collision.
The RAIB recommended that Transport for Wales should review training, development and processes to ensure train drivers are "competent in actions which may be required in abnormal or emergency situations, and that this competency is appropriately maintained". It added the review should "specifically consider the competencies relating to making emergency calls and the use of emergency sanding systems".
(BBC article continues)
A head-on fatal collision between two trains in mid Wales could have been avoided, an investigation has found.
One passenger died and four other people were seriously injured when two trains collided in the village of Talerddig, Powys, in October 2024.
An investigation by the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) has concluded the crash would not have happened if one or both of the automatic and manual sanding systems - which increase wheel adhesion to the rails - had been activated.
Transport for Wales (TfW) and Network Rail said that while incidents of this nature were "extremely rare", they would consider the report's recommendations to "help prevent a similar incident".
Tudor Evans from Capel Dewi in Aberystwyth was travelling home from a holiday in Italy when he died on the westbound train.
The 66-year-old was a passenger in the rear carriage of the train to Aberystwyth, as were other people who were seriously injured in the crash just before 19:00 on 21 October, 2024.
The driver of the Shrewsbury train was also seriously injured – the RAIB said he was in the process of leaving the cab when the crash happened and became trapped.
The trains, both operated by Transport for Wales, were travelling on the Cambrian Line. Most of the Cambrian Line is single track but there is a section of dual track near to where the crash happened called the Talerddig Loop. The trains were meant to pass each other in the loop but, on the night of the collision, the train heading towards Aberystwyth was unable to stop despite the brakes being fully applied.
The RAIB said the train slid through the loop and rejoined the single-track section, continuing towards a slope heading for the train coming from the opposite direction. As it slid down the hill, the train gathered speed and collided head on with the train heading towards Shrewsbury.
The RAIB investigators found that, at the point of impact, the Aberystwyth train was travelling at 24mph, and the Shrewsbury train at just 6mph – the driver of the Shrewsbury train had managed to slow down after being warned by the signaller that the other train had failed to stop in the loop. However, due to the failed sanding systems and low wheel-rail adhesion, the speed "was such that the deceleration required to slow the train for the loop could not be sustained".
Both trains involved were fitted with two separate sanding systems – an automatic one which is designed to deliver sand when the train is braking, and an emergency sander, which is activated manually to deliver sand to the front wheels.
The report found "the automatic sander did not function, probably due to the presence of electrical faults in its control circuit, while the manually-operated emergency sander was not activated by the driver". It also noted the "driver stated that it had not occurred to them to use the emergency sanders", with the author of the report adding the driver was not made aware that the automatic system had not sprayed sand on the train's wheels. The report also concluded that adverse weather conditions were another crucial factor in causing the collision.
The RAIB recommended that Transport for Wales should review training, development and processes to ensure train drivers are "competent in actions which may be required in abnormal or emergency situations, and that this competency is appropriately maintained". It added the review should "specifically consider the competencies relating to making emergency calls and the use of emergency sanding systems".
(BBC article continues)
The full Rail Accident Investigation Branch report is available on the RAIB website.
| Re: New ORR data, GWR shrinks 3% in a year In "Across the West" [376092/32145/26] Posted by John D at 17:30, 18th June 2026 | |
Just had a thought, if the branch lines affected by flooding were operated by short trains, which were suspended, and train lengths on average got shorter, then figures to some extent masking bigger train lengths cuts elsewhere on network
| Re: New ORR data, GWR shrinks 3% in a year In "Across the West" [376091/32145/26] Posted by John D at 17:27, 18th June 2026 | |
Thought it worth a topic, because clearly cutting the trains whilst increasing passengers is controversial
It *is* (worth a topic) but we need to be very careful in how we read the stats. Is there a stat reporting the distance or time the average passenger spends on a train? Especially over the years. If journey length drops, then more people can use the same seat ... I'm not suggesting it's happened.
Yes, the quarterly summary takes data from ORR spreadsheets that are public, so if for instance want to compare to say 2019 (last year pre-Covid) or compare to say 10 or 15 years ago, can do so.
ORR tables give numbers for each Operator
table 1223 is number of passenger journeys
table 1233 is passenger km (passengers multiplied by distance)
So if divide one by other get average journey length
table 1243 is train km (distance operated)
table 1253 is vehicle (each carriage) km
So if divide, get average number of carriages per train
Clearly can compare average number of carriages now, to earlier dates, or do other ratios such as average number of passengers per coach, or change in average journey length etc.
Of course if go back to far, then need to factor in things like 26m IET vehicles vs 23m HST coaches which distorts crowding as number of seats in each type are different.
| Re: Class 175s to Great Western Railway (GWR) In "Across the West" [376090/28982/26] Posted by REVUpminster at 14:53, 18th June 2026 Already liked by GBM | |
Another move from Wolverton cancelled today. Probably only wanted for spare parts. The Paignton training train only lasted two days.
14 trains and lucky if a third operational. If they had shown such patience with the 769s..
GWR management must be demob happy. He who laughs last has found someone else to blame.| Re: New ORR data, GWR shrinks 3% in a year In "Across the West" [376089/32145/26] Posted by grahame at 14:43, 18th June 2026 Already liked by Mark A | |
Thought it worth a topic, because clearly cutting the trains whilst increasing passengers is controversial
It *is* (worth a topic) but we need to be very careful in how we read the stats. Is there a stat reporting the distance or time the average passenger spends on a train? Especially over the years. If journey length drops, then more people can use the same seat ... I'm not suggesting it's happened.
I could also point out that shortening quieter (mid evening trains and late night trains on Monday to Wednesday) may be an efficiency saving - plenty of space. "At home" I welcome 3 carriages rather than 2 on daytime trains - but on the trains between 19:00 and 21:00 2 is adequate and 3 - when it happens - unnecessary.
| Re: Lost waterway of Melksham - Wiltshire & Berkshire Canal Trust In "Heritage railways, Railtours, buses, canals, steamships and other public transport based attractions" [376088/31863/47] Posted by Mark A at 14:37, 18th June 2026 | |
The canal people have plans, also, there are proposals for a major housing development at Pewsham. It would be good if the latter didn't clash with the former and there's an opportunity to influence the developers.
Mark
https://www.pewshamchippenham.co.uk/next-steps-and-feedback/
| Re: Portishead Line reopening for passengers - Network Rail newsletter In "Campaigns for new and improved services" [376087/231/28] Posted by chuffed at 14:33, 18th June 2026 Already liked by Mark A, Oxonhutch, Chris from Nailsea | |
Network Rail have published their first Portishead line newsletter with extra drop in days next week.
I have signed up to receive digital notifications about the restoration of the railway from Bristol to Portishead – and welcome to the first edition of our newsletter. We’ll be sharing updates of progress on site, traffic management and dates of future community drop-ins. Please get in touch if you have any questions. You’ll find all our details at the end of this email.
Community drop-in sessions
Our next sessions will be held on:
Tuesday 23 June, 3.30 - 7.30pm, Pill Community Centre
Thursday 25 June, 3.30 - 7.30pm, Somerset Hall, Portishead
Everyone is welcome to attend. Our team will be available with more information and to take any questions.
Progress in Portishead
In Portishead, we're setting up our site compound off Harbour Road. A new road and roundabout is being built to move Quays Avenue closer to Sainsburys. This creates space for the new Portishead station.
To allow work to progress, a one-way system will be in use on Harbour Road between Newfoundland Way and the roundabout from Monday 22 June until autumn 2026. Traffic will only flow east, towards the roundabout. A diversion via Wyndham Way and Station Road will be clearly signposted.
Portishead to Sheepway
Between Portishead and Sheepway we've been preparing the area ready for new track to be laid. Tree stumps have been removed, vegetation has been cleared and the old track has been taken up.
Marsh Lane bridge
Marsh Lane bridge is one of four bridges between Portishead and Pill that carries traffic over the railway. They all need to be strengthened to keep the future railway safe. Work to Marsh Lane bridge was completed ahead of schedule, with the road now reopened to traffic. Additional masonry repairs took place to the Victorian structure.
Sheepway bridge
From 25 June until October, we’re strengthening Sheepway bridge. There will be no access for vehicles or pedestrians and a diversion will be clearly signposted. The X4 bus will be diverted via The Portbury Hundred and a shuttle bus will operate between Station Road, Portbury, and Sainsbury’s in Portishead from 7am to 7pm, seven days a week.
Progress in Pill
In Pill, a significant milestone has been achieved with the demolition of the old Station House. This makes way for the new station forecourt. Our site compound at Monmouth Road is being established, with hoardings now erected to help contain dust and noise.
Starting on Monday 29 June until autumn 2026, work will begin to excavate the embankment alongside the railway. This will create space for the new station platform.
Pill Memorial Club
We'll soon begin work to improve the bus stops near Pill Memorial Club. To allow the work to take place, four-way traffic lights will be in place on Lodway, Heywood Road, Station Road and Pill Memorial Club from 3 August to 27 November.
Marsh Lane right of way diversion
To prevent construction traffic from driving through Pill, we're creating a temporary haul road from Marsh Lane to Pill station. To allow this to happen, the public right of way between Marsh Lane bridge and Pill will be temporarily diverted from Monday 6 July until construction is complete in 2028. A clearly signed diversion will be in place via Marsh Lane, Church Road, Debecca’s Lane, Stoneyfields and Lodway Close.
| New ORR data, GWR shrinks 3% in a year In "Across the West" [376086/32145/26] Posted by John D at 13:19, 18th June 2026 | |
The latest quarterly passenger usage data has been issued by ORR covering Jan-March 2026
Per table 5 GWR ran 0.9% less trains than previous year
Per table 6 GWR ran 3% less vehicle km than previous year
GWR is at bottom (worst position by Operator) in both tables
So not only did it shrink in a year, trains had on average 2% less carriages.
Some of the 0.9% cut could be put down to flooding problems on Looe and Barnstaple lines, suspending services, but that doesn't explain the shortening of trains
Table 2 shows GWR had +2% more passengers, so that means on average had about 3% passenger increase per train (and on basis didn't add seats, that means 3% harder to find a seat)
Table 3 gives passenger km, and that was 0.3% up
Clearly this is a complete mismatch to the 3% cut in vehicle km
So basically (on average) trying to squeeze about 2-3 extra people per carriage.
https://dataportal.orr.gov.uk/media/j1mdc31j/passenger-rail-usage-jan-mar-2026.pdf
Thought it worth a topic, because clearly cutting the trains whilst increasing passengers is controversial
| Re: And for my third trip on this year's Interrail pass .. In "Introductions and chat" [376085/32142/1] Posted by Mark A at 13:02, 18th June 2026 | |
I probably could have done without discovering the LIDAR mapping for France, but, it can't be helped and now I have. Not a railway on which Graham will have travelled as it never saw tracks: here's a link to lidar covering the trackbed of the Transcévenole, near the village of Présailles, at the point that construction finally ended. Immediately beyond would have been the site of yet another large viaduct. Hoping the URL will survive as a link even if the railway never attained that status...
Mark
https://www.geoportail.gouv.fr/carte?c=4.037808565578534,44.88038826463787&z=16&l0=ORTHOIMAGERY.ORTHOPHOTOS::GEOPORTAIL:OGC:WMTS(1)&l1=IGNF_LIDAR-HD_MNT_ELEVATION.ELEVATIONGRIDCOVERAGE.SHADOW(1)&l2=IGNF_LIDAR-HD_MNS_ELEVATION.ELEVATIONGRIDCOVERAGE.SHADOW(0.6)&permalink=yes
| Re: How would YOU solve CrossCountry ? In "Across the West" [376084/32138/26] Posted by a-driver at 12:24, 18th June 2026 Already liked by GBM | |
Avoid anything made by Hitachi, as that has become a toxic brand.
I’d tend to agree…. but with nationalisation round the corner it would make more sense to go with Hitachi IETs. Current GWR crews could then easily cover current XC work.
| Re: How would YOU solve CrossCountry ? In "Across the West" [376083/32138/26] Posted by Richard Fairhurst at 11:53, 18th June 2026 Already liked by Mark A | |
In the absence of a replacement for the Voyagers, I'd increase regional services on the CrossCountry routes where there's overcrowding.
So more GWR services on Oxford–Banbury. More Chiltern services on Banbury–Birmingham (and that's happening!). More regional services on Cheltenham–Birmingham – perhaps by extending the TfW service from Cardiff. An EMU shuttle from Birmingham to Manchester using the spare 350s.
I know each of these have their own challenges. But generally I think expecting long-distance CrossCountry services to be the main provider for local journeys is a fool's errand.
| Re: And for my third trip on this year's Interrail pass .. In "Introductions and chat" [376082/32142/1] Posted by grahame at 11:39, 18th June 2026 Already liked by Mark A | |
Excellent. Hope you made the train. Hope you ever have mobile signal again...
Mark
Mark
I made the train and indeed 5.25 hours later have arrived in Nimes ... to find all the other trains in utter chaos due to "person hit by train". Stopping for lunch.
| Re: How would YOU solve CrossCountry ? In "Across the West" [376081/32138/26] Posted by broadgage at 11:09, 18th June 2026 | |
Buy or lease a limited number of FULL LENGTH trains, fixed formation 9 or 10 vehicles. Use these on the most popular services, thereby freeing up existing short units to double up and relieve overcrowding.
Avoid "flexible train length" as flexible means shorter.
Include ample luggage space, with provision for cycles and surfboards.
A full buffet.
Selective door opening.
Avoid anything made by Hitachi, as that has become a toxic brand.
| Re: And for my third trip on this year's Interrail pass .. In "Introductions and chat" [376080/32142/1] Posted by Mark A at 10:47, 18th June 2026 | |
At least you won't be heading off through one of the world's most photogenic roofed railways.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/3utUwVqprLLEV4bq5
Or perhaps you are...
Mark
| Re: And for my third trip on this year's Interrail pass .. In "Introductions and chat" [376079/32142/1] Posted by Mark A at 09:22, 18th June 2026 | |
Excellent. Hope you made the train. Hope you ever have mobile signal again...
Mark
| Re: How would YOU solve CrossCountry ? In "Across the West" [376078/32138/26] Posted by REVUpminster at 07:44, 18th June 2026 Already liked by Mark A | |
London Buses had this problem 40 years ago of late running and traffic congestion. Their solution was to shorten the routes. Not liked but inevitable.
GWR have done it with the the Cardiff-Penzance services; although with the 175s I thought they might come back but the train is so unreliable and the stock has had no effect on increasing capacity in Devon and Cornwall or elsewhere by releasing the 158s to Bristol.
| Re: Dual Nationality, Electronic Travel Authorisation and Border Control delays In "The Wider Picture Overseas" [376077/29537/52] Posted by Bob_Blakey at 07:38, 18th June 2026 Already liked by Mark A | |
.....though neither directly said EES was responsible. .....
They didn't need to - anybody with a pair of eyes knows why this is happening.
| Re: And for my third trip on this year's Interrail pass .. In "Introductions and chat" [376076/32142/1] Posted by grahame at 05:02, 18th June 2026 Already liked by Mark A, Western Pathfinder | |
There are some wonderful adventures to be had, and memories made even if they are adverse at the time. I will tell you about the escape from St Lazare at some point. But today / this morning off on a journey that has been on my bucket list for - well, not all that long, but it's become one of those that I must make. Had to get skipped when we were close to here last year. Let's try this year. 06:45 train - best head for station
| Re: Dual Nationality, Electronic Travel Authorisation and Border Control delays In "The Wider Picture Overseas" [376075/29537/52] Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 22:51, 17th June 2026 | |
An update, from the BBC:
Athens passport 'mega queue' strands Ryanair passengers
Ryanair passengers were stranded in Greece after their UK-bound flight left without them as airports grapple with passport control delays.
The flight from Athens International Airport to London Luton on Sunday reportedly left without 20 to 50 passengers, some of whom became visibly angry, prompting airport authorities to step in, the BBC has been told.
It is the latest incident since the EU's Entry Exit System (EES) was brought in to track when non-EU citizens enter or leave the Schengen free movement area.
Ryanair blamed border delays, while the airport said it had been experiencing congestion linked to "additional processing requirements", though neither directly said EES was responsible.
In April, Greek tourism minister Olga Kefalogianni promised British passengers would not face biometric checks or be "burdened" by bureaucracy when travelling to Greece this summer. But the situation is unclear after the Greek Foreign Ministry later disputed that any exemption existed.
Milo Boyd, a Daily Mirror travel writer who managed to board Sunday's Ryanair flight to Luton, said he had not had his fingerprints scanned or his photo taken on entry or exit at Athens. He told the BBC there had been a "mega queue" of several hundred people at both security and passport control amid stifling temperatures.
(BBC article continues)
Ryanair passengers were stranded in Greece after their UK-bound flight left without them as airports grapple with passport control delays.
The flight from Athens International Airport to London Luton on Sunday reportedly left without 20 to 50 passengers, some of whom became visibly angry, prompting airport authorities to step in, the BBC has been told.
It is the latest incident since the EU's Entry Exit System (EES) was brought in to track when non-EU citizens enter or leave the Schengen free movement area.
Ryanair blamed border delays, while the airport said it had been experiencing congestion linked to "additional processing requirements", though neither directly said EES was responsible.
In April, Greek tourism minister Olga Kefalogianni promised British passengers would not face biometric checks or be "burdened" by bureaucracy when travelling to Greece this summer. But the situation is unclear after the Greek Foreign Ministry later disputed that any exemption existed.
Milo Boyd, a Daily Mirror travel writer who managed to board Sunday's Ryanair flight to Luton, said he had not had his fingerprints scanned or his photo taken on entry or exit at Athens. He told the BBC there had been a "mega queue" of several hundred people at both security and passport control amid stifling temperatures.
(BBC article continues)
| Re: And for my third trip on this year's Interrail pass .. In "Introductions and chat" [376074/32142/1] Posted by Mark A at 22:24, 17th June 2026 Already liked by PrestburyRoad, grahame, GBM | |
**snip**
to Clermont Ferrand
**snip**
to Clermont Ferrand
**snip**
tl:dr - Graham will have a lovely time, I'm sure and has already had a smoother start than did I to this location.
This was the destination for a shortish break trip (quite some time ago) publicised via a newspaper marketing tie-in - and stated (somewhat correctly) as a rail-based holiday in France - the group size was about 34 people. Correct in that the heavy lifting was done by train - Eurostar from Waterloo - across Paris to Gare du Lyon and then south to Clermont Ferrand in... I can't recall if they were then marketed as 'Service Teoz' - it might have been before that time. The trip was peppered with memorable hiccups, the first of which was that the tour company rather than take everyone on the Paris metro had organised a coach for the transfer - which turned up an hour late owing to some BST confusion or other on behalf of the travel company. Consequently the party had just a few minutes to put themselves onto the long distance train at the Gare de Lyon. The coach driver achieved this by taking the coach on a route between the station and dropping everyone off 'Traffic-side' from where we made our way to an entrance from road level. Within about a minute of the coach stopping, up turned the gendarmerie on motorcycles and were not at all pleased with everyone concerned.
Anyway, a gallop up to the platform and there was the train - these are electric loco and what feels like around 16 carriages. Quickly boarding, the tour guide even more quickly found that the block of reserved seats for us were occupied by a school party, off on a stay away, but their travel plans hadn't gone as far as reserving seats themselves - they'd been delighted to find a bunch of reserved seats all together though and refused to relinquish them.
(The mix of people on this tour was... challenging to manage and this cross-Paris leg set things up for the rest of the week.)
From Clermont Ferrand, the next (short) leg was a coach - the hotel for the week was in a town called Chatel Guyon - which has lost its rail link, though its sizeable station survives as a facility for various activities.
On arrival at the hotel, it transpired that it had been under heavy refurbishment, which hadn't completed on time and it appeared to have been reopened in haste. Allocation of the rooms turned into a lottery for the party - we were fortunate in that ours was complete. Others were not so lucky. Alarmingly the external fire escape was in use storing building materials...
There was a silver lining to this. The hotel management announced that for the week's stay, at evening meals, house wine would be provided on the house. Given the tensions in the party, this could have been disastrous, but as it turned out, the impact was mostly positive. Mostly.
Chatel Guyon itself holds a curious place in French history, and for multiple reasons. A medicinal spa and destination for recuperation and hydrotherapy, I think it had recently lost a tranche of funding from the french health service. It was still possible, though, to see fragile people delicately walking in the general direction of La Valée de Sans Souci clasping a small glass bottle in a wicker case, a receptacle for the town's medicinal water. (For some reason I've not fathomed the area's a hotbed of vulcanism that has only recently somewhat subsided and there are still hot springs to be found, not to mention the topography).
Now, the week's activities: provided was a series of day tours to various spectacular towns, villages and churches. By coach - which left some of the party who'd hoped for some rail interest slightly miffed. Especially as the hundreds of miles between Paris and Clermont are pretty flat, the ohie electric train maintaining an impressively fast and steady speed for hours on end to eat up the distance. At Clermont the railway hits the hills, and from then on things are full of railway interest, and some of said railway is still in use. Not, however, the line across the Fades viaduct, the scale of which has to be seen to be believed.
The week's excursions did give the occasional glimpse of something railway though - and on one memorably wet and cold day there was a collective sigh from everyone as we glimpsed one of those single carriage shuttlecock shaped railcars in use on more minor French lines, swinging around a curve about 100 metres away. Then, a visit (by coach) to the town of Mont Dore, which has a charming and hairy funicular (closed at the time, now back in use) and a rail terminus, (open at the time, now out of use). Also the view from the chapel Saint-Michel d'Aiguilhe in Le Puy-en-Velay - a distant view of a viaduct on the edge of town with a somewhat archaic works train happening to cross it.
It was some years later, looking on Google satellite imagery, that I found at that location the Ligne du Puy à Langogne, much of which is a voie verte (and france has no qualms about re-using railway tunnels for these, it has to be said). It was some years later still that I noticed on satellite imagery *another* out of use trackbed branching off this first one on the edge of the town - the part-built line - La Transcévenole - sections of which seem to be emerging as a voie verte as well and whose story is *most* improbable - one of its tunnels (Le Roux) has been reused for a road.
Anyway, back to the long-ago holiday which concluded as it had begun and by the time the entire party was aboard the Eurostar back to Waterloo, I have a vague memory of a grand emotional bust up that resulted in the group, for the general benefit of one of the party, splitting into two caring factions, each taking themselves off to a separate carriage. It has to be said that this particular tour wouldn't have been one that the tour guide would have looked back on with fondness....
Mark
[Edit as I'd fantasised about Le Roux tunnel's altitude. Still wouldn't want to take a vehicle through the thing, mind...]
| Re: How would YOU solve CrossCountry ? In "Across the West" [376073/32138/26] Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 21:44, 17th June 2026 Already liked by IndustryInsider, broadgage | |
How would YOU solve CrossCountry ?
I'd renationalise it.
Oh ... hold on a minute.
| Re: Heavy road vehicles on railway level crossings - various incidents In "The Wider Picture Overseas" [376072/29071/52] Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 21:20, 17th June 2026 | |
With my apologies that it has taken rather longer than I expected, stuving, I have now made at least a start on splitting off posts relating specifically to this new topic heading and merging them here. The original post headings have been retained, wherever possible.
There are still some relevant posts in the 'France' topic in particular, and on the 'Wider Picture Overseas' board generally, which I will continue to identify, move and merge with these here.
Thanks again for your constructive suggestion. Regards, CfN.
| Re: And for my third trip on this year's Interrail pass .. In "Introductions and chat" [376071/32142/1] Posted by grahame at 19:50, 17th June 2026 | |
So, Graham has found a train or trains to Clermont-Ferrand that did not
1. expire in the heat and leave everyone stranded for several hours in an uncooled train, or
2. get cancelled in advance by SNCF in an attempt to avoid (2).
A new batch of cancellations was announced for this weekend because this heatwave is forecast as even hotter than last month's.
1. expire in the heat and leave everyone stranded for several hours in an uncooled train, or
2. get cancelled in advance by SNCF in an attempt to avoid (2).
A new batch of cancellations was announced for this weekend because this heatwave is forecast as even hotter than last month's.
The 26 hours has been charmed by the reliability - two short delays, one at Lewes as we waited for a late running connecting train from London, and one outside Westbury waiting for a platform. Both were explained by train crew, and neither created the slightest worry in my mind; both simple reduced the wait time for the next connection.
| Re: Looe Branch Line - timetables, cancellations, engineering work, closures and incidents In "Shorter journeys in Plymouth and Cornwall" [376070/569/25] Posted by grahame at 19:37, 17th June 2026 Already liked by GBM | |
Sorry, I'm verging on being less than impartial here, and I shouldn't, as an administrator. 
I was on that verge too ... let's just say that sometime a true word is written in jest.
| Re: And for my third trip on this year's Interrail pass .. In "Introductions and chat" [376069/32142/1] Posted by stuving at 19:20, 17th June 2026 | |
So, Graham has found a train or trains to Clermont-Ferrand that did not
1. expire in the heat and leave everyone stranded for several hours in an uncooled train, or
2. get cancelled in advance by SNCF in an attempt to avoid (2).
A new batch of cancellations was announced for this weekend because this heatwave is forecast as even hotter than last month's.
