What are valid posting, discussion, drifting discussions on the Coffee Shop?  In one "corner" we have members who would enjoy talking here drifting into a wide range of areas - some controversial - that are of potential interest to many of our members who are very much astute and thinking people with a wide range of views across the whole world (and occasionally into space) subjects.  And in the other corner, we have members who come here looking for a much more focused feed of data and discussion that are very much narrowed down.

From a social media platform where I contribute, just as a member.  An admin wrote this morning ... "Closing comments, not Interrail related and this is not the platform to discuss this issue" ... her prerogative to do so; I had my thoughts about the security of using booking.com, and felt the discussion was of good and of interest to people travelling by Interrail as we all have to find somewhere to stop overnight.  That's an excellent example of the decisions moderators and admins make here.

It won't come as any surprise to Coffee Shop members - or indeed guests - that your team keeps an eye on this direction "Behind the Counter".  No changes - I think we have it about right, but general review (taking note of cases but not making policy updates based on single cases) is useful.  And this is a "Webmaster" post - written in my words, but reflecting some discussions.

The Coffee Shop forum is for friendly information sharing and discussion and that stipulation which says that your posts need to be friendly transcends anything about topics.  If you were to call somebody a dozy pillock, it would not be acceptable even if it related - for example - to a discussion about whether rubber mats should be laid along the Portishead branch to allow cars as well as trains onto it. And if one of our MPs switched from the party he was elected to represent to a party he defeated by over 10,000 votes, you can't come on here and slag him, or a supporter of his who's a member here, off in offensive terms.

Ah - but I am aware just how easy it is to slip up and cause unintentional upset or offence, and such matters are best dealt with by a quiet explanatory word.  Let's face it - our typical member profile is of grouch old men (I am one!) and being nice to others isn't always natural.

This is a travel and transport focused group, covering primarily that wedge of the UK that stretches from London with a westward flavour all the way out into the English Channel, Cardigan Bay, and points between.   But - travel is so often across borders outward from that area, examples are to be found near and far, and travel is so much part of the fabric of day to day life that geographically and topic-wise things will range widely.

Travel and transport has grown to include, these days, just about any form of transport.  Rail is steel wheeled (are there still any rubber-tyre metros in Paris?) but that is very much a mechanical feature and not a traveller benefit directly.  So rubber, water, air, plastic (soles on shoes), hooves all valid media

Travel and transport is also so much a piece of the jigsaw of life, and straying into nearby pieces of that jigsaw, where there is a thread of it linking back to the "getting around" business, is fine.  Boards such as "The West, but not trains in The West, "And Also" and even "introductions and chat" by their very titles rather confirm this allowance of crossthreads.

The Coffee Shop remains welcoming to everyone who's prepared to follow our guidelines - the forum agreement and surrounding posts at https://www.passenger.chat/r1761.html . Views do not need to match mine (or our members views) but we ask people to be legal, decent and honest - and to stay, as described above, within the areas that we cover and their side shoots

There is - there will remain - a degree of compromise here - steering a middle course, if you like.  "This is a rail forum" advocates might object to my political comments above about an MP jumping ship to another party, whereas "This is for people with transport interest" would object to me - or any of the team - removing discussions on that MP's decision, which may or may not include the policies he follows as a results in relation to passengers and services at Pewsey and Bedwyn.

Posted initially 19.10.2026 / based on moderator and admin discussions, but written personally as I reach for the right words and to land in the right place.  Subject to update over coming days and weeks if there's anything missed, any misdirection in it, if I have got anything wrong.

 
I think it relates as to whether it has handles to enable manual pushing...although I don't know for certain. But I do know that the definitions are as I state - and that, therefore, Lumo would need to accept the carry-on case along with a wheelchair, but could include a mobility aid as that allowance.

 

Interestingly, Chris - the Lumo wording makes no mention of either.   There is nothing saying they will refuse either if it fits in their size limitation - but then if the person who needs the mobility aid wishes to bring a suitcase - kching - that will be forty quid please.  No refusal to carry.

Where does the (legal) definition boundary lie?  Does it relate to whether there's some sort of steering / handle bar in front of the chair user?  So it's an electric wheelchair if it has a driving joystick on the arm, but not if a similar joystick is on a column in from of the user??

 
FWIW AI says:
https://www.klunderbie.com/clients/

 
In law, there is a difference between a mobility scooter (mobility aid) and an (electric or manual) wheelchair (disability aid) - which is how carriers can refuse the former but never the latter.

 

My data feed has brought out complaints about people being "fined" £40 for breaking a "silly rule" when travelling on the train.  Turns out to be a grumble about Lumo's policy / system:

https://www.lumo.co.uk/plan-your-journey/onboard-luggage-policy


We would be in trouble there or rather we would have to spend at extra £40 - Lisa's mobility device Henry does fold to suitcase size, but that would leave her no allowance for anything beyond a handbag.  Reading carefully, it says it's a maximum for ALL customers - no allowance made in the rule as stated in public for people who need disability aids - and s such potentially discriminatory.

 

They are still there in the timetable, but are currently recorded as station stop unadvertised, so won't appear on journey planners or ticket sites, eg

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:L00524/2026-12-17/detailed

I don't think ORR has approved them (yet), they might still be amended to normal station, a week or two after approval, but they aren't going to meet the industry standard that final timetable should be available for ticket sales minimum 12 weeks ahead.

But ORR has been known to take 18+ months for new service applications, it seems to operate more at glacial pace, than burning midnight oil to produce prompt decisions

 

following up, off topic, here - quoting purely pictures from Limoges.  Riots in France this week have resulted in the historic Town Hall being set alight, the spire collapsing, and the building being burnt out. 

https://www.euronews.com/2026/10/18/spire-collapses-at-historic-limoges-town-hall-amid-violent-protests-across-france

We did not find the city to be a pretty or welcoming one - the best bit was the railway station - but oh/my/goodness!!

 
GWR are running a Black Friday sale again this year available via gwr.com/sale and the GWR app.

Available to purchase 30 Oct -02 Nov for travel between 06 Nov - 17 Dec.

Not available for purchase to travel on:
07 Nov/14 Nov/21 Nov/11 Dec/12 Dec between Paddington - Cardiff/Swansea/Carmarthen/Pembroke Dock
Sundays during promotional period between Paddington - Cardiff/Swansea/Carmarthen/Pembroke Dock & Cardiff - Portsmouth
08 Nov/15 Nov/22 Nov/28 Nov/29 Nov/6 Dec on any journey
05 Nov/6 Dec/12 Dec/13 Dec between Bristol TM - Weston SM/Taunton/Exeter/Plymouth/Penzance

 

Yeah - the seats were very uncomfortable and it was just about the only way to be comfortable for long periods.  Heel of shoe you'll notice and not the potentially dirty sole.


A case of art that I would not chose for my home.  No idea why *those* were chosen, though I suppose there is something of a Spanish theme.

 

Sorry about that - now at https://www.passenger.chat/nrtt/2023_05/ - we added a degree of consistency as we moved from http to https.

 
With the exception of the Harwich to Hook of Holland ferry route, we find when using ferries to mainland Europe or Ireland as foot passengers that we are stuffed onto buses that are overcrowded to the "rammed" level. It's for a relatively short ride between the terminal and the ship. And we find that we are loaded onto the bus some time before it leaves while we wait for the last stragglers. And we find that it's very much "survival of the fittest" in getting on and off the bus, and onwards through the next stage - the seats go to those who, perhaps, least need them.

I can understand the ecomomics of keeping a fleet of buses for just one or two very short journeys a day; financially, the arrangement makes sense for the companies.  And they can use the crappest of old vehicles too.

The "survival of the fittest" is an interesting one and I will leave an open question here as to whether that should, or should not, be an issue.  Don't get me wrong - staff are extemely helpful, but as we joined the bus in Portsmoouth, and then again on the ship in Santander, we were back of the line. Just about space for mobility aid "Henry" on the bus, but Lisa had to struggle to stand while people averted their eyes / looked the other way.  And when we got off the bus in Santander to pass through the immigrations system we were, of course, behind everyone else again.  There's no right and wrong here - just a challenge to find a happy medium; no demand for preferrential treatment but it would be lovely not to consistently be the ones waiting or standing.









I am somewhat limited in the pictures here - rules are not to take pictures in security / passport control / customs areas, and I've not done so.

 
The link in the quote isn't working now?

 

Updating - current and recent years all mirrored via https://www.passenger.chat/nrtt.html ... the May to December 2026 set was late arriving - I suspect not uploaded to the National Rail website until late in the day (or it could be that I missed finding it when I looked) so no promise there will be a set there from 13th December 2026 when the timetables change.

 

Interesting pictures on wall… is that Melania?

 
Showing on RTT this morning as 3 coaches!

 
Whilst the new TfW services between Bristol and Cardiff Central/West Wales were showing up on Realtimetrains as starting from Sunday 13th December, for some reason these are now longer showing on there.  Does this mean that these new TfW services have now not been approved as starting from 13th December or that there is a delay to when these services will now start?

 
I have added the Fastnet race disaster to "On this day" for 14th August so we are reminded each year. I will NOT add a pointer to this thread; this thread is in "The Lighter Side" and the race disaster is about as far from that a light topic as you can get!

 

The main policy should be to drastically reduce fossil fuel use, not by trading, offsetting or purchasing indulgences, but actual physical reductions.

Tax road fuel to a greater extent than at present, and extend the same tax to aircraft fuel.
greatly increase wind and solar electricity production.

 

I wonder if that's to do with 175 availability. The GWR facilities book advertises the 175 as serving Falmouth. A 175 hasn't been to Newquay since August.

 

The Fastnet Disaster wason thew other evening.
I was on duty that Monday morning as it all really 'got going'.
The night shift we took over from just had a new yachts in trouble.
Never forgotten.

 

Coincidentally, a former girlfriend of mine and her parents on their yacht were also caught out by the storm and had a pretty grim time of it going by her account.  Fortunately, they all made it back safely.

 
......and bringing up the rear...................

 
Talking yesterday with someone who normally can be trusted who suggested that through trains were likely to be delayed until Dec 2027 possibly May 2028, has anyone heard similar or is the original May 2027 target still on course?

 
If no one has said it before - The Salamanca.

Co incidentally, I was on the Salamanca on Thursday evening this week, and travel back to Portsmouth on Friday week. I will keep a look out for those clouds.

 

My uncle was also caught up in that incident - he was very grateful to be rescued by being picked up from the sea and winched up into a helicopter.

 

Rarely a problem with extra trains between Westbury and Bradford Junction - the throttle point is, I believe, between Avoncliff and Bathampton with long signalling section(s).   There will probably be the regular Sunday service through Melksham, and a couple of steam excursions.   Hopefully people will have gone out to see them yesterday, and anyone on the platform today will stand well back behind the yellow line.

 
2U09 (07:59 Exeter St Davids to Cardiff Central due 10:24) has just passed Bradford Junction and has got to Avoncliff - logically enough.