All good news about potential NEW Pullmans, but would anyone like to comment which might be the best day on which to get a seat in the restaurant (18.03 PAD^» (Paddington (London) - next trains)) using only a standard class ticket. Readers will realise this is because no reasonably priced First Class tickets are (ever) available. It does seem a lot to pay + the meal, if this was purely a leisure trip!

Interesting how fashions change. There have been various cycles over the years when Weymouth services have 1. terminated at Bristol, or 2. continued northwards. The usual reason given for separate services (when they have reverted to that format) is simpler/reliable operating which seems logical (apart perhaps from occupying more platform space at Bristol). The opposite type of reason is provided when they become through services. I doubt (stand to be corrected) that there are many cross-Bristol journeys (except perhaps from Filton or Parkway) so providing there are reasonable connections, each option is fine.

Indeed not so far back, all/most Weymouth services did not venture north of Westbury. Onward with a Class 33 and Mk1s (side corridor too) towards Cardiff.

Portsmouth to Cardiff has long been regarded as a "trunk route," (except perhaps when the 3Hs were in charge) and will no doubt be kept as such. Interesting to ask the proportion of cross Bristol journeys there actually are though?   

 

Useful hint about the Bromsgrove easement from Bignosemac higher up. Would be interesting to see how many XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) conductors accept it without a fuss.

The easement as written (by ATOC^» (Association of Train Operating Companies See - here)) seems clear enough but I suspect only available from points south of Cheltenham. So will this option be available on all/most flexible tickets from South West lands?

Trainline searches do not show fares for (some/all?) routes from South West to Bromsgrove, but Mixing Desk searches do, although these are generally shown as via WSH.

Recently made an (OPR) booking Frome to Derby and saved ^10 by doing a Cheltenham split, but Bromsgrove would save about ^30!

Further to my earlier post in "Kennet." It is pretty clear that on the 18.06 PAD^» (Paddington (London) - next trains)-FRO^» (Frome - next trains) if you buy a through ticket from PAD/RDG^‡(resolve) to beyond BDW, then you need an Anytime ticket (or an Advance) at considerable expense. Hence these journeys are PEAK. This can be mitigated by a split at a suitable B+H station (THE is most economic) using tickets which have some flexibility, and therefore could be used on the later evening trains to WSB^» (Westbury - next trains).

Just to add a small contribution. The Irish Track gauge of 5ft 3in was determined by a Parliamentary Committee deliberating in about 1850 (I have not checked the date). This was of course when Ireland was one nation/country/island and could be considered as part of GB^▸ (Great Britain)/UK^▸ (United Kingdom). Presumably they determined that this gauge was more efficient and allowed higher speed etc. and laid down for all "main" Irish routes. Interesting then that nothing much was ever made of this with no doubt low maximum and average speeds applying all over Ireland until quite recent times.

Parts of Irish Rail still hark back to 1850. For example try a journey from Limerick Junction to Waterford (and formerly Rosslare) which will take you back a bit. I did this in 2009. Arrangements at Limerick Junction and along the route would bring back memories of places like Templecombe or Dorchester South, in times gone by. Other parts much more up to date. 

Being nominally a resident of Frome (Currently viewing excessive sunshine over Baku Bay! Tough eh!), I have never really checked fare options for the 18.06 evening train. Usually regarded it as too expensive and wait for the later train.

However, on checking, the trick here is split tickets at Theale which then becomes ^16.40+9.80 (very reasonable). Same price to WSB^» (Westbury - next trains). These are non-advance tickets so provide some flexiblity. Similar tricks can be done for the 17.06 PAD^» (Paddington (London) - next trains)-TRO^» (Trowbridge - next trains) etc. and for the morning equivalent trains. Here an advance ticket to Theale is required for best value. Some while ago the advance fare was ^3 but FGW^▸ (First Great Western) are clearly getting wiser. Theale stops are limited on the "IC^▸ (Inter City) trains" so NBY^» (Newbury - next trains) splits may need to be made instead.

I guess the absence of evening restriction continues to apply to all former NSE^▸ (Network South East) stations/services, out to Bedwyn, hence the messages Grahame received on his journey.