From my read there are a couple of important changes - one negative, the other positive. Grahame has already pointed out the restriction on multiple 'ordinary' tickets plus a season/ranger to one ordinary and one season. Personally I thought the former interpretation though correct in the reading of the Conditions, was renally extractive in effect.

Another big change is 14.4


This stops one taking a different route with the split ticket combination. I have a season ticket from a local Thames Valley station to London Terminals.  I have in the past bought a day return from my Thames Valley station to Islip and travelled up to Islip on the GW^▸ (Great Western)/bus replacement/Chiltern and then travelled direct to Marylebone from Islip as my ticket combination was from Islip to London Terminals (the resulting direct route was actually cheaper than my combo) and I passed nowhere near my TV station - let alone through it! Now each ticket's routing must follow the routing guide so what ever happens, the route is likely to have to be via the splitting station.

Next are season ticket refunds and this was always a huge rip-off by the railway effectively making the value of the ticket nought after eight of its twelve months.


Now the refund value is based on applicable season ticket prices (plus the odd top-up) rather than back calculating the full price of a return journey for each used day when calculating the refund value.  This was so unfair that I am not surprised this clause has now been inserted. Possibly the 'Consumer Rights Act 2015' prompted this major change.

Thanks Bill, I stand corrected over what I was told in there - not by NR^» (Network Rail - home page) staff, but my own S+T people. There are a number of 'Midland' additions to the standard GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway)/Western Region equipment. The catch-handle worked electric lock releases being one such feature I believe.  Again, I may stand corrected on that. I certainly encourage all who haven't visited yet to do so.  A lovely 'box.

Banbury North (whose electric locking I helped release for the current display period) is just in the Midland Region - the road bridge behind (in the penultimate photo above) is the actual boundary. Banbury South - to whom it communicated by bells - was in the Western Region!

There is a funny mixture of instruments in the box that reflects its varied heritage.

Only Platform 1 (Swindon-bound) is (was) accessible without using the subway.  Tracks above ok but platforms 2-5 cut-off by flooded subway.

Direction to go to Cholsey not so good as Station Road closed there due to flooding under the railway bridge. Interesting trip to work today!

From my own railway training: an orange hi-vi cannot be mistaken for a green or yellow signal when trackside - the yellow ones have a greenish tinge, and might.  When BTP et al. are trackside, nothing is running so their hi-vi colour is not an issue.

First Class? You'll be lucky. I didn't see any provision when I glanced over the unit in the depot recently.

Hence in anticipation, the total removal from the 165s and de facto removal from the 166s.

I can see the unions getting involved in this. It could have been one of their members - after all the droplight is for the guard's use.  A blow to the head doesn't need to be 60 mph to kill you. I reckon 10 mph could be sufficient in the wrong circumstances - just checking up on some late running or other foreseeable circumstances.

On the London Underground the clearence is probably five inches but there no-one can poke their head out.  I sense a serious industry failing.

And taught me by my father who used it regularly as a National Serviceman coming home on packed trains out of Euston in the late 1950's.

A single winding centre tapped at 0 (rail) voltage ?

That sounds like them being run through under a possession.

Unless he was hit by something seriously out of gauge, he would have to have leaned out a far way.  I seem to recall that an open carriage door (of the slam-door variety) should not foul a passing train or structure. An open carriage door on each train would be a different matter.  That said, an electric train can approach almost silently - especially from behind.

Was working at Banbury North Signalbox today and en route from Oxford saw the queue of up trains between Anyho Jnc and Banbury around Kings Sutton. My goodness, signalling equipment is heavy! But he-ho all for a good cause. Beautiful 'box though.

Well the good lady and I have just returned from our Anniversary holiday at the Luttrell Arms in Dunster.  Absolutely fantastic: the rooms, service and food.  I would highly recommend this hotel to you. And thank-you to those who reminded me of its presence.

In the end we opted to drive at just under three hours but did take a ride on the West Somerset Railway - a very impressive undertaking. Also the Lynmouth Cliff Railway - great engineering principles: simple and strong.

I don't think we will see that soon.  It is adding an extra dimension (price) to a classic 'Travelling Salesman Problem', an algorithm for which has not yet been found in the Mathematical World. Go for the Fields Medal* and help us get cheaper fares!

*There is no Nobel Prize in mathematics - but that is a different story ...

The things that run over it are not original Brunel either - despite what some would have us believe.