Are GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) ashamed of their new station? They have added Reading Green Park to their on train announcements, but have got the sound balance so far out that you can hardly hear Reading Green Park.

Coming back about 18:00 on Saturday five people got on.

Some time ago somebody was enquiring at Reading station about getting to High Wycombe. Needless to say was quoted eye-watering sums of money via London. I stuck my oar in (as I do!) and suggested going to Friar Street and catch an 800 or 850 which will probably get you there quicker and certainly cheaper.

Which is why Reading has removed all its "new" ticket machines?

What do you expect for your money?

A 5% increase in blx, any time.

Now is that accuracy or precision?

Possibly the only good thing of being acqured by by Go-Ahead/Oxford Bus Company?

Completely out of context. The Kings Coronation parade was much shorter than that for his mother because the Armed Forces no longer have the number of bodies to line a route that long.

Getting back closer to the subject do we know whether Imber Bus day Saturday 19th August 2023 is "safe" or not. After last year they could do with some decent numbers to bolster the fund raising.

This Saturday's trip was down to the coast, but a different part to Graham. As mentioned elsewhere there was no Panama hat involved.

As is my wont I got a return from RDG^‡(resolve) to Portsmouth Harbour, which allows me to either go via Guildford or Basingstoke. Got a Gatwick train to Guildford, busy but not packed. Then a Portsmouth Harbour "fast", in the days of my youth there were no fast trains on the Portsmouth Direct line only "semi-fast" and slow (presumably too honest for the current times). Again busy but not packed.

Got off at Havant, left the good lady to run through to PMH and explore Portsmouth. I cycled down the Hayling Billy Line to the Hayling Ferry. Sea was relatively calm and only a light following wind. The Hayling Ferry was packed with both bikes and people.

Cycled from Eastney along the seafront at Southsea, which was busy, to The Hard (bus train interchange at PMH) where I met the other half. Got the ferry to Gosport (busy), where we had a bite of lunch. I left her to use the other half of the ferry ticket and carry on exploring Portsmouth.

I cycled on Stokes Bay, Lee on (the) Solent where the Hovercraft Museum was open as I went by. Got to the Hamble Ferry where the sign said that the last ferry had gone, much stroking of beard (thinking?) when somebody said the ferry was coming so three of got on the little pink ferry, about eight had got off.

Cycled on to Southampton, slight deviation in Woolston (got lost?) I am used to going in the opposite direction, SOU-PMH.

Found a Basingstoke train, which had lost its guard. Platform full of people eventually got on three minutes after scheduled departure time. Got to Basingstoke where by pure chance I met the other half on the Reading Flyer. I think one person got off at Reading Green Park.

Dry all day, about five degrees cooler on the coast compared to Reading. No rain until I walked outside RDG to be greeted by half a dozen spots.

No I didn't wear my Panama over the weekend, and was else where.

Apologies Graham, but another Grahamism.

I had visions of somebody being chopped into small pieces. Perhaps not physically, but ...

As I came by Cow Lane depot earlier there were two coaches loaded up ready to go.

"Porterbrook's GWR769 Free Shuttle", how many units will they need to ensure the service performs all day?

Today's mystery?

Two low loaders heading south in Reading towards J11 of M4 at about midday.

A railway carriage loaded on each, all I managed to get was a carriage number: 71868

The end of a sorry saga?

https://twitter.com/LeroySkeete/status/1664315655317864449

All that money to avoid mixing with the great unwashed?

Pleased to see that @activetraveleng  is now a statutory consultee on all planning applications of 150 new housing units or more.

https://twitter.com/adamtranter/status/1664175038524686337?cxt=HHwWgoCw9auYq5guAAAA