Ironically, the small side shelves on 165s and some small seat back fold down shelves were removed years ago during various "refreshes" of these trains and some of the full sized tables from 166s went too.

Sorry BNM that it will be little comfort that you will soon have new more durable and washable charcoal and green upholstery to balance or spill it on.

This morning there are 3 769s at the west end of the Reading depot, one of which has been vandalised by an aerosol paint attack.

How often has this happened to rolling stock before it enters service?

22 - Weston super Mare

9 is Melksham again - the station from the Bath Road bridge over the railway

As a non-engineer who struggles to follow some of this (but very grateful to Stuving and others for trying to explain) can I add a few (largely anecdotal) points from a user of the North Downs Line?

Wikipedia informs us that each coach of a Turbo has a 350 hp/261 kW engine, so currently if all engines are working that's 1050 bhp/783 kW for a three coach train. Even then, in poor railhead conditions in autumn wheelspin has been a regular feature of the journey on the gradients around Sandhurst.

There have been journeys I have been on when an engine has been "out" on a coach when the Turbo (hint for those who will be using then when they eventually get to the West Country - it's the quietest and most restful part of Turbo travel if you travel in the coach without a working engine), and they have coped, but that still puts 700 hp down for a three coach train with the traction helped by the weight being over the active traction equipment. And I assume that a "conventional" hydraulic transmission does not suffer the power generation issues canvassed above.

Just realised - I posted to the wrong thread earlier today 

This is symptomatic of the disgrace of where the most recent phase of the GW^▸ (Great Western) system has left us.

You have to ask which fool  signed off not extending this through to Bedwyn, the destination of many London commuter services on the Kennet valley line. It is almost as foolish as the decisions not to take it through to Bristol Temple Meads and Oxford.

...should have been posted here.

And although it is a dangerous thing for a resident of the Goring Gap to say, I think we all have to accept that if we are to have low emission public transport it inevitably means OHL^▸ (Over-Head Line). For an example of how it might be done more sympathetically - see - http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=18592.msg249179#msg249179

1 Approaches to Paddington. Westbourne Park area?

We'll only know definitely that it was if Vladimir Putin denies it..........

I was at Smallmead bridge again this morning - approaching via the route referred to in my last post, although the gate (moveable section of Herras fencing) was open.

When I arrived at the top of the bridge I was hailed by a jovial orange and yellow clad Balfour Beatty operative in a foreign accent. I explain I was just getting a photo (see below), and we fell into conversation.

He explained that he was Portuguese, born in Angola in the last days of colonial rule, his family returning "home" after periods in Mozambique and Venezuela in 1980. He came to the UK^▸ (United Kingdom) many years ago due to the lack of opportunity in Portugal and had worked for BB for many years. He was hoping to settle permanently, the problem being the cost of accommodation, so he was contemplating a move to South Wales.

When I queried the slowness of the project he was clear what the problem was. He said that his managers were angry and frustrated at the continual problem in obtaining the requisite permissions for works, then dealing with the continual cancellation of planned work by "the railways". He said that there was a problem with stress in his team, and his boss was suffering from depression.

Nonetheless, he expressed pride in the project, and his role in it, and in the contribution it would make to the local community. He regretted that he would not be there at the time the station would finally be open.

Here's a view through the Herras fencing today - the access from Searles Farm Lane that goes over the bridge will not be step free - there's now a newly constructed concrete staircase up to the bridge - or is this just a work access? 

If I recall correctly, as well as Jackson's system recalled by RichT54, another old Reading shop, Reeds, taylors who supplied amongst other things school uniforms until the late 1960s or early 1970s had one of the older mechanical systems too.

Somewhat worryingly, Go-op Cooperative has not filed accounts with the FCA (the registration body for mutuals) since it filed its year ending 31 December 2019 accounts in June 2020.

I have just realised why they are no longer going to use them for bi-mode trains between Reading and Oxford - they will need all 19 to run up and down the North Downs line rescuing one another when they break down!

Doesn't look like the failure rate is improving?

Saw first one at Guildford this evening,  but all shut up and dark in the sidings beyond platform 8 and the temporary site offices. Another failure?

Out of interest - does anyone know whether the (apparently) over-engineered OHL^▸ (Over-Head Line) on the GW^▸ (Great Western) Main Line all stayed in place during the storm, damage by falling trees or other structures excepted?

Never mind that Dr B - there's at least 10 going into London.........! We only need two don't we, Westerners - one to Paddington and a back up one to Waterloo!