I did get a lengthy questionnaire handed out on a Heart of Wessex service ca 1.5 months ago. It did appear to be GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) specific only so I am unsure if this is relevant to Transport Focus. I would also doubt the data has been processed so quickly.

Always worth remembering that any proposed form of "renationalisation" will not recreate a fully integrated BR^▸ (British Rail(ways)) in the previously accepted sense. Labour is really only talking about nationalising the passenger TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company)'s (when contracts expire) and perhaps integrating them better with Network Rail to form ?GBR^▸ (Great British Railways).

Large parts of the overall rail operation are now fully in private hands and unlikely to be brought into public ownership. These include ROSCO^» (Rolling Stock Owning Company - about)'s + suppliers of new trains with/without maintenance contracts, infrastructure contractors, repair workshops, freight operations, open access passenger operators.

On potential loss of flexibility?

With the LNER^» (London North Eastern Railway - about) "trial" of single leg tickets, there has been comment that this leads to loss of flexibility. The examples appear to relate to journeys from South to North of England (and v/v). Previously many tickets, notably "Any Permitted" (i/c returns) would be valid on alternative routes, ie in some cases interchangeable between West Coast, Midland and East Coast routes and then alternative options Up North.

An interesting question is whether the LNER trial actually withdrew the pre-existing tickets, or simply promoted the new singles?

The further question is whether this form of simplification is a price worth paying for this lack of flexibility which would only be exercised by a few people?

 

AFAIK^▸ (as far as I know) Maindee East curve remains available for use. I have travelled along it on a charter train in the relatively recent past. It was presumably closed for "normal" passenger use with due statutory process!

Many will know about the group of through SWR^» (South Western Railway - about) services from WAT which continue to serve WMN^» (Warminster - next trains), WSB^» (Westbury - next trains), FRO^» (Frome - next trains) and onwards to Yeovil (plus the return journeys). I have read the odd review of the December timetable which seems not to capture the complete story.

Reading RTT^» (Real Time Trains - website) and the SWR pocket timetable the services are from WSB:

Mo-Fr UP  07.42, 11.44, 14.54 and 15.54
Sa UP 08.10, 11.43
Su UP 10.43

From WAT:
Mo-Fr DN 07.50, 09.50, 11.20
Sa DN 08.50, 17.50
Su DN nil

The 16.50 WAT is routed via Gillingham and Yeovil and terminates at WSB 20.05. Useful for extended scenic travels in Somerset.
There is one other late service to SAL departing WSB at 23.14 Mo-Fr.



 

Does anyone know if the ENTCS use, WSB^» (Westbury - next trains)-WEY facility is still operated? There is no mention of the scheme locally that I have seen recently.

[I thought I was familar with rail tickets and pricing but I can now see why the public are so confused. Recently I planned a trip to London from FRO^» (Frome - next trains)/WSB^» (Westbury - next trains). There are probably 4 versions of (normal) routing and pricing. Unless one buys an anytime fare, I was amazed to find that selection of various journey pairs produces a wide variety of price variations, even within the same peak/off-peak slots. The route selections also generally make the journey route specific.]

So to the future, I need tickets WSB to GTW for 12 December out mid-morning and 27 December back mid/late afternoon. There are a plethora of routings available, including via Southampton, which is quite attractive apart from a bus replacement on the return!

Now peak time restrictions are lifted after Christmas which helps the price situation. Since there will be uncertainty about airlines/airports on the return I will avoid any trickery with fixed split tickets or shorter distance advance fares. This leads me to consider outward:

10.47WSB SOP^▸ (Standard Operating Instructions) fare £45.80 via RDG^‡(resolve)/GLD, or
11.44WSB OP^▸ (Original Poster / topic starter) fare £45.50 via SAL/CLJ

(Both railcard prices. Changes only at RDG or CLJ, in spite of certain journey planner information).

These fares appear route specific so I am wondering if there is any ticket that allows greater flexibility, such as use of the alternative routing above on the return, or travel via Central London. I would rule out the cost of Anytime via London. Suggestions on the use of flexible split tickets might also be useful but there will probably be little benefit there.

Alternatively I would hope that a change of route would be allowed by payment of the excess (as happened in the olden days). The excess being calculated by payment of any higher cost attributable to 50% of the return fare? No doubt it might be a challenge to get such a change duly processed - however, we live in hope.

Colleagues - I would welcome your thoughts and suggestions.


 

     

This type of scheme at Yeovil Junction has been proposed since Noah was a young man. The question today is what is the real demand for such an interchange facility. There are (good?) alternative options to Exeter and beyond from Castle Cary. Weymouth to Exeter demand cannot be especially large and an interchange would really only enhance services - Weymouth to Crewkerne, Axminster and Honiton. Axminster already has a reasonable bus connection. Some eastbound journeys towards Salisbury might also be improved.

There are various proposals for a Weymouth to Waterloo service via Yeovil and Salisbury. These are especially promoted by local MPs^▸ (Member of Parliament) who claim a faster journey would result compared to that via Southampton. I have not looked at the timings but without some express services (YVJ to SAL/WAT) and an increase in capacity over all the single line sections, it looks like fairy dust.

Can anyone advise if HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train) have ever run on the West Highland lines? If not then getting any approvals in the short term will not be realistic.

Weymouth station and immediate area have actually been upgraded in recent months. The front of the station has been remodelled with a new public space and history boards. The car parking has been reorganised and the platform canopies have been repainted and ?reglazed where required. A cafe also operates in the station which last year was a much newer innovation. The former quay branch nearby was made into a linear park (although not to the original glamorous plan!). This mostly involved Dorset Council funding although NR^» (Network Rail - home page) and SWR^» (South Western Railway - about) probably contributed. The final change has been erection of a new fence and gate on the car park side to prevent access out of hours. I always found it surprising that open access prevailed until now when trains were parked overnight. 

The toilets do seem to be permanently shut now which is disappointing but due to the anti-social behaviour experienced in the past. Although I have not visited the station very late in the evening (recently) I do believe it is staffed until close of play (ie after midnight)  but you need to seek out the staff in their little office to the left of the ticket office area when viewed from the platform. A sign indicates "customer help etc."

I have not visited the station for a few weeks so it is possible that some of the above is not accurate but I have been a regular visitor over many years.

 

 

There were some further steam excursions along the branch and also to St Andrews Road on which I travelled. Circa 2004 or 2005.

Frome tends to do things differently (one of our slogans?). Frome Town (parish) Council has a full complement of Independent councillors. This has been the situation for a while now with the national party affiliations/candidates being pushed aside by the electorate. Although the councillors are independent they have an affiliation as "Independents for Frome." In my limited experience, they seem to work together harmoniously and with good support from the council officials. No sign of bullying here. 

Press reports seem to indicate the toilets will not be reopened. In theory a reduction in anti-social behaviour around the station might prompt a rethink!

PCB's can be found in older versions of larger electrical transformer oils (coolants). Network Rail likely have a good few of these. PCB containing oils are deemed to be hazardous if they escape into the environment and usually can only be disposed of by high-temperature incineration.

I have been issued with hand written CIV^▸ (International Convention for the transportation of Passengers) tickets in Ireland for use on the Irish ferry routes.