...or you could ask them what they think of the proposed extension from 8-coach 23m diesel trains to 9-coach 26m electric trains or 10-coach 26m coupled bi-mode sets?  Both of which I think will be a far more common sight on most routes and services than 5-car bi-mode ones.

Yes, I can certainly see people staying up on the transfer deck, given the facilities on the platforms don't look that extensive.  And it'll be a good vantage point for those that just like watching the trains.  Do we know if there will be any retail outlets on the deck, or are they being kept to the platforms?  It remains to be seen whether some discrete seating may be provided over time - I guess there will be an element of 'let's see how it goes' with regard to how the deck is used.  The good old general public (even with sophisticated modelling tools on computers) are very hard to predict!

Another fairly good couple of weeks for 180 coverage.  Set 106 was again locked away and not used once putting quite a lot of pressure on the remaining four units, and again on too many occasions a 2-car Turbo deputises when there in a problem.

Was it?  Oops.   

I came across it on iPlayer a couple of months ago, so assumed it was a recent programme.  Still, in comparison to the dates of some of the maps he bases his programmes on, 2004 is quite recent I suppose!

Did anyone see the recent episode of 'Map Man' with Nicholas Crane that concentrated on Harry Beck's London Underground map.  Sadly, I think it's disappeared off of the iPlayer now.  As well as being an interesting documentary they showed the software used to alter the current LU map, in which Crane invented a new tube line.  Not sure what software package they used - but it looked perfect for your needs, Graham!

Saving the wor best place till last then! 

I'm all for cutting down on some of these bloody annoying announcements.  Alter the Transec guidelines, so that the information only has to be displayed on the internal information screens where trains have them (which will soon be the vast majority of those in service), and limit announcements to calling points, delay information and occasional general service information.

One that annoys me is the habit some staff have of announcing that the train is arriving at Reading and then waffling on for ages about changing there for just about anywhere.  If you're travelling to Gatwick, Twyford, Basingstoke, the west country etc. etc. etc., you likely know that you have to change trains at Reading anyway!

Depending on what they allocate in its place of course... 

That'll be a ridiculously overcrowded Class 180 rather than a ridiculously overcrowded Turbo then. 

The bays are marked on the actual asphalt, i.e. a short line of a couple of feet in length to mark out each space - perhaps not the clearest thing in the world, but you'd need to be very inconsiderate to ignore them.  Sadly there are no shortage of inconsiderate drivers.

Quick work.  The car park extension appeared to be opened for the first time late this morning - I'll be interested to see how quickly it fills up.  Partly asphalt with the bays themselves finished with stone chippings - and it does indeed look as if there's about 35 extra spaces as promised.

OK, I didn't know that - thanks for the info.

Well, I suppose that it might cause problems in situations where you're coupled to another train, plus if your travelling in the wrong direction to assist a failed train then you need to have headlights on at both ends.  Also, there are occasions (when moving in a depot for example) when you only want marker lights and not the headlights.  In Reading depot (and some others I'm sure) movements also take place with both marker and tail lights on.  So, I guess there's a few too many variables to make it worthwhile to wire in to the electrical systems of the train.

Modern trains (the Class 180s being an example) automatically extinguish/switch on the tail lights when you couple or uncouple to another unit, so in that respect at least it's automatic.

Hopefully in five or so years time that same vantage point will afford the view of a shiny Class 165 Turbo passing underneath the bridge...

Very unlikely to cause any issues in daylight.  I doubt there's a driver out there who hasn't forgotten to change them over at least once in their career.  I think the only time it's permissible to have tail lights on when moving forward is for a wrong direction movement of less than 1/4 of a mile.