TOCs^▸ (Train Operating Company) have always been keener on cyclists leaving their bikes at stations than taking them on trains. On stations space can usually be found for bike parking - Sheffield stands - whereas on train space is at a premium, hence cupboards on Intercity Express ( class 800+). Bikes on trains are seen as troublesome, time consuming in loading, expensive on space, I.e. ‘a nuisance’ best avoided!  As a TOC person once explained to me .. if Government tell us we must carry bikes then we will, but Government hasn’t told us that and we aren’t keen.

Cycle parking at stations often fails to excite cyclists because of a lack of security. Bike racks are often covered by CCTV^▸ (Closed Circuit Tele Vision), but at many unstaffed stations (or staffed stations with one employee and one shift) there cannot be immediate action to stop theft. I know car parks have similar problems, but bikes are far easier to steal than cars - cut through lock, lift bike into van and off. Secure bike parking is only available very few stations, usually big ones. Leeds Cycle Point offered secure, manned parking, but it didn’t last.

I do recall travelling, probably in the mid sixties, overnight on the Postal from Sheffield to Worcester Shrub Hill. Changed there onto the 04.20 to Pershore. From there we(myself and wife) intended to walk the two and a half miles to Wick, beyond Pershore. However the Post Van stopped and offered us a lift to Pershore PO which was gratefully accepted. He had, of course, seen us alight from the train, the only passengers, at the station. And, yes, it did carry the post!

None of that could happen today of course - no overnight trains, no postal trains, no likelihood of a lift in Post Office van ....... ah! Well, the good old days😁

Though I take the point about the appropriate forum board for cancelled Worcester to Gloucester services, it should be added that although the GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) service was badly affected, the more frequent and busy XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) service was equally in taters.

Further update:East Midlands Trains will run Hope Valley stoppers from tomorrow from Sheffield to Hope and return. All credit to EMT^» (East Midlands Trains - about), but a shame it has taken so long.

I reckon that was autocorrect! Autocorrect must be Wiltshire based rather than Yorkshire based!

To bring this up to date. Sheffield to Manchester line is also closed. This line is high up on the opposite side of the valley, but there are fears a catastrophic failure of the dam could underscore viaducts and bridges in the New Mills area. In addition it seems the Peak Forest Canal ( the reservoir is for the canal ) beyond New Mills could overflow in a disaster and damage the direct New Mills to Hazel Grove line. Today, Saturday, Trans Pennine Express are running an hourly service from Sheffield via (Swindon - NO!!) Swinton , Wakefield Kirkgate and Huddersfield to Manchester taking about 100 minutes as opposed to 50 minutes for direct route. Monday MAY see the Hope Valley reopen. Climate change eh!

No Hope Valley stoppers are operating from Sheffield even though a service to Hope might be possible. Northern’s stoppers are crewed from Manchester. However there is an hourly bus service on the parallel road, and train tickets have been interchangeable with bus tickets for years. Dealer -ugh? Edale isn’t served however, and their road is unsuitable for regular buses.

!Sorry for the typo corrections!
Update - Tuesday seems more likely for reopening of Hope Valley line now.

Go to Sheffield- Pacers operate Sheffield to Doncaster and Adwick stoppers and the Sheffield to Hull stoppers (not the fast services, they are cl 158). Some 150s make an appearance too. Doncaster to Scunthorpe stoppers are Pacers too. Enjoy while they last.

I think a throttle on an ebike is OK as long as it adjust the power input to the motor (other bikes use a simple + or - to adjust power). This adjust the power of the electric motor from ‘no power’ up to ‘max’ or ‘turbo’ (on Bosch motors). However the point is that unless the rider turns the pedals and applies pressure the motor will not kick in. So, you ride easily along the flat with minimum power, or no power, and then come to a hill and you can add power so that YOU are putting in the same effort but the motor is helping too.

Taking electric bikes on trains is as ‘easy’ or ‘difficult’ as an ordinary bike. I have taken both a Brompton Electric folder and Gazelle ebikes and other full size ebikes on trains with little problems. However electric bikes are heavier than ordinary bikes and lifting them into HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train) etc can be challenging. Gazelle bikes don’t fit into Voyager cupboards so might be problematic on IETs^▸ (Intercity Express Train). Class 150s, 158s and even Pacers aren’t much of a problem.

However ‘nice’ Worcestershire Parkway station is the train service is what will make it a success or otherwise. A 2 car class 170 to Birmingham every hour isn’t going to be much of an attraction..

I understand TPE^▸ (Trans Pennine Express) now say that these two Mk3 sets will not be running and the ex Pendolino carriages will be used only for driver training and not passenger carrying. Sorry, but I can’t find the link to TPE’s announcement.

Sheffield to Rotherham trains run three times each hour - 2 services to Doncaster at half hourly interval, and 1 train per hour stopping service to Leeds. Journey time 12 to 13 minutes. Sheffield Supertram takes closer to 20 minutes from Meadowhall to Sheffield City Centre (Cathedral) so the tram ride from Rotherham is likely to take 25 or even 30 minutes, and frequency isn't going to be better than every 20 minutes.

Trains and trams are likely to serve different markets as Sheffield Midland Station is an uphill 10 minute walk to the shops and the tram stops are a bit of a walk to the railway station for onward train journeys. Hallam University and Grenville College are nearer to the Midland Station.

Recent projected increases in electric car use (e.g. Volvo will be all electric soon) have brought forward comments about the need to increase generation to meet demand, so one way to curb that demand is to not expand railway electrification. Or am I too cynical.

Shares in Hitachi seem to be a good bet. New Midland Mainline stock - why does it need to be bi-mode? - though only to replace the HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train) really, as the 222s can carry on.

Ah well, so good to live in a country where the government plans ahead for decades to come.😢

The overcrowding between Bristol (& further west) and Birmingham is replicated between Birmingham and Yorkshire (Sheffield, Doncaster, Leeds and York) and Birmingham and Oxford /Reading, and probably Birmingham and Stoke / Manchester too.

The overcrowding is intense at morning and evening peak times. XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise))'s plan for December 2017 which uses most of their HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train) and turns back Torbay services at Exeter is an attempt to go some way to alleviate the problem with the rolling stock they have.

The acquisition of more rolling stock for a future letting of the franchise would be a matter for the DfT^» (Department for Transport - about), but could lead to the TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company) paying a lower premium, or even require a subsidy.

XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) would need a addition rolling stock to either increase their frequency beyond half hourly between Bristol and Birmingham (& also Bham to Manchester / Sheffield / Oxford etc). The other solution is longer trains (I.e. New ones).

Neither will happen unless HMGovernment compel the new franchisee to get more and longer trains. A subsidy would probably be needed, too!

But rather counter intuitive to drive from, say Comberton to Norton to travel back on train to Evesham, Oxford or Paddington. May as well drive to Evesham.

I suspect that the trains are used by people who walk to station, or dropped off, for journeys to Worcester Foregate Street as traffic and parking in Worcester is dire.  Many, too, will be school pupils and College students. There is quite a lot of housing on the station side of Pershore, not too far from the station. I believe there is an hourly bus too (Worcester - Pershore High Street - Lower Moor) passing the station, half hourly between Pershore Three Tuns and Worcester (not passing station).