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1  All across the Great Western territory / Who's who on Western railways / Re: Transport secretary - on subjects beyond transport on: January 14, 2019, 22:03:01
Alright, let's not get in a tizzy ...

Quote
Trying to avoid it [politics] is like trying to avoid death - or taxes

Sorry to disappoint you, but I have no problem avoiding politics as a rule. As far as this forum goes, I follow, and occasionally contribute to, topics concerning the enjoyment, operation and history of railways in the west, but avoid conscious involvement in anything "political". If anyone tries to put a political slant on anything I have said, then that says more about their mentality than it does about me. As far as politics in the wider world goes, all I will say is that I know where the "off" switch on my radio is. This attitude gets up the nose of those who try to tell me I should endeavour to Engage With The Political Process, but that is their problem.

Quote
I don't see why non-transport political discussion should be censored

No-one is advocating censorship. It seems odd to me that someone should want to talk politics on a railway forum (or on a gardening forum or a cooklng forum for that matter), but I have no wish to prevent any political enthusiasts of so doing. But I do think this particular topic has been rather clumsily shoe-horned into an inappropriate section of the forum, rather than into a separate "politics" section.

This current section, let us remind ourselves, is entitled "Who's who on Western railways". That does rather suggest that the focus will be on the role those people play on the railway; however there is no reason not to take an interest in any other notable areas of their lives - I hope that having started the topic "Transport secretary - on subjects beyond transport", the list of those subjects will be long and fascinating. Is he an expert on ancient Greece? Does he play a mean game of chess? Does he have a model railway in the attic? I would hate to think that this Grayling chap is just another of those rather dim, boring politicians.

Quote
I thought carefully before posting on a main board thread
 

Oh, for goodness sake, don't be so pious! You wanted to start a discussion on this tedious subject, so you thought you would inflict it on this forum.

Well, that is all I have to say on the subject. If I am not banned, then I may continue to make the odd contribution on other subjects.
2  All across the Great Western territory / Who's who on Western railways / Re: Transport secretary - on subjects beyond transport on: January 14, 2019, 12:45:00
I don't agree wth him....the third line will happen if it doesn't go through, not if it does (because they'll feel cheated)

BUT should non-transport Politics be discussed on this MAIN board, really?

For one I absolutely do not want to see politics creeping onto this website. There are plenty of other places to discuss that sort of rubbish.
3  Sideshoots - associated subjects / The Lighter Side / Re: Advent quiz 2019 on: December 12, 2018, 08:48:17
12.3 - Okehampton
4  Sideshoots - associated subjects / The Lighter Side / Re: Western handles on: November 22, 2018, 08:16:13
Western Wind (cue obvious comments)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_M1hyHf9Eg
5  All across the Great Western territory / Media about railways, and other means of transport / Re: Super Speed Camera on: November 16, 2018, 07:54:40

How many long, straight roads are there outside of the motorway network?


In my experience, the more twisting a road is, the worse the incidence of dangerous driving on the occasional straight stretches. On a main road which I travel regularly, there are a couple of notorious stretches where motorists, having contained their aggressive and selfish impulses for a few miles, regard it as a point of honour to see how many vehicles they can scream past, notwithstanding hash markings and side turnings, before they slam on the brakes just before the approaching bend.
6  Sideshoots - associated subjects / The Lighter Side / Re: Bumper picture quiz - November 2018. on: November 10, 2018, 09:38:29
25 is Ker Moor. The new-ish fence and sign in the foreground indicate the dubious footpath diversion unilaterally instigated by the Blue Anchor Chalet Mafia.
7  Sideshoots - associated subjects / Campaigns for new and improved services / Re: Minehead Rail Link Group on: November 05, 2018, 14:27:36
Bishops Lydeard is a 2 platform station

Just for information, the "down" platform is much shorter - I think you could only fit a locomotive and four coaches into it. The "up" platform could hold maybe a locomotive and nine coaches - no doubt someone from the WSR could tell you exactly.  The "bay" is never, to my knowledge, used for trains in service - the Quantock Belle ususally lives there in between duties.
8  Sideshoots - associated subjects / Campaigns for new and improved services / Re: Minehead Rail Link Group on: November 02, 2018, 15:21:21
From today's West Somerset Free Press :

"A packed meeting overwhelmingly backed a Minehead-Taunton rail-link proposal and welcomed a possible trial shuttle service which could be the forerunner of a major commuter scheme ..."

and so it goes on with a lengthy, and pretty accurate report of the proceedings. The one particularly questionable aspect of the meeting, and the reporting of it, was the vote which gives credence to this "overwhelming backing". Although at a couple of points in the meeting it was emphasized that the LYDEARD-Taunton link was something that we could all get behind, whatever else happens, this was something that we were NOT asked to vote on. If I remember correctly, we were simply asked if we wanted a MINEHEAD-Taunton service with no elaboration on whether this meant the availability of a connection at Bishop's Lydeard, or a direct service. I believe, especially given previous publicity from the MRLG, that most people present took it to be the latter, and wonder if Mr Mendoza's support will continue to thrive when people realise that, at least in the short-to-medium term the reality will prove to be short of the dream that they are being sold.

I believe that the Lydeard-Taunton link is a no-brainer, and that, once the dust from the trial service has settled, it would be right and proper to offer a limited number of weekday paths, within WSR operating hours, to another operator to give them a chance to show what they can do. This could benefit leisure travel both into, and, to a lesser extent, out of, Minehead. However, the opening sentence of the Free Press article, together with some of the pronouncements during, and prior to, the meeting, put an emphasis on COMMUTER travel, and this opens quite a different can of worms...

If the group want to pursue this latter aim, they have to identify their commuter market: journeys as far as Taunton might be popular, but it is difficult to see how they could be run economically at an affordable fare. Journeys to Bristol, London, Birmingham etc. might be more attractive, because you can factor in the saving made by not having to pay for daily parking at Taunton. But at the times of day when such commuters would have to depart from Minehead, traffic is not an issue, so people would probably still drive to Taunton anyway! You would have to be pretty confident, also, of getting back to Taunton on time in the evening (remember that the last bus departs at 8.00 p.m., so there is no back-up there). I could see GWR (Great Western Railway) quickly racking up the bus/taxi bills for missed last connections. There is also the consideration that a service for Bristol commuters would have to depart Minehead at 7.00 a.m., and for London commuters at 6.00 a.m., bring with it the widely-discussed problem of keeping the WSR open for such long hours (perhaps it would be feasible and helpful if all the intermediate signalboxes could be "switched out" during the extended hours to save some staff). And, unless it would be practical to stable GWR units at Minehead overnight, there is the cost of empty-stock workings to and from Minehead to consider.

However, there is one solution that seems to me to be screamingly obvious :

First Group do not only run the trains in Somerset - they run the buses as well. Furthermore, they have a depot in Minehead where they stable a number of buses overnight. One of these buses, departing at 6.00 a.m or 7.00 a.m. when traffic is light, and travelling directly down the main road with a limited number of stops, could comfortably reach Taunton station in 45 minutes, and in the evening could wait for late connections with fewer logistical problems than sometimes is involved with holding train connections. As an afterthought, commuters are unlikely to have the bulky luggage which can be a nuisance on buses.

I am sure that there is flaw in my reasoning somewhere down the line (or road), but perhaps there is some food for thought. 


9  Sideshoots - associated subjects / Campaigns for new and improved services / Re: Minehead Rail Link Group on: October 31, 2018, 20:37:10
I am sorry if you think I was disparaging your contribution to the meeting, Grahame - I absolutely recognize and applaud your achievements in getting a train operator to revolutionise its services; but I thought it was important to emphasize the ways in which running services on a heritage line is different from doing so on the national network. I have a couple of friends who work on the WSR, and take a keen interest in it myself, but am conscious that many people I talk to have only a partial picture of what is involved in the operation of the railway - they may glance at the timetable as they walk past the station and observe that there are typically 4-6 scheduled departures, but they are as likely as not unaware of the Quantock Belle services, Driver Experience courses, visiting charters and empty stock movements, and think that maintenance is something that magically happans overnight like on the "real" railway. It is not the fact that the MRLC group think that these operations may have to be compromised in the interest of providing a service for visitors/commuters that irks me - their interest is as valid as mine; it is the way that their publicity conveniently avoids enlightening would-be supporters on the issues I have raised. Their website makes fantastical claims like the aforementioned "30% capacity" figure, and the assurance that the journey from Minehead to Taunton can be covered in an hour (no mention of the signalling changes and level crossing upgrades that this would necessitate).

I stress that I am 100% behind the Taunton-Lydeard link and/or Lydeard/Norton parkway idea (as well expounded by Bignosemac) - not only will this be good for visitors; it could also be really useful for people like me desperate for better access to the wild lands beyond Taunton. For visitors, surely a change of trains at Bishop's Lydeard would be no great hardship? A bit of clever marketing on the idea of through tickets could perhaps be beneficial to both WSR and GWR (Great Western Railway)? I believe that a bit of work has been done in this area already. I have a slightly different slant from you, Grahame, on the idea of through trains; rather than running them when the WSR is closed, run them Mondays-Fridays at times when it is open - then the necessary staff will already be there. I do not think it is unreasonable for the powers-that-be to mandate that one or two paths in either direction should be made available to an operator other than WSR. For reasons (capacity) I gave earlier, I do not think this would be possible at weekends.

I am sorry that your journey into Taunton was a little fraught - this may be because of roadworks near Taunton, about which warning has been given recently. I not infrequently catch the bus into Taunton (as a change from the train or the automobile!), and have rarely found it to be delayed. More generally, I expressed opne or two thoughts on the bus service in a previous post, so I will not repeat them again.
10  Sideshoots - associated subjects / Campaigns for new and improved services / Re: Minehead Rail Link Group on: October 30, 2018, 22:08:02
A very well attended meeting in Minehead this evening. Chris Austin from the WSR was, in my opinion, the most lucid and diplomatic voice among those speaking - I hope his involvement in the negotiations to run a trial service between Taunton and Bishop's Lydeard next year are productive. Alex de Mendoza remains unconvincing in his attempts to persuade the less gullible among us of the ease with which the WSR can co-exist with through trains from Taunton to Minehead, repeating the glib assurance he made in the press some time ago that the line is only running at 30% capacity (probably true in strictly mathematical terms if you are basing your calculations on a 24/7 target, but meaningless otherwise). He also won no friends among WSR supporters with his observation that the typical age of volunteers is rising (I myself see plenty of youngsters among their staff). David Latimer (chairman of the group) assured us that they had been running train planning projections, but did not actual offer a sample timetable. The local councillor who chaired the meeting seemed very much to be Mendoza's yes-man, chasing a few votes. Grahame Ellis gave us some thoughtful encouragement with the success story of the Trans-Wilts link, but, with all respect, I found the relevance to the Minehead line somewhat limited, as the Trans-Wilts does not have to co-exist with a heritage line, nor does it have to worry about infrastructure or maintenance.

No doubt the Group's press office will make sure that the meeting will be reported in the local press; will be interesting to see how the account compares with the experience of being there!
11  Journey by Journey / North Downs Line / Re: Helping cyclists or potential weapons for serious injury? on: October 29, 2018, 09:05:08
Of course, the ultimate facility at one of these repair points would be a helpline for this service :

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwi-q8z7pKveAhXIy4UKHcp5A8QQtwIwAHoECAYQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DTq_xTeWiv6I&usg=AOvVaw10UONuiAkf3xqh09YJoAsa
12  All across the Great Western territory / Across the West / Re: Infrastructure problems in Thames Valley causing disruption elsewhere - ongoing, since Oct 2014 on: October 28, 2018, 19:15:54
The information desk at Reading was conspicuously empty around 1300 today. In addition, the display boards are quite unhelpful when  it comes to anything other than a specific delay or cancellation. Could not the "Delayed" indication be followed by an optional line to say e.g. "Delayed between XXXX and XXXX"? Seeing the 1335 to Taunton "delayed", I assumed it had been stuck in the affected location and therefore might not arrive for hours, so I made the snap decision to make a beeline for the 1309 Swansea service and got reasonable connections at Swindon and Bristol TM(resolve). But they must have known sometime in advance that the train was not coming from London in the first place and instead would be started from Reading, so it would be helpful if they could say so.
13  All across the Great Western territory / The Wider Picture Overseas / Re: Crude oil by train on: September 25, 2018, 22:10:28
I can reveal that Lindsey Doyle regularly travels by train.
14  Sideshoots - associated subjects / Campaigns for new and improved services / Re: Proposed Bristol Airport link on: May 23, 2018, 18:13:42
Ordnance Survey map suggests that the trackbed to Wrington is intact, but not only would a further section require significant earthworks/tunnelling, but would be a long way round from Bristol, and without a tunnel under the airport itself, end up on the wrong side for the terminal buildings; so a route from the north would seem more practical. In any case, we are still talking about a link purely from Bristol to the airport. so the Devon Live speculation about long distance links from the south-west seems spectacularly wide of the mark.
15  Sideshoots - associated subjects / Campaigns for new and improved services / Re: Proposed Bristol Airport link on: May 22, 2018, 21:06:27
I have to admit I was not aware of the previous proposals for an airport link; having gleaned a little more information about it, it seems that some sort of segregated light rail link is conceivable. Nevertheless, the plans, such as they are, are all geared toward linking Bristol to the airport - this is significantly different from the thrust of the Devon Live article, which promises direct links from Taunton and beyond.
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