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Travel & transport from BBC stories as at 02:35 01 May 2025

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05/05/25 - Walk to Pilning
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May 01, 2025, 02:47:07

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1	All across the Great Western territory / Across the West / Re: Shortage of train crews on Great Western Railway - ongoing discussion	on: April 29, 2025, 11:59:28
Quote from: Timmer on April 28, 2025, 07:12:41 Quote from: grahame on April 28, 2025, 06:51:28 Asking in context - isn't that a Sunday issue? On Monday to Friday - 21:04 off Paddington to Plymouth making all three of these calls, and also later travel to Westbury available with a Swindon change (21:31 off Paddington) and even later via Bath Spa. Not sure what you mean by a Sunday issue. Are you thinking about there being less demand because it’s a Sunday? A few years ago, I’d have said yes. Now a lot more people travel on Sundays and later in the evening. It stops at these stations Monday to Fridays, why not on Sundays? To really answer that you would need to know how often that service runs on a Sunday's via the B&H^▸ (Berks and Hants - railway line from Reading to Taunton via Westbury)

2	All across the Great Western territory / Across the West / Re: Thames Valley infrastructure problems causing disruption elsewhere - 2025	on: April 22, 2025, 20:07:01
Quote from: TaplowGreen on April 22, 2025, 17:33:22 Cancellations to services between London Paddington and Reading Following damage to the overhead electric wires at London Paddington all lines are now open. Disruption is expected until 19:00 22/04. Train services between London Paddington and Reading may be cancelled, delayed by up to 45 minutes or revised Not strictly damage to the overheads. The pantograph on a train heading into Paddington automatically dropped. This could be due to a defect with the overheads but it could also be a train fault or just a spurious fault. NR^» (Network Rail - home page) will examine the overheads on the line or lines where the fault occurred as a precaution, especially if the driver can not see any obvious damage to the pantograph on the train.

3	All across the Great Western territory / Across the West / Re: Firstgroup's rail division trading 'ahead of expectations'	on: April 21, 2025, 08:58:11
Quote from: TaplowGreen on April 21, 2025, 07:58:03 Quote from: ChrisB on April 20, 2025, 11:22:23 The DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) do seem to be picking on the better run operations first for transfers. If they keep that up next year, I suspect GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) will be one of those selected, personally speaking How are you defining "better run"? I wouldn’t use the term better run, but the ones they have taken or plan to take over first have their “benefits” to the DfT. Greater Anglia - whole brand new fleet of trains, one of the most punctual operators as a result serving the busiest London terminus. C2C - a simple, straightforward one or two route operation, with a relatively new fleet. SWR^» (South Western Railway - about) - One of the most profitable franchises. I reckon GWR will be one of the last, purely because of its varied operation.

4	All across the Great Western territory / Across the West / Re: Across the South West over Easter - trains in pictures	on: April 20, 2025, 09:09:20
8. St Budeaux Ferry Road

5	All across the Great Western territory / Across the West / Re: Firstgroup's rail division trading 'ahead of expectations'	on: April 20, 2025, 08:57:29
Quote from: TaplowGreen on April 20, 2025, 08:32:38 I wonder how much of this "better than expected" financial performance for FirstGroup will be reflected in additional investment into GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) services? Will customers see any improvements as a result? No private company will invest when there’s no chance of recouping their investment. And that won’t change when it goes back under public ownership.

6	Journey by Journey / TransWilts line / Re: 2025 - Service update and amendment log, Swindon <-> Westbury	on: April 16, 2025, 07:28:40
I see Melksham now has IET^▸ (Intercity Express Train - replacement for HSTs (manufactured by Hitachi in Kobe, Japan)) stop boards on the platform. Presumably IETs can now stop there which will come in handy when they’re diverted for whatever reason.

7	All across the Great Western territory / Across the West / Re: Shortage of train crews on Great Western Railway - ongoing discussion	on: March 23, 2025, 14:57:23
Quote from: UstiImmigrunt on March 21, 2025, 22:20:27 Another 3 HSS^▸ (High Speed Services) BTM^▸ (Bristol Temple Meads (strictly, it should be BRI) but BTM is a commonly used alternative)) drivers retired today... With full depot route knowledge that won't be replaced. Since the introduction of the IETs^▸ (Intercity Express Train - replacement for HSTs (manufactured by Hitachi in Kobe, Japan)) and the GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) driver grade the company really has lost its way, the more HSS drivers that retire the more they are going to struggle to cover the work. Route knowledge, productivity and flexibility are key, and they’re losing it quickly.

8	Journey by Journey / London to the West / Re: Night Riviera - merged posts, ongoing discussion	on: March 12, 2025, 17:08:38
Quote from: Witham Bobby on March 12, 2025, 15:47:40 Having lots of locos standing idle at depots is obviously an expensive and bad thing But one or two Thunderbird locos strategically located would be very useful. I suppose with most passenger trains now being powered by more than a single power unit, the general thought is that even the failure of a couple of its engines would not mean a train cannot limp on For failures in Cornwall, is there a way to seek assistant locos from the remaining loco pool for the clay traffic? You’d think they’d be a case for funding from the DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) of additional 57s based at Laira purely for rescuing IETs^▸ (Intercity Express Train - replacement for HSTs (manufactured by Hitachi in Kobe, Japan)) at Dawlish

9	All across the Great Western territory / Across the West / Re: Thames Valley infrastructure problems causing disruption elsewhere - 2025	on: March 10, 2025, 19:59:58
Quote from: TaplowGreen on March 09, 2025, 07:09:03 Quote from: a-driver on March 08, 2025, 17:50:25 TfL^» (Transport for London - about) have publicly stated how un8mpressed they are with Network Rail previously. Their public statement of unhappiness clearly achieved a lot! It achieved a fair bit in securing additional resource, acknowledgement of shortcomings and undertakings that there would be improvements, but unfortunately this has yet to be delivered. https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2024/feb/27/140m-rail-plan-to-tackle-elizabeth-line-and-great-western-problems And 12 months on from that article there’s been no improvement. It was all predictably bluff and bluster from Network Rail.

10	All across the Great Western territory / Across the West / Re: Thames Valley infrastructure problems causing disruption elsewhere - 2025	on: March 08, 2025, 17:50:25
TfL^» (Transport for London - about) have publicly stated how un8mpressed they are with Network Rail previously. Their public statement of unhappiness clearly achieved a lot!

11	All across the Great Western territory / Across the West / Re: Shortage of train crews on Great Western Railway - ongoing discussion	on: December 22, 2024, 21:23:45
Quote from: JayMac on December 22, 2024, 17:37:25 Quote from: a-driver on December 20, 2024, 17:10:17 Quote from: TaplowGreen on December 20, 2024, 16:49:51 ................what a difference double time makes to the desire to spend time with one's family! ….. but previously there were people saying drivers don’t want the overtime because they’ve had a huge pay rise!!!! Flash enough cash... I wonder though…..financially, what is better for GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway)? A mass of cancellations, replacement coaches, taxis, accommodation and delay repay OR raising the rate of pay and covering the jobs.

12	All across the Great Western territory / Across the West / Re: Shortage of train crews on Great Western Railway - ongoing discussion	on: December 22, 2024, 12:33:29
Quote from: TaplowGreen on December 21, 2024, 21:40:49 Secretary of State confirms that the pay rise has made matters worse..... https://www.lbc.co.uk/news/christmas-travel-pay-rise-transport-secretary-heidi-alexander/ ….. or is it just a poor excuse covering for a issue of their own making. Raise the rest day payment during the week and the result should have been obvious, more so, as that mistake has been made before.

13	All across the Great Western territory / Across the West / Re: Shortage of train crews on Great Western Railway - ongoing discussion	on: December 20, 2024, 17:10:17
Quote from: TaplowGreen on December 20, 2024, 16:49:51 ................what a difference double time makes to the desire to spend time with one's family! ….. but previously there were people saying drivers don’t want the overtime because they’ve had a huge pay rise!!!!

14	All across the Great Western territory / Across the West / Re: Shortage of train crews on Great Western Railway - ongoing discussion	on: December 20, 2024, 11:44:45
Quote from: ChrisB on December 20, 2024, 10:58:43 Quote from: a-driver on December 19, 2024, 19:06:05 Quote from: ChrisB on December 19, 2024, 11:39:10 Okay. I'm dealing with politicians here so... If I will wait with bated breath! Not entirely sure just where you got that quote from, a-driver The post that you quote is actually this one - and those words you quote don't appear! #2565 #2566 and #2568….. but I’m no good with quotes!

15	All across the Great Western territory / Across the West / Re: Shortage of train crews on Great Western Railway - ongoing discussion	on: December 20, 2024, 11:33:39
Some good news on the Sunday front this morning….. The DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) have now given GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) approval to restart formal conversations with the trade unions to find a solution. Yet a further indication on who has been blocking a resolution.

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