It is forecast to be into the mid 20s today in Ústí nad Labem.

Going back to route knowledge in 2021 60+ Bristol drivers used to sign Newport Hereford Oxford and Didcot as well as Worcester to Cheltenham. From next month that will be zero.

It used to be only the top link at Oxford signed the North Cotswolds, I don't know if that has changed since I finished.  The Worcester HSS^▸ (High Speed Services) drivers haven't been replaced as retirements occur. Again I don't know if there has been changes since retiring but the GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) drivers only signed Hereford to Oxford whilst HSS did Paddington to Oxford, Didcot to Worcester via Kemble and Standish to Bristol Parkway.

So there will be shortages from the timetable change.

So glad to be out of it all.

That post wasn't well constructed.
Breakfast between Brno and Česká Třebová then dinner this evening between Praha Holešovice and Ústí nad Labem.

As mentioned on the GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) catering thread I'm quite impressed with the offerings on České Dráhy.

https://jidelnivozy.cz/menu/index.html

Is the menu. So today heading north from Brno I had the ham and eggs but unfortunately the 3 yolks were all solid

I still have my BR^▸ (British Rail(ways)) lever cloth.

Shut all day Tuesday as well.

It doesn't have to be a major outage to stop all departures. The stranded train policy is brought in. Wherever possible trains are stopped in platforms and don't move until the problem is resolved. This is to prevent passengers self evacuating onto open railway lines.
There was a rule book alteration many years ago, a new reason for a driver to be authorised to pass a signal at danger, proceed into a platform where another train is stopped, think for example Keysham or Nailsea.

Today's 1530 BTM^▸ (Bristol Temple Meads (strictly, it should be BRI) but BTM is a commonly used alternative)) Paddington had a delight 2 hours at Chips and Ham, 1530 Paddington WSM is currently 222 mins late!

Hmm, breakfast at a steady 90 km/h this morning.

Now if you want decent catering...

https://jidelnivozy.cz/menu/index.html

There is a slightly different menu for the conventional loco hauled trains which has an excellent roasted ham with 3 or 4 fried eggs on top and some bread to soak up the yolk with, 119 kč or a tad over £4.

I try not to eat out too often.

Recommended 2 course dinner is the guláš polévka with the veal, gorgeous! To drink there's a craft beer from Chroust brewery, proper Bud or draught Pilsner Urquell. And if in first class, all done from your seat, the first class host regularly walks through the coach.

My answer, when GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) run a full weekend service without any trains cancelled due to a shortage of train crew.

A good BBQ occurs anytime of the year and in any weather

The original specification for diesel running was 110 MPH but if, a big if, all engines are running and a clear run eventually an IET will reach the low 120s.

To explain the above comment, there was a brief time where in Swindon a controller could stop the tape recording. Keeping the piece of paper in your possession prevented the hindsight committee making accusations of missing calls or making additional stops causing delay minutes and as we all know the railway is now run on delay attribution.

A little story, Saturday afternoon many years ago I'm on the 1430 BTM^▸ (Bristol Temple Meads (strictly, it should be BRI) but BTM is a commonly used alternative)) Paddington. Sat in the front cab of my lovely HST^▸ (High Speed Train (Inter City class 43 125 units)) when a member of platform staff asks if I sign the B+H. Yep. He says he'll return, something has just happened. A few minutes later he returns with not to call orders for Chippenham, Swindon and Didcot. Off we go but at Barf Spa the screens are showing Chippenham etc and the dispatcher says you're now calling. I require a Special Stop Order to countermand the not to call order. But in the few minutes it takes to write out the paperwork it has been decided to go via the B+H. So I rip up the SSO^▸ (Special Stop Order - instruction to make additional stops) and tell the TM^▸ (Train Manager, or Ticket Machine, or Temple Meads (Bristol), depending on context) to do the same, I have the BTM issued not to call orders which is fine for me. During this time the passengers are off, on and back off. Left around 10 late, the Pompey has cleared off, an up WOE^▸ (West of England) is held at Hawkridge for me, so it's greens all the way from Barf to Reading excent for the distant approaching Hawkridge. Some very aggressive driving, black box compliant (ish) 3 late Reading and RT Paddington. Paperwork kept for a few weeks just in case

I was the awkward one who always insisted on the correct paperwork. Never got questioned.