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15th Jun (2018) GWR Community Rail conference at Swindon (link) |
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June 15, 2025, 13:50:36
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91
All across the Great Western territory / Introductions and chat / Re: HMS Bristol: Last Falklands warship given send-off by veterans - 11 June 2025
on: June 13, 2025, 11:45:25
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| Started by Chris from Nailsea - Last post by paul7575 | ||
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I was quite surprised it lasted in service as long as it did, I suspect it would have had a much earlier retirement without the Falklands losses. She was used as the RN Cadet and Schools acquaint and accommodation as well as being used by the RN for training until recently, she sat on permanent mooring off of HMS Excellent (Whale Island) As a Sea Cadet adult volunteer I have spent many weekends and week living onboard HMS Bristol, sad to see her go |
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92
All across the Great Western territory / Media about railways, and other means of transport / Re: Best-loved railway art unveiled after global vote - June 2025
on: June 13, 2025, 10:51:42
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| Started by grahame - Last post by Chris from Nailsea | ||
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From the BBC» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):
Quote Joy as grandad's painting tops railway art poll  The granddaughter of war artist Eric Ravilious said she was "delighted" one of his works had been named as the world's best-loved railway artwork from the UK▸ (United Kingdom). Painted in 1940, Train Landscape shows the chalk white horse of Westbury, Wiltshire, through the window of a third-class train carriage. Kate Ravilious, who is a Labour councillor in York, said it was "really lovely" to hear how many people loved the painting. Art UK and Railway 200 organised the ballot, which drew votes from around the world, as part of events to mark the 200th anniversary of the modern railway. She said the watercolour may never have seen the light of day however, were it not for her grandmother, Tirzah Garwood, who pieced it together from works her grandfather had discarded. "I think my granddad and my grandmother would have been delighted because she had a lot to play in this painting too," Ms Ravilious said. "My granddad was a perfectionist in his work and about a third of the pieces he decided weren't worth keeping and in this case my grandmother could see the potential. He had a whole series of paintings that he'd done that he wasn't happy with." Asked why the painting, which is on display at Aberdeen Art Gallery, had topped the poll, she said she believed that era of artwork was gaining popularity. "Perhaps it's a bit of a nostalgia for a past. His view of the landscape, other people have described it as evoking a kind of Englishness we all love." Ravilious, who grew up in Sussex, was a painter, designer, book illustrator and wood-engraver who later became a war artist. He was the first war artist to die on active service in 1942, meaning Ms Ravilious would never meet him. "Sadly in 1942 he was sent to Iceland and he went off on an air-sea rescue mission and the plane never returned." She said he had left a vast amount of work behind. "We still have his lovely paintings to remember him by and that's how I know him, through his paintings." |
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93
Journey by Journey / London to the Cotswolds / Re: North Cotswold line delays and cancellations - 2025
on: June 13, 2025, 10:24:57
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| Started by Worcester_Passenger - Last post by Worcester_Passenger | ||
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Yesterday (Thursday June 12), the afternoon halts train from Didcot to Evesham was cancelled after Oxford.
JourneyCheck had this as being due to "to more trains than usual needing repairs at the same time". RTT» (Real Time Trains - website) has it as "This service was cancelled between Oxford and Evesham due to the planned train being replaced with a slower train (MS)". |
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94
Journey by Journey / London to the Cotswolds / Re: North Cotswold line delays and cancellations - 2025
on: June 13, 2025, 09:37:32
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| Started by Worcester_Passenger - Last post by Witham Bobby | ||
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1W11 0553 London Paddington to Great Malvern
Quote was cancelled between Oxford and Great Malvern due to an issue with the train crew (TG). (RTT» (Real Time Trains - website))Quote 08:56 Great Malvern to London Paddington due 11:27 will be started from Oxford. (GW» (Great Western - used as an abbreviation for the area / lines under the Great Western franchise, as opposed to FGW which includes "First", the company operating them too. For tickets - about) Journeycheck)It will no longer call at Great Malvern, Malvern Link, Worcester Foregate Street, Worcester Shrub Hill, Worcestershire Parkway Hl, Pershore, Evesham, Honeybourne, Moreton-In-Marsh, Kingham, Charlbury and Hanborough. This is due to more trains than usual needing repairs at the same time. Last Updated:13/06/2025 07:22 Striking disparity between the excuses |
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95
Journey by Journey / TransWilts line / Re: 2025 - Service update and amendment log, Swindon <-> Westbury
on: June 13, 2025, 08:38:53
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| Started by TaplowGreen - Last post by RA | ||
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...and the 17:35 Swindon-Westbury left Chippenham on time, but then stopped for about 5 mins somewhere before Thingley, due to a red signal according to the train manager. Wasn't obvious why; I assumed something had got delayed coming from Melksham in the opposite direction on the single track we were waiting to turn into, but nothing came past us. Strange. Nothing obvious on Real Time Trains ... the other possibility that I looked at was the possibility of something ahead of it that had to clear Bradford Junction before you could proceed, but that was NOT showing on RTT» (Real Time Trains - website). Signalling experts may be able to help me - but I think that the train is passed from Didcot to Westbury sit passes along the line and signallers at both ends have to co-operate to pass trains. I get the impression that the paths / this is occasionally done very late. The signaller at Westbury controls the single line through Melksham. In order to route a down train from Thingley Junction towards Bradford Junction, the signaller on the TVSC» (Thames Valley Signalling Centre - about) Swindon workstation has to request the slot from their counterpart at Westbury. If the slot is not requested or given in good time, the Automatic Route Setting will set the route up only as far as the signal before the Thingley crossovers. This is to ensure that the junction is not blocked if there was to be a train coming up from Bradford Junction first. |
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96
All across the Great Western territory / Introductions and chat / Re: Air India flight to London Gatwick crashed in Ahmedabad
on: June 13, 2025, 07:47:00
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| Started by grahame - Last post by TaplowGreen | ||
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From The BBC» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) Quote Over coming time, we will learn what caused the plane to fall out of the sky; out of respect for those who have perished or been bereaved, I am not speculating here. Agreed. Speculation best avoided. A colleague lost an Aunt and Uncle in yesterday's crash, who (heart breakingly) were en route to attend a funeral in London. Edited to clarify quoting |
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97
All across the Great Western territory / Across the West / Re: RMT to ballot GWR Gateline staff over lone staffing plans - June 2025
on: June 13, 2025, 07:42:33
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| Started by Chris from Nailsea - Last post by TaplowGreen | ||
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From the Morning Star: Quote  Rail union RMT▸ (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers) announced today that it will be balloting over 300 gateline staff across Great Western Railway (GWR▸ (Great Western Railway)) for strike action. The ballot, opening on June 17, comes in response to company plans to impose single staffing and extend working hours. The rail union argues that this will leave staff on ticket barriers isolated, more exposed to abuse and violence, and unable to provide proper ticket enforcement and adequate assistance to passengers. RMT reports that management has attempted to intimidate workers by insisting they will not win the ballot, and that the new working arrangements will go ahead regardless. General secretary Eddie Dempsey said: “Our members are being threatened with unsafe working conditions and told there is nothing they can do about it. GWR is trying to impose single staffing, which will put our members at greater chance of being harmed at work and we cannot allow that. RMT will not accept lone working on stations and Gatelines, and we are prepared to take strike action to stop it.” A Great Western Railway spokesman said: “These proposals mean more colleagues at seven GWR stations on our network to offer help and support to customers. We’ve got no plans to extend the working hours for gateline colleagues and there is no suggestion of single staffing being imposed. We’ve been speaking to trades unions colleagues about recruiting an additional 30 members of staff at seven locations on our network to help us provide more staff at gatelines for longer. Rather than being imposed, we’ve been clear that minimum staffing levels would be agreed by local station teams, based on risk assessments agreed with trades unions. We’re keen to talk to colleagues and their trades union representatives to find a mutually beneficial solution here that doesn’t involve colleagues losing money through unnecessary industrial action.” Of note is the apparently obligatory illustrative image, again from Bristol Temple Meads - which would surely be the last railway station to be subject to any proposed 'single staffing' on the ticket barriers? CfN.  I wonder if either of the Morning Star's readers noticed? |
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98
All across the Great Western territory / Introductions and chat / Re: Air India flight to London Gatwick crashed in Ahmedabad
on: June 12, 2025, 21:54:27
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| Started by grahame - Last post by JayMac | ||
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Some reports are suggesting dual engine failure after take-off (DEFATO) That would help explain why there was a mayday call. It's something that is very noticeable to the flight crew, very quickly. If the plane had been incorrectly configured for take-off (as some have speculated - noting that flaps may have been incorrectly positioned and gear was still down) it's less likely the pilots would've figured out what was wrong in time to diagnose the problem and then communicate. The rule of thumb is: Aviate, Navigate, Communicate. There's also some suggestion that the RAT (Ram Air Turbine) was deployed, which would add weight to the DEFATO hypothesis.
A dual engine failure immediately after V2 would most likely occur due to birdstrikes. Other foreign object damage is possible, though less likely to affect both engines. It could also potentially be contaminated fuel, but there have been subsequent take-offs from that airport, so it's unlikely the source of fuel was the problem. Dual engine failure at, or immediately after, V2. Startled pilots. No positive rate achieved so no "positive rate, gear up" call out and action. Begin the DEFATO checklist, which I suspect is mainly memory items due to the time critical nature of the fault. Continuing aviating. Issue mayday. If it turns out to be this scenario then the sad reality is that the pilots simply did not have enough of three critical things. Time, altitude, speed. The nearest comparison would be US Airways Flight 1549. But Chesley Sullenberger and Jeffrey Skiles had nearly 4 minutes, 190kts and 3,000ft to play with. My thoughts and sympathies go to all those affected.  |
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99
All across the Great Western territory / Introductions and chat / Re: HMS Bristol: Last Falklands warship given send-off by veterans - 11 June 2025
on: June 12, 2025, 21:49:40
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| Started by Chris from Nailsea - Last post by Kernow Otter | ||
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Got flown out to Hong Kong to join her. Amazing three month trip back to Portsmouth. 1990.
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100
All across the Great Western territory / Across the West / RMT to ballot GWR Gateline staff over lone staffing plans - June 2025
on: June 12, 2025, 21:04:57
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| Started by Chris from Nailsea - Last post by Chris from Nailsea | ||
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From the Morning Star:
Quote Rail union RMT▸ (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers) announced today that it will be balloting over 300 gateline staff across Great Western Railway (GWR▸ (Great Western Railway)) for strike action. The ballot, opening on June 17, comes in response to company plans to impose single staffing and extend working hours. The rail union argues that this will leave staff on ticket barriers isolated, more exposed to abuse and violence, and unable to provide proper ticket enforcement and adequate assistance to passengers. RMT reports that management has attempted to intimidate workers by insisting they will not win the ballot, and that the new working arrangements will go ahead regardless. General secretary Eddie Dempsey said: “Our members are being threatened with unsafe working conditions and told there is nothing they can do about it. GWR is trying to impose single staffing, which will put our members at greater chance of being harmed at work and we cannot allow that. RMT will not accept lone working on stations and Gatelines, and we are prepared to take strike action to stop it.” A Great Western Railway spokesman said: “These proposals mean more colleagues at seven GWR stations on our network to offer help and support to customers. We’ve got no plans to extend the working hours for gateline colleagues and there is no suggestion of single staffing being imposed. We’ve been speaking to trades unions colleagues about recruiting an additional 30 members of staff at seven locations on our network to help us provide more staff at gatelines for longer. Rather than being imposed, we’ve been clear that minimum staffing levels would be agreed by local station teams, based on risk assessments agreed with trades unions. We’re keen to talk to colleagues and their trades union representatives to find a mutually beneficial solution here that doesn’t involve colleagues losing money through unnecessary industrial action.” Of note is the apparently obligatory illustrative image, again from Bristol Temple Meads - which would surely be the last railway station to be subject to any proposed 'single staffing' on the ticket barriers? CfN. |
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