| Wales explorer 4 in 8 ticket: trip 3 Posted by Mark A at 07:19, 7th January 2026 |     |
At Bath Spa for the 7:30 to Newport for which destination I'm now wondering if I should have bought a season ticket. On the opposite platform, a train proudly announced as 'The Bristolian' has arrived and the departed, while the Penzance train has been delayed in a similar way to the Swansea train yesterday.
Mark
| Re: Wales explorer 4 in 8 ticket: trip 3 Posted by Mark A at 07:36, 7th January 2026 | |
Travelling with the rucksack. Fond memories of the time when fetching it down from the rack at Newport one of its fastenings took the opportunity to lock itself to the metal grill in the roof. On we went to Cardiff where staff rightly found the whole thing hilarious, which was rather more supportive that the carriage full of passengers who witnessed the debacle and went into po-faced mode.
Anyway, it's not going in the rack this time...
Mark
| Re: Wales explorer 4 in 8 ticket: trip 3 Posted by grahame at 08:34, 7th January 2026 | |
Good to be hearing from you on these trips, Mark. I am looking at following in your footsteps (metaphorically) over the next few months, and loving your experiences.
I was wondering if you're catching the 07:04 off Bath Spa on any of your days - the "Parly" over the Rhubarb loop.
The Paddington <-> Bristol <-> Penzance through trains seem to be very much "high risk" trains if you need to be on time. Before the evening buses from Chippenham to Melksham were withdrawn, there was a 5 minute change off the train from Penzance to the bus at Chippenham - 22:11 to 22:16, and it worked on 2 evenings out of 3 ...
Where are ou headed today?
| Re: Wales explorer 4 in 8 ticket: trip 3 Posted by Mark A at 08:45, 7th January 2026 | |
The lowest point in the Severn tunnel: is it marked by a pair of blue lights?
Mark
| Re: Wales explorer 4 in 8 ticket: trip 3 Posted by Mark A at 08:50, 7th January 2026 | |
Ice rink surfaces today. Newport ststion staff trying to source more aalt. Please no one need a&e this morning as they'll be beseiged.
Mark
| Re: Wales explorer 4 in 8 ticket: trip 3 Posted by Mark A at 09:07, 7th January 2026 | |
Enough time at Newport to observe that the new part of the station is bit of a maintenance ' mare.
Mark
| Re: Wales explorer 4 in 8 ticket: trip 3 Posted by Mark A at 09:22, 7th January 2026 | |
On to the 9:07 to Manchester as far as Shrewsbury.
Mark
| Re: Wales explorer 4 in 8 ticket: trip 3 Posted by bobm at 09:24, 7th January 2026 | |
The lowest point in the Severn tunnel: is it marked by a pair of blue lights?
Mark
Mark
It is - shows the drivers where the gradient changes. I have walked past them!
| Re: Wales explorer 4 in 8 ticket: trip 3 Posted by Mark A at 09:42, 7th January 2026 | |
Good to be hearing from you on these trips, Mark. I am looking at following in your footsteps (metaphorically) over the next few months, and loving your experiences.
I was wondering if you're catching the 07:04 off Bath Spa on any of your days - the "Parly" over the Rhubarb loop.
The Paddington <-> Bristol <-> Penzance through trains seem to be very much "high risk" trains if you need to be on time. Before the evening buses from Chippenham to Melksham were withdrawn, there was a 5 minute change off the train from Penzance to the bus at Chippenham - 22:11 to 22:16, and it worked on 2 evenings out of 3 ...
Where are ou headed today?
I was wondering if you're catching the 07:04 off Bath Spa on any of your days - the "Parly" over the Rhubarb loop.
The Paddington <-> Bristol <-> Penzance through trains seem to be very much "high risk" trains if you need to be on time. Before the evening buses from Chippenham to Melksham were withdrawn, there was a 5 minute change off the train from Penzance to the bus at Chippenham - 22:11 to 22:16, and it worked on 2 evenings out of 3 ...
Where are ou headed today?
Ah, the rhubarb loop train: on the first day it got under the feet of the Newport train as it was first to the climb up Filton. Then, yesterday, it almost left Bath before the late running Swansea train.
Heading for a station with a long name. (Not *that* long though)
Mark
Mark
| Re: Wales explorer 4 in 8 ticket: trip 3 Posted by Mark A at 09:59, 7th January 2026 | |
TfW first class availability, a useful summary and would be even more useful with daily updates.
https://tfw.wales/service-status/first-class-service-availability
Mark
| Re: Wales explorer 4 in 8 ticket: trip 3 Posted by Mark A at 10:34, 7th January 2026 | |
TfW first class availability, a useful summary and would be even more useful with daily updates.
https://tfw.wales/service-status/first-class-service-availability
Mark
https://tfw.wales/service-status/first-class-service-availability
Mark
Catering crew with no chef and struggled to get ahead of things, to their credit they knuckled down and turning out very competent bacon butties.
Mark
| Re: Wales explorer 4 in 8 ticket: trip 3 Posted by grahame at 10:39, 7th January 2026 | |
Heading for a station with a long name. (Not *that* long though)
Penrhyndeudraeth? Dolwyddelan?
| Re: Wales explorer 4 in 8 ticket: trip 3 Posted by Mark A at 11:28, 7th January 2026 | |
Haha, nailed it!
Mark
| Re: Wales explorer 4 in 8 ticket: trip 3 Posted by Mark A at 11:31, 7th January 2026 | |
Pwllheli portion has the filthiest windows ever. Photo on Bluesky.
Mark
https://bsky.app/profile/markannand.bsky.social/post/3mbte65fdgs2v
| Re: Wales explorer 4 in 8 ticket: trip 3 Posted by Mark A at 12:20, 7th January 2026 | |
Popped out at Newtown and cleaned a patch.
The trai divides as it alwys does,, and despite the clear instructions around 70% of he passengers who join dd it sat dow in he wrong section, most of them with copious lugagage.
Mark
| Re: Wales explorer 4 in 8 ticket: trip 3 Posted by Mark A at 13:34, 7th January 2026 | |
At a stand at Tywyn awaiting the southbound train, which has sat down on the approach with an I. T. issue and is refusing to move.
Mark
| Re: Wales explorer 4 in 8 ticket: trip 3 Posted by Mark A at 13:37, 7th January 2026 | |
Marconi broadcast from here, my great aunt remembered his visit, and now, here am I sending text to the coffeeshop forum via a mobile phone, what is this life?
Mark
| Re: Wales explorer 4 in 8 ticket: trip 3 Posted by Mark A at 10:34, 8th January 2026 | |
Update: arrived in good order, after the service picked up an entire school full of children at Harlech.
Mark
