Recent Public Posts - [guest]
| Re: Swindon Panel final signalled train, 20th February 2016 , and ongoing Swindon Panel discussion In "Railway History and related topics" [361671/26057/55] Posted by JayMac at 21:42, 23rd May 2025 |      |
Swindon Panel Society are proposing to merge into the Great Western Society. Their reasoning is set out in an email to members ahead of their June 2025 AGM.
Swindon Panel Society - Intention of Proposal
This document has been written to give advanced information to members of a potential proposal, potentially to be made at the June 2025 AGM. Feedback and discussion is welcome both before and during the AGM.
SPS has been in operation for twelve years. Our structure and operation is regularly reviewed, and it has been identified that SPS’s current structure may no longer be the most appropriate or deliver best value-for-money. It may be beneficial for the objects and beneficiaries of SPS for it to merge into the Great Western Society (this is the organisation that runs Didcot Railway Centre).
Background:
It has been useful, over the last twelve years, for Swindon Panel Society to be an independent entity, both as a fundraising vehicle and for ease of organisation. However, now that the key restoration work is complete and the needs for major fundraising and expenditure have diminished, the benefit in being an independent legal entity doesn’t justify the administrative and compliance burden which is placed on a very small number of volunteers.
The status of the Society as a registered charity is also no longer the most appropriate structure. Structures such as a Community Interest Company (CIC) are more appropriate nowadays, especially as they limit the liability of the organisation and its members and trustees. Many other heritage organisations are making the move from being a ‘Society’ to a CIC. It would be necessary to examine this structure and undertake the considerable work that went into formalising the charity in 2013 again to change it to a CIC, should SPS wish to continue as an independent organisation.
In addition, the availability of volunteers in the heritage railway sector has rapidly decreased since Covid, and we, along with nearly all heritage railway organisations, are feeling this reduction in capacity. This affects us not just in terms of demonstrators for open days, but also for other ancillary tasks such as writing newsletters etc.
For these reasons it is felt that the objects of the Society can be better and more sustainably met, and that there will be better value for the public and SPS members, if SPS were to merge its resources with the Great Western Society.
It is therefore recommended by the Trustees of SPS that the Society merges with the Great Western Society.
The detail of this proposal is examined below.
Assets:
The assets of the Society would be donated to either the Great Western Society (GWS) or the Great Western Trust (GWT). SPS’s preferred option is the Great Western Trust, but that is subject to discussion and agreement between GWS and GWT.
The GWT exists for the purpose of safeguarding historical GWR/WR assets at Didcot Railway Centre. Disposal of assets (by SPS or GWT) is only permitted when in the best interest of the preservation of the asset. The GWT have expressed their willingness to accept the donation of the Swindon Panel assets including the Panel itself, and the other supporting items and artefacts.
SPS would pass its photo, paperwork, and other accumulated research knowledge over to the GWT in a controlled manner so as to best ensure its continued preservation.
Items in the panel room that belong to individuals would not be affected. Those individuals can remove those items whenever they like. If this plan comes to fruition, a detailed inventory of assets changing ownership would be created, and a list of which assets are privately-owned would be agreed with the GWT and the assets’ owners.
The majority of the GWT’s assets are based at DRC. DRC, it should be noted, is simply a brand name and not an organisation in itself, but it is an accredited museum. This places obligations on it in terms of how it safeguards its historical assets which give the panel and other Society artefacts, if anything, a stronger position in preservation than they currently have under SPS’s ownership.
GWT have confirmed their intention would be to keep the panel in its current position and serving its current purpose. Many GWT assets are employed at DRC, operated and maintained by GWS staff, and Swindon Panel would become one of those. (e.g. all the mechanical signalling on the branch is owned by the GWT).
Members may be aware that SPS is committed to offering the GWS first refusal if disposing of the panel. The GWS have confirmed they would be happy to forgo this opportunity to acquire the panel if it is being donated to the GWT.
Ownership by GWT also protects the assets from the risks of running Didcot Railway Centre. For example, if the GWS were to go in to debt or administration due to some issue at DRC (e.g. a major accident), the GWT assets would not be available to the creditors.
With the Society’s assets in the care of the GWT, SPS becomes free of the maintenance liability for physical assets, however it is envisaged, and encouraged, that all those volunteers currently involved in the maintenance and development of the panel will continue to be able to do so.
Members:
SPS also has a responsibility to its members and to the delivery of its objects. GWT does not have members, as its assets are, where appropriate, loaned to the GWS to operate and maintain.
DRC is operated by the GWS, so all staff (including volunteers) are members of the GWS and the GWS is their ‘employer’.
SPS members would become GWS members, and the public open days and demonstration of the panel would become a GWS-managed affair at the same time.
Life Members: GWS has indicated its willingness to absorb the life members of the Swindon Panel Society as life members of the GWS with the terms and conditions as they currently enjoy with SPS as a minimum, ie free entry to the site [this is currently only valid on panel days, but would become valid on all public days]. In addition, members become eligible for other GWS meetings, outings and activities, and would receive by email the excellent quarterly ‘Echo’ magazine, addressing one of the things SPS has been unable to offer for the last couple of years.
Annual Members: Annual members would also be transferred to the Great Western Society, and would then take up a GWS membership from their next renewal. The GWS membership prices are higher than the current SPS membership prices, but the benefits to be had are proportionally greater as well. 2024 prices: Adult, £32. Junior or full-time student, £20. Senior £27.
Regrettably, there would be no ‘Bronze’ equivalent in the GWS regime.
There would be no separate membership administration for Swindon Panel, this all being handled by the GWS membership administration. This saves an amount of duplicated volunteer effort that is currently required.
Operations:
The management of operations going forward would be a GWS matter. The current volunteers of SPS would be volunteers of the GWS. GWS may decide to arrange the SPS demonstrators as a department and appoint a manager, or (more likely) adopt us into one of their existing visitor services departments.
It is envisaged, and encouraged, that all those involved in Swindon Panel demonstrating and restoration work at DRC will continue to do so and, apart from reporting lines, there would be very little dany-to-day change.
The GWS already uses very similar business processes to manage its staff (eg HOPS, etc), so there would be minimal change to how people are managed and rostered to work.
Financial:
The money in Swindon Panel’s bank account would be transferred to the GWS, which would became responsible for the maintenance and development of the panel. This money would be ringfenced and only able to be spent on Swindon Panel work (as that is the purpose for which it was originally raised).
Spending would be controlled by GWS.
There would be no separate accounts maintained by the Swindon Panel organisation. This saves an amount of duplicated volunteer effort that is currently required.
Between 2014 and 2017, SPS raised and contributed £25,000 towards the cost of the construction of The Signalling Centre (the building in which Swindon Panel is housed). To protect SPS’s interests, a claw-back clause was included such that, if SPS were to leave the DRC site, the GWS would re-pay a proportion of that contribution, the amount decreasing on a sliding scale between 2018 and 2030. In mid-2025 the value of this claw-back will be £9,000. As GWS would absorb the SPS organisation this arrangement would become between the GWS and itself, so would essentially be written-off.
Organisational:
The SPS charity would be merged with the GWS charity. This can be achieved by either starting a new charity to manage the operations of both, or one charity being dissolved and one continuing on the operations of both. The latter would be appropriate in this case, with the GWS being the far larger and therefore most appropriate to continue. SPS would be referred to as the ‘transferring charity’ and GWS as the ‘receiving charity’. The SPS charity would be dissolved as a result.
It is important to note, however, that this would be a merger, rather than a ‘sale’ or that SPS is ‘closing down’ and GWS is moving into a vacuum. GWS would absorb the objects and responsibilities of SPS.
While the SPS constitution (governing document) does not explicitly deal with the process for merging with another organisation, it does deal with dissolving the Society, so that is the process it would be intended to follow.
Where a merger of charities takes place an agreement is reached regarding which trustees of each organisation will be trustees of the combined organisation. In this case none of the SPS trustees would automatically become trustees of the combined organisation, however individual SPS trustees may decide to offer themselves for election as members of the GWS, as any member could.
-----------------
At this stage we are inviting views, feedback, questions and comments from SPS members.
If any members would like to make any comments on this ‘intention of a proposal’ they are welcome to do so to any of the SPS trustees (Peter, Brian, James, Jamie, Danny). Please also indicate whether you are happy for your comment (without your name) to be made available to other members, and we will publish the comments so agreed for everyone’s information.
Depending on the feedback between now and the AGM, this merger may be proposed at the AGM or, if there are outstanding discussion points, a later date.
To enact all the above, the constitution requires a unanimous decision by the trustees, supported by at least three-quarters approval from members voting at a subsequent EGM. Although the initial action is by the trustees, the views and comments of members and other stakeholders will be used as the guiding factor.
If that is in favour, an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) called for a later date in order for members to vote on the matter. (Note that the constitution requires a vote to dissolve or change the status of SPS to take place at an EGM. This is simply a procedural point and doesn’t affect members’ ability to vote.)
Proxy votes from members unable to attend in person will be supported.
This document has been written to give advanced information to members of a potential proposal, potentially to be made at the June 2025 AGM. Feedback and discussion is welcome both before and during the AGM.
SPS has been in operation for twelve years. Our structure and operation is regularly reviewed, and it has been identified that SPS’s current structure may no longer be the most appropriate or deliver best value-for-money. It may be beneficial for the objects and beneficiaries of SPS for it to merge into the Great Western Society (this is the organisation that runs Didcot Railway Centre).
Background:
It has been useful, over the last twelve years, for Swindon Panel Society to be an independent entity, both as a fundraising vehicle and for ease of organisation. However, now that the key restoration work is complete and the needs for major fundraising and expenditure have diminished, the benefit in being an independent legal entity doesn’t justify the administrative and compliance burden which is placed on a very small number of volunteers.
The status of the Society as a registered charity is also no longer the most appropriate structure. Structures such as a Community Interest Company (CIC) are more appropriate nowadays, especially as they limit the liability of the organisation and its members and trustees. Many other heritage organisations are making the move from being a ‘Society’ to a CIC. It would be necessary to examine this structure and undertake the considerable work that went into formalising the charity in 2013 again to change it to a CIC, should SPS wish to continue as an independent organisation.
In addition, the availability of volunteers in the heritage railway sector has rapidly decreased since Covid, and we, along with nearly all heritage railway organisations, are feeling this reduction in capacity. This affects us not just in terms of demonstrators for open days, but also for other ancillary tasks such as writing newsletters etc.
For these reasons it is felt that the objects of the Society can be better and more sustainably met, and that there will be better value for the public and SPS members, if SPS were to merge its resources with the Great Western Society.
It is therefore recommended by the Trustees of SPS that the Society merges with the Great Western Society.
The detail of this proposal is examined below.
Assets:
The assets of the Society would be donated to either the Great Western Society (GWS) or the Great Western Trust (GWT). SPS’s preferred option is the Great Western Trust, but that is subject to discussion and agreement between GWS and GWT.
The GWT exists for the purpose of safeguarding historical GWR/WR assets at Didcot Railway Centre. Disposal of assets (by SPS or GWT) is only permitted when in the best interest of the preservation of the asset. The GWT have expressed their willingness to accept the donation of the Swindon Panel assets including the Panel itself, and the other supporting items and artefacts.
SPS would pass its photo, paperwork, and other accumulated research knowledge over to the GWT in a controlled manner so as to best ensure its continued preservation.
Items in the panel room that belong to individuals would not be affected. Those individuals can remove those items whenever they like. If this plan comes to fruition, a detailed inventory of assets changing ownership would be created, and a list of which assets are privately-owned would be agreed with the GWT and the assets’ owners.
The majority of the GWT’s assets are based at DRC. DRC, it should be noted, is simply a brand name and not an organisation in itself, but it is an accredited museum. This places obligations on it in terms of how it safeguards its historical assets which give the panel and other Society artefacts, if anything, a stronger position in preservation than they currently have under SPS’s ownership.
GWT have confirmed their intention would be to keep the panel in its current position and serving its current purpose. Many GWT assets are employed at DRC, operated and maintained by GWS staff, and Swindon Panel would become one of those. (e.g. all the mechanical signalling on the branch is owned by the GWT).
Members may be aware that SPS is committed to offering the GWS first refusal if disposing of the panel. The GWS have confirmed they would be happy to forgo this opportunity to acquire the panel if it is being donated to the GWT.
Ownership by GWT also protects the assets from the risks of running Didcot Railway Centre. For example, if the GWS were to go in to debt or administration due to some issue at DRC (e.g. a major accident), the GWT assets would not be available to the creditors.
With the Society’s assets in the care of the GWT, SPS becomes free of the maintenance liability for physical assets, however it is envisaged, and encouraged, that all those volunteers currently involved in the maintenance and development of the panel will continue to be able to do so.
Members:
SPS also has a responsibility to its members and to the delivery of its objects. GWT does not have members, as its assets are, where appropriate, loaned to the GWS to operate and maintain.
DRC is operated by the GWS, so all staff (including volunteers) are members of the GWS and the GWS is their ‘employer’.
SPS members would become GWS members, and the public open days and demonstration of the panel would become a GWS-managed affair at the same time.
Life Members: GWS has indicated its willingness to absorb the life members of the Swindon Panel Society as life members of the GWS with the terms and conditions as they currently enjoy with SPS as a minimum, ie free entry to the site [this is currently only valid on panel days, but would become valid on all public days]. In addition, members become eligible for other GWS meetings, outings and activities, and would receive by email the excellent quarterly ‘Echo’ magazine, addressing one of the things SPS has been unable to offer for the last couple of years.
Annual Members: Annual members would also be transferred to the Great Western Society, and would then take up a GWS membership from their next renewal. The GWS membership prices are higher than the current SPS membership prices, but the benefits to be had are proportionally greater as well. 2024 prices: Adult, £32. Junior or full-time student, £20. Senior £27.
Regrettably, there would be no ‘Bronze’ equivalent in the GWS regime.
There would be no separate membership administration for Swindon Panel, this all being handled by the GWS membership administration. This saves an amount of duplicated volunteer effort that is currently required.
Operations:
The management of operations going forward would be a GWS matter. The current volunteers of SPS would be volunteers of the GWS. GWS may decide to arrange the SPS demonstrators as a department and appoint a manager, or (more likely) adopt us into one of their existing visitor services departments.
It is envisaged, and encouraged, that all those involved in Swindon Panel demonstrating and restoration work at DRC will continue to do so and, apart from reporting lines, there would be very little dany-to-day change.
The GWS already uses very similar business processes to manage its staff (eg HOPS, etc), so there would be minimal change to how people are managed and rostered to work.
Financial:
The money in Swindon Panel’s bank account would be transferred to the GWS, which would became responsible for the maintenance and development of the panel. This money would be ringfenced and only able to be spent on Swindon Panel work (as that is the purpose for which it was originally raised).
Spending would be controlled by GWS.
There would be no separate accounts maintained by the Swindon Panel organisation. This saves an amount of duplicated volunteer effort that is currently required.
Between 2014 and 2017, SPS raised and contributed £25,000 towards the cost of the construction of The Signalling Centre (the building in which Swindon Panel is housed). To protect SPS’s interests, a claw-back clause was included such that, if SPS were to leave the DRC site, the GWS would re-pay a proportion of that contribution, the amount decreasing on a sliding scale between 2018 and 2030. In mid-2025 the value of this claw-back will be £9,000. As GWS would absorb the SPS organisation this arrangement would become between the GWS and itself, so would essentially be written-off.
Organisational:
The SPS charity would be merged with the GWS charity. This can be achieved by either starting a new charity to manage the operations of both, or one charity being dissolved and one continuing on the operations of both. The latter would be appropriate in this case, with the GWS being the far larger and therefore most appropriate to continue. SPS would be referred to as the ‘transferring charity’ and GWS as the ‘receiving charity’. The SPS charity would be dissolved as a result.
It is important to note, however, that this would be a merger, rather than a ‘sale’ or that SPS is ‘closing down’ and GWS is moving into a vacuum. GWS would absorb the objects and responsibilities of SPS.
While the SPS constitution (governing document) does not explicitly deal with the process for merging with another organisation, it does deal with dissolving the Society, so that is the process it would be intended to follow.
Where a merger of charities takes place an agreement is reached regarding which trustees of each organisation will be trustees of the combined organisation. In this case none of the SPS trustees would automatically become trustees of the combined organisation, however individual SPS trustees may decide to offer themselves for election as members of the GWS, as any member could.
-----------------
At this stage we are inviting views, feedback, questions and comments from SPS members.
If any members would like to make any comments on this ‘intention of a proposal’ they are welcome to do so to any of the SPS trustees (Peter, Brian, James, Jamie, Danny). Please also indicate whether you are happy for your comment (without your name) to be made available to other members, and we will publish the comments so agreed for everyone’s information.
Depending on the feedback between now and the AGM, this merger may be proposed at the AGM or, if there are outstanding discussion points, a later date.
To enact all the above, the constitution requires a unanimous decision by the trustees, supported by at least three-quarters approval from members voting at a subsequent EGM. Although the initial action is by the trustees, the views and comments of members and other stakeholders will be used as the guiding factor.
If that is in favour, an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) called for a later date in order for members to vote on the matter. (Note that the constitution requires a vote to dissolve or change the status of SPS to take place at an EGM. This is simply a procedural point and doesn’t affect members’ ability to vote.)
Proxy votes from members unable to attend in person will be supported.
| Re: Bristol Temple Meads - station, facilities, incidents and events (merged posts) In "Bristol (WECA) Commuters" [361670/10737/21] Posted by johnneyw at 21:31, 23rd May 2025 | |
The new Temple Meads canopy continues to be slowly revealed with even some of the scaffolding being dismantled. I took those pictures this afternoon.
| Re: Broadgage unwell. In "Introductions and chat" [361669/26962/1] Posted by chuffed at 21:21, 23rd May 2025 | |
I always understood that Cochineal was something of an aphrodisiac....
| Re: Switzerland - Landwasser Viaduct new open carriage tourist service. In "The Wider Picture Overseas" [361668/30283/52] Posted by broadgage at 20:44, 23rd May 2025 | |
Splendid ! Would never be allowed here, what if children, or hard of thinking adults climb out.
| Large knife attack at Hamburg central station.23/05/2025 In "The Wider Picture Overseas" [361667/30292/52] Posted by broadgage at 20:32, 23rd May 2025 | |
About a dozen injured, some seriously. A suspect has been arrested.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cm26v7n5y4eo
| Re: Train hits tractor and trailer on level crossing 22/05/2025. In "The Wider Picture in the United Kingdom" [361666/30290/51] Posted by LiskeardRich at 20:14, 23rd May 2025 | |
Later reports state that the driver of the tractor was arrested on suspicion "of endangering lives on the railway"
One person taken to hospital by air ambulance, and another by land ambulance, many others treated at the scene for minor injuries.
The train remained on the track and does not look badly damaged. Probably driveable under its own power, at very low speed to a depot for repairs.
The tractor looks still useable. the trailer is substantially destroyed
One person taken to hospital by air ambulance, and another by land ambulance, many others treated at the scene for minor injuries.
The train remained on the track and does not look badly damaged. Probably driveable under its own power, at very low speed to a depot for repairs.
The tractor looks still useable. the trailer is substantially destroyed
Nowhere does any report say the tractor driver is the arrested individual. In fact the reported age rules the tractor driver out.
Signaller maybe? Tractor driver called and was given clearance is being reported on a Facebook page I seen earlier today.
| Re: 18th December, Swindon 11:30 - Go-op Share Offer Launch In "Diary - what's happening when?" [361665/29623/34] Posted by eightonedee at 18:50, 23rd May 2025 | |
Prompted by the Minehead connection thread (even though it no longer is part of their plans), Ichecked the Go-op Crowdfunding site.
They've now just exceeded £90k in funds raised, and seem to be perpetually extending their deadline to hit £2.6m to three day's time.
| Re: Train hits tractor and trailer on level crossing 22/05/2025. In "The Wider Picture in the United Kingdom" [361664/30290/51] Posted by UstiImmigrunt at 18:48, 23rd May 2025 | |
Rant time.
A major problem at farm crossings all around the UK. Too many farmers ignore the safety rules by either leaving gates open, not seeking permission to cross or not confirming afterwards that the gates are closed and the crossing is clear for a train to proceed. And if any livestock is killed on the track it's always the fault of the railway, not the impatient farmer who didn't close the gate(s).
Hopefully this farmer is convicted.
Rant over.
Thankfully very few injuries. The worse case scenario, one train derails and is struck by another train.
| MPower Kernow CIC St Blazey In "The Wider Picture in the United Kingdom" [361663/30291/51] Posted by Kernow Otter at 18:01, 23rd May 2025 Already liked by eightonedee, Western Pathfinder, Timmer | |
One and all
Please find a link to the excellent CRS website, detailing the weekend visit of Tornado to our facility at St Blazey Yard on Sunday.
https://www.cornwallrailwaysociety.org.uk/latest-input--news--old-pictures-etc
| Re: Train hits tractor and trailer on level crossing 22/05/2025. In "The Wider Picture in the United Kingdom" [361662/30290/51] Posted by Clan Line at 16:47, 23rd May 2025 | |
From Telegraph.
| Re: Minehead Rail Link Group In "Campaigns for new and improved services" [361661/17237/28] Posted by TonyK at 16:21, 23rd May 2025 Already liked by Phil | |
Don't forget that the £137,000 is just to develop a process to find out how much it would cost to reopen the link.
| Re: North Cotswold line delays and cancellations - 2025 In "London to the Cotswolds" [361660/29711/14] Posted by Witham Bobby at 14:42, 23rd May 2025 | |
Friday 23 May
11:52 London Paddington to Hereford due 14:44 will be terminated at Great Malvern.
It will no longer call at Colwall, Ledbury and Hereford.
It has been previously delayed, has been further delayed at Evesham and is now 58 minutes late.
This is due to a road vehicle colliding with a bridge
Last Updated:23/05/2025 14:35
It will no longer call at Colwall, Ledbury and Hereford.
It has been previously delayed, has been further delayed at Evesham and is now 58 minutes late.
This is due to a road vehicle colliding with a bridge
Last Updated:23/05/2025 14:35
Not sure of the location of this bridge
Somewhere between Moreton in Marsh and Evesham perhaps
1P04 1318 Hereford to London Paddington departed Evesham at 1436, just one minute down, so the problem may have cleared now
| Re: Minehead Rail Link Group In "Campaigns for new and improved services" [361659/17237/28] Posted by Phantom at 11:20, 23rd May 2025 | |
From Somerset Live
Efforts to improve Somerset's rail services have hit a snag after the government refused to fund better connections to the county's main heritage line.
[SNIP]
in the summer of 2019. Somerset Council and West Somerset Railway PLC jointly submitted a strategic outline business case (SOBC) to the Department for Transport (DfT) in November 2024, asking for £137,000 to developer proposals for reopening the link between Taunton and Bishop's Lydeard.
[SNIP]
in the summer of 2019. Somerset Council and West Somerset Railway PLC jointly submitted a strategic outline business case (SOBC) to the Department for Transport (DfT) in November 2024, asking for £137,000 to developer proposals for reopening the link between Taunton and Bishop's Lydeard.
£137,000 would hardly register on the amount of money the railway expends on consultations of all sorts. This seems more like trying to head something off, preventing momentum, rather than actual stinginess over the cost of a report
That was my thoughts too, in the scheme of things £137k is not really that large an amount.
I would be surprised if that could not be raised via a number of different ways so suspect there is more to this than the actual amount
| Re: Minehead Rail Link Group In "Campaigns for new and improved services" [361658/17237/28] Posted by Witham Bobby at 10:37, 23rd May 2025 Already liked by GBM, broadgage | |
From Somerset Live
Efforts to improve Somerset's rail services have hit a snag after the government refused to fund better connections to the county's main heritage line.
[SNIP]
in the summer of 2019. Somerset Council and West Somerset Railway PLC jointly submitted a strategic outline business case (SOBC) to the Department for Transport (DfT) in November 2024, asking for £137,000 to developer proposals for reopening the link between Taunton and Bishop's Lydeard.
[SNIP]
in the summer of 2019. Somerset Council and West Somerset Railway PLC jointly submitted a strategic outline business case (SOBC) to the Department for Transport (DfT) in November 2024, asking for £137,000 to developer proposals for reopening the link between Taunton and Bishop's Lydeard.
£137,000 would hardly register on the amount of money the railway expends on consultations of all sorts. This seems more like trying to head something off, preventing momentum, rather than actual stinginess over the cost of a report
| Re: Broadgage unwell. In "Introductions and chat" [361657/26962/1] Posted by broadgage at 10:05, 23rd May 2025 Already liked by TonyK | |
Coo. I thought it was a red food colouring, got by squishing beetles… Glad it seems to be working!
That is cochineal, used until recently as the colouring agent in Campari.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Campari
| Re: Train hits tractor and trailer on level crossing 22/05/2025. In "The Wider Picture in the United Kingdom" [361656/30290/51] Posted by broadgage at 10:00, 23rd May 2025 | |
Later reports state that the driver of the tractor was arrested on suspicion "of endangering lives on the railway"
One person taken to hospital by air ambulance, and another by land ambulance, many others treated at the scene for minor injuries.
The train remained on the track and does not look badly damaged. Probably driveable under its own power, at very low speed to a depot for repairs.
The tractor looks still useable. the trailer is substantially destroyed
| Re: Minehead Rail Link Group In "Campaigns for new and improved services" [361655/17237/28] Posted by grahame at 06:52, 23rd May 2025 | |
From Somerset Live
Efforts to improve Somerset's rail services have hit a snag after the government refused to fund better connections to the county's main heritage line. The West Somerset Railway (WSR) runs between Bishop's Lydeard, a few miles outside Taunton, and Minehead via numerous small stations in west Somerset, including the coastal town of Watchet and the villages of Blue Anchor, Dunster and Williton.
There have been numerous attempts to reconnect the heritage services with mainline Great Western Railway (GWR) services at Taunton, including the trial of a connecting service between Taunton and Bishop's Lydeard in the summer of 2019. Somerset Council and West Somerset Railway PLC jointly submitted a strategic outline business case (SOBC) to the Department for Transport (DfT) in November 2024, asking for £137,000 to developer proposals for reopening the link between Taunton and Bishop's Lydeard.
There have been numerous attempts to reconnect the heritage services with mainline Great Western Railway (GWR) services at Taunton, including the trial of a connecting service between Taunton and Bishop's Lydeard in the summer of 2019. Somerset Council and West Somerset Railway PLC jointly submitted a strategic outline business case (SOBC) to the Department for Transport (DfT) in November 2024, asking for £137,000 to developer proposals for reopening the link between Taunton and Bishop's Lydeard.
| Re: "The Inspiration Train" In "The Wider Picture in the United Kingdom" [361654/30289/51] Posted by MVR S&T at 21:06, 22nd May 2025 Already liked by grahame, Mark A | |
Yes agree, cant see it coming down to the sticks, would be nice for a visit to platform 5 at Southampton!
| Re: "The Inspiration Train" In "The Wider Picture in the United Kingdom" [361653/30289/51] Posted by grahame at 20:40, 22nd May 2025 | |
Many more places to follow those currently available, so be patient.
Mind you ... with a single train running around it's interesting to look at the unallocated dates and see where it could get. There are only a couple of opportunities for it to make long diversions - otherwise it's going to be "on the way".
| Re: "The Inspiration Train" In "The Wider Picture in the United Kingdom" [361652/30289/51] Posted by ChrisB at 20:35, 22nd May 2025 | |
Many more places to follow those currently available, so be patient.
I've booked for Birmingham Moor Street. Late enough to avoid the school trips
| Re: Where was Finn today, 15th May 2025? In "The Lighter Side" [361651/30273/30] Posted by JayMac at 18:27, 22nd May 2025 Already liked by Western Pathfinder, Mark A, bradshaw, GBM, Timmer | |
Didn't you ask Finn?
Is there doggie sign language for the hard of canine hearing?
He has the basics. Raised index finger means sit. Pointing downward means lay down. Outstretched hand palm up means "paw". Hand held above head followed by a downward point means recall.
He obviously has to be looking at me for these to work. We haven't got as far as signing, "Why is this crossing called '5/13 Taunton', Finn?"
| Re: Broadgage unwell. In "Introductions and chat" [361650/26962/1] Posted by JayMac at 18:20, 22nd May 2025 | |
I thought it was a twisty part of a motor racing circuit.
| Train hits tractor and trailer on level crossing 22/05/2025. In "The Wider Picture in the United Kingdom" [361649/30290/51] Posted by broadgage at 17:25, 22nd May 2025 | |
Several persons injured, though reported to be not life threatening.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cly3885e58no
| Re: Broadgage unwell. In "Introductions and chat" [361648/26962/1] Posted by Red Squirrel at 16:50, 22nd May 2025 Already liked by GBM, TonyK, Phil | |
Coo. I thought it was a red food colouring, got by squishing beetles… Glad it seems to be working!
| Re: Broadgage unwell. In "Introductions and chat" [361646/26962/1] Posted by broadgage at 14:49, 22nd May 2025 Already liked by TonyK | |
Long term update.
Tests and investigations continue, and as a result I was prescribed a new (to me) drug. Colchicine.
https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/colchicine/about-colchicine/#:~:text=Colchicine%20is%20a%20medicine%20for,also%20helps%20to%20reduce%20pain.
This medicine seems effective.
| Re: "The Inspiration Train" In "The Wider Picture in the United Kingdom" [361645/30289/51] Posted by grahame at 14:15, 22nd May 2025 Already liked by Mark A, Andy E, Western Pathfinder, Kempis, GBM, Witham Bobby | |
Travelling exhibition. Presumably, many destinations to be added to the schedule. (This is another reason why a terminus needs multiple platforms, it'll be disappointing if the Inspiration Train doesn't rock up at Newquay.)
It seems to miss out the current GWR territory completely ... Moor Street and Severn Valley Railway are sorta-close. Wouldn't it be nice if they laid a platform for it to visit at Westbury, where people can visit from 6 different directions, then leave the siding as a legacy to be used to ease congestion at the station and improve services for years to come.
| Re: Interrail, summer 2025 - daily diary thread of our travels In "Introductions and chat" [361644/30276/1] Posted by grahame at 11:45, 22nd May 2025 Already liked by eightonedee, PrestburyRoad, RichardB, Kempis, GBM | |
We are now on the ferry from Kiel to Klaipeda ...
Greetings from The Baltic. Yesterday by train from Warnamunde to Kiel Hbf, courtesy DB, on regional trains, with changes in Rostock and Hamburg Hbf. The Interrail Planner gave us alternatives via Lubeck and I would have been tempted if alone, but we had plenty of time, and Henry with us, and a leisurely lunch in Hamburg was order of the day - the food court and shops there make stations in our home are like Bristol and Cardiff look sad, limited and untilitarian. In Kiel, a taxi to the DFDS terminal (yes, an x60 bus would have got us a few hundred metres from that target) and a checkin, bus-to-ship and we were away late evening on the 20 hour crossing to Klaipeda.
I am very used to being a foot passenger on ferries; the "Victoria Seaway" is an older ship that has been refitted and is hopping up the 750kms to Lithuania. These ferry crossings often carry school / college groups and this one is no exception - well enough behave teenagers but learning the ways of the world like how a buffet counter works and how to think for themselves and other. I get the feeling that for many of them it's their first release from helicopter parents. A delight rather than anything else to have them along, even if their enthusiasm leaves us as the back of the queue for the one lift on the vessel.
Our pass doesn't cover DFDS - but then for Lisa's 15 days in 2 months it's not a day marked off either. And she's already talking about taking a second trip within the three months if we save enough days up - minor issues like inbound and outbound days (but we may come back in via Portsmouth and local tickets from there) and major ones like dog-sitting.
Our German experience of train staff with "Henry" - utterly helpful. In places the lifts are limited, and the regional trains with flatter access really helpful. Lisa can manage a few stairs and a short walk - great for getting up to the upper deck and first class area on the double decker trains; standard class tends to be pretty busy (good for DB) with more local traffic - first a bit less dense, but yet largely lacking the characters who stop and chat.
Pictures - people-watching (largely) from the last couple of days
| Re: Station lighting hours In "Across the West" [361642/30281/26] Posted by Electric train at 05:54, 22nd May 2025 | |
For a TOC to switch all the platform lights off they need to close the station with locked gates, the TOC has a legal responsibility regarding safety and security of station users (fare paying or not).
Has this always been a requirement? When I did an overnight trip in 2002, the FGW (only intercity back then) stations were lit, Wessex were dark and Thames were lit. This was before councils started switching off street lights overnight though so although I could not see the Wessex stations we passed through, I was still able to work out where we were.There have been a number of assaults, accidents and general vandalism which has placed this on TOC, its not so much a mandated requirement as on based on risk assessment
