The application doesn't seem to indicate if it's for a licensed or unlicensed premise selling food and drink but it conceivably could become a handy coffee stop serving passengers at Montpelier Station just a couple of minutes walk away.

Really pleased that after a few false starts, a planning application for this building has recently been approved (25/11304/F - I still haven't worked out how to link directly to these!):

14:48 London Paddington to Great Malvern due 17:15 has been delayed at London Paddington and is now 32 minutes late.
This is due to this train being late from the depot.
Last Updated:30/11/2025 15:32

So surely they at least are not in a terrible state.  What happened to them in Wolverton - wipe the windows, check the oil, dollar gas?

Change of use from a disused public convenience (planning Use Class sui generis) to sale of food and drink (Use Class Eb); replace all existing windows, doors and frames; remove windows on west elevation and insert new front entrance with non-illuminated signage above; removal of door on north elevation and insert new windows.

Facilities on the 15:31 Hereford to London Paddington due 18:35.
This is due to more trains than usual needing repairs at the same time.
Will be formed of 5 coaches instead of 9. There are no reservations on this service.

Facilities on the 16:58 Great Malvern to London Paddington due 19:38.
This is due to more trains than usual needing repairs at the same time.
Will be formed of 5 coaches instead of 9. There are no reservations on this service.

Paul Galley, pictured left with Kay Crewdson, says volunteers are tasked with "preserving history"

Kay Crewdson
BBC North West Tonight
Published 29 November 2025

When I was a child visiting Blackpool was a given.

The bright lights of the illuminations, the screams of excitement from the Pleasure Beach and the buzz of the trams – these sights and sounds were the backdrop to any day trip.

I loved jumping on and off the trams, they felt modern and exciting at the time.

These days, while they are still very much in use, the trams of years gone by have long been forgotten. Until now.

Now you will find a huge collection of trams, some restored others waiting for TLC at Tramtown. Or as Paul Galley describes it: "One of the most unique places in the world."

I went to visit Tramtown as part of my 25 in 25 project - a series showcasing some of the best people and places in the north-west of England.

The workshop, which is just set back off the Promenade, was once a condemned building. Now it is a busy workshop and working museum – a place to love, nurture and bring back to life trams from days gone by.


Visitors are able to walk round the engineering works as part of an exhibition hall experience

When I walked in I felt like I had gone back to my childhood – seeing the boat tram with Charlie Cairoli and old Blackpool illuminations from My Little Pony to the Tardis.

It was a bit of Blackpool history in one place.

Phase two of Tramtown is the tram shed. It holds roughly 47 different trams, some more unique than others.

One of the trams, which was found in a field in Fleetwood, is the very tram that killed soap character Alan Bradley in Coronation Street's most watched episode in 1989.

Tramtown is run by volunteers, whose aim is to "preserve the history, to have the engineering works re-open so the trams can ride again on the promenade".

"We give them skills, train them up so they have a sense of purpose, they're needed and have a responsibility," says Paul. "We are in one of the poorest wards in the UK and we hope that Tramtown will not only regenerate the trams but it will regenerate lives."

While having a national rolling stock strategy is one benefit of re-nationalisation, it's difficult to see how this can be produced without also having a strategy for electrification, and ensuring it is implemented.

Police are investigating the death of a woman found at a train station.

British Transport Police and paramedics were initially called to reports of a casualty at Preston railway station at about 01:00 GMT.

A member of the public had reported seeing the casualty to a member of staff at the station, but the woman was pronounced dead at the scene.

A British Transport Police spokesperson said detectives were appealing for the man who first made the report to contact them.

He is believed to have travelled on a train bound for Blackpool North, which left Preston railway station at 00:58.

Inquiries into the circumstances leading up to the woman's death were ongoing, a British Transport Police spokesperson said.

Great Train Robbery evidence to be auctioned

Evidence from the police investigation into the Great Train Robbery is to go under the hammer.

Crime scene photographs, police communications and memorabilia that led to the capture and prosecutions of those involved will be up for sale at C&T Auctioneers in Kenardington, Kent, on Sunday.

The collection is from the estate of the late Det Ch Supt Ernest Millen, from the Flying Squad who took over the investigation when the severity of the robbery became clearer.

Vince Scopes, from the auctioneers, said: "It's important because we have potentially unseen photographs and published words to do with the Great Train Robbery that have survived all this time."



On 8 August 1963, 15 men stole £2.6m from a Royal Mail train near Cheddington, Buckinghamshire, after tampering with signal lights.

While most of the group were eventually caught and convicted, a few involved escaped or were never conclusively identified.

"They took just 15 minutes to unload 120 sacks of money," Mr Scopes said. "The cash weighed two and a half tonnes, which was loaded into two parked Land Rovers, which you can see in the police evidence photos."

The majority of stolen money was never recovered.

The evidence up for auction was part of the police investigation that led to the ringleaders and accomplices of the gang of men being sentenced to 30 years in prison.

The lots include Det Ch Supt Millen's warrant card, press clippings, an unpublished manuscript and a detailed briefing document outlining his involvement in plans for Sir Winston Churchill's state funeral in 1965.

Mr Scopes said: "I can see heavy interest with this as it's the most well-known heist of the 20th Century. The story has been televised, it's been written about and it's going to draw in those people which are interested in the Great Train Robbery and other respects of police memorabilia."

Amber rain warning issued with disruption expected


An amber weather warning is in place for south Wales from midnight on Sunday to midnight on Monday

Heavy rain could cause travel disruption and flooding on Monday as an amber weather warning is put in place for south Wales.

The Met Office said a band of heavy rain was expected to move over south Wales between late Sunday and late Monday, with 20 to 40 mm (0.78in to 1.58in) of rain expected across the wider region and more possible over higher ground.

A yellow warning of rain is also in place for Monday for mid and parts of north Wales.

The warnings come two weeks after danger to life alerts were in force following Storm Claudia, which flooded businesses and homes in Monmouth.

The Met Office warned strong winds would accompany the heavy rain on Monday, particularly in coastal areas. The heavy rain would likely bring disruption and probable flooding, it said.

Delays or cancellations to train and bus services are possible, driving conditions could be difficult and there may be some road closures.

(BBC article continues)

New Boxing Day services will run between Edinburgh Waverley and Aberdeen as well as from Edinburgh to Arbroath

ScotRail has announced its Christmas and New Year timetable which includes the last Christmas Eve and Hogmanay trains departing earlier than usual.

On Boxing Day, new services will run between Aberdeen and Edinburgh Waverley, as well as between Arbroath and Edinburgh Waverley.

Extra services and more seats will be added across the country in the run-up to Christmas, with additional late-night weekend services on key routes, alongside longer trains.

Essential work will be carried out on lines over the festive period so ScotRail is asking customers to plan ahead.

On Christmas Eve services will run as normal until about 19:00 when services will begin to wind down. As in previous years, no trains will run on Christmas Day and New Year's Day.

On Boxing Day there will be a revised timetable which will operate the traditional service in the Strathclyde area, but also on routes to and from Perth, Alloa, Dunblane, Dundee, Leven, and between Glasgow and Edinburgh.

The new Boxing Day trains will be:
- 09:51 Arbroath to Edinburgh Waverley
- 11:35 Edinburgh Waverley to Arbroath
- 09:54 Aberdeen to Edinburgh Waverley
- 10:35 Edinburgh Waverley to Aberdeen

A normal service – with the exception of routes undergoing engineering works – will operate between Saturday, 27 December, and Tuesday, 30 December. A revised timetable will then operate on Friday, 2 January 2026.

No trains will run between Dalmuir and Balloch/Helensburgh Central or between Glasgow Queen Street and Crianlarich between 24 December and 2 January. This is because a new railway bridge is being installed at Bowling, West Dunbartonshire.

On those same dates, no trains will run between Motherwell and Cumbernauld via Whifflet, Bellshill and Motherwell, or between Kirkwood and Whifflet because of track upgrades in Motherwell.

Glasgow to London Euston services will be affected from 31 December until 15 January as a bridge replacement on the M6 means no trains will run between Preston and Carlisle.

West coast trains will also be affected between Christmas Day and 5 January, when there are no trains between Milton Keynes and Rugby while a worn-out junction is replaced.

Full details of all Christmas and New Year service changes, including the Boxing Day timetable, can be found on the ScotRail website and app.

Mark Ilderton, ScotRail's service delivery director, said: "The introduction of Boxing Day services to and from Aberdeen for the first time is a real boost for customers, and we're pleased to be offering more options for travel during one of the busiest times of the year. Across Scotland's railway, we're adding extra services and more seats in the lead up to Christmas and New Year to help customers make the most of the festive season, whether they're heading to the sales, visiting family, or enjoying a night out. With the removal of peak fares, travelling by train offers even better value for money over the holidays, and we're encouraging everyone to check their journey on the ScotRail app or website before they set off."

Customers needing assistance can speak to a member of staff at a station, use a Help Point, or get in touch via social media.

Rail passengers have been warned of longer journey times while travelling through Cornwall due to "vital" engineering work.

Network Rail said the work would take place between Truro and Penzance from Monday, 1 December, until Friday, 5 December. It said buses would replace trains between Truro and Penzance, and rail tickets would be accepted on local buses between St Erth and St Ives.

Mark Parker, Network Rail lead portfolio manager, said: "I'd like to thank passengers in advance for their patience as we carry out this vital work to make journeys better and more reliable in Cornwall."

Network Rail said new track, sleepers and ballast would be installed near Redruth, with track replaced near Camborne, and track equipment also upgraded near Penzance and St Erth.

Lee Goodson, Great Western Railway station manager for west Cornwall, said: "During these dates no trains can stop at Redruth, Camborne, Hayle, St Erth or Penzance or at any of the stations on the St Ives Bay Line. Trains will still be able to run at Truro for Falmouth Docks as well as trains for Exeter St Davids or London Paddington. But CrossCountry trains will not be operating between Truro and Plymouth."

Mr Goodson added: "It's important that customers are aware these alternative travel arrangements will make journey times much longer."

Alterations to services between Oxford and Charlbury
Due to engineering works not being finished on time between Oxford and Charlbury all lines are closed.
Train services running through these stations may be delayed or revised. Disruption is expected until 10:00 30/11.
Last Updated:30/11/2025 08:57

07:36 London Paddington to Great Malvern due 10:15 was terminated at Oxford.
It has been delayed at London Paddington and is now 15 minutes late.
This is due to engineering works not being finished on time.
Last Updated:30/11/2025 09:02

08:15 Worcester Foregate Street to London Paddington due 10:35 will be delayed at Charlbury.
This is due to engineering works not being finished on time.
Last Updated:30/11/2025 09:02

10:58 Great Malvern to London Paddington due 13:38 will be started from Oxford.
This is due to engineering works not being finished on time.
Last Updated:30/11/2025 09:02

That rolling stock strategy is due out next summer, according to Lord Hendy. It sounds as though she actually knows about it, which is encouraging in a transport minister.

Three words: Bath Christmas Market.

There are some extra trains today for Bath Christmas market, but some other important ones eg Cardiff - Portsmouth are down to just 2 cars

Also appears a number of these short trains are losing 10, 20, even 30 minutes presumably due to alighting and boarding delays whilst very crowded.

grahame@Kryten ~ % grep -c '^[12]Z' z
25

Three words: Bath Christmas Market.

The ORR said Avanti was previously given the right to run this service from May 2025 for the duration of one timetable period only. This was on the basis that First Lumo's Stirling services were not operating at the time but the First Lumo services are expected to begin operating during the December 2025 timetable period.

The ORR added that under the new timetable, new open access train services, run by First Lumo to Stirling in Scotland, were due to start.

Manchester to London train to run without passengers


Avanti says the decision by the Office of Rail and Road is "disappointing"

A train service taking commuters from Manchester to London is to run empty for around five months following a decision by the rail regulator.

A decision by the Office of Rail and Road (ORR), means the 07:00 GMT service operated by Avanti West Coast from Manchester Piccadilly to London will still run but will only be used to carry staff from mid-December.

An Avanti West Coast spokesperson said they were "disappointed" with the decision, which would "clearly impact those customers who already use these services".

An ORR spokesperson said the decision was made on "robust evidence" from Network Rail to guard against possible service disruption on the West Coast Main Line.

Network Rail declined to comment.

The fast service, which gets to London in under two hours, will still set off from Manchester Piccadilly at 07:00 on four weekdays, but will not be available to commuters. It will, instead, ferry Avanti staff from Manchester to London when the new timetable launches on 15 December. The decision means the service could run for more than 100 journeys without paying passengers on board.

An Avanti West Coast spokesperson said they were disappointed with the ORR's decision not to grant access rights from December for four weekday services that they currently operated, including the 07:00 fast service from Manchester to London.

The ORR also required a Sunday service which currently runs from Holyhead to London to terminate at Crewe, they added. "This will clearly impact those customers who already use these services," they said. "However, we will still be delivering even more services across our network from the start of the December timetable, including further additional trains on our Liverpool route."

The spokesperson confirmed that the services being removed were:
07:00 GMT: Manchester Piccadilly to London Euston (Monday to Friday)
12:52 GMT: Blackpool North – London Euston (Monday to Friday)
09:39 GMT: London Euston – Blackpool North (Monday to Friday)
19:32 GMT: Chester – London Euston (Monday to Friday)
17:53 GMT: Holyhead – London Euston terminates at Crewe (Sunday)

An ORR spokesperson said: "Our decision on the Manchester-London service was based on robust evidence provided by Network Rail that adding services within 'firebreak' paths on the West Coast Main Line would have a detrimental impact on performance. We identified that this service would run in one of those paths. If Avanti operates the service as empty coaching stock (ECS), ECS can be run more flexibly (delayed or re-routed) than a booked passenger service. This can assist with performance management and service recovery during disruption."

The ORR said Avanti was previously given the right to run this service from May 2025 for the duration of one timetable period only. This was on the basis that First Lumo's Stirling services were not operating at the time but the First Lumo services are expected to begin operating during the December 2025 timetable period.

The ORR added that under the new timetable, new open access train services, run by First Lumo to Stirling in Scotland, were due to start.

Villagers fear overtourism has hit 'breaking point'


Residents of Bourton-on-the-Water say tourists are finding the village to be too busy

Overtourism in a town known as the Venice of the Cotswolds may have "reached breaking point" as residents say visitors are now "fed up" with the crammed experience.

About 100 locals aired their concerns about tourism in Bourton-on-the-Water at a meeting on Thursday with leaders from Gloucester County Council and Cotswold District Council.

Bourton Residents' Voice, a local group that organised the meeting, said it was not against tourism but wanted to achieve a level that was sustainable for the village.

One resident told the meeting at Bourton Baptist Church that visitors seem "fed up" and "massively disillusioned".

"They are not happy with the experience," he said. "It's starting to turn. Perhaps we've reached the breaking point this summer."

One woman, who has lived in Bourton-on-the-Water all her life, said the number of visitors had never been so high, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service. "You can't move in the village, you can't go into the village," she said. The woman said the best time for the village was during the pandemic. She added: "I don't walk in the village between March and October."


One resident at the meeting in Bourton Baptist Church said visitors seem "massively disillusioned"

One man told the meeting he had lived in the village for 30 years. He echoed the concerns and blamed coaches for dropping people off "all over the place".

"They cause problems, they block roads, they turn around in the wrong places," he said. "They are a real menace."

Council leaders at the meeting said they would use the feedback to help them find solutions.

Joshua Travis has been named as the teenager who was hit by a train on Wednesday

A 14-year-old boy who was fatally stuck by a train had "so much love to give", his family have said in tribute.

Joshua Travis, a former Nottingham Forest academy footballer, was hit by a train in Burton Joyce, Nottinghamshire, on Wednesday night and died at the scene, British Transport Police (BTP) said.

The teenager's death is not being treated as suspicious. The Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) said it was conducting a "preliminary examination" into the incident.

Other tributes include dozens of floral messages left at the Chestnut Grove footpath level crossing, which has been closed to the public.

In a statement shared by BTP, Joshua's family said: "Josh was a lad with an incredible energy for life, an infectious and mischievous smile, kind sparkling eyes, and so much love to give. He leaves a gap in our lives that is and will always be impossible to fill, and we will miss him forever."

In a tribute shared on social media, Nottingham Forest said: "Everyone at [the club] is deeply saddened to learn of the tragic passing of our former academy goalkeeper Josh Travis. Our thoughts are with Josh's family and friends at this extremely difficult time."


The former Forest academy player was described as a "fantastic goalkeeper" with a "polite and funny nature"

The teenager was a goalkeeper for Gedling-based youth club, Aspire FC, which said it had postponed all its games at the weekend to pay respect to his family.

The club wrote on Facebook: "Josh was a fantastic goalkeeper and a great character in the group. Everybody that came across Josh described him as a pleasure to have around with his polite and funny nature. Josh made a real impact in his age group, both as a footballer but more importantly as a person and will be sorely missed at the club."

Burton Joyce FC said it was devastated by Joshua's death and would be holding a minute's silence at all its games across the weekend in his memory. In a tribute on Facebook, the club said: " The Travis family have been a huge part of our club for so many years, and our hearts are with them during this unimaginable time. Rest peacefully, Josh - you'll always be part of our BJFC family."


Floral tributes have been left at the Chestnut Grove crossing in Burton Joyce, Nottinghamshire

On Friday, groups of young people attended the scene to pay tribute to Joshua.

The Chestnut Grove crossing has been closed for an initial 21 days.

Network Rail said it requested the emergency closure following Joshua's death.

The railway firm's route director for the East Midlands Mark Budden said: "Our immediate thoughts are with the family and friends that have been affected by this tragic incident. Safety is our top priority and we are fully supporting the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) as part of their ongoing inquiries."

RAIB said a decision on any further action in relation to the matter would be taken once evidence gathered by inspectors had been reviewed.

The 175 move Wolverton to Laira was cancelled today. Maybe another go next week? It will be 4 weeks since the last move.

175002 and 175114 have been at Laira for a year!!

.....Network Rail have withdrawn the authorisation for this passenger service.....