Recent Public Posts - [guest]
| Re: Newcomers start here ... and a reference for older hands In "Introductions and chat" [369947/1761/1] Posted by BahnCard100 at 12:40, 22nd December 2025 |      |
As an occasional poster in this forum I would like to continue with my last mention of Garry Keenor, a chartered engineer and author of Overhead Line Electrification for Railways.
Once again I should stress that I do not know Garry personally and I have only an amateur interest in the subject. My thanks to Chris from Nailsea for his kind reply.
To continue I found a YouTube video from a recent (December 2025) Wales & West meeting of the Permanent Way Institution which Garry addressed as professional lead for electrification.
His talk was entitled (I don't) Mind the Gap, in which Garry continues to simplify the use of electrification for traction generally both in overhead supply and in battery stored form. In other words he is explaining what intermittent electrification of railways would mean. I hope others find it as interesting as I did.
My apologies if I have posted in the wrong place.
| Re: Reopening Cullompton and Wellington stations (merged topic) In "Campaigns for new and improved services" [369946/5272/28] Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 12:14, 22nd December 2025 | |
From the BBC:
New cycle link to improve Wellington station access
A council is set to spend more than £600,000 on a cycle link ahead of the planned construction of a new train station.
Wellington's new railway station is anticipated to cost up to £20m and will be delivered north of the Lidl Supermarket, with access being provided through a new 161-home development.
Somerset Council has said it will spend as much as £607,000 over the coming months to ensure a new cycle link improves access between the future station and the town centre.
The funding for the design and construction of the improvement scheme comes entirely from a grant from Active Travel England, which forms part of the Department for Transport.
The planned cycle link will run between the Nynehead and Lillebonne Way roundabouts and will eventually provide an off-road cycle link between the town centre and the Chelston roundabout.
The Somerset town has not had a train station since the 1960s but its new one could be finished as soon as 2028.
A final decision on the housing development, through which the cycle path will run, is expected to be made by the council's planning committee in the spring.
Network Rail is due to submit its own separate application early in the new year for the station and associated infrastructure with a vision of a 2028 completion date.
A council is set to spend more than £600,000 on a cycle link ahead of the planned construction of a new train station.
Wellington's new railway station is anticipated to cost up to £20m and will be delivered north of the Lidl Supermarket, with access being provided through a new 161-home development.
Somerset Council has said it will spend as much as £607,000 over the coming months to ensure a new cycle link improves access between the future station and the town centre.
The funding for the design and construction of the improvement scheme comes entirely from a grant from Active Travel England, which forms part of the Department for Transport.
The planned cycle link will run between the Nynehead and Lillebonne Way roundabouts and will eventually provide an off-road cycle link between the town centre and the Chelston roundabout.
The Somerset town has not had a train station since the 1960s but its new one could be finished as soon as 2028.
A final decision on the housing development, through which the cycle path will run, is expected to be made by the council's planning committee in the spring.
Network Rail is due to submit its own separate application early in the new year for the station and associated infrastructure with a vision of a 2028 completion date.
| Re: Thames Valley infrastructure problems causing disruption elsewhere - 2025 In "Across the West" [369945/29650/26] Posted by TaplowGreen at 11:45, 22nd December 2025 | |
Cancellations to services between London Paddington and Reading
Due to a points failure between London Paddington and Reading some lines are blocked.
Train services running to and from these stations may be cancelled or delayed. Disruption is expected until 14:00 22/12.
| Re: Worcestershire Parkway Station project - ongoing discussion In "London to the Cotswolds" [369944/16141/14] Posted by bleeder4 at 11:44, 22nd December 2025 | |
Nice to see there are now a couple of vending machines. Haven't been to the station for a few weeks, so not sure when they got added. Plus the guy doing the coffee was outside as well, so nice little bonus. Mind you, I then had to go into one of the toilets to drink it as there are radiators in the toilets, making them the warmest place to wait in the whole station!
| Re: Swindon <-> Westbury service updates and amendments, ongoing discussion - 2025 In "TransWilts line" [369942/29726/18] Posted by grahame at 11:40, 22nd December 2025 | |
16:23 Westbury to Swindon due 17:06
16:23 Westbury to Swindon due 17:06 will be cancelled.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.
17:35 Swindon to Westbury due 18:19
17:35 Swindon to Westbury due 18:19 will be cancelled.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.
16:23 Westbury to Swindon due 17:06 will be cancelled.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.
17:35 Swindon to Westbury due 18:19
17:35 Swindon to Westbury due 18:19 will be cancelled.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.
and
21:16 Westbury to Swindon due 21:58
22:31 Swindon to Westbury due 23:12
22:31 Swindon to Westbury due 23:12 will be cancelled.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.
22:31 Swindon to Westbury due 23:12
22:31 Swindon to Westbury due 23:12 will be cancelled.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.
How the **** do they expect trains to be used when they are so often cancelled on the day? People will some other way to get around or not get around at all, and that is not good for the finances / business of the railway.
| Re: Clouds at stations - AQ22/25 In "The Lighter Side" [369941/31314/30] Posted by grahame at 10:33, 22nd December 2025 | |
The best geometric fit for the names in 4 is Polsloe Bridge.
Yes, I thought that, too. 
And indeed it IS Polsloe Bridge.
| Re: Swindon <-> Westbury service updates and amendments, ongoing discussion - 2025 In "TransWilts line" [369939/29726/18] Posted by TaplowGreen at 10:21, 22nd December 2025 | |
16:23 Westbury to Swindon due 17:06
16:23 Westbury to Swindon due 17:06 will be cancelled.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.
17:35 Swindon to Westbury due 18:19
17:35 Swindon to Westbury due 18:19 will be cancelled.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.
| Re: Clouds at stations - AQ22/25 In "The Lighter Side" [369938/31314/30] Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 09:45, 22nd December 2025 | |
Yes, I thought that, too.
| Re: Clouds at stations - AQ22/25 In "The Lighter Side" [369937/31314/30] Posted by stuving at 09:43, 22nd December 2025 | |
The best geometric fit for the names in 4 is Polsloe Bridge.
| Re: Clouds at stations - AQ22/25 In "The Lighter Side" [369936/31314/30] Posted by grahame at 09:06, 22nd December 2025 | |
No. 1 is indeed Paddington, No. 2 is Taunton and No. 3 is Melksham. Some of the words that come up are delightfully misleading - "Parking" the big word at Melksham, indeed! Just No. 4 to identify
| Re: Clouds at stations - AQ22/25 In "The Lighter Side" [369935/31314/30] Posted by eightonedee at 08:49, 22nd December 2025 | |
Oh yes, see what you mean about Paddington and Bristol. Bear- pub or rugby team? I took underground to refer to the never ending proposals to build one in Bristol!
| Re: Clouds at stations - AQ22/25 In "The Lighter Side" [369934/31314/30] Posted by Oxonhutch at 08:23, 22nd December 2025 | |
3: Melksham
| Re: Clouds at stations - AQ22/25 In "The Lighter Side" [369933/31314/30] Posted by ellendune at 08:21, 22nd December 2025 | |
I suggest that 3 might be Westbury
| Re: Clouds at stations - AQ22/25 In "The Lighter Side" [369932/31314/30] Posted by PrestburyRoad at 08:17, 22nd December 2025 Already liked by Western Pathfinder, Ralph Ayres | |
1 might be Paddington instead of Bristol.
| Re: Clouds at stations - AQ22/25 In "The Lighter Side" [369931/31314/30] Posted by Western Pathfinder at 08:16, 22nd December 2025 | |
No2. Taunton......
| Re: Clouds at stations - AQ22/25 In "The Lighter Side" [369930/31314/30] Posted by eightonedee at 07:44, 22nd December 2025 | |
1 must be Bristol!
| BBC article - "Why the railways often seem to be in such chaos over Christmas" In "Media about railways, and other means of transport" [369929/31315/49] Posted by grahame at 07:43, 22nd December 2025 | |
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/czdg795m5epo
"Why the railways often seem to be in such chaos over Christmas"
But are they really in chaos, or is it planned?
Or if they are in chaos at Christmas, are they in chaos the rest of the year too?
| Clouds at stations - AQ22/25 In "The Lighter Side" [369928/31314/30] Posted by grahame at 07:38, 22nd December 2025 | |
Asking Google about something results in AI results these days ... I have asked about certain stations and put the results (excluding the station name itself) into a word cloud. What stations did I ask about? Do you agree with AI's choice of key words?
1.
2.
3.
4.
| Re: Bristol Rail Campaign (FoSBR) AGM In "Diary - what's happening when?" [369927/31295/34] Posted by grahame at 07:25, 22nd December 2025 | |
[snip]
Looking at the photos from the recent Travel watch south west AGM,it seemed a very mature group,
not sure how many are in full time employment,let alone attend college and had to put in a request for a day off.
[snip]
You hit on another very good and concerning issue - the dominance in so many (most?) of these groups of older people and it's something that we at TravelWatch SouthWest are very much aware of. Had you come along to our general meeting in October (which I think are the pictures you refer to) or our AGM in December (held online) ... you would have heard discussion of the concern and indeed activities looking to help address it. And that concern is taken up at board level too.
How many had to take a day off? Very few - and you break your own argument for a daytime meeting for local groups, infoman, by suggesting a daytime meeting for them. My evidence at WWRUG with evening meetings suggests that moving to the daytime would only amplify the elderly and make the group even more unrepresentative.
No magic wand - and I appreciate that one of the most difficult things for any organisation or service is to reach people who want to be and could usefully be involved, but are put off to the extent of none-engagement by various hurdles. And it is so important for the future to be aware of and address those hurdles.
| Re: North Cotswold line delays and cancellations - 2025 In "London to the Cotswolds" [369926/29711/14] Posted by Worcester_Passenger at 07:06, 22nd December 2025 | |
Monday December 22
06:52 London Paddington to Great Malvern due 09:29 will be cancelled.
This is due to a fault on this train.
Last Updated:22/12/2025 05:40
09:56 Great Malvern to London Paddington due 12:23 will be cancelled.
This is due to a fault on this train.
Last Updated:22/12/2025 05:40
This is due to a fault on this train.
Last Updated:22/12/2025 05:40
09:56 Great Malvern to London Paddington due 12:23 will be cancelled.
This is due to a fault on this train.
Last Updated:22/12/2025 05:40
| Re: Bristol Rail Campaign (FoSBR) AGM In "Diary - what's happening when?" [369925/31295/34] Posted by infoman at 06:39, 22nd December 2025 | |
Great Western railway which I presume this forum got its inspiration to be named after hold their AGM's in day light hours.
Looking at the photos from the recent Travel watch south west AGM,it seemed a very mature group,
not sure how many are in full time employment,let alone attend college and had to put in a request for a day off.
Keep hearing about mature drivers who don't want to drive nights times nowadays due eye sight not being as good as it use to be.
Not to mention those blinding LED highlights.
We are not all privileged to have a good transport net work in our area.
Who wants to stand on bus stops in the dark winter days waiting for a bus that may never arrive?
| Re: Bus and train timetables for Melksham to May 2026 In "TransWilts line" [369923/31293/18] Posted by grahame at 21:14, 21st December 2025 | |
I will confess after a day at work I haven’t read the whole draft but in the first line it should be led rather than lead.
Being candid I wonder how many of the intended audience will read the whole piece. Sometimes less is more. You’d like to think they would but…..
Being candid I wonder how many of the intended audience will read the whole piece. Sometimes less is more. You’d like to think they would but…..
I would agree. Very few were it to go around like that. It's written as a reminder and as an evidence document to be quoted as appropriate (spon fed out) - the full thing perhaps attached as an appendix.
Lead will change in a minute, as will other typos spotted!
| Re: Bus and train timetables for Melksham to May 2026 In "TransWilts line" [369922/31293/18] Posted by grahame at 21:07, 21st December 2025 | |
... and I like to think I'm fairly well informed about Melksham's transport.
So do I, Phil ... but it's a moving target. The results of the Melksham Community Vision Survey that closed on 30th September has been published on the MTC website and the transport results are on one of the 23 pages:
I wish it were a bit more granular, but it does confirm people want train and bus services improved.
| Re: Bus and train timetables for Melksham to May 2026 In "TransWilts line" [369921/31293/18] Posted by bobm at 21:05, 21st December 2025 | |
I will confess after a day at work I haven’t read the whole draft but in the first line it should be led rather than lead.
Being candid I wonder how many of the intended audience will read the whole piece. Sometimes less is more. You’d like to think they would but…..
| Re: Bus and train timetables for Melksham to May 2026 In "TransWilts line" [369920/31293/18] Posted by grahame at 20:32, 21st December 2025 | |
Brilliant stuff. I learned a fair few things from that too, and I like to think I'm fairly well informed about Melksham's transport.
One thing though, item 30 suggests that the Prime Ministers are a potential destination for Melksham travellers, which I confess caught me by surprise. I'm guessing it's a typo, but I can't imagine what for. Churchill Avenue perhaps? May Close? Major Road? Eden Grove? Edward's Heath? Alec Douglas's Home?
One thing though, item 30 suggests that the Prime Ministers are a potential destination for Melksham travellers, which I confess caught me by surprise. I'm guessing it's a typo, but I can't imagine what for. Churchill Avenue perhaps? May Close? Major Road? Eden Grove? Edward's Heath? Alec Douglas's Home?
Asquith Avenue
Walpole Close
Macdonald Close
Gladstone Road
... off Sandridge Common.
At present one bus a day run along the common each way. It goes into Bath - service x76 to the RUH in the morning. In the afternoon it runs to Marlborough, with the bus back the following day. Two or three service on service 14 into Melksham typically pass by each afternoon as well. They are the ones which call at Skylark Road optionally if there are passengers on board for the stops there, but if not the bus runs up the relief road and into town along the common.
| Re: Bus and train timetables for Melksham to May 2026 In "TransWilts line" [369919/31293/18] Posted by Oxonhutch at 20:29, 21st December 2025 Already liked by Mark A | |
... Churchill Avenue perhaps? May Close? Major Road? Eden Grove? Edward's Heath? Alec Douglas's Home?
Bus Lane, Four Wheel Drive ...
