Great Western Coffee Shop

I liked this article for the photograph, assuming it was 1978 or later wasn't the dress somewhat retro?

I think there will be members who lament the loss of guards vans, last one I used was on the Brockenhurst - Lymington line.

https://www.cyclinguk.org/cycle-magazine/travellers-tales-railing-against-restrictions (https://www.cyclinguk.org/cycle-magazine/travellers-tales-railing-against-restrictions)

As you would expect from me, I think there is scope for more (quantity) sensible bike provision on trains. I am quite happy with the SWR side-facing tip-up seats provision, gives a tolerable dual use-space without too much loss of seating. The GWR adaptations that sometimes appear on the Gatwick and Basingstoke lines seem to commit a lot of space that is little used for the number of seats lost.

In early 1980, I was riding my Honda 125 motorbike from Lancashire to Oxford in a snowstorm. By Nantwich, it had become severe with snow build up on my knees and visor. I decided to head for Crewe railway station - which is surprisingly hard to find - and put me and the bike on the train. Half-price (child) ticket for the motorbike and I even got Student Railcard discount on top. Took a couple of hours to thaw out but the train was a God-send.

I also thought their clothing was somewhat retro. But 1978 was an awfully long time ago – watch TV or films from that era and some of the clothes are almost closer to WW2 era fashions than those of today, particularly the prevalence on suits on men in non-office situations – and anyone who rides a tandem trike is probably not a close follower of fashion in any case...

As for side-facing tip-up seats, I also like those. I don't know if the ones I encounter on GWR are the same as those on SWR, there are a couple of variations anyway.

And lastly, I thought from the thread title this was going to be something about building restrictions affecting historic railings!