Great Western Coffee Shop

Journey planner tells me I can't get from Plymouth to Exeter by train on sunday but timetable alterations tells me there are no engineering works scheduled for sunday - anyone know which is correct as I'd like to get to Exmouth for a boat trip.

Buses last Sunday, presume same this week.

That is odd, because the (pre-recorded - not Phil Sayer!) station announcements at BTM all this week have been banging on about 'due to engineering works between Exeter and Plymouth on Sunday this weekend, there will be no trains, just alternative road transport'?

The line is closed between Exeter & Plymouth for a total of 10 Sundays.

This Sunday (15/02/09) will be week number 5.

I believe Phil # 2 works at Reading.

There is an old wives tale that when he first started, (back in the days of manual announcements), a train was running straight through Reading and was told to put out a 'please stand clear' type announcement, but it came out:

"The next train at platform x is not stopping.  Please stand away from the edge of the platform or you might get sucked off."  (:D)

Thanks, SDA! :)

Just an observation, then: it would be quite useful if that information remained on the online live updates, rather than apparently just 'disappearing off the radar' as soon as week number 1 has passed?

Unless this is it - rather cunningly concealed: http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/service_disruptions/en8dc7cd490047a996de029805d4b95d/details.html

Thanks - FGW have lost the info completely and their future engineering works list is empty too - some folk in Penzance are in for a shock when services are terminated at St Erth (equipment deliveries have started at Marazion).

Re the trip to Exmouth - according to the news Exmouth is on fire !!!

Only a little bit of Exmouth, though!  See http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/devon/7889003.stm  ;D

Those 142s can survive anything  ;D

"Mange tout!" as Del Boy Trotter would (probably) say.

Sorry, but I'm losing the plot here ...  ;D ;D ;D

In St Lawrence's churchyard Reading, only a few hundred yards from the station, there is a memorial to Henry West who was indeed 'sucked off' the station by a freak whirlwind.  The poor chap was found in a trench, 200 feet from the station house.

(http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii4/mr_metaxa/379700603_8488b83a4a.jpg)

Penrith station, allegedly: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jzawodn/132667966/ (http://www.flickr.com/photos/jzawodn/132667966/)

 ;D ;D ;D

I wonder if the TM known as 'Miss Whiplash' works that line ?

As a follow up to this having spoken to Head Office, the engineering works are actually in the timetable, so are not included in timetable alterations on the website, as there aren't any.

why dont the trains terminate at totnes and bus from there??

Because getting out of Totnes onto the A38 is a nightmare on both routes. Coaches wouldn't be able to go the faster Avonwick way regardless.

Tiverton Parkway is on the motorway, the clue is in the name ;)

i was at totnes last week... the coach stops there before plymouth...

Not the fast buses from Tiverton - Plymouth direct.

I note a relatively new concept for the St Austell westwards blockade at weekends at the end of March beginning of April.

Passengers for Falmouth will now board a bus for Falmouth at St Austell and now will not need to change buses at Truro.

I think it is the Torbay coaches which extend to Plymouth that call at Totnes.  Looking briefly at the timetable, it seems that the direct Londons don't call there.

AFAIK coaches run:

Tiverton - Plymouth
Exeter - Newton - Totnes - Plymouth

Passengers are usually advised that those travelling to Plymouth and Cornwall should leave the train at Tiverton Parkway and join the buses there. Those for stations in Devon are to remain on the service to Exeter, where they get 'stopping' coaches to these stations. These stoppers continue to Plymouth as they pick up westbound passengers from Exeter to intermediate stations and Plymouth onwards, they also serve to give those ignoring the advice of the onboard staff a service to Plymouth.

;D

There are buses that do Exeter St. Thomas, Starcross, Dawlish, Dawlish Warren, Teignmouth through to Newton Abbot also.

am i correct in thinking trains were running from paignton- newton or was that a glitch on the train times application on my iphone

Yes, 150243 as far as I can remember. Was working the 2004 Newton - Paignton when I travelled on it Saturday night.

Yes it gets watered Saturday night at Exeter, before it gets trapped at Newton Abbot-Paignton all day Sunday.

2 Sundays to go, and then we have Taunton-Bristol!

 >:(

Its a wonder it had enough fuel for the day, considering the tropical temperatures inside  :D

 ;D

shame they didnt trap a pacer down there