Great Western Coffee Shop

Forgive the little bit of advertising, but I heartily recommend folks to purchase the latest edition of RAIL magazine.

The magazine is celebrating it's 30th anniversary and there are some excellent articles and opinion pieces highlighting what has changed on the UK rail network in the last three decades. Barry Doe's analysis of fares pre- and post privatisation is particularly enlightening!

Some snippets from the main 30th anniversary article.....

Early 80's. APT came and went. Another 20 or so years would pass before we would get tilting trains back.

Also early 80's. 'Deltics' were withdrawn from frontline service, only to see one back in action on freight workings in 2011.

1984 saw plans to close the Chiltern Main Line, with Marylebone converted to a coach station.

1984 also saw the spectacular staged crash of a Class 46 'Peak' loco and Mk I coaches into a nuclear flask at the Old Dalby test track. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHtRZ_k0s7M)

1986 saw the launch of Network SouthEast, possibly BR's greatest re-branding exercise.

1986 also saw the green light given to a Channel tunnel, although Maggie was more keen on seeing a road tunnel. Well done to Fran^ois Mitterand for poo-pooing that idea!

1989 saw the Settle to Carlisle route saved from closure. A debt of gratitude is owed to Michael Portillo for that sensible decision.

1993 sees the government announce its privatisation plans.

1996. The first privatised train runs - the 0510 SWT Twickenham-London Waterloo. It was supposed to have been the 0150 Great Western Trains' service from Fishguard Harbour to Paddington but that service was cancelled due to engineering works with passengers transferred to a bus. So, arguably the first privatised service was a rail replacement bus!

1997 saw the last BR services. The sleepers from Edinburgh and Glasgow on March 31st.

1999-2002 was a period dominated by major rail disasters. Ladbroke Grove, Hatfield, Great Heck and Potters Bar. Accidents that still reverberate today.

2003. Tilting trains return to the UK network with the full introduction of Virgin's Pendolinos. APT technology comes home, via Italy!

2006. The DfT stores 12 FGW DMUs. A decision that had major repercussions in the Bristol area. The effects of which are still felt today.

2007. High Speed 1 opens and Eurostar is transferred from Waterloo to a beautifully restored St Pancras.

2009. National Express walks away from its NXEC franchise and the East Coast passenger route become state owned.

And finally....2011. GWML electrification is given the green light by government and a butter fingered crane operator drops a brand new Class 70 freight loco onto the dock at Newport!

May you live in interesting times....

And if you go one step further and take up a subscription then you get free access to five years worth of archived magazines on-line.

Was tempted, but don't have a spare 60 odd quid for a subscription.  :(

1997 entry seems strange, didn't the arrival of the London Euston - Fort William mark the last BR service (its arrival time being later than the lowland sleeper from Glasgow/Edinburgh)?
I could see the Lowland sleeper being the last BR departure from an origin station.

The lowland sleepers were the last BR departures. The Edinburgh portion was held back a few minutes (they both left at 23:55 in the timetable) to be the definitive last BR train. I still have my free whisky miniature given out on the train with the caption "Cheers to a better future".  Not quite sure thats what actually transpired....

I signed up for a subscription last night.  Its 30% off the shop price until 1 June rather than the more usual 2 issues free. 

I always thought the LAST BR trains were the RES services in Novenber 1997

Just notice the anniversary issue has fallen into the trap of calling that much talked if station near Weston-super-Mare as Nailsea and Blackwell.

Hope Chris isn't too Crosse.

A small point but overall it is a good issue.

took out a subscription for this magazine. will certainly save me  having to buy it in the shops every 2 weeks.

I am certainly looking for the next issue due in  just under 2 weeks time

My mistake. The article does indeed say passenger services. I omitted that word.  :-[

OK so last BR departure (Non-Passenger) is the RES in November 1997
Last departure (Passenger) from origin station is the Lowland Sleeper from Euston
Last departure (Passenger) not from an origin station is the West Highland Sleeper from Spean Bridge?
Last arrival (Passenger) would then be the Westh Highland Sleeper arriving in Fort William?

The mainstream media has caught up with the specialist press. Here's a video news item from the BBC about a 'Deltic' returning to freight working:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-13592652

INterestingly the most viewed item on BBC News at the present time  :D

Check out another example of idiot enthusiasts at 2m 15s...