From Romsey to Salisbury side the linespeed decreases to 80mph until a chain or two after Kimbridge to allow for the level crossing

    I was confused at first.......... I often thought as I passed this field I would love a photo ...... thought I had a blonde/senior moment and forgotten I had taken some   

    Gret Minds Think Alike .....  

   I wonder if the Royal British Legion would be interested, they would make excellent cards etc just a thought....

    Lovelly photo's  I have sent the kettle one to my sister to cheer her up as she has shingles    Her and her husband chase these things all over the country.

   I may even be driving the FGW^▸ (First Great Western) 158, who knows ? It is a beautiful sight and wonderfully captured what a TALLENT...........

    not wishing to uspet anyone.......  but have you noticed we are all customers until (God Forbid) there in a fatal incident then we are passengers   

 
      I asked a member of Bath station staff yesterday, he said probably 2010. Take into consideration the upside carpark has not yet been replaced with the stsation to station access    quite a large job one would imagine......

     http://www.wiltshiretimes.co.uk/search/4298050.It___s_plain_loco_near_Bradford_on_Avon/

  This is a clip from this weeks Wiltshire Crimes reporting on building work at Avoncliff.    As usual the report has inaccuracies the most obvious being 100 MPH speed.

  As we all know it is 70 mph and trains stopping at Avoncliff will be doing about 30 at the most.....    It never ceases to amaze me at the stupidity of Joe Public and Railways not many folk would dream of walking across a motorway with tools and building supplies

  Darwin Award for those involved

It is called the Rhubarb because of the pub halfway through the curve The Rhubarb Inn

        http://www.britishpubguide.com/cgi-bin/pub.cgi?results:Bristol:29

 Simples

Wessex crew often say occasionally late NEVER EARLY leaving too early is disciplinable......     Personally I was taught to drive by a true professional who sayd anyone can arrive early it takes skill to arrive on time.
When I notice or experience extra running time I adjust my approach speed accordingly as the TM^‡(resolve) is often busy and distracted and used to "in and out" schedules, working as a team is essential! Also if I notice TM giving ready to start before time I contact/signal TM, again Team Work..... The TM is only telling the driver station duties complete and train safe and secure for departure ............ it takes two to leave early !

that's my tuppence ha'pennies worth any road up.....

   WELL OUT OF ORDER SMITHY !!!

Regrettably one of the biggest problems with staff recruitment these days is sorting the wheat from the chaff so to speak.......  Before privatisation a railwayman/woman was so porly paid that only those who wanted the job appplied, now with a great deal better pay people are attracted to the wage and not career.

Trainees are put under too much pressure to sign their first route(s) I always advise those willing to listen that they can be held leagally responsible if they are not ready so take all the time they need as ultimately they are signing to say they feel competent.

Money being the root of all evil motivates all concerned driver=enhanced pay, company= quickest possible return on their investment.

There are calls and moves for a country wide industry standard ensuring all train crew recieve the same quality of training and not pot luck as now. It cannot come quick enough !

There is a levy AAA Accompanied Animals & Articles i think it is a % of the owners fare.

I would like to see a "parcel van" section too but it will not happen as we have seen it is seats in favour of even tables.....

There is not enough staff to police excessive luggage before boarding these days.

A cheeky chap had a very large holdall on two seats the other day and when I asked him to move them so I could sit down he said no as it is very heavy so find someone to lift it you can As it was his I suggested with "mixed language" that he remove it himself......

Just my luck... I was on a day trip to the I.O.W with two of my younglings, firend and two of hers, grampy and brother. We were going on 0901 off Westbury, arrived in plenty of time, thought it odd not to have moved off on time then noticed the guard walking past the window towards the front..... then the announcement "delayed blah blah, falied freight train blah blah.... as a result of privatisation....... no spare locos for miles (in the old days  yawn......)
Then came a pleasant and unusual surprise.... the SWT^▸ (South West Trains) Waterloo was coupled to the rear and we went via Yeovil Jnct to Salisbury, very pleasant run, only spoiled by terminating at Salisbury and not understanding announcements for various reasons (excitable children, frustrated adults ) and missed our chance to jump on 0958 Wsb to Phbr (Salis 1135) next stop Fratton some poor souls that originally got off at Wsb had now joined us at Salisbury having waited all that time on a platform whilst we had a pleasant detour.
Having missed a sailing we were on the Island just long enough for a meal and a wander rather than a paddle aswell.
All told a good day tho

Not only platforms my friends..... but Sydney Gardens just outside Bath Spa on the upside (toward London)
When in the gardens it is not possible to hear approaching trains so what do the world and his friend do?
I'll tell you ! they dangle their precious infants on/over the bath stone wall with only a tenuous grip stopping their offspring from falling into passing trains. No wonder I am going grey!!!
Locals campaigned to have rule book changes made for "noise pollution" reasons in this area so the residents are happy but trains drivers blood pressure rises we are filled with dread passing by these irresponsible nuts.
As the wall is historically protected and it's not possible to put protective fencing on it it would be safer to put fencing four feet in front of the wall preventing Joe public getting too close!

    the horn is sounded as a warning !  some passengers/people on platforms are oblivious to non stopping trains and lean over the edge or items they are holding/carrying are precariously held in the line of fire of said trains.
           Should someone be injured or God forbid killed, one of the first questions the driver is asked by the coroner is "did you sound your warning horn?" if not the driver is/can be charged with manslaughter.

As for speeding upto a red signal I very much doubt that. These trains wagons have a minimum of four wheels (one on each corner) each with a brake block multiply by say 40 and add another 16 wheels with 32 brake blocks for the loco and thats alot of steel rubbing together.

And freight is what actually keeps the rail system alive, it is the money from freight that allows passenger trains to exist. The passenger services could not afford to finance all the infrastructure needed alone without pricing its services out of the reach of the majority of us.

It is the signalman that decides which train occupies which bit of track so they hold up your trains.

Not being funny (mean funny) I just thought I'd try and explain the reason for what seems an annoyance.