Grahame: useful analysis.

On a related note - Go-op is looking for a venue for its bi-monthly (during the day) Board meetings.

Criteria: must be free, must be rail accessible (or reasonably so as we're trying to cut out car journeys) and be within about a Bristol/Taunton/Westbury sort of area.

Is there a BRSA^▸ (British Rail Staff Association)/GWSA/union room anywhere? Or does anyone know of a handy venue?

Take a look at this

http://www.newsbiscuit.com/2012/08/28/virgin-warns-first-running-west-coast-main-line-may-improve-services/


Edited to fix link. bignosemac

Are the police able to tell the difference between AM and PM? 12.55 is 'post meridium' ie after noon. But if it is in the 'early hours (there's plenty of light around) it's 00:55.No need for AM or PM. Come to that, why are messages on this forum labelled eg '02:23:38 PM'? 02:23 is in the early hours according to the 24-hr clock used by all us railway folk.

A few years ago we took the rain from Madrid Atocha station to Algeciras (for Gibraltar). There was a bag scanner there but no personal intrusion. All we had to do was dump the bags on the conveyor, walk through to the other end, and pick it up. I can't see that at Paddington (too many pax, not enough space) but it didn't delay us for a second. Considering what had happened at that station only a few years previously it was quite relaxed. If it were Britain we'd have been strip searched and our luggage dismantled.

Thanks for the quick response ... better than the ORR^» (Office of Rail and Road, formerly Office of Rail Regulation - about)!

Go-op, while it's a co-operative organisation, is an entirely separate co-operative organisation from the Co-operative Group, which operates the majority of Co-op shops in the country. Or any other co-operative organisation, for that matter. You might just as well ask why Virgin Trains doesn't pick up the the tab for South West Trains - after all, they're both railways, aren't they?

We have links, though, and hope to have the same relationship with other co-ops as does the Phone Co-op <www.thephone.coop>, being mutually supportive.

We still need new investors, though.

.... and who's going to pay for all this high-tech kit? Just as they're upping the fares to pay for electrification - it's us!

According to a very good friend of mine Go-op (the new name was necessitated by threats of lawsuits over the 'Goco' name - think 'Gocomp***) is still on schedule to gain a Track Access Agreement. Ian Yeowart who spoke to the AGM^▸ (Annual General Meeting) on 21st June said that we had done quite well in navigating the bureaucratic maze so far. These things do take time and we don't have millions to throw at the process. Anyone can join Go-op - fifty quid a time and members' input is always valuable. Just click on <www.go-op.coop> and you can be part of a new Train Operating Co-op.

One of my favourite units as well. I used to go from Bath to Manchester quite a bit and there was a direct service (it actually came from Waterloo) via Newport and the Welsh Marches. Sometimes got a bit noisy but was comfortable and got me there & back on time.

Let's hope that this doesn't mean that the plague of tombstone seats will spread to the WCML^▸ (West Coast Main Line). These have succeeded in draining away 90% of the pleasure of travelling by train except where you are lucky to get a table seat.
We travelled extensively by train this summer (down to Sicily and back) and I have to say that the most unpleasant segment of the whole trip was the PAD^» (Paddington (London) - next trains)-BTH^» (Bath Spa - next trains) bit.

I was on an XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) Voyager once between TAU^» (Taunton - next trains) & BRI^» (Bristol Temple Meads - next trains). There were two middle-class women nattering away in voices that carried down the carriage - until it was pointed out to them by another passenger that it was a quiet coach. Some harrumphing but they did go quiet!

Sounds to me like a political ploy to divert the attention of Home Counties NIMBYs from HS2^▸ (The next High Speed line(s)). There's a lot of high value property between LHR and LGW.
Regarding the 'Boris Island' idea - taking off and landing over sea sounds great until you remember the existence of seabirds.

Just a reminder to members of Go! Co-op (trading as, and shortly to change its name to, GOCO^▸ (Previous name for Go-Op Train - ) Ltd - still a co-op):
Our AGM^▸ (Annual General Meeting) will be held on 8th June in the Green House, Bedminster, Bristol, at 2.00 pm. We will have two keynote speakers - Chris Irwin, Chair of TravelWatch SW, and noted transport journalist Christian Wolmar. Their slot will be at 1.00 pm.
Please go to our website <www.goco.coop> to contact our secretary, Kate, to register your intention as we have to order the catering.
We look forward to seeing you there.

Forgot to mention this event - talk at Swindon Civic Society about GOCO^▸ (Previous name for Go-Op Train - )'s plans on 20th January.

<http://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/news/8786851.Bid_to_launch_green_travel_plan_in_Swindon/?ref=rss>

GOCO^▸ (Previous name for Go-Op Train - ) (the trading name of Go! Co-op) is indeed about to launch a four-week trial of a PPM^▸ (Parry People Mover, or Pence Per Mile, or Public Performance Measure - depending on context) service between Medstead & Four Marks and Alton on the MHR, with a view to making it a proper service later in the year. The trial will run from 24th January - 11th February and will be a demonstration both of the rolling stock and of GOCO's credibility as a potential TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company).

Further information on the new website <www.GOCO.coop>

Come to that - why 'Hants & Berks'? The line doesn't go through Hampshire.

I love 'Toot & Bunny', though. Someone must know why, somewhere!