Train GraphicClick on the map to explore geographics
 
I need help
FAQ
Emergency
About .
Travel & transport from BBC stories as at 11:35 09 Jan 2025
 
* Manchester Airport reopens runways after snow
Read about the forum [here].
Register [here] - it's free.
What do I gain from registering? [here]
 today - Bath Railway Society
24/01/25 - Westbury Station reopens
24/01/25 - LTP4 Wilts / Consultation end
24/01/25 - Bristol Rail Campaign AGM 2025

On this day
9th Jan (2004)
Incorporation of Railway Development Society Ltd (now Railfuture) (link)

Train RunningCancelled
07:40 Penzance to Cardiff Central
11:07 Bristol Temple Meads to Gloucester
11:30 Cardiff Central to Trowbridge
09/01/25 11:36 Liskeard to Looe
11:39 Weymouth to Frome
11:51 Filton Abbey Wood to Bristol Temple Meads
12:04 Bristol Temple Meads to Filton Abbey Wood
09/01/25 12:08 Looe to Liskeard
12:30 Cardiff Central to Trowbridge
12:54 Filton Abbey Wood to Bristol Temple Meads
13:20 Frome to Weymouth
Short Run
09:55 Great Malvern to London Paddington
10:20 Trowbridge to Cardiff Central
Delayed
09:21 Carmarthen to London Paddington
Abbreviation pageAcronymns and abbreviations
Stn ComparatorStation Comparator
Rail newsNews Now - live rail news feed
Site Style 1 2 3 4
Next departures • Bristol Temple MeadsBath SpaChippenhamSwindonDidcot ParkwayReadingLondon PaddingtonMelksham
Exeter St DavidsTauntonWestburyTrowbridgeBristol ParkwayCardiff CentralOxfordCheltenham SpaBirmingham New Street
January 09, 2025, 11:48:37 *
Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
Forgotten your username or password? - get a reminder
Most recently liked subjects
[198] 'Railway 200' events and commemorations 2025
[109] Thumpers for Dummies
[88] Outstanding server / web site issues
[51] Oxford station - facilities, improvements, parking, incidents ...
[32] Views sought : how train companies give assistance to disabled...
[32] Rail Replacement bus - OK, but I prefer the train.
 
News: the Great Western Coffee Shop ... keeping you up to date with travel around the South West
 
   Home   Help Search Calendar Login Register  
Pages: [1]
  Print  
Author Topic: Reviewing history to see if they have good ideas we could use today.  (Read 1348 times)
grahame
Administrator
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 43072



View Profile WWW Email
« on: March 11, 2018, 06:22:56 »

I disliked history at school - failed to see the relevance of kings and queens 400 to 600 years ago - to the extent I gave it up at the first possible opportunity (2 years before O Levels) - even though that meant I had to give up geography too as the subjects were a "bundled pair" at my school.  So I know - or knew - nothing of the past, and nothing about present day  "lands, the features, the inhabitants, and the phenomena of Earth".

However, I have somewhat changed my position and we can learn a lot from the past.  Here is how a rail way came briefly to Canvey Island.  I suspect the lessons we learn here suggest it's not something we look to do - though I suppose a slightly quirky system on Brownsea Island or Lundy ...

http://www.canveyisland.org/page_id__1020_path__0p39p138p.aspx

The article suggests that the Canvey Island system was the only such system of its kind in England ...
Logged

Coffee Shop Admin, Chair of Melksham Rail User Group, TravelWatch SouthWest Board Member
JayMac
Data Manager
Hero Member
******
Posts: 19245



View Profile
« Reply #1 on: March 11, 2018, 16:19:09 »

I love history. Particularly the period from the union of the crowns in 1603, through the English Civil War, the interregnum,  and up to the Glorious Revolution. But I never did history at school.

As for Kings and Queens, I fail to see their relevance today. So, one idea from the past I'd like to see tried today is republicanism. Obviously not in the same manner as Cromwell though. No need for Brenda to lose her head!
Logged

"A clear conscience laughs at a false accusation."
"Treat everyone the same until you find out they're an idiot."
"Moral indignation is a technique used to endow the idiot with dignity."
chuffed
Transport Scholar
Hero Member
******
Posts: 1541


View Profile
« Reply #2 on: March 11, 2018, 19:50:05 »

Cannot help thinking that stranded/sardine passengers on GWR (Great Western Railway) today, would have accepted a canvey island monorail contraption, in the absence of just about everything else !
Logged
Chris from Nailsea
Administrator
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 19085


Justice for Cerys Piper and Theo Griffiths please!


View Profile Email
« Reply #3 on: March 11, 2018, 21:09:02 »

I, too, love history.  Particularly Napoleonic (c1789 to 1815).

It's interesting to note that historic concerns about England being invaded by foreign hordes 'using a tunnel under the English Channel' have now materialised.



 Roll Eyes
Logged

William Huskisson MP (Member of Parliament) was the first person to be killed by a train while crossing the tracks, in 1830.  Many more have died in the same way since then.  Don't take a chance: stop, look, listen.

"Level crossings are safe, unless they are used in an unsafe manner."  Discuss.
Do you have something you would like to add to this thread, or would you like to raise a new question at the Coffee Shop? Please [register] (it is free) if you have not done so before, or login (at the top of this page) if you already have an account - we would love to read what you have to say!

You can find out more about how this forum works [here] - that will link you to a copy of the forum agreement that you can read before you join, and tell you very much more about how we operate. We are an independent forum, provided and run by customers of Great Western Railway, for customers of Great Western Railway and we welcome railway professionals as members too, in either a personal or official capacity. Views expressed in posts are not necessarily the views of the operators of the forum.

As well as posting messages onto existing threads, and starting new subjects, members can communicate with each other through personal messages if they wish. And once members have made a certain number of posts, they will automatically be admitted to the "frequent posters club", where subjects not-for-public-domain are discussed; anything from the occasional rant to meetups we may be having ...

 
Pages: [1]
  Print  
 
Jump to:  

Powered by MySQL Powered by PHP Powered by SMF 1.1.2 | SMF © 2006-2007, Simple Machines LLC Valid XHTML 1.0! Valid CSS!
This forum is provided by customers of Great Western Railway (formerly First Great Western), and the views expressed are those of the individual posters concerned. Visit www.gwr.com for the official Great Western Railway website. Please contact the administrators of this site if you feel that the content provided by one of our posters contravenes our posting rules (email link to report). Forum hosted by Well House Consultants

Jump to top of pageJump to Forum Home Page