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grahame
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« on: December 30, 2020, 07:35:07 » |
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No - we are not twenty years old ... we're thirteen. Here are "December Past", "December Present" and "December Future" - extracts from articles that have been posted here, or could be posted in the future. But can you tell me the year of those posts past, which was this present year and suggest the year that the others might be in the future?
Chat / think around all these years ... I'll let discussions run rather than coming back with too many confirmations too quickly ... running this today and tomorrow - i.e. up to the end of 2020.
1.
First we hear that SWT▸ are planning to close the travel Centre at Weymouth, now we read in today's Western Daily Press that Salisbury travel centre could also close. All so SWT can save money to pay their premium to run the franchise. Sad.
2.
A man has been arrested after police were told someone entered the driver's cab of an overnight train. British Transport Police said they were called to Totnes station in Devon at 05:45 GMT after reports of an incident on the London-Penzance sleeper. A man was also alleged to have climbed out of a train window and on to tracks before reboarding the service, which carried on, officers said.
3.
We're all looking forward to a Christmas that can be spent with family and friends. Trains are expected to be busy until 24th December with final trains in the early evening, and resuming from mid morning on 27th. We wish you all a great Christmas and wil be posting a resume of the great recovery towards our new normal in the year just passed.
4.
I don't normally report / notice short trains, but when only 2 northbound and 2 southbound run each day, you tend to notice cancellations to trains on three days in sucession.
5.
So, after a train "overshot" the platform at Pewsey in October this year and the event ended up on the Jeremy Vine show, a similar thing happened again yesterday evening on the 1733 from Paddington. This time the driver apparently just "forgot to stop"
6.
BUSES of Somerset has announced it is in talks to sell off Taunton Bus Station. The potential buyer is believed to be Somerset West and Taunton Council, which already owns part of the Tower Street site, which could command a six-figure fee. A member of the council not involved in the negotiations said the location off Castle Green could eventually be replaced by food and drink outlets and even a four-star hotel.
7.
Scientists, sports stars and business leaders have been named alongside unsung heroes from the charity and arts world in the New Year Honours list for Devon and Somerset. Gardeners, conservationists, carers and the region's railway chief also joined the annual roll call as the great and good were rewarded for their endeavours. Fresh from the battle to keep flood-hit Westcountry rail lines open, First Great Western's regional manager in the West, Julian Crow, received the MBE.
8.
Preparations are underway for the "biggest changes to the fare system in a generation" on 2nd January next. The "Advance" ticket system which developed during Frachise days is withdrawn, and an extra tier of fares called shoulder is introduced for journeys on busy but not peak trains. VAT▸ is added to public transport fares at 5% on electric trains, and 20% (a zero carbon supplement) for travel on trains with diesel power.
9.
A new six-metre high net has been installed to stop footballs being kicked onto the railway line at Totnes. The netting sits on top of the existing three-metre fencing surrounding the multi-use games area at Borough Park in the town.
10.
Crossrail opens as a through route next Monday with trains running from Shenfield to Reading and from Woolwich to Heathrow - initially both services every hour until signalling work is completed between Paddington and Royal Oak.
11.
Class 153c (Cycle) carriages are coming to the Western region of Rail Network (the new name for Network Rail). Attached to class 150 trains on the St Ives, Falmouth, Fowey, Newquay, Looe, Gunnislake, Torquay, Exmouth and Okehampton branches, they will connect with the Castle Class trains running hourly services out of Penzance to (alternating) Barnstaple and Frome, providing a cycling network to nearly all stations in the Western Peninsular SnTB. Crowd gathered in Pinhoe and Feniton to protest their exclusion from the scheme, and it's proposed to add a 153c to certain trains from Yeovil Junction to Exeter next year.
12.
I've heard that the All line rovers will be subject to new time restrictions come January. It apparently involves half a dozen TOCs▸ (NOT FGW▸ ) and travel out of major hubs i.e. Euston, Birmingham etc. before 10.00 weekdays. Is there anybody "in the know" who can shed more light on this?
13.
Plans are announced for battery electrification of the line from St Erth to St Ives. Fast charger units will be installed at both terminii, with converted motor luggage vans attached to both end ends of the train on alterate runs and dropped off for recharging on alternate round trips.
14.
Portishead to Cardiff services have been delayed by a further 18 months due to the discovery of a new variety of mushroom at Ashton Gate. Kew Gardens scientists said that it is very rare to discover new plants and fungi in the UK▸ .
15.
Well, I'm delighted to note that several services late evening now have a Maidenhead stop inserted. Just in time for the rush of normal commuters who stay late after work for a few Christmas drinks with work colleagues. Extra services now run at 22:18, 22:48 and 23:18 all taking just 26 minutes. They're simply extra stops on existing Oxford services, and I'll keep an eye out as to how they cope capacity wise, but finally Maidenhead has a very good late evening service!
16.
As well reported in various media, Gatwick airport has been closed for over 24 hours due to illegal flying of drones near the runway. The disruption is substantial and is likely to continue until Christmas, due to the backlog even if the airport reopens soon. The armed forces have been called out to assist.
17.
Job description: We are looking for an excellent writer and communicator to join the speechwriting team at Department for Transport. Working closely with Ministers and the communications team, you will be responsible for drafting speeches and articles on a wide variety of transport issues for delivery at conferences, industry events and Parliamentary debates.
18.
Lochluichart could be included in a new technology trial in the Highlands which aims to reduce the cost and time associated with request stop stations. Passengers waiting to board a train will press a button on the platform, informing the train driver via the signalling system to stop.
19.
The 07:30 London Paddington to Penzance (via Bristol) is no more. Swept away in the December 20xx timetable changes it is now a through service to Paignton. It is a train I have been catching for more than 20 years initially from Reading but more recently from Swindon. The Merchant Venturer has been taking me to Cornwall for meetings, holidays and even the odd day trip.
20.
A six-month trial for a rearranged commuter link bus, which will improve connections for south Oxfordshire rail passengers, will start next week. From Monday, the 6.20pm bus from Goring & Streatley railway station to North and South Stoke and Wallingford will leave 20 minutes later, to make a connection with the 5.36pm train from London Paddington, after requests by rail users.
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