Annoying / amusing use of completely irrelevant stock photos to illustrate press articles

[whole diary]

[EBrown]

While this isn't a news article, I find it equally frustrating to see Hitachi use completely irrelevant 'stock' images on their website.

http://goo.gl/bdwK3

[JayMac]

Another one that's appeared before. Pretty sure this isn't in the Worcester area:

From Worcester News:

That particular photo has been used all over the place. Poland, Hungary, South America, Japan. I wonder where the actual location of that track work is. Looks suspiciously like it's less than standard gauge.

http://bit.ly/WguyPd

[Worcester_Passenger]

The rail fixings don't look British narrow gauge.

[Chris from Nailsea]

From Chippenham People:

Bridge damage causes road closure in Lacock

It has been confirmed part of Roebuck Bridge along Corsham Road in Lacock has been knocked down onto the embankment near the railway this morning.



At around 7.49am a passer-by reported the damaged bridge.

People were asked to drive carefully pass the affected area and two high speed train services were diverted and did not call at Bath Spa or Chippenham.

Corsham Road is now closed while repairs are carried out on the bridge by a Network Rail team.

No: they've lost me completely on that one. 

[LiskeardRich]

From Chippenham People:

Bridge damage causes road closure in Lacock

It has been confirmed part of Roebuck Bridge along Corsham Road in Lacock has been knocked down onto the embankment near the railway this morning.



At around 7.49am a passer-by reported the damaged bridge.

People were asked to drive carefully pass the affected area and two high speed train services were diverted and did not call at Bath Spa or Chippenham.

Corsham Road is now closed while repairs are carried out on the bridge by a Network Rail team.

No: they've lost me completely on that one. 

Is there a river under the bridge? If not that is one of the most off topic photos ever to make a news article

[swrural]

No, and clearly they are talking about the bridge next up on the main line, otherwise it does not make sense.  There is no river under either.  Lunchtime O' Booze on the job again?

Pity for the Chippenham pax having a long journey back if what they wrote is what happened (diverted via Badminton -why not via Melksham and then reverse at Westbury? (or somewhere nearer, I don't know the possibilities on the Trowbridge line). 

[thetrout]

On a serious note:

HST^▸ (High Speed Train)'s can and frequently do run via Melksham but have very rarely ever called there. There are also two daily HST services that run via Trowbridge and Bradford-on-Avon which do call there. Both routes are frequently used for Diversions.

But this is yet another classic example of how useful the complete Bradford Junction triangle could have been and it was once a complete triangle.

Reversing at Westbury was probably not considered an option due to the time it takes to reverse and the potential for "Platform Hogging" which is a lot more common at Westbury than it should be. I've lost count if the amount of times if missed a connection there because I've been stuck just outside the station waiting for a platform. The train that moves to free a platform is invariably the train I actually want... ;-)

Running via Heywood Junction from Pewsey - Trowbridge would and generally is a sensible solution

[Chris from Nailsea]

Lunchtime O' Booze on the job again?

No, it was actually a charming young journalist called Naomi. 

I posted a quizzical comment on her article, enquiring politely as to the relevance of the picture, and she replied thus:

Thank you! Unfortunately the affected area was quite dangerous to go near so I couldn't take a picture so thought i'd just use a stock picture.

I rest my case. 

HST^▸ (High Speed Train)'s can and frequently do run via Melksham but have very rarely ever called there.

You'd be surprised - as indeed many people were, twice in one day: see http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=7596.0 

[Andrew1939 from West Oxon]

CLPG^» (Cotswold Line Promotion Group - about) tries to run an annual excursion train each year from the Cotswold Line to somewhere interesting. Our 2010 and 2011 excursions (HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train)) travelled via Melksham (no stop) on the way from the CL to Minehead (2010) and Portsmouth (2011). Very roundabout routes but FGW^▸ (First Great Western) try to make the routes interesting. Our return journey from Minehead went, after leaving the West Somerset line, via Westbury and then the pictureasque Avon valley to Bath and Bristol before heading north to Worcester and then back to Oxford a really roundabout trip!
Incidentally CLPG has just arranged its 2013 excursion for 28 September. This will be run along the CL from Worcester to Oxford and thence to Swanage. We think that may be the first time an HST has visited Swanage although we have heard but can't find any confirmation that East Midlands is planning an HST train to Swanage earlier this summer than our trip. If any one is interested in travelling on our Swanage trip bookings from non-members will open from 1 June. For detail see CLPG's new web site clpg.org.uk.

[swrural]

Lunchtime O' Booze on the job again?

No, it was actually a charming young journalist called Naomi. 

I posted a quizzical comment on her article, enquiring politely as to the relevance of the picture, and she replied thus:

Thank you! Unfortunately the affected area was quite dangerous to go near so I couldn't take a picture so thought i'd just use a stock picture.

I rest my case. 

HST^▸ (High Speed Train)'s can and frequently do run via Melksham but have very rarely ever called there.

You'd be surprised - as indeed many people were, twice in one day: see http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=7596.0 

Well done  Chris, more assiduous journalism from you than she displayed.  How ingenuous of her to admit it (or just honest).

[thetrout]

HST^▸ (High Speed Train)'s can and frequently do run via Melksham but have very rarely ever called there.

You'd be surprised - as indeed many people were, twice in one day: see http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=7596.0 

That was what I was hinting at Just couldn't link it at the time

[swrural]

The disease has even spread to the Tavistock news.

http://www.tavistockpeople.co.uk/reinstating-rail-link-good-bad-thing-Tavistock/story-18299800-detail/story.html?

[SandTEngineer]

Oh no not that (damaged) TPWS^▸ (Train Protection and Warning System) loop again   I think NR^» (Network Rail - home page) should be told.

[Chris from Nailsea]

A rather startling example, from Breaking Travel News:

Further improvements planned for Tarka^▸ (Line from Barnstaple to Exeter) line



Network Rail has vowed to keep disruption to passengers to a minimum as it carries out vital improvement work on the Tarka line between Exeter and Barnstaple during March.

Two short closures have been agreed to improve the rail infrastructure on the popular line, avoiding the busy Easter weekend which sees large numbers of people ^ including many tourists ^ travelling by train.

The first closure will take place between Crediton and Barnstaple, with the line closing at 11pm on Sunday 10 March and, reopening at 3pm on Wednesday 13 March. This is for track relaying and bridge improvement works near Lapford, and for other works near Umberleigh.

During this time, train operator First Great Western will operate train services between Exeter and Crediton, with a bus replacement service serving all stations north of Crediton, through to Barnstaple.

The second closure takes place over the weekend of Saturday 23 and Sunday 24 March. During this time, buses will replace trains between Barnstaple and Exeter, as Network Rail^s engineers undertake further track renewals in the Umberleigh area and other essential maintenance along the line.

Tim Maddocks, Network Rail customer service manager for the West Country, said: ^Working with First Great Western, we^ve been able to plan this vital work in a way that avoids the busy Easter weekend. We would like to thank passengers for their patience while we complete these essential improvement works to make the Tarka line safer, smoother and more reliable.^

[JayMac]

That's not North Devon, it's Lancaster.

http://www.breakingtravelnews.com/news/article/lancaster-and-fleetwood-mp-sees-improvements-first-hand/

I did ask Breaking Travel News just when those skyscrapers went up in Lancaster.

Could also possibly be Cambridge, or maybe Peterborough.

http://www.heart.co.uk/cambridge/news/local/cambridge-peterborough-new-train-routes/