Swindon - facilities, improvements, signalling, events and incidents, including GWR history - merged posts

[whole diary]

[bobm]

Travellers passing through Swindon will no doubt have noticed the old water tower just to the west of the station which once supplied the railway works.

In the winter, when the trees are not in leaf, I can see it from my office and bemoaned the fact that some yob had managed to climb to the top of it and daub their so called artwork on the side of the tank itself.

However in the last week or so work has begun to refurbish the structure and it is now covered in scaffolding and plastic "shrink wrap"



Although no longer used, it is a Grade II listed structure and I am pleased it is being refurbished rather than following in the steps of Dawlish signalbox.

The consultants' report contains some photographs of the current state of the tower and the work needed.

http://pa.swindon.gov.uk/publicaccess/files/BE1A31FA025CCDD3939A40BB1645B4A1/pdf/S_LBC_12_1391-APPRAISAL_OF_EXISTING_STRUCTURES_PART_1-370387.pdf

[ellendune]

Sorry link does not work

[bobm]

Strange - it does for me, although I agree it is rather slow to respond.

It can be found from the Swindon Borough Council planning applications portal.  Application S/LBC/12/1391.  The consultants' report is in four parts classed as Background Papers.

[Electric train]

This of course is just one of several water towers the one on the Rodbourne Road being the iconic one.

The GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) Works Fire Station was located in the yard under the Water Tower in this thread, also during BR^▸ (British Rail(ways)) (W) days the M & EE training school I did several courses there through the 1980's on air con, wiring regs oh an several weeks on "craft inter-changeability"

[bobm]

In the last few days the covers have come off and the newly repainted water tower looked very good in this morning's early sunshine.  Still some work to be done at the bottom, and I assume the banner will be taken off the top after its "fifteen minutes of fame".

[Electric train]

The works had its own well if I recall correctly it was at Rodbourne

[bobm]

From Journeycheck

Swindon: Ticket Office Closure 
 
The ticket office will be closed from now until the end of the day at Swindon station.

Additional Information: 
Please purchase tickets at ticket vending machines or on train when no other means of purchasing is available.

Last Updated :02/11/2014 17:30

...and then

Swindon: Ticket Vending Machine problem 

The ticket vending machines are out of order at Swindon station.

Additional Information: 
Please purchase tickets on train when no other means of purchasing is available.

Last Updated :02/11/2014 18:44

The problem at Swindon is that one of the TVMs^▸ (Ticket Vending Machine) is behind the security shutter, so if the ticket office closes so that TVM becomes inaccessible.

This has been made worse since one of the other two TVMs has been replaced with a machine where you can only collect pre-booked tickets.

Can't help feeling the ToD machine should have been added in addition to the two "always available" TVMs rather than in place of one of them.

[John R]

I wonder whether the pre-booked machine is working? And if it's not, are you OK to travel?

[bobm]

I was going down to get a ticket that you can't get from a TVM^▸ (Ticket Vending Machine) or pre-book so at least the information on line prevented me making a wasted journey in the rain, so sorry John R I'm not going down to check the ToD machine.   

Seriously though I expect, and hope, that on-train staff are aware of the problems and so passengers should be able to buy tickets on board without penalty.

[tomL]

I wonder whether the pre-booked machine is working? And if it's not, are you OK to travel?

I'd imagine if you kept your reference handy the staff on board would help you. They'd only have to check journeycheck if they hadn't been told already. I think its been mentioned before to 'inform staff on the train as soon as possible' or something along those lines. 

[John R]

That's all fine and dandy if travelling by FGW^▸ (First Great Western), but what if you have a 5 min connection at Reading or Bristol Parkway onto another operator's services? Are you supposed to miss your train to get your tickets or run the risk that the on board staff of the other TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company)'s service are as well informed?

[tomL]

That's all fine and dandy if travelling by FGW^▸ (First Great Western), but what if you have a 5 min connection at Reading or Bristol Parkway onto another operator's services? Are you supposed to miss your train to get your tickets or run the risk that the on board staff of the other TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company)'s service are as well informed?

I'd think one or more of the following would be able to take place:

• FGW on board staff could issue a ticket.
• The staff on the other TOC would be understanding, if said passenger had as much relevant information with them (reference number, etc.).

Of course those are ideals, I'm just an average passenger who has seen lenient staff as well as the opposite. 

[ChrisB]

That's all fine and dandy if travelling by FGW^▸ (First Great Western), but what if you have a 5 min connection at Reading

Isn't the minimum connection time greater than that at Reading? If so, you could expect a penalty fare...

[JayMac]

RailUK Forums are currently conducting a poll to see which preservation project, from a list suggested by forum members, will get a donation of ^500 from RailUK's surplus funds.

One of those listed projects is the Swindon Panel Preservation.

Obviously posting here will give folk a fair idea of who I've voted for!

Members of this forum, who are also members over there, are of course free to chose whichever project they think would benefit most from the donation. 

http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=108104

[Chris from Nailsea]

As a member of RailUK Forums, I, too, have voted over there. 

Their poll closes on 16 November 2014, by the way.