A Christmas quiz - twelve days of Christmas

[whole diary]

[Chris from Nailsea]

Nor 'Where Eagles Dare' 

[grahame]

*What do we call the rail equivalent of an in-flight magazine?

'Litter'

You can find "Litter" in Bristol Temple Meads, Severn Tunnel Junction ...

[grahame]

3. Can you name the 12 furthest terminating points for trains that departed from London's Paddington station in 2009?   As a bonus, can you list any other destinations that would have displaced places off that list in the past?

There are some that I am not sure on here ... this was the "best" list I could some up with ... I've listed somewhat more than 12 as I'm not sure of relative distance and some of my suggestions need validation.   And I have just added Wrexham as I had overlooked that - it was during 2009, was it?

Penzance
Truro (? During engineering works or was it a late running train)
St Austell (? During engineering works)
Newquay
Par (Special, 5th April)
Plymouth
Kingswear (Specials, 13th June, 9th September)
Paignton
Newton Abbott (During Engineering works)
Exeter
Taunton

Pembroke Dock
Carmarthen
Swansea
? Any short turn arounds between Cardiff and Swansea ?
Cardiff

Abergavenny (or is that historic / only towards London?)
Hereford
Gt Malvern

Chester (Special, 6th June)
Wrexham (during Engineering works on Marylebone run)

I couldn't trace any specials from Paddington to Minehead in 2009. Southmapton Central is an interesting destination.  Was it in 2009?   Even if it was, I suspect it wouldn't be in the list above as it's too close in to London and not one of the furthest.   Excellent list of other places that have been served in the past too ... and I'm sure there are large numbers more

[grahame]

4. With a handful of quieter days between Christmas and the New Year, rail management staff will be seated at their desks and thinking strategically ahead. What positive new ideas should / could they implement / test / start work on in 2010 to the benefit of their passengers, their staff, their shareholders / stakeholders, the environment ... ?

[grahame]

Let me start the ball rolling

"Railway Awareness Day / Weekend".  On an otherwise-quiet day or weekend, an extra train or two will supplement the service on a line to encourage extra traffic.   With a strong local marketing campaign, a simplified special fare for the day, and perhaps trains that aren't normally used on the line this could attract extra people and publicity that would last well beyond the weekend!  I recall Alison Forster addressing Travel Watch South West and telling us how there are large numbers of people out there who would use the train if encouraged to do so. This could be a way to bring some of them in, and start traffic levels on an up.

[eightf48544]

I suppose this comes under "Benefitting passengers and possibly increasing revenue

Being very parochial and it's nothing to Grahame's problems getting a decent service to Melksham.

Sunday Services at Taplow.

EnvironmentSpeed up electrification.

[eightf48544]

Back to Paddington destinations.

Penzance has milepost 326 II on the station.

What is unique about this particular milepost?

[devon_metro]

Back to Paddington destinations.

Penzance has milepost 326 II on the station.

What is unique about this particular milepost?

Its wrong?

I make Paddington - Penzance via box 328m30c!

[rogerw]

The milepost at Penzance has the highest value on the system.  It records the mileage from Paddington via Box, Bristol and the old Millbay station at Plymouth.  It reads slightly higher than the present mileage via Box and Bristol.  Devon Metro I suggest you check your figures again as you are 3 miles out.

[grahame]

Being very parochial and it's nothing to Grahame's problems getting a decent service to Melksham.

... Sunday Services at Taplow.

... Speed up electrification.

A lot of the ideas that could be put forward will be localised / parochial ... and indeed my "seed" idea would be of local benefit on our line. But, yes, offer .... Sunday Services at Taplow ... MerryMaker Services from St Philip's Marsh (and when did FGW^▸ (First Great Western) last run a "Mystex^▸ (Train on which passengers don't know where they are going)") ... Rambler's special tickets out to Pewsey and back from Bedwyn ... Web site Personalised timetable to cover all day not just 4 hour chunks ... behind-the-scenes tours for commuters ... free fruit in First Class on Mondays 

[eightf48544]

Mystex^▸ (Train on which passengers don't know where they are going). That takes me back went on one in 60s/70s, 3 117 units ended up in Coventry. Lickey incline was fun!

What about a Chris Green NSE^▸ (Network South East) day anywhere/everywhere in old NSE for ^10. Won't be so much fun no 86s to Cambridge or even 47s from Slough to Bromley South. Or of course no 50s on the Waterloo Exeters. Never have so few trains carried so many passengers.

[devon_metro]

Mystex^▸ (Train on which passengers don't know where they are going). That takes me back went on one in 60s/70s, 3 117 units ended up in Coventry. Lickey incline was fun!

What about a Chris Green NSE^▸ (Network South East) day anywhere/everywhere in old NSE for ^10. Won't be so much fun no 86s to Cambridge or even 47s from Slough to Bromley South. Or of course no 50s on the Waterloo Exeters. Never have so few trains carried so many passengers.

East Midlands Trains, London Midland and South West Trains have all run promotions similar to this, allowing ^10 travel on one day across their networks.

Southern also do a daysave at ^10 off peak.

[JayMac]

....Benefit of Passengers. Boxing Day trains across the network please.

....Benefit of Stakeholders. A nationwide advertising campaign from ATOC^» (Association of Train Operating Companies See - here) extolling the virtues of travelling by train. One thing that is sadly missed since privatisation are the excellent TV ads that BR^▸ (British Rail(ways)) used to run.

[stebbo]

I thought the earlier post saying there's a turkey in Ashchurch a bit near the bone.

[grahame]

....Benefit of Passengers. Boxing Day trains across the network please.

....Benefit of Stakeholders. A nationwide advertising campaign from ATOC^» (Association of Train Operating Companies See - here) extolling the virtues of travelling by train. One thing that is sadly missed since privatisation are the excellent TV ads that BR^▸ (British Rail(ways)) used to run.

Ah .. I think I have asked questions that areway to serious for "the lighter" side today.  Lighter tomorrow, I promise

I'm going to expand on bignosemac's answer and suggest a look at all highday / holiday services - I'm of the view (being discussed elsewhere today!) that the point of providing a passenger train service should be to ship passengers around, and if there's a substantive need it should be met, and at the same time historic services that will benefit many by adaption should be adapted.  I'm thinking of comments about the Cross Country services to Newquay on Summer Saturdays which date back to the days of a traditional week's holiday; I understand those trains are not busy at the extreme Newquay end of their runs and wonder if the stock would be better employed elsewhere, leving the branch available for the normal service instead.  I'm actually tempted to start with a "seven day railway" service and then suggest commuter reductions on Saturday and Sunday, using the stock (especially on Sunday evening) for some longer distance strengthening, and on Saturday for some of those "ideas above".

P.S.  Look at the needs and desires of the people who want to travel ... don't just do the P.F. trick of on train surveys, which  wouldn't have come up with anyone wanting to travel on Boxing Day