This is a test of GDPR / Cookie Acceptance [about our cookies]
Really irritating test - cookie expires in 24 hour!
Great Western Coffee Shop
Recent Public Posts - [guest]
Re: Dawlish - permanent resilience work - ongoing discussions
In "London to the West" [371650/22771/12]
Posted by Mark A at 09:14, 27th January 2026
 
Dawlish station at high tide 24th January:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FhceusV2Eqw



Ew. Poor station lifts. Thanks for posting that.

Mark

Re: Weather updates from across the UK and implications for infrastructure - 2026
In "The Wider Picture in the United Kingdom" [371649/31355/51]
Posted by John D at 08:59, 27th January 2026
 
An interesting morning ...

Alterations to services between Liskeard and Looe
Cancellations to services between Castle Cary and Taunton
Cancellations to services between Exeter St Davids and Barnstaple
Cancellations to services between Exeter St Davids and Okehampton
Cancellations to services between Salisbury and Romsey
Cancellations to services between Par and Newquay
Alterations to services between Exeter St Davids and Newton Abbot
Cancellations to services between Exeter St Davids and Taunton

Can add a few more line closures to your list

Eastleigh - Fareham
near Sway (Brockenhurst - Bournemouth)
near Yetminster (Weymouth- Yeovil)
Exeter - Honiton
Ryde Pier Head - Ryde St Johns

Re: Weather updates from across the UK and implications for infrastructure - 2026
In "The Wider Picture in the United Kingdom" [371648/31355/51]
Posted by TaplowGreen at 08:57, 27th January 2026
 
An interesting morning ...

Alterations to services between Liskeard and Looe
Cancellations to services between Castle Cary and Taunton
Cancellations to services between Exeter St Davids and Barnstaple
Cancellations to services between Exeter St Davids and Okehampton
Cancellations to services between Salisbury and Romsey
Cancellations to services between Par and Newquay
Alterations to services between Exeter St Davids and Newton Abbot
Cancellations to services between Exeter St Davids and Taunton

And another one....

Alterations to services between Weymouth and Yeovil Pen Mill
Due to heavy rain flooding the railway between Weymouth and Yeovil Pen Mill the line is closed.

Re: Stanfords - map shop(s)
In "The West - but NOT trains in the West" [371646/31524/31]
Posted by grahame at 08:31, 27th January 2026
Already liked by PrestburyRoad
 
EDIT: Some online research has informed me that this was a HM Stationery Office bookshop. My hazy memory was of me perusing OS Maps in there back in the early 1990s.

I used to love going to the HMSO on High Holborn in London to purchase copies of rail accident reports, of which I have quite a collection. They were a fascinating story and taught me a lot which remains with me to this day.  Fact far more interesting than fiction, and facts and evidence without a marketing gloss or bias.  In the information overload we have today, there is a great deal of other reading material available for analysis but these reports were something of a more educational trigger than trainspotting, though I can still tell you about difference in 4EPB units.

Re: Melksham Station - "InfoStation" / loos / snack bar / info point opportunity?
In "TransWilts line" [371645/31510/18]
Posted by grahame at 08:14, 27th January 2026
 
Many thanks for the responses so far ... which (for guests who cannot yet see the running results) are very much in favour.  That's something of a relief, as the poll is something of a sanity check.    Part of the intent of asking around (and I have been doing so a lot locally too) has been to ensure that this project is fully in line with the vast majority of people, and the other part is to wheedle out objections and concerns so they can be thoroughly assessed at an early stage so that they can be addressed and mitigated.

Re: Weather updates from across the UK and implications for infrastructure - 2026
In "The Wider Picture in the United Kingdom" [371644/31355/51]
Posted by grahame at 07:57, 27th January 2026
 
An interesting morning ...

Alterations to services between Liskeard and Looe
Cancellations to services between Castle Cary and Taunton
Cancellations to services between Exeter St Davids and Barnstaple
Cancellations to services between Exeter St Davids and Okehampton
Cancellations to services between Salisbury and Romsey
Cancellations to services between Par and Newquay
Alterations to services between Exeter St Davids and Newton Abbot
Cancellations to services between Exeter St Davids and Taunton

Re: Swindon <-> Westbury service updates and amendments, ongoing discussion - 2026
In "TransWilts line" [371643/31359/18]
Posted by grahame at 07:31, 27th January 2026
 
05:11 Gloucester to Southampton Central due 08:09

05:11 Gloucester to Southampton Central due 08:09 is being delayed at Gloucester.
This is due to a points failure.
Last Updated:27/01/2026 05:13

Stilll showing at 07:30 ... it was 1 minute late off Gloucester.   Mountain out of what turned out to be a molehill.

Re: BBC breakfast News reporting LIVE from Dawlish
In "Media about railways, and other means of transport" [371642/31529/49]
Posted by matth1j at 07:06, 27th January 2026
 
Live on iPlayer: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m002qk0d/breakfast-27012026

Re: Dawlish - permanent resilience work - ongoing discussions
In "London to the West" [371641/22771/12]
Posted by RobT at 06:53, 27th January 2026
Already liked by Mark A
 
Dawlish station at high tide 24th January:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FhceusV2Eqw


BBC breakfast News reporting LIVE from Dawlish
In "Media about railways, and other means of transport" [371640/31529/49]
Posted by infoman at 06:45, 27th January 2026
 
Tuesday 27th January 2026

in connection with the on going issues of the disruption to the rail lines in the area.

Cancellations to services between Salisbury and Romsey
In "Heart of Wessex" [371639/31528/19]
Posted by matth1j at 06:19, 27th January 2026
 
Due to flooding between Salisbury and Romsey all lines are blocked.
Train services running through these stations will be cancelled, delayed or revised. Disruption is expected until 12:00 27/01.
Customer Advice
-
What has happened?
-
We have had reports of flooding in the area. When flood water rises above certain levels trains may have to reduce their speed or be unable to run through the affected area because debris may have moved onto the rails, or the ground underneath the track may have washed away. Flooding can also affect the power supply to the signalling systems or the overhead power lines the trains use.
-
What are we doing about it?
-
Until water levels recede, all lines will be blocked.

Re: Stanfords - map shop(s)
In "The West - but NOT trains in the West" [371638/31524/31]
Posted by JayMac at 00:40, 27th January 2026
 
Hazy memory...

Was there once an Ordnance Survey shop on Wine St in Bristol?

EDIT: Some online research has informed me that this was a HM Stationery Office bookshop. My hazy memory was of me perusing OS Maps in there back in the early 1990s.

Re: Bus station the most feral part of any town
In "The Lighter Side" [371637/31525/30]
Posted by JayMac at 00:28, 27th January 2026
 
Bercy bus station Paris. Where travel vloggers fear to tread and I would imagine most  people who have to use it.

I'm subscribed to a few travel vloggers on YouTube - Steve Marsh; Planes, Trains, Everything; Wingin' It! Paul Lucas; amongst others. All have mentioned fearing for their safety in and around Bercy bus station.

Re: Delivering South West England’s New Economy - Greengauge21 Report
In "Across the West" [371636/31402/26]
Posted by trainbuff at 23:58, 26th January 2026
 
The cost in 2014 of the Northern Route all singing, all dancing ewith brand new Meldon Viaduct was £875m. Less than the money lost due to closure. And of course this does not have to be built as double track all the way. Additionally Okehampton has already opened so would reduce cost, relatively speaking. The cheapest other route, excluding the old line via Chudleigh, was £1.49bn

Re: Bus station the most feral part of any town
In "The Lighter Side" [371635/31525/30]
Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 23:44, 26th January 2026
 
'Joined up thinking' - in Bristol?  You are clearly delusional, Squirrel. [Image from here is not available to guests]

Re: Stanfords - map shop(s)
In "The West - but NOT trains in the West" [371634/31524/31]
Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 23:40, 26th January 2026
 
I have redacted their surname, out of respect for their privacy: they are a well-known family in Nailsea. [Image from here is not available to guests]


Re: Bus station the most feral part of any town
In "The Lighter Side" [371633/31525/30]
Posted by Red Squirrel at 23:31, 26th January 2026
 
So was it a coincidence, or a rare piece of joined-up thinking that led to Bristol's Magistrates' Court being next door to the Bus Station?

Re: Shops selling maps and books
In "The West - but NOT trains in the West" [371631/31524/31]
Posted by Red Squirrel at 23:19, 26th January 2026
 
...When Mr and Mrs C*** retired, both premises closed...

They couldn't hold back the tide, presumably?

Re: Dawlish - permanent resilience work - ongoing discussions
In "London to the West" [371630/22771/12]
Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 22:45, 26th January 2026
 
Video footage from YouTube - 12 minutes.

Re: Bus station the most feral part of any town
In "The Lighter Side" [371629/31525/30]
Posted by didcotdean at 22:11, 26th January 2026
 
The 87 to Eyres Monsell only runs seven times a day any way: take an 84, 85, or 88 and walk ...

Re: Standedge railway tunnel: fire
In "The Wider Picture in the United Kingdom" [371627/31521/51]
Posted by Oxonhutch at 21:37, 26th January 2026
 
To be honest, compared to other trans-Pennine tunnel fires, this was nothing!

Skip to 00:45.

Re: Stanfords - map shop(s)
In "The West - but NOT trains in the West" [371625/31524/31]
Posted by johnneyw at 21:10, 26th January 2026
 
It's rather saddening to hear of the Bristol Stanford's closure.  I bought a map there a little before Christmas and there was no indication of it closing then. 
The news sparked a memory of when, a few years ago,  I was downstairs trying to pay for a map. Map and payment card in hand, I stood in front of the chap behind the till who was on a call casually talking to a friend or colleague.  Five minutes later and with me about to put the map down and leave, he finally finished the call and decided to take payment. 
The subject of the overheard phone call?  A meeting earlier that day to stress the urgency of boosting sales.

I also recall a visit to George's during the first term of my History A Level to order a recommended text book which I was told would be ordered in for me as there were none in stock at the time. I left my name and address to be contacted when it had arrived for me.  Fast forward two years, A level completed, end of year 6th form bun fight done and dusted and in the post comes a letter from George's informing me that my book had arrived.
I still passed my History A Level.

Re: Swindon <-> Westbury service updates and amendments, ongoing discussion - 2026
In "TransWilts line" [371624/31359/18]
Posted by bobm at 20:45, 26th January 2026
 
The Leeds train, incidentally, left 26 minutes late but surpisingly left New St on time. No idea what held it up for so long at Temple Meads.

Official reason was "overcrowding/not enough wheelchair spaces".

Re: Looe Branch Line - timetables, cancellations, engineering work, closures and incidents
In "Shorter journeys in Plymouth and Cornwall" [371623/569/25]
Posted by TaplowGreen at 20:42, 26th January 2026
 
Alterations to services between Liskeard and Looe

Due to flooding between Liskeard and Looe the line is closed.
Train services running to and from these stations have been suspended. Disruption is expected until the end of the day on 28/01/26.

Alterations to services between Liskeard and Looe
Due to flooding between Liskeard and Looe the line is closed.
Train services running to and from these stations have been suspended. Disruption is expected until the end of the day on 01/02/26.

 
The Coffee Shop forum is provided by customers of Great Western Railway (formerly First Great Western). The views expressed are those of the individual posters concerned. Visit https://www.gwr.com for the official Great Western Railway website. Please contact the administrators of this site at admin@railcustomer.info if you feel that the content provided by one of our posters contravenes our posting rules. Our full legal statment is at https://www.greatwesternrailway.info/legal.html

Although we are planning ahead, we don't know what the future will bring here in the Coffee Shop. We have domains "firstgreatwestern.info" for w-a-y back and also "greatwesternrailway.info"; we can also answer to "greatbritishrailways.info" too. For the future, information about Great Brisish Railways, by customers and for customers.
 
Current Running
GWR trains from JourneyCheck
 
 
Code Updated 11th January 2025