Service 9, between Swindon and Wroughton will be withdrawn completely due to low passenger numbers. Customers can continue to travel between Swindon town centre and Wroughton using Service 49, which runs every 30 minutes.

Service 49, between Swindon, Wroughton, Devizes and Trowbridge will see a route alternation to serve the former bus station, improving access to the railway station, as the current stop on Fleming Way is too far for passengers.

There will also be general retiming and journey adjustments to better meet passenger demand, and additional evening journeys to replace funded service 9 journeys.

The route has also been revised to better connect with Wiltshire College in Trowbridge, with a new morning journey added to complement the existing afternoon service.

From Railway Gazette

Starting this summer, railway afficionados will be able to make a record-long train journey within the EU.

And for those seeking the old-time romance of the rails, the key to the new route is a evocatively restored station in Haparanda, Sweden, dating back to 1919.

When a long-awaited rail link opens between northern Finland and Sweden, it will be possible to travel some 5,000km by train from Portugal's Algarve to Kolari in Lapland – Finland's northernmost station.

Alstom, in conjunction with its cleaning contractor, OCS, has developed a solution to clean the windscreens of Avanti West Coast’s Pendolino fleet by hand at its Traincare Centre in Polmadie, Glasgow.

Previously, because of overhead live wires in the depot, windscreen cleaning had to be carried out at track level. However, a spotless clean could not be achieved due to insufficient water pressure reaching the brush at that distance.

The solution makes use of mobile staging, which, by isolating the overhead electricity supply, allows cleaners to get closer access to the Pendolino windscreens, especially the edges of windscreens that automated train washes cannot completely clean.

East West Rail (EWR) has released details of its promised final route-wide consultation despite new rules brought in by the Planning and Infrastructure Act making the engagement not statutory.

The new railway linking Oxford and Cambridge confirmed earlier this year it would still carry out the full public consultation for the remaining sections of the line despite the Planning and Infrastructure Bill removing the legal requirement to do so.

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The Royal Scotsman brought its passengers to the Clyde coast on Sunday as part of a three-night scenic tour for rail tourists taking in all the beauty of the west coast.

The train which takes passengers on a once in a lifetime 'Western Scenic Wonders' tour has a luxury onboard spa and dining with tickets costing up to almost £20,000 for the full tour.

The Royal Scotsman is scheduled to be a regular visitor to Wemyss Bay over the coming months, bringing her passengers to the coast for a trip across the water to Bute and a visit to the stunning Gothic mansion of Mount Stuart.

The train is one of several rail experiences offered by luxury tour company Belmond across the UK and Europe.

Cathedral choir sings on after Scilly ferry delays


Some of the Truro Cathedral Choir on the island of Tresco, one of the Isles of Scilly

A Cornish choir extended its tour of the Isles of Scilly after the passenger ferry that connects the islands with the British mainland suffered an engine fault.

The singers and support staff of Truro Cathedral Choir found out they were stranded for the weekend on Friday and added some extra engagements to their itinerary over the weekend.

The choir was able to return on Monday once the Scillonian III ferry resumed sailing after repairs to its engines had been completed.

James Anderson-Besant, director of music at Truro Cathedral, thanked islanders for their hospitality, adding: "It's been a much longer trip than we planned for. It's been surreal and complicated but wonderful."

The trip to Scilly after a busy Easter period had been delayed initially when rough weather delayed the choir's arrival last week from Tuesday to Wednesday. But the news on Friday the Scillonian III had developed an engine problem and would not sail again between St Mary's and Penzance until Monday left the group of about 20 young people aged between eight and 13, six school staff and 12 adult singers with a weekend to fill.

Anderson-Besant said: "The kindness and generosity of people on the islands has been amazing. People have really gone out of their way to help us. It's been brilliant."

One bonus of the delay was it allowed the choir to join islanders at Sunday services on St Mary's.

Anderson-Besant said: "It was absolutely amazing. We weren't planning that at all, so we didn't have any music with us for that. The chaplain to the isles Elizabeth Burke very kindly printed off lots of copies of things for us and we did some extra singing. It was just totally lovely to join the community here."


Their Sunday best: the Truro Cathedral Choir outside St Mary's Church on St Mary's

Anderson-Besant said the unplanned change to the half-term holidays had not caused issues back on the mainland. He said: "All the parents and the families we've been in touch with have actually been really excited about what we've been up to and very grateful to the team of staff who've looked after everyone so well."

Truro Cathedral Choir has an unbroken tradition dating back to the 1880s. It currently has 12 adult professional singers, as well as 34 boy and girl choristers.

The canal used to pass by my back gate but now provides a bit of green space close to Swindon town centre.

In some ways it would nice if it was still there but then I consider the practicalities.  It would make access to my local bus stops more difficult.  Would it flood in winter?  Would it encourage unwelcome wildlife in my garden?

There is also the practical consideration that one of the town’s main sewers now follows the route of the former waterway. 

Main Calmac ferry to Lewis out of action after issue with ramp


Engineers are working on an issue with a ramp on the MV Loch Seaforth

The main Calmac ferry to Lewis has broken down, with services cancelled for the rest of the day.

MV Loch Seaforth, which sails between Ullapool and Stornoway, has a problem with the ramp at its bow. Engineers are carrying out repairs.

Problems across the Calmac network caused by breakdowns and maintenance demands have eased in recent days. However, passengers are being warned of possible disruption across 15 out of 30 west coast routes.

The MV Loch Seaforth, which cost £42m to build, made its first passenger sailing 11 years ago. It has capacity for 700 passengers, 143 cars or 20 commercial vehicles. It was named after a mail boat that sailed between Lewis and the Scottish mainland from the 1940s until the 1970s.

(BBC article continues)

Train derailed due to gap in staff training


The four members of crew on the train were not injured and no passengers were on board

Investigators have concluded that a train derailed due to gaps in training.

Nobody was injured when the out-of-service London Northwestern train derailed on 26 June at Denbigh Hall South Junction shortly after leaving Bletchley, near Milton Keynes.

The Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) found switch diamond points, which allow trains to navigate certain angles, were in unsafe positions for the train which had been travelling in the "wrong direction" after encountering a fault.

Investigators recommended Network Rail and West Midlands Trains develop staff training and that the Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSBB) consider updating the rule book.


The non-passenger train derailed in the Bletchley area of Milton Keynes

The train had been travelling in the wrong direction towards a depot at Northampton after the driver found they could not move the vehicle from one end. Neither signalling staff or those in the train's leading cabin noticed the switch diamond points were in an unsafe position for the train to pass over them while travelling in that direction.

According to the report, staff involved lacked understanding of what switch diamond points were and how trains should have been using them. The report recommended that Network Rail and West Midlands Trains improved training of staff.

RAIB also found the rule book did not cover the specific circumstances of the "wrong-direction" movement in the incident, meaning that the signallers had been ignoring the rules unintentionally. It asked the RSSB to consider if the modules in the rule book should account for such scenarios.

Investigators also found the incident highlighted how staff should have a better understanding of how their personal issues could have an impact on their work. They learnt the signalling shift manager had been dealing with "significant personal issues" that had been affecting their concentration. After reviewing the witness evidence, the RAIB said that if this member of staff had declared these issues to their manager they would have been taken off duty on compassionate grounds.

The RAIB suggested staff should "ask a competent person" and challenge colleagues if they were unsure about work being done.

Responding to the report, a Network Rail spokesperson said it had taken the recommendations "very seriously". They said Network Rail was implementing the recommendations, including changes in training for signallers.

Cafe tells laptop users not to 'hog' tables


The owner of Sophie's cafe in Aberystwyth had to ask a customer to leave because he had been occupying a table for hours

A cafe is asking customers not to use their laptops at its tables and "hog" them for hours, preventing other customers from finding seats and damaging business.

Sara Jenkins, who owns Sophie's cafe in Aberystwyth, Ceredigion, said everyone was welcome but that people needed to be more considerate of those who wish to eat there.

A Facebook post by the cafe outlining the new rule has received over 300 responses, including comments welcoming the move, Sara said.

"It's sometimes frustrating when someone grabs a table for hours during busy periods - because we're losing money," she said. "I was afraid I was being unreasonable at first, but the response has been very positive so far," she added. "We welcome everyone - old, young, students, children. But we're a cafe that works quickly, and we're always busy - every customer has been served within about five to 10 minutes."

According to Sara, one customer came in shortly after 08:00 and stayed until at least 10:15 after having toast and coffee, spending over two hours behind his laptop.

"We asked him if he would like to anything else - but he didn't, and unfortunately we had to ask him to leave shortly afterwards. I hate to feel awkward or make someone else feel awkward, but we're not a cyber cafe - we don't even have sockets at our tables. I'm very proud of the response there to the message so far - everyone in the comments has welcomed the request - which makes us feel better," she said.

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I - envisage - walking down to Melksham Riverside in a summer a decade from now.  Watching the boats go by, perhaps walking waterside all the way up to Lacock and seeing the summer holidaymakers turning their hire boats at Hire-trip-end. Seeing the village freed from cars with people arriving and leaving on the electric shuttle bus from Lacock Station, part of the Bath and Wiltshire Metro - and perhaps I'll take the train back from there into Melksham and catch the bus that connects with every train back home into the town.

No end in sight for railway tunnel repairs


Bransty Tunnel has previously been affected by flooding

Repairs to a railway tunnel have been delayed with no reopening date set, Network Rail has said.

Bransty tunnel, between Whitehaven and Corkickle on the Cumbrian Coast Line, shut in the summer after engineers found its floor needed "significant reinforcement". Bosses initially expected it to remain closed until Easter.

Passengers on the line, which serves two major employers in the county, Sellafield and BAE, have been using replacement buses for almost a year.

A permanent repair solution had been agreed, but Network Rail said it was waiting on permits to be agreed with partners the Mining Remediation Authority and the Environment Agency for work to begin.

"This is to align the necessary environmental consents so that water contamination issues can be addressed alongside the repairs," a Network Rail spokesperson said.

The tunnel was connected with orange water at Whitehaven Harbour and works were planned to tackle issues. However, tests to assess weight limits for the heavy machinery needed revealed issues with the floor strength, prompting the months-long closure.

Network Rail said it had completed "detailed inspections and a permanent repair solution has been independently verified". It plans to use specialist grout to stabilise the tunnel and pressure relief wells to reduce groundwater pressure and manage the volume of water entering the tunnel. Track and drainage renewal work is also planned.

It added that in the interest of saving taxpayer costs, it would take a "minimal viable product approach" which included using smaller drilling, grouting and treatment areas and fewer relief wells within the tunnel.

A spokesperson said: "We're sorry for the delay in reopening the Bransty tunnel for passengers who rely on this important route."  They also said a further update would be provided when it could "be clear on the timeline of what happens next".

Railway station to become a 'canvas' for artwork



A new arts programme will see artists, communities and schools transform a city's railway station with their creative vision for the public transport hub.

Arts charity HOME and Network Rail have teamed up for an 18-month project which will see the busy commuter station Oxford Road in Manchester double up as a creative workshop.

Our City & Beyond: Manchester Oxford Road Edition invites participants to "reimagine" the station "as a canvas for collective storytelling". The programme "explores what becomes possible when rail, culture and the city come together to shape station environments and experiences that are welcoming, reflective of their communities and connected to the life of the city".

Louise Harney, head of creative engagement, HOME, said she was excited "to engage with a Manchester landmark as a canvas for collective storytelling, co-creating a public artwork rooted in the city's past and present". She added: "We are thrilled to be a part of this project that celebrates creativity in place."

Rebecca Foy, regeneration & placemaking specialist at Network Rail, added: "Art is powerful - it shapes people, places and stories, and our stations are no different. We are beginning to explore what becomes possible when rail works creatively with the city and its communities to shape places that feel welcoming, human and truly reflective of the people they serve."

An early example of the kind of projects envisaged is the announcement of a new artwork across the Whitworth Street railway arches beneath Manchester Oxford Road Station.

The work by artist Venessa Scott will draw inspiration from the creative work already produced by participating school children and will transform the currently neglected arch frontages into a "vibrant and evolving canvas for the programme", the organisers have said.

The artwork will be submitted for planning soon with work expected start in summer. Throughout the project, filmmakers and photographers will document the creative process, with resulting films shared online.

I is confused; I am pretty sure that 'Dual Nationals' are by definition citizens of, and therefore passport holders of, two sovereign countries.

So why would a UK (or RoI) + 1 other passport holder be affected in any way by this immigration process change?

Looks like a coach to me