Recent Public Posts - [guest]
| Italy says railways hit by 'serious sabotage' as Winter Olympics begin In "The Wider Picture Overseas" [372159/31586/52] Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 23:04, 7th February 2026 |      |
From the BBC:
Italy says railways hit by 'serious sabotage' as Winter Olympics begin
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Suspected attacks on northern Italy's railway network have led to severe travel disruption in the region, the authorities say, as thousands gathered for the start of the Winter Olympic Games.
Police reported three separate incidents involving damage to railway lines that they believe are connected to the Games. A fire hit rail infrastructure between Bologna and Venice, triggering delays of up to two-and-a-half hours, and police later found severed cables and an explosive device in locations nearby.
The Ministry of Transport called the incidents an act of "serious sabotage", which they said mirrored vandalism during the Paris Olympics in 2024.
Police said a track switch was set alight near Pesaro, on the Adriatic coast. Several hours later, police discovered severed electric cables near Bologna, along with a rudimentary explosive device left by a track nearby.
Bologna's rail station is a major transport hub, linking cities in the north and south, and east to west lines.
"These actions of unprecedented seriousness do not in any way tarnish Italy's image in the world, an image that the Games will make even more compelling and positive," said Deputy Prime Minister and Transport Minister Matteo Salvini.
A police spokesperson earlier said that they were investigating the incidents and that no one had claimed responsibility.
Salvini compared the events to the Paris Summer Olympics, when saboteurs damaged France's high speed rail network. "There are similarities in action and timing to the French incident," he told AFP.
Bologna's high speed, state-owned railway had to temporarily close, but traffic was returning to normal by Saturday afternoon.
The opening ceremony of the Games took place on Friday evening in Milan, in Cortina in northeastern Italy and two other locations. Milan and Cortina are both reachable by train from Venice. Events are spread over hundreds of miles of northern Italy, in locations including the Alps and Dolomite mountains.
[Image from here is not available to guests]
Suspected attacks on northern Italy's railway network have led to severe travel disruption in the region, the authorities say, as thousands gathered for the start of the Winter Olympic Games.
Police reported three separate incidents involving damage to railway lines that they believe are connected to the Games. A fire hit rail infrastructure between Bologna and Venice, triggering delays of up to two-and-a-half hours, and police later found severed cables and an explosive device in locations nearby.
The Ministry of Transport called the incidents an act of "serious sabotage", which they said mirrored vandalism during the Paris Olympics in 2024.
Police said a track switch was set alight near Pesaro, on the Adriatic coast. Several hours later, police discovered severed electric cables near Bologna, along with a rudimentary explosive device left by a track nearby.
Bologna's rail station is a major transport hub, linking cities in the north and south, and east to west lines.
"These actions of unprecedented seriousness do not in any way tarnish Italy's image in the world, an image that the Games will make even more compelling and positive," said Deputy Prime Minister and Transport Minister Matteo Salvini.
A police spokesperson earlier said that they were investigating the incidents and that no one had claimed responsibility.
Salvini compared the events to the Paris Summer Olympics, when saboteurs damaged France's high speed rail network. "There are similarities in action and timing to the French incident," he told AFP.
Bologna's high speed, state-owned railway had to temporarily close, but traffic was returning to normal by Saturday afternoon.
The opening ceremony of the Games took place on Friday evening in Milan, in Cortina in northeastern Italy and two other locations. Milan and Cortina are both reachable by train from Venice. Events are spread over hundreds of miles of northern Italy, in locations including the Alps and Dolomite mountains.
| Re: Clockface timetables - a good idea? In "Across the West" [372158/31583/26] Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 21:52, 7th February 2026 | |
I'm rather inclined to rename this topic as, 'Clocky MacClockFace' - but I won't. [Image from here is not available to guests] [Image from here is not available to guests] [Image from here is not available to guests]
| Re: A379 at Slapton, South Devon - 2 February 2026 In "Shorter journeys in Devon - Central, North and South" [372156/31569/24] Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 21:21, 7th February 2026 | |
In many years gone by, I have driven along that stretch of road (when it was still there, obviously. [Image from here is not available to guests] )
| Re: A379 at Slapton, South Devon - 2 February 2026 In "Shorter journeys in Devon - Central, North and South" [372155/31569/24] Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 21:15, 7th February 2026 | |
From the BBC:
South Devon MP starts petition after A379 Slapton coastal road collapse
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Part of the A379 Slapton Line near Torcross, Devon, collapsed during stormy weather on Monday night
Thousands have signed a petition calling for more government support for those affected by storm damage to a coastal road.
Caroline Voaden, Liberal Democrat MP for South Devon, set up the petition following the partial collapse of the A379 Slapton Line near Torcross, which has caused disruption in the area. As of 09:30 GMT on Saturday, more than 9,500 people had signed the petition, which calls for help for "communities affected by coastal erosion in Start Bay".
The government said it was aware the storm damage was a "big shock" to residents and that it was working with the county council to determine its "next steps". A government spokesperson said: "We are providing over £443m for roads maintenance in the area over the next four years, along with £667m across the UK into protecting communities from the sea."
The road is set to remain shut for an extended period after an estimated tens of millions of pounds of damage was caused.
County council leader Julian Brazil apologised after he suggested the road might not be repaired, which sparked angry comments from residents.
Voaden said the response to the petition showed the "strength of feeling about the crisis" and how worried people in the community were. "Communities affected by coastal erosion at Start Bay are the canary in the coalmine in our fight against climate change," she added. "The government must treat this issue with the seriousness and urgency it deserves."
(BBC news article continues)
[Image from here is not available to guests]
Part of the A379 Slapton Line near Torcross, Devon, collapsed during stormy weather on Monday night
Thousands have signed a petition calling for more government support for those affected by storm damage to a coastal road.
Caroline Voaden, Liberal Democrat MP for South Devon, set up the petition following the partial collapse of the A379 Slapton Line near Torcross, which has caused disruption in the area. As of 09:30 GMT on Saturday, more than 9,500 people had signed the petition, which calls for help for "communities affected by coastal erosion in Start Bay".
The government said it was aware the storm damage was a "big shock" to residents and that it was working with the county council to determine its "next steps". A government spokesperson said: "We are providing over £443m for roads maintenance in the area over the next four years, along with £667m across the UK into protecting communities from the sea."
The road is set to remain shut for an extended period after an estimated tens of millions of pounds of damage was caused.
County council leader Julian Brazil apologised after he suggested the road might not be repaired, which sparked angry comments from residents.
Voaden said the response to the petition showed the "strength of feeling about the crisis" and how worried people in the community were. "Communities affected by coastal erosion at Start Bay are the canary in the coalmine in our fight against climate change," she added. "The government must treat this issue with the seriousness and urgency it deserves."
(BBC news article continues)
| Re: GWR's Battery Electric Train - ongoing discussion In "Thames Valley Branches" [372154/29641/13] Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 21:02, 7th February 2026 | |
Thank you for such excellent 'on the ground news report from our correspondent at the scene', Oxonhutch. [Image from here is not available to guests] [Image from here is not available to guests] [Image from here is not available to guests]
| Re: Clockface timetables - a good idea? In "Across the West" [372153/31583/26] Posted by johnneyw at 20:07, 7th February 2026 | |
My thoughts are that a clock face service would be a desirable starting point for a Metro style service before it could achieve a "turn up and go" frequency, (when it becomes something of an irrelevance).
| Re: GWR's Battery Electric Train - ongoing discussion In "Thames Valley Branches" [372151/29641/13] Posted by Oxonhutch at 15:40, 7th February 2026 Already liked by Mark A, johnneyw | |
Sampled this service today and it is a nice little runner. The line speed is very slow, but what little acceleration was allowed with those constraints, was good. It would be nice to see how it would perform at a higher speed.
| Re: Clockface timetables - a good idea? In "Across the West" [372150/31583/26] Posted by Hafren at 14:46, 7th February 2026 Already liked by eXPassenger, PrestburyRoad | |
For suburban routes and core Intercity routes.... definitely Yes.
For many rural and secondary routes it often wouldn't be practical. Maintaining connections, planning for efficiency to avoid an extra train/bus in the cycle, managing single track sections and other capacity constraints, dealing with varying stopping patterns (e.g. varied extensions of the core route, stations where it would be genuinely wasteful to stop all trains etc), slotting in occasional freight where capacity is limited, peak variations (where not simply a case of adding an extra journey), even ripple effect of routes affected by these things on other routes because of connections and capacity, etc...
| Re: Possible - "Inspiring Climate Action" In "Looking forward - the next 2, 5, 10 and 20 years" [372149/31409/40] Posted by broadgage at 13:19, 7th February 2026 | |
1) Encourage greater use of small and lightweight EVs such as scooters, cycles.
2)Re open closed rail lines, preferably using electric trains.
3) Greater use of trams and trolley buses, use of SAME infrastructure for electric trucks.
4) Make train travel more attractive, it is NOT JUST ME who considers IETs to be worse than the rains they replaced.
5) Make train travel simpler, with greatly simplified fares. No more punitively high fares for last minute travel on lightly loaded trains. And no more discounted fares for advance purchased tickets on overcrowded trains.
| Re: Leicestershire councillor says bid to restore Ivanhoe rail line is 'dead' In "Campaigns for new and improved services" [372148/31575/28] Posted by Richard Fairhurst at 11:35, 7th February 2026 Already liked by Mark A | |
Although the Leicester end is a problem, Coalville-Ashby-Burton-Derby would stand on its own two feet as a reopening. The roads are appallingly congested around there. (I used to work and live part-time in Burton, and it wasn't uncommon to go out for a bike ride in the evening and end up overtaking the stationary traffic on the A444 or A511.)
It's one of those projects that, if any Government had been serious about growing the railways, would have been done years ago. Sadly it gets more difficult, and more expensive, the longer it's put off - the line has suffered from cable theft recently as well as the ongoing subsidence issues, such that the western half is now formally out of use.
| Re: Leicestershire councillor says bid to restore Ivanhoe rail line is 'dead' In "Campaigns for new and improved services" [372147/31575/28] Posted by grahame at 08:26, 7th February 2026 Already liked by Chris from Nailsea, Mark A | |
From afar, this is one of those projects that starts and gets squashed every few years - current iteration dead , maybe, but wait for it to rise up again at a later date. And who knows how it will go at the time. I do remember a journey to Ashby-de-la-Zouch to give a training course, staying in the town. Horrid transfer at Burton with the bus going from the other side of the town from the station and felt very slow. AdlZ quite a big town that could / should perhaps have a station. At the end of the course, one of my delegates wouldn't hear of me taking the bus and gave me a lift to Derby station.
| MOVED: Changes to Stranraer In "The Wider Picture in the United Kingdom" [372146/31585/51] Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 03:00, 7th February 2026 | |
This topic has been moved to Buses and other ways to travel.
https://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=15265.0
| Re: Class 175s to Great Western Railway (GWR) In "Across the West" [372143/28982/26] Posted by REVUpminster at 21:39, 6th February 2026 | |
The move from Wolverton to Laira was cancelled for the second time which has been the norm.
175002 and 175011 are parked up on the Looe branch until they fix the problem.
| Re: Clockface timetables - a good idea? In "Across the West" [372142/31583/26] Posted by Marlburian at 21:38, 6th February 2026 | |
Occasionally I deliver friends to Tilehurst Station for trains to Paddington and have sometimes been caught out by minor differences in time, meaning hanging around for a few extra minutes or a dash across the footbridge.
(Two weeks ago one friend very patiently explained how I could swap data to a new phone, making me feel old and stupid. I was quite pleased and relieved when before leaving my house we both checked to see if the next train was on time. Her interpretation of the National Rail website was that the 1659 was due at 1556, whereas mine showed all trains were on time.)
| Re: Leicestershire councillor says bid to restore Ivanhoe rail line is 'dead' In "Campaigns for new and improved services" [372137/31575/28] Posted by IndustryInsider at 19:05, 6th February 2026 Already liked by Mark A | |
A conversation elsewhere recently raised the potential of a flyover at that…There's several factors that work in favour of this, even if it's a bit like borrowing 'LSWR best practice'.
Presumably by far the most important factor, cost and its effect on a business case, doesn’t work in favour of it?
| Re: Derailment at Goodrington, Paignton - 16 January 2026 In "Shorter journeys in Devon - Central, North and South" [372136/31459/24] Posted by RailCornwall at 18:19, 6th February 2026 Already liked by Mark A, trainbuff, REVUpminster | |
RTT seems to indicate that this damaged stock was finally moved on from the Paignton line in the early hours of today (Fri 06 Feb 2026)
| Re: Clockface timetables - a good idea? In "Across the West" [372134/31583/26] Posted by eXPassenger at 17:30, 6th February 2026 | |
I voted Yes - With odd exceptions.
My preferred answer would have been Yes - Where possible, recognising that other services / activities may prevent it and this will be more common than 'odd exceptions'.
| Re: Tarka Line - Exeter to Barnstaple: services, facilities, incidents and events In "Shorter journeys in Devon - Central, North and South" [372133/15711/24] Posted by grahame at 17:30, 6th February 2026 | |
Dear Graham
Further to our email on Wednesday (4th Feb), river conditions mean specialist diving teams have still been unable to inspect the required bridges on the Barnstaple/Okehampton lines due to water levels being too high and flowing at a dangerously fast speed.
Therefore, both lines remain closed, and we do not expect reopening until Tuesday 10th February at the very earliest. Rain continues to be forecast so this may yet extended later into next week.
A limited rail replacement service continues to run, however from Monday 9th February this will be amended due a planned closure of the A377 between Eggesford and Crediton. Minibuses/taxis will run from Exeter to Barnstaple to service intermediate stations, and coaches will run between Barnstaple and Exeter via the North Devon Link Road. This will add time to the existing rail replacement journey duration.
The Looe branch line also remains closed, with rail replacement services continuing to operate.
The very latest travel information is available at www.gwr.com/check and www.gwr.com/travel-information/travel-updates/live-network-updates
We will update you at the start of next week, and apologise for the ongoing disruption.
Best wishes
Tom & Heledd
Further to our email on Wednesday (4th Feb), river conditions mean specialist diving teams have still been unable to inspect the required bridges on the Barnstaple/Okehampton lines due to water levels being too high and flowing at a dangerously fast speed.
Therefore, both lines remain closed, and we do not expect reopening until Tuesday 10th February at the very earliest. Rain continues to be forecast so this may yet extended later into next week.
A limited rail replacement service continues to run, however from Monday 9th February this will be amended due a planned closure of the A377 between Eggesford and Crediton. Minibuses/taxis will run from Exeter to Barnstaple to service intermediate stations, and coaches will run between Barnstaple and Exeter via the North Devon Link Road. This will add time to the existing rail replacement journey duration.
The Looe branch line also remains closed, with rail replacement services continuing to operate.
The very latest travel information is available at www.gwr.com/check and www.gwr.com/travel-information/travel-updates/live-network-updates
We will update you at the start of next week, and apologise for the ongoing disruption.
Best wishes
Tom & Heledd
| Re: Clockface timetables - a good idea? In "Across the West" [372132/31583/26] Posted by bobm at 16:30, 6th February 2026 Already liked by Mark A | |
Ignore the dash in the rain, where the D1 moves by a few minutes on some hours it can make the connection to the London trains at Bath Spa uncomfortably tight.
| Re: Clockface timetables - a good idea? In "Across the West" [372131/31583/26] Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 16:27, 6th February 2026 | |
That all seems perfectly clear to me. [Image from here is not available to guests]
