Recent Public Posts - [guest]
| Re: Swindon <-> Westbury service updates and amendments, ongoing discussion - 2025 In "TransWilts line" [367110/29726/18] Posted by TaplowGreen at 21:17, 19th October 2025 |      |
21:34 Swindon to Westbury due 22:16
21:34 Swindon to Westbury due 22:16 will be cancelled.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.
21:34 Swindon to Westbury due 22:16 will be cancelled.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.
And with
Replacement road transport has been arranged to run in lieu of this train service. There will be a minibus from Travel Southwest departing Swindon at about 21:55.
21:55 Swindon to Westbury due 23:11
An additional bus service has been planned to operate as shown 21:55 Swindon to Westbury due 23:11.
21:55 Swindon to Westbury due 23:11
An additional bus service has been planned to operate as shown 21:55 Swindon to Westbury due 23:11.
e.t.a. 55 minutes late into Westbury.
To be fair, considerably better than nothing?
| Re: Swindon <-> Westbury service updates and amendments, ongoing discussion - 2025 In "TransWilts line" [367108/29726/18] Posted by grahame at 19:40, 19th October 2025 | |
21:34 Swindon to Westbury due 22:16
21:34 Swindon to Westbury due 22:16 will be cancelled.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.
21:34 Swindon to Westbury due 22:16 will be cancelled.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.
And with
Replacement road transport has been arranged to run in lieu of this train service. There will be a minibus from Travel Southwest departing Swindon at about 21:55.
21:55 Swindon to Westbury due 23:11
An additional bus service has been planned to operate as shown 21:55 Swindon to Westbury due 23:11.
21:55 Swindon to Westbury due 23:11
An additional bus service has been planned to operate as shown 21:55 Swindon to Westbury due 23:11.
e.t.a. 55 minutes late into Westbury.
| Re: Legendary cricket umpire Harold 'Dickie' Bird dies aged 92 In "Introductions and chat" [367107/30792/1] Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 19:39, 19th October 2025 | |
From the BBC:
World of cricket's farewell to umpire Dickie Bird
Cricketing stars from Yorkshire and beyond were among the mourners who gathered to say farewell to legendary umpire Dickie Bird at his funeral earlier.
The Barnsley-born son of a miner was 92 when he died "peacefully at home" on 22 September, according to Yorkshire County Cricket Club.
The service at St Mary's Church in Barnsley was attended by former England cricketers Sir Geoffrey Boycott and Michael Vaughan and was followed by a private family-only cremation and a wake at the town hall. Well-wishers gathered at the statue of Bird on Church Lane where the funeral procession paused for a moment of reflection.
The invited guests also included Yorkshire chair Colin Graves and former director of cricket Martyn Moxon, the sports commentator John Helm and the ex-sports minister Richard Caborn. Sir Geoffrey and Graves both gave eulogies and a poem by local poet Ian McMillan was read out.
Sir Geoffrey made sure the colourful character of his friend of almost 70 years shined through. "I first met Dickie Bird when I was 15, at the time I was playing cricket for Hemsworth Grammar School," Sir Geoffrey said to a packed church. "He called me Gerald for years."
He added: "Surprisingly with all the nerves he had as a batsman, he became a great umpire because he could channel all that nervous energy into good decisions. Dickie was refreshingly different. Eccentric but fair. It would be hard to find anyone who didn't like him."
Bird officiated in 66 Tests and 76 one-day internationals, including three World Cup finals, between 1973 and 1996.
He began as a player, batting for Yorkshire and Leicestershire before an injury cut short his career in 1964.
Bird was awarded an MBE in 1986, an OBE in 2012 and the Freedom of Barnsley in 2000.
In 2009 he was immortalised by a statue in Barnsley that depicted him raising his index finger to indicate a batsman was out.
At Yorkshire's home ground, Headingley, he paid for a balcony outside the dressing room for the players to sit and watch the game. Both the balcony and a clock at the ground bear his name.
Former England and Yorkshire cricketer Ryan Sidebottom said Bird was so committed to Yorkshire cricket that he would be on the pitch even for county matches he wasn't umpiring. He said: "He'd be out looking at the wicket and wandering around. But it looked like he'd just come in from a night out, like an 1980s John Travolta, because he had the full suit on with a large collar and tie and really fancy suits and flared trousers. We used to see him regularly with different suits, some naughty suits, some proper naughty suits."
Bowler Sidebottom retired in 2017, after taking more than 1,000 career wickets, and he said Bird "absolutely loved" the sport. "Great bloke and a lovely man who would do anything for Yorkshire cricket. He just loved Yorkshire, he was so passionate about the game and Yorkshire in general," he said.
And it was love for Yorkshire, and its people, that chair of Yorkshire County Cricket Club Colin Graves remembered at his funeral. "He had a reputation for not being the first at the bar, but he was a very generous man indeed," he said, adding that almost 1,000 children had been recipients of grants from him.
Among the junior cricketers to have received financial awards from Dickie was Harry Brook - now an England international.
Speaking to the BBC when he turned 90 two years ago, Bird said his secret to a long life had been his love of sport and exercise. "I run, I go out down to the local football ground here in the local park and I lap around the ground. I feel that's done me good. I'd like people, elderly people, if they could to just try and do a few exercises, move your arms, run on the spot, it occupies the brain. I'll keep my exercises up as long as I can."
As a young man, he played for Barnsley Cricket Club alongside Boycott and the journalist and broadcaster Sir Michael Parkinson.
Cricketing stars from Yorkshire and beyond were among the mourners who gathered to say farewell to legendary umpire Dickie Bird at his funeral earlier.
The Barnsley-born son of a miner was 92 when he died "peacefully at home" on 22 September, according to Yorkshire County Cricket Club.
The service at St Mary's Church in Barnsley was attended by former England cricketers Sir Geoffrey Boycott and Michael Vaughan and was followed by a private family-only cremation and a wake at the town hall. Well-wishers gathered at the statue of Bird on Church Lane where the funeral procession paused for a moment of reflection.
The invited guests also included Yorkshire chair Colin Graves and former director of cricket Martyn Moxon, the sports commentator John Helm and the ex-sports minister Richard Caborn. Sir Geoffrey and Graves both gave eulogies and a poem by local poet Ian McMillan was read out.
Sir Geoffrey made sure the colourful character of his friend of almost 70 years shined through. "I first met Dickie Bird when I was 15, at the time I was playing cricket for Hemsworth Grammar School," Sir Geoffrey said to a packed church. "He called me Gerald for years."
He added: "Surprisingly with all the nerves he had as a batsman, he became a great umpire because he could channel all that nervous energy into good decisions. Dickie was refreshingly different. Eccentric but fair. It would be hard to find anyone who didn't like him."
Bird officiated in 66 Tests and 76 one-day internationals, including three World Cup finals, between 1973 and 1996.
He began as a player, batting for Yorkshire and Leicestershire before an injury cut short his career in 1964.
Bird was awarded an MBE in 1986, an OBE in 2012 and the Freedom of Barnsley in 2000.
In 2009 he was immortalised by a statue in Barnsley that depicted him raising his index finger to indicate a batsman was out.
At Yorkshire's home ground, Headingley, he paid for a balcony outside the dressing room for the players to sit and watch the game. Both the balcony and a clock at the ground bear his name.
Former England and Yorkshire cricketer Ryan Sidebottom said Bird was so committed to Yorkshire cricket that he would be on the pitch even for county matches he wasn't umpiring. He said: "He'd be out looking at the wicket and wandering around. But it looked like he'd just come in from a night out, like an 1980s John Travolta, because he had the full suit on with a large collar and tie and really fancy suits and flared trousers. We used to see him regularly with different suits, some naughty suits, some proper naughty suits."
Bowler Sidebottom retired in 2017, after taking more than 1,000 career wickets, and he said Bird "absolutely loved" the sport. "Great bloke and a lovely man who would do anything for Yorkshire cricket. He just loved Yorkshire, he was so passionate about the game and Yorkshire in general," he said.
And it was love for Yorkshire, and its people, that chair of Yorkshire County Cricket Club Colin Graves remembered at his funeral. "He had a reputation for not being the first at the bar, but he was a very generous man indeed," he said, adding that almost 1,000 children had been recipients of grants from him.
Among the junior cricketers to have received financial awards from Dickie was Harry Brook - now an England international.
Speaking to the BBC when he turned 90 two years ago, Bird said his secret to a long life had been his love of sport and exercise. "I run, I go out down to the local football ground here in the local park and I lap around the ground. I feel that's done me good. I'd like people, elderly people, if they could to just try and do a few exercises, move your arms, run on the spot, it occupies the brain. I'll keep my exercises up as long as I can."
As a young man, he played for Barnsley Cricket Club alongside Boycott and the journalist and broadcaster Sir Michael Parkinson.
| Re: North Cotswold line delays and cancellations - 2025 In "London to the Cotswolds" [367102/29711/14] Posted by Worcester_Passenger at 17:45, 19th October 2025 | |
But now
14:28 Hereford to London Paddington due 17:24 has been cancelled.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.
Last Updated:19/10/2025 16:50
16:58 Great Malvern to London Paddington due 19:24 will be started from Worcester Shrub Hill.
This is due to a passenger being taken ill on this train.
Last Updated:19/10/2025 16:08
14:45 London Paddington to Great Malvern due 17:15 was terminated at Didcot Parkway.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.
Last Updated:19/10/2025 15:58
This is due to a shortage of train crew.
Last Updated:19/10/2025 16:50
16:58 Great Malvern to London Paddington due 19:24 will be started from Worcester Shrub Hill.
This is due to a passenger being taken ill on this train.
Last Updated:19/10/2025 16:08
14:45 London Paddington to Great Malvern due 17:15 was terminated at Didcot Parkway.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.
Last Updated:19/10/2025 15:58
And
1W39 13:45 London Paddington to Great Malvern (16:16) : departed +19, held Oxford (+32), arrived Worcester Shrub Hill +43 and cancelled thereafter.
| Ad for... would it be table 51 ... 1970s In "Cross Country services" [367100/30936/43] Posted by Mark A at 16:48, 19th October 2025 | |
Terrible quality image, especially as it's a deskewed clip from a street scene photo and is also short on pixels - this was a billboard on Julian Road, Bath, late sixties or early seventies.
Now, the hunt is on for a clearer copy.
Not sure if Bath *had* through train services to the north by that time, but then, in the early 1990s, Oldfield Park saw an 8:30am through train to... Stockport (and then Manchester) and after that ceased, Regional Railways instroduced through services to Manchester and to Liverpool. Much later still there was the ~6:15am Crosscountry Trains through service to Edinburgh. Perhaps in earlier years but after the demise of Green Park Station, there were others.
Mark
| Re: Swindon <-> Westbury service updates and amendments, ongoing discussion - 2025 In "TransWilts line" [367099/29726/18] Posted by bobm at 16:40, 19th October 2025 | |
And now
21:55 Swindon to Westbury due 23:11
An additional bus service has been planned to operate as shown 21:55 Swindon to Westbury due 23:11.
Additional Information
-
A minibus from Travel Southwest will cover this service.
-
Please check the stations Onward Travel Information poster and wait for the replacement road transport at the designated stop. The replacement road transport may run later than the advertised train times owing to the additional time taken by road between stations and the time required for loading and unloading at each stop.
-.
An additional bus service has been planned to operate as shown 21:55 Swindon to Westbury due 23:11.
Additional Information
-
A minibus from Travel Southwest will cover this service.
-
Please check the stations Onward Travel Information poster and wait for the replacement road transport at the designated stop. The replacement road transport may run later than the advertised train times owing to the additional time taken by road between stations and the time required for loading and unloading at each stop.
-.
| Re: Swindon <-> Westbury service updates and amendments, ongoing discussion - 2025 In "TransWilts line" [367098/29726/18] Posted by grahame at 16:35, 19th October 2025 | |
The replacement road transport may run later than the advertised train times owing to the additional time taken by road between stations and the time required for loading and unloading at each stop.
Isn't that why the arrival of the railways was so popular at the time?
20:38 Westbury to Swindon due 21:23
20:38 Westbury to Swindon due 21:23 will be cancelled.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.
20:38 Westbury to Swindon due 21:53
An additional bus service has been planned to operate as shown 20:38 Westbury to Swindon due 21:53.
Madness in all but the most exceptional of circumstances - it takes 67% longer, it's two buses so it require twice the driver, and calls for special runs for vehicles. Not sure what happens when they get to Swindon either - the train would have run back as the 21:34. Not sure what the bus v train emission comparison would be, nor how much longer in distance these bus jouneys will be by the time they pick their way in and out of the stations along the way.
| Re: Swindon <-> Westbury service updates and amendments, ongoing discussion - 2025 In "TransWilts line" [367095/29726/18] Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 16:02, 19th October 2025 | |
The replacement road transport may run later than the advertised train times owing to the additional time taken by road between stations and the time required for loading and unloading at each stop.
Isn't that why the arrival of the railways was so popular at the time?
| Re: Swindon <-> Westbury service updates and amendments, ongoing discussion - 2025 In "TransWilts line" [367092/29726/18] Posted by bobm at 15:49, 19th October 2025 | |
20:38 Westbury to Swindon due 21:53
An additional bus service has been planned to operate as shown 20:38 Westbury to Swindon due 21:53.
Additional Information
There will be two minibuses covering this service, one from AM2PM Travel and another from Travel Southwest.
-
Please check the stations Onward Travel Information poster and wait for the replacement road transport at the designated stop. The replacement road transport may run later than the advertised train times owing to the additional time taken by road between stations and the time required for loading and unloading at each stop.
An additional bus service has been planned to operate as shown 20:38 Westbury to Swindon due 21:53.
Additional Information
There will be two minibuses covering this service, one from AM2PM Travel and another from Travel Southwest.
-
Please check the stations Onward Travel Information poster and wait for the replacement road transport at the designated stop. The replacement road transport may run later than the advertised train times owing to the additional time taken by road between stations and the time required for loading and unloading at each stop.
| Bath's Lansdown Park and Ride 19/10/25 In "Buses and other ways to travel" [367091/30935/5] Posted by Mark A at 15:48, 19th October 2025 | |
Oops, Milsom Street closed for roadworks so the P&R on its usual alternative stop in Queens Square. So far so good, but with Milsom Street reopened the service has reverted to its usual Milsom Street Stop. (The returning customers, however, are waiting for the bus up the hill in a long rain-soaked queue at the Queens Square stop...)
Mark
| Re: Book - reminiscences of Porton Station,Wiltshire In "Media about railways, and other means of transport" [367089/30234/49] Posted by Marlburian at 14:23, 19th October 2025 | |
... There's an account of the Pedrail landship (with caterpillar-type tracks and designed to convey troops) that was tested locally - and found to be unsuitable...
| Re: Calne branch - past, present, future In "Looking forward - the next 5, 10 and 20 years" [367088/21932/40] Posted by Marlburian at 14:21, 19th October 2025 | |
Despite its name, the Amesbury and Military Camp Light Railway carried civilian traffic to Amesbury and on an extension to a civilian station at Bulford. In 1914 a branch was built over the River Avon through Lark Hill Camp and eventually terminating at an airfield close to Stonehenge. Jeffery Grayer, Rails Across the Plain, is an excellent history.
Marlburian
Marlburian
A workmen's train on the Larkhill Military Railway. Sir John Jackson Ltd was a major engineering company that built many of the Great War camps on Salisbury Plain. A Royal Commission judged that it had made excessive profits following contracts being rapidly issued to deal with the urgent need for soldiers' accommodation. On February 4, 1915, the locomotive and wagon made up most of a Royal Train that conveyed George V (in a small carriage) along the railway to a temporary station near the Bustard Inn, reviewing Canadian troops in heavy showers and a bitterly-cold wind. Some of the troops left for France three days later.
| Re: Insulated cups In "Across the West" [367086/30926/26] Posted by Clan Line at 11:48, 19th October 2025 Already liked by GBM | |
Grahame's OP brought back memories of trying to drink coffee/tea on the WAT to SOU trains back in the 70s. The restaurant car (remember those ?) steward would only half fill your cup; any more than this and the motion of the train would soon fill your saucer to overflowing.
The steward would also stand your teaspoon in the cup in the hope that this might damp down the violent sea state therein. When you put the cup to your lips, there was double jeopardy - 1. What little liquid was in the cup would soon be on your chin and heading for your nice clean white shirt. 2. The teaspoon handle would poke you in the eye. There would be mass slurping of tepid/cold drinks at Woking, Basingstoke and Winchester
Ah ! the good old days.
| Re: North Cotswold line delays and cancellations - 2025 In "London to the Cotswolds" [367085/29711/14] Posted by Worcester_Passenger at 10:08, 19th October 2025 | |
Sunday October 19
09:58 Great Malvern to London Paddington due 12:24 will be cancelled.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.
Last Updated:19/10/2025 07:57
Stock running from Shrub Hill to Paddington ECS.This is due to a shortage of train crew.
Last Updated:19/10/2025 07:57
Added 13:45:
14:28 Hereford to London Paddington due 17:24 will be started from Oxford.
This is due to a fault on this train.
Last Updated:19/10/2025 10:39
This is due to a fault on this train.
Last Updated:19/10/2025 10:39
Added 13:45:
12:45 London Paddington to Hereford due 16:04 will be started from Reading.
This is due to engineering works not being finished on time.
Last Updated:19/10/2025 11:15
This is due to engineering works not being finished on time.
Last Updated:19/10/2025 11:15
14:45 London Paddington to Great Malvern due 17:15 will be terminated at Worcester Shrub Hill.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.
Last Updated:19/10/2025 00:12
The 14:45 is an odd working - it doesn't turn round at Great Malvern. Instead, it runs ECS back to Stoke Gifford (17:30-19:54).This is due to a shortage of train crew.
Last Updated:19/10/2025 00:12
| Re: The Cheddar Valley Lost Railway - the 'Strawberry Line' from Yatton In "Railway History and related topics" [367084/444/55] Posted by grahame at 10:01, 19th October 2025 Already liked by PrestburyRoad, GBM, bradshaw, rogerw, Chris from Nailsea, PhilWakely | |
A visit to the Strawberry Line yesterday - I walked from Congresbury to Yatton ... used the pub rather than the Cafe (to attend a Railfuture meeting being held there). Probably worth taking the bike by train next time and exploring further.
Here to update this thread, pictures from the Congresbury to Yatton section
| Re: Anger as historic Clyde ship Falls of Clyde towed out to sea and sunk in Hawaii In "The Wider Picture Overseas" [367083/30933/52] Posted by Mark A at 09:42, 19th October 2025 | |
A little more background here, perhaps, on why the proposed move back home fell apart.
Mark
https://www.hawaiipublicradio.org/the-conversation/2022-05-04/falls-of-clyde-scotland-honolulu-harbor-department-transportation-maritime-history
| Re: Anger as historic Clyde ship Falls of Clyde towed out to sea and sunk in Hawaii In "The Wider Picture Overseas" [367082/30933/52] Posted by Mark A at 09:37, 19th October 2025 | |
Will that be a wrought iron hull, albeit now somewhat inaccessible?
Mark
| Re: Railfuture, Severnside - 18th October 2025 In "Diary - what's happening when?" [367081/30845/34] Posted by grahame at 09:37, 19th October 2025 | |
Meeting report in our Transport Scholars section
