Recent Public Posts - [guest]
| Re: Thames Valley infrastructure problems causing disruption elsewhere - 2025 In "Across the West" [369462/29650/26] Posted by TaplowGreen at 19:35, 13th December 2025 |      |
Cancellations to services between London Paddington and Reading
Due to a fault on a train in front of this one between London Paddington and Reading all lines are blocked.
Train services running to and from these stations may be cancelled, delayed or suspended between Reading and London Paddington. Some stations between Reading and London Paddington will not be served. Disruption is expected until 19:45 13/12.
Customer Advice
What has happened?
A train has had its doors accidentally open over the tracks.
Due to a fault on a train in front of this one between London Paddington and Reading all lines are blocked.
Train services running to and from these stations may be cancelled, delayed or suspended between Reading and London Paddington. Some stations between Reading and London Paddington will not be served. Disruption is expected until 19:45 13/12.
Customer Advice
What has happened?
A train has had its doors accidentally open over the tracks.
Not sure which train was involved but a charter service from Bath Spa to Hull was delayed by 24 minutes near Stockley Junction.
If it was the charter service that was responsible I hope the business concerned is charged for the full cost of all the delays incurred.
| Re: Thames Valley infrastructure problems causing disruption elsewhere - 2025 In "Across the West" [369460/29650/26] Posted by bobm at 19:33, 13th December 2025 | |
Cancellations to services between London Paddington and Reading
Due to a fault on a train in front of this one between London Paddington and Reading all lines are blocked.
Train services running to and from these stations may be cancelled, delayed or suspended between Reading and London Paddington. Some stations between Reading and London Paddington will not be served. Disruption is expected until 19:45 13/12.
Customer Advice
What has happened?
A train has had its doors accidentally open over the tracks.
Due to a fault on a train in front of this one between London Paddington and Reading all lines are blocked.
Train services running to and from these stations may be cancelled, delayed or suspended between Reading and London Paddington. Some stations between Reading and London Paddington will not be served. Disruption is expected until 19:45 13/12.
Customer Advice
What has happened?
A train has had its doors accidentally open over the tracks.
Not sure which train was involved but a charter service from Bath Spa to Hull was delayed by 24 minutes near Stockley Junction.
| Re: "Rails into Ghost Town" In "Railway History and related topics" [369458/31255/55] Posted by ChrisB at 19:16, 13th December 2025 | |
Thanks for finding this - my local long-gone branch....
| "Rails into Ghost Town" In "Railway History and related topics" [369456/31255/55] Posted by Mark A at 17:42, 13th December 2025 Already liked by Western Pathfinder | |
"Rails into Ghost Town" being Chib Thorpe's notorious film account of his visit to Woodford Halse from Banbury in the dying days of the Great Central.
A brief glimpse of something before he heads off... what, at 1:16, has left the row of similar shaped things and is flying along on its own to who knows where? What's going on with that?
Mark
https://player.bfi.org.uk/free/film/watch-rails-into-ghost-town-1966-online
| Re: Candidate for redoubling? AQ 13.12.2025 In "The Lighter Side" [369455/31251/30] Posted by grahame at 17:38, 13th December 2025 Already liked by Mark A | |
4: Melksham
Cancellations of local trains prolific due to rerouting of long distance services and low capacity/long single block section. Doubling or long dynamic loops would alleviate this problem.
Cancellations of local trains prolific due to rerouting of long distance services and low capacity/long single block section. Doubling or long dynamic loops would alleviate this problem.
8. Chandler’s Ford
Six miles of line singled in 1972, but crucially with double track sections at either end to allow a train to be held off the mainline whilst awaiting it’s turn to travel along the single line. Retained for freight and diversionary use, but an hourly passenger service reinstated in 2003. Seems to work relatively well as it is at present, so I wouldn’t have thought a high priority for re-doubling, especially with the cost of providing a second platform at Chandler’s Ford.
Six miles of line singled in 1972, but crucially with double track sections at either end to allow a train to be held off the mainline whilst awaiting it’s turn to travel along the single line. Retained for freight and diversionary use, but an hourly passenger service reinstated in 2003. Seems to work relatively well as it is at present, so I wouldn’t have thought a high priority for re-doubling, especially with the cost of providing a second platform at Chandler’s Ford.
At very very least, a Romsey to Eastleigh setup with double sections and the ends for Melksham, please. The Chandlers Ford section at 6 miles is far shorter than Thingley to Bradford Junction.
| Re: Candidate for redoubling? AQ 13.12.2025 In "The Lighter Side" [369454/31251/30] Posted by grahame at 17:34, 13th December 2025 | |
1 Yetminster station.
It still shows evidence of he broad gauge with the distance between the platforms. It was first doubled in 1859 to ease congestion of the steeply inclined section to Holywell Tunnel and Evershot.
It still shows evidence of he broad gauge with the distance between the platforms. It was first doubled in 1859 to ease congestion of the steeply inclined section to Holywell Tunnel and Evershot.
Yes, it's Yetminster. On the single line between Yeovil Pen Mill and Maiden Newton, and (re)opening a loop at least here would allow the service to step up towards hourly. Care to be taken where the loops go, mind - hourly could in theory be done already, expect that the irregular spacing would mean trains having to wait to pass at existing loops.
Looking at HMG's stated desire to put loads of houses around existing stations there aren't on flood plains, I offer you Chetnole City and Thornford Town. Hourly Weymouth <-> Westbury <-> Swindon <-> Oxford <-> Bletchely <-> Bedford service. Change at Yeovil Junction Lower Platform for Salisbury and London. Connections across the platform both ways at Westbury onto the Southampton to Portishead stopper. Change at Swindon for Cheltenham Spa and Birmingham.
| Re: Candidate for redoubling? AQ 13.12.2025 In "The Lighter Side" [369453/31251/30] Posted by grahame at 17:20, 13th December 2025 Already liked by Western Pathfinder | |
6. Sea Mills.
Darn. I should have got that one, from my days working with the Severnside Community Rail Partnership.
It's amazing how photography from a slightly different angle can make some of these non-trivial!
| Re: Candidate for redoubling? AQ 13.12.2025 In "The Lighter Side" [369452/31251/30] Posted by grahame at 17:19, 13th December 2025 | |
0:Shiplake Henley branch
I must stop trying to answer these from my phone
0: is Exmouth
Yes, it is ... you are not the only one who puzzled a bit over that one as I clipped it quite hard. I would suggest no need for a second track / platform while trains can turn back quickly to Topsham - though if the service ups to more than two an hour, two platforms would perhaps be needed to one train can leave as the next pulls in
| Re: Candidate for redoubling? AQ 13.12.2025 In "The Lighter Side" [369450/31251/30] Posted by grahame at 17:14, 13th December 2025 | |
2. Bad Kleinen (east of Hamburg). Redoubling is definitely not relevant - the line is double, and the whole station has been flattened and rebuilt in the last ten years, still with all four platform tracks (which I think are all back in use).
You amaze me, staving, with your knowledge. Spot on, and like you I see no need here for more tracks, though there would be space for two through lines in the centre. Bit of a naughty picture to include. For other readers - it's the only one that's that naughty!
| Re: Candidate for redoubling? AQ 13.12.2025 In "The Lighter Side" [369449/31251/30] Posted by TonyN at 17:09, 13th December 2025 | |
0:Shiplake Henley branch
I must stop trying to answer these from my phone
0: is Exmouth
| Re: 05:40 Edinburgh to Kings Cross cab ride in real time In "The Wider Picture in the United Kingdom" [369448/31254/51] Posted by Timmer at 17:04, 13th December 2025 Already liked by Mark A | |
An opportunity to see this service pass non stop through York. From Monday it will now stop there.
| Re: 175s to GWR In "Across the West" [369447/28982/26] Posted by Timmer at 17:02, 13th December 2025 | |
Scarcely credible, however it's reported elsewhere that fighting broke out amongst the spotters on one of the final HST runs this morning - turfed off at Truro apparently.
One would hope that no members of this esteemed forum were involved - whoever he was, he's certainly a cheeky boy!
https://x.com/themblades1889/status/1999819955705880721?s=20
Can only assume someone was sitting in his seat.One would hope that no members of this esteemed forum were involved - whoever he was, he's certainly a cheeky boy!
https://x.com/themblades1889/status/1999819955705880721?s=20
Seriously though, sad to see this happening on the last day of HST operations on GWR or at any time on a train.
| 05:40 Edinburgh to Kings Cross cab ride in real time In "The Wider Picture in the United Kingdom" [369446/31254/51] Posted by Mark A at 16:39, 13th December 2025 Already liked by Timmer, Oxonhutch | |
Courtesy of LNER, good production values, weather in their favour: an uninterrupted view from the front of the service that calls only at Newcastle on its way up to Kings Cross.
Mark
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLcZp3FhxP4
| Re: ORR station usage data In "Across the West" [369443/31203/26] Posted by grahame at 15:24, 13th December 2025 Already liked by Mark A | |
I was interested in a past year to see which stations had the heaviest footfall per metre of operational platform and recall that Windsor and Eton Central bubbled up to being one of the busiest. In GWR land, I would imagine that stations such as St Bureaux Ferry Road come towards the quietest; on a couple of uses the infrequent service there competes poorly with a frequent and quite fast bus service along the nearby main road.
Some examples for the 2024/25 looking up platform lengths in the sectional appendix
1701274/113 = 15056 - Windsor and Eton - passengers per metre per annum
6510506/(195+279) = 13735 - Bath Spa - passengers per metre per annum
655356/(185+185) = 1771 - Stroud - passengers per metre per annum
415576/(169+173) = 1215 - Redruth - passengers per metre per annum
60930/74.5 = 818 - Melksham - passengers per metre per annum
11864/110 =108 - St Budeaux Victoria Road - passengers per metre per annum
2449/(124+126) = 10 - St Budeaux Ferry Road - passengers per metre per annum
| Re: Swindon <-> Westbury service updates and amendments, ongoing discussion - 2025 In "TransWilts line" [369442/29726/18] Posted by TaplowGreen at 15:22, 13th December 2025 | |
Yep, deep clean required! No ability to do that at Westbury seems a bit mad?
For want of a bucket (+ hot water, bleach and a sponge!) the train was lost!
In some circumstances there is more to it than that. Human material can be infectious to other humans in ways that animal material is not.
I wasn't being entirely serious.
Looks like there is a bus replacement in place for at least one or two of the cancelled trips now.
| Re: 175s to GWR In "Across the West" [369441/28982/26] Posted by TaplowGreen at 15:15, 13th December 2025 | |
Scarcely credible, however it's reported elsewhere that fighting broke out amongst the spotters on one of the final HST runs this morning - turfed off at Truro apparently.
One would hope that no members of this esteemed forum were involved - whoever he was, he's certainly a cheeky boy!
https://x.com/themblades1889/status/1999819955705880721?s=20
| Re: Swindon <-> Westbury service updates and amendments, ongoing discussion - 2025 In "TransWilts line" [369440/29726/18] Posted by grahame at 15:13, 13th December 2025 | |
Yep, deep clean required! No ability to do that at Westbury seems a bit mad?
For want of a bucket (+ hot water, bleach and a sponge!) the train was lost!
In some circumstances there is more to it than that. Human material can be infectious to other humans in ways that animal material is not.
| Re: Swindon <-> Westbury service updates and amendments, ongoing discussion - 2025 In "TransWilts line" [369439/29726/18] Posted by TaplowGreen at 15:09, 13th December 2025 | |
Yep, deep clean required! No ability to do that at Westbury seems a bit mad?
For want of a bucket (+ hot water, bleach and a sponge!) the train was lost!
| Re: 16th August 2025 - Buses to Imber In "Buses and other ways to travel" [369438/29807/5] Posted by Clan Line at 14:26, 13th December 2025 Already liked by Mark A, Timmer, Western Pathfinder | |
Warminster Station forecourt: pm 13 Dec 2025
I've heard of buses running late - but this is ridiculous !
| Re: Swindon <-> Westbury service updates and amendments, ongoing discussion - 2025 In "TransWilts line" [369437/29726/18] Posted by IndustryInsider at 12:58, 13th December 2025 | |
Yep, deep clean required! No ability to do that at Westbury seems a bit mad?
| Re: Swindon <-> Westbury service updates and amendments, ongoing discussion - 2025 In "TransWilts line" [369436/29726/18] Posted by grahame at 12:55, 13th December 2025 | |
So there's passengers taken ill, crew shortage, and now to complete the set....
We also have an "unknown cause" on the later trains. Now up to ten out of 14 cancelled.
Public post on Great Western Enthusiasts on Facebook ... here are the comments.
My guess too that it needs a deep clean. Must have been a sudden incident - nothing awry ad it left Melksham at 09:10
| Re: Swindon <-> Westbury service updates and amendments, ongoing discussion - 2025 In "TransWilts line" [369435/29726/18] Posted by GBM at 12:51, 13th December 2025 | |
Plotted out from JourneyCheck - ALL cancellations across the GWR area are mapped. I have screen captured just the central area - there's also a round trip cancelled between Newquay and Par
Possibly more to come!
| Re: Candidate for redoubling? AQ 13.12.2025 In "The Lighter Side" [369434/31251/30] Posted by stuving at 12:45, 13th December 2025 | |
2. Bad Kleinen (east of Hamburg). Redoubling is definitely not relevant - the line is double, and the whole station has been flattened and rebuilt in the last ten years, still with all four platform tracks (which I think are all back in use).
| Re: Swindon <-> Westbury service updates and amendments, ongoing discussion - 2025 In "TransWilts line" [369433/29726/18] Posted by TaplowGreen at 12:35, 13th December 2025 | |
So there's passengers taken ill, crew shortage, and now to complete the set....
14:19 Westbury to Swindon due 15:01
14:19 Westbury to Swindon due 15:01 will be cancelled.
This is due to a broken down train.
15:14 Swindon to Westbury due 15:58
15:14 Swindon to Westbury due 15:58 will be cancelled.
This is due to a broken down train.
| Re: Swindon <-> Westbury service updates and amendments, ongoing discussion - 2025 In "TransWilts line" [369432/29726/18] Posted by grahame at 12:28, 13th December 2025 Already liked by Mark A | |
Plotted out from JourneyCheck - ALL cancellations across the GWR area are mapped. I have screen captured just the central area - there's also a round trip cancelled between Newquay and Par
When I woke this morning and checked train times, everything was shown as running. I was down there to hand out Melksham printed bus and train timetables to anyone who wanted them
There were 18 Melksham passengers using the 08:02 this morning and a further 20 or so gathered at the station at a couple of minutes after 10, when the 10:10 slipped back to 10:12 then was shown "Cancelled" but perversely still showing "Calling at Chippenham and Swindon". The reason for the cancellation was only communicated when we enquired via the help point. This is the log thread - I will write up a "what should we learn" thread - although much should have been learned already - when I've sorted out a few other things.
