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Great Western Coffee Shop
As at 3rd April 2025 19:30 BST
3.4.2025 - All running AOK
Recent Public Posts - [guest]
Re: Man shot dead by police at Milton Keynes Railway Station - 1 April 2025
In "The Wider Picture in the United Kingdom" [360136/30091/51]
Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 19:05, 3rd April 2025
 
A further update, from the BBC:

Man shot dead by police at railway station named



A man shot dead by police officers at Milton Keynes railway station has been named.

David Joyce, 38, was from the city and was killed on Tuesday after police responded to reports of a man with a gun at the station. It later emerged he was carrying a knife.

Thames Valley Police said a single shot was fired by an officer and Mr Joyce was given first aid, but died at the scene.  The force referred itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), which named Mr Joyce and is carrying out an investigation into the case.

The IOPC said Mr Joyce was formally identified at a post-mortem examination on Thursday morning. The provisional cause of his death was a single gunshot wound to the abdomen.

The watchdog said it had already viewed a "substantial amount" of CCTV and police body-worn camera footage of the incident.  It said it had "established that, at around 13:04 BST, the man was just outside the railway station main entrance with a knife in his hand, and ran towards officers".  Shortly afterwards, Mr Joyce was shot at close range.



The investigation team said all officers who attended the scene were being treated as witnesses.

Derrick Campbell, the IOPC director, said: "Given a man has died after being shot by police, our role is to independently investigate all of the circumstances surrounding this incident, including the actions and decisions taken by the police.  We have obtained details of some members of the public who witnessed the incident who we will be contacting.  However, we know there were many people near the station around the time of the shooting and we want to hear from anyone who may have seen the incident or has footage of it."



Re: Most remote stations....
In "The Lighter Side" [360135/7683/30]
Posted by JayMac at 17:35, 3rd April 2025
 
I wonder if the residents of the former station house and it's surrounding land are granting access for Network Rail to carry out the work. If not then there's little NR and BTP can do.

Except try to arrest the landowners for trespassing on their own property again!

It's a long running saga of claim and counter-claim with Network Rail consistently calling BTP out as their "personal security force".

https://youtube.com/@altnabreac

Re: Nottingham to Bristol TM open access service proposed
In "Across the West" [360134/30098/26]
Posted by ChrisB at 15:33, 3rd April 2025
 
The DfT explicitly ruled out ‘cross-country type’ services via EWR, this was done before the TWA process got going, and is mentioned in the TWA inspector’s report.  The same section of the report included removing through services from EWR into Marylebone via Princes Risbrough and High Wycombe. 

That woud certainly explain why the DfT now refuses to countenance upgrading the Aylesbury Vale parkway to EWR line then, if they can't allow trains via PRR from EWR

Train missed staff by seconds after location mix-up - Alfreton, 27 Nov 2024
In "The Wider Picture in the United Kingdom" [360133/30103/51]
Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 15:25, 3rd April 2025
 
From the BBC:



Track workers avoided being struck by a train by two seconds after they unintentionally went to the wrong location, an investigation has found.

The Y197 Northern train was travelling at 78mph (125km/h) from Chesterfield towards Nottingham, the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) said.

A report said the near miss happened about 2.4 miles (3.9km) north of Alfreton railway station at 07:26 GMT on 27 November 2024.

Investigators said: "The near miss occurred because the controller of site safety (COSS) unintentionally blocked a section of line at Codnor Park Junction, while the group were on site at Morton Junction."

The RAIB said when the line blockage was being arranged, neither the signaller nor the COSS had realised the group was not at the location that was to be blocked by the protecting signals.

The COSS, a role which ensures safe practice for work on or near railway tracks, reported they had "unknowingly used a safe work pack (SWP) for a different location" to where the work group was actually located.

A SWP is a plan to ensure a safe system of work is in place before work begins.



As the train approached and sounded its horn, the COSS and two track workers who were standing on the track moved clear of the path of the approaching train with two seconds to spare.

The report said the workers were "obscured from the driver's view" until about five seconds before the train reached them.  This was due to the train approaching them around a curve and because of the poor visibility caused by low light and heavy rain, the report added.

The COSS reported the near miss to the signaller at 07:28. The driver instructor supervising a trainee driver reported the near miss to the signaller when they arrived at Alfreton railway station one minute later.  At 07:31, the signaller rang the COSS to lift the line blockage using the details that had been previously agreed. It was at this point that the COSS realised that the signal numbers used related to Codnor Park Junction, not Morton Junction.

RAIB investigators said: "The near miss occurred because the COSS unintentionally blocked a section of line at Codnor Park Junction, while the group were on site at Morton Junction, around seven miles (11.3 km) to the north, on the same route.

"This meant that the section of track the group was accessing was still open to rail traffic, placing them at risk of being struck.  Had the COSS used the SWP for this briefing, they would almost certainly have realised that the incorrect pack was being used before the group went on to the track.  The COSS gave protecting signal numbers and a named location, both of which were repeated back by the signaller. Despite this, the discrepancy between the protecting signals and the location was not noticed by the signaller, who granted the line blockage."

The workers - which comprised the COSS and five track staff - were employed by Network Rail as local maintenance staff.

A Network Rail spokesperson added: "After the near miss at Morton Junction in November, an investigation was carried out, resulting in a number of actions and recommendations for improvement.  A safety stand-down was held, with front-line staff being involved in discussions about the lessons learned.  The safety of our colleagues, passengers and train crew is our top priority."



Re: Nottingham to Bristol TM open access service proposed
In "Across the West" [360132/30098/26]
Posted by Mark A at 15:05, 3rd April 2025
 
The DfT explicitly ruled out ‘cross-country type’ services via EWR.
**snip**

**Splutters**

Mark

Government approves Luton Airport expansion
In "Buses and other ways to travel" [360131/27989/5]
Posted by TaplowGreen at 14:31, 3rd April 2025
Already liked by lympstone_commuter
 
BBC News - Government backs plans for Luton airport expansion
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy4vg2d9v7no

Re: 185 years of Reading Station
In "Railway History and related topics" [360130/30101/55]
Posted by Witham Bobby at 12:46, 3rd April 2025
Already liked by eightonedee, GBM, Western Pathfinder
 
"First High Speed Trains arrive at Reading"

With a picture of a brace of IETs 

185 years of Reading Station
In "Railway History and related topics" [360129/30101/55]
Posted by CyclingSid at 12:03, 3rd April 2025
 
Not sure where to put this item. The BBC news for Berkshire has the following item https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c1wdje7ve9wo.

The 1910 picture, or similar is used on Reading Buses and credited to the Museum of English Rural Life (MERL). MERL has a large on-line photo archive, which I haven't got the hang of using and find most frustrating, but end up down interesting rabbit holes.

I am sure somebody on the forum will identify the 3-car EMU.

Re: Nottingham to Bristol TM open access service proposed
In "Across the West" [360128/30098/26]
Posted by paul7575 at 11:55, 3rd April 2025
 
The DfT explicitly ruled out ‘cross-country type’ services via EWR, this was done before the TWA process got going, and is mentioned in the TWA inspector’s report.  The same section of the report included removing through services from EWR into Marylebone via Princes Risbrough and High Wycombe.   

I’m surprised this proposal has come up, I’d assumed EWR’s own proposals including future Cambridge extensions use up all the designed paths.

Re: Daily Mile - coming to Melksham for April
In "Active travel: Cyclists and walkers, including how the railways deal with them" [360127/30078/50]
Posted by CyclingSid at 11:50, 3rd April 2025
 
Certainly less than a mile, the arthritic knees won't have it. But normally do at least 15 km a day on the bike.

Re: Changes to the Highway Code
In "Active travel: Cyclists and walkers, including how the railways deal with them" [360126/25290/50]
Posted by CyclingSid at 11:47, 3rd April 2025
 
I think I still have my original brown HGV licence book somewhere.

I stumbled over these interesting DfT research documents the other day https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/moments-of-change-and-travel-behaviours. Not directly relevant to driving licences and the highway code but interesting to consider when trying to change thinking. Part of the input is from what used to the government "nudge" unit, which I think were shunted out when the previous administration found some of their suggestions too radical/sensible.

Re: Most remote stations....
In "The Lighter Side" [360125/7683/30]
Posted by grahame at 11:24, 3rd April 2025
 
From the Railfuture Campaigners Facebook group

I wrote to my MSP and asked her to raise it with Fiona Hyslop, the Cabinet Secretary for Transport. Here is the response that I received from the Cabinet Secretary a couple of days ago.

Re: Altnabreac Station

Thank you for your e-mail dated 10 March 2025 on behalf of your constituent regarding Altnabreac railway station.

The temporary closure of the station is regrettable but necessary to guarantee the safety and security of railway staff and passengers. However, I am glad to inform you that there has been progress on its reopening which I will outline below.

Network Rail has confirmed that they plan to install tactile paving on the platform at Altnabreac railway station on the night of 28 March 2025 and will shortly write to local residents to notify them of these works. Following this, ScotRail has confirmed to my Officials at Transport Scotland that they plan to carry out the works required to allow services to resume which includes the installation of a new help-point and reinstatement of the Station furniture on 30 March 2025.

These works are safety critical and are a necessary pre requisite to any further progress towards re-opening the station. Notwithstanding previous issues, the British Transport Police will work in collaboration with industry partners to ensure safe access to the station for these works to be carried out.

When it is safe to do so, the station will be re-opened. Appropriate communication and marketing will beundertaken in advance of this date by Scotland’s Railway.

Re: [OTD] Senior Railcard launched 1st April 1975
In "Fare's Fair" [360124/30092/4]
Posted by Mark A at 10:28, 3rd April 2025
Already liked by Witham Bobby
 
It may be that that was down to the likes of signalboxes being a high-trust environment but I get your point. Retail in particular is certainly now frontier country.

For some reason, thinking of a pub in the eighties that one particular customer seemed to view as a high trust environment, as he'd come in on a Thursday regular as clockwork, with a briefcase, out of which he'd take out a pile of cash. He'd spend some time in counting and batching notes, the table in front of him groaning beneath the weight of about £2500 of used tenners by the time he'd finished. (He seemed to regard the environment there as high trust, everyone else in the pub wasn't so confident and I think someone eventually had a word as we were all getting nervous as to what might unfold)

Mark

Re: Heart of Wessex Line - service issues (merged posts)
In "Heart of Wessex" [360123/20209/19]
Posted by matth1j at 10:06, 3rd April 2025
 
Not sure if this is the correct thread...

0450 Fratton to Bristol Temple Meads
This service was cancelled due to a problem with the traction equipment (MD).

(was hoping to catch 0646 Trowbridge)

Re: [OTD] Senior Railcard launched 1st April 1975
In "Fare's Fair" [360122/30092/4]
Posted by Witham Bobby at 09:38, 3rd April 2025
Already liked by GBM, Oxonhutch
 
…. Our BR weekly pay packets were made up with £1 notes during the time the offer was running, who remembers being paid weekly cash in hand and £1 notes?

Brown envelope 3 by 4 inches, with top corner missing so notes ( incl. £1 note) could be counted and a cellophane window at the front so the coins could be identified and counted. Any problems, returned sealed envelope to pay clerk for a recount. Once the seal was broken, you owned any discrepancy.

Brought round to signalboxes on early turn by one of the managers in the yellow Ford Escort.  Pay packets left in the desk for the signalmen who would turn up for later shifts.  I don't remember being asked to sign for them, or anything like that.  It was in the days of our (sadly gone) high trust society

Re: Changes to the Highway Code
In "Active travel: Cyclists and walkers, including how the railways deal with them" [360121/25290/50]
Posted by Witham Bobby at 09:33, 3rd April 2025
 
I've still got my Driving Licence little red booklet, with typewritten renewal tickets stuck into it at County Hall, Taunton.  The last renewal of it was 1979

Just had to renew the horrid plastic card on the approach to 70.  To avoid going through the pfaff of a doctor's certificate, I've had to give up the lorry driving bit of the licence.  Seems a shame, but I'm probably not going to need it

Transport in the West of England - Hustings for the next WECA Mayor
In "Bristol (WECA) Commuters" [360120/30100/21]
Posted by Red Squirrel at 08:50, 3rd April 2025
Already liked by johnneyw
 
I attended this event at the Watershed, Bristol, last evening.

Five of the six candidates for WECA Mayor were present:

Helen Godwin, Labour
Steve Smith, Conservative
Mary Page, Green
Oli Henman, Liberal Democrat
Ian Scott, Independent

Reform's candidate Arron Banks was also invited. Social media posts had apparently indicated that he would come, leading to enhanced security and an anti-racist protest outside the venue, but he did not attend.

The candidates were asked questions such as: How did you get here this evening? (Steve Smith came by bus, Oli Henman took a train from Bath; I think the others all drove).

They all supported Bus Franchising and expanding the local rail network. Steve Smith opposed the Park Street Bus Gates and bus lanes on the Keynsham Bypass.

In summing up, Helen Godwin stated that while all the candidates (present!) were in broad agreement about what needed doing, a Labour Mayor under a Labour government was most likely to be able to deliver.

There's a full write-up by Bristol 24/7 here: https://www.bristol247.com/news-and-features/news/ebln-lessons-reducing-car-dependency-weca-mayoral-hustings/

Oh, and full disclosure: I went by bus. But it was the last bus from Failand, at just before 6pm - so the only way back was to get Mrs Squirrel to give me a lift!

Re: Extreme Day Trips
In "Buses and other ways to travel" [360119/30054/5]
Posted by grahame at 07:46, 3rd April 2025
Already liked by PrestburyRoad
 
You've been lucky.  My experience in recent years is that the security check can be fast and can be very slow.  So I have to allow a long time for it because I don't want to miss my flight.  It's just one of the airport processes I have to undergo and over which I don't have control.  All of this adds to my jaundiced view of flying nowadays.

Forgetting any security at checkin - what about immigration checks on arrival?  Sometimes very quick, but certainly (2023?) I have had to queue at both Catania and Dresden having flown in with a low cost airline.   And - though on a cruise - the USA immigration at New Orleans managed to cut two full days in the city on our cruise down to an evening and a day as it took them six hours to process everyone coming off the ship.   At least we were called off in stages, but it was still painful - literally - for those who are not "disabled" but cannot stand for hours. 

Long overseas day trips are NOT for me personally any more. Part is environmental.  Part is that I prefer to have the freedom to get up and walk around rather then being packed in (and, yes, a prefer a train with 40% seats taken than 90%).  Part is the time and procedures at the airports.  Part is the home to airport and back journeys, and the delicacy of public transport connections to the final service of the day.  And part is wanting to spend longer there.

Lisa and I are planning a trip.  But not day - fortnight.  And not flying - trains and ferries. 

Re: Daily Mile - coming to Melksham for April
In "Active travel: Cyclists and walkers, including how the railways deal with them" [360118/30078/50]
Posted by grahame at 07:31, 3rd April 2025
Already liked by Mark A, GBM, Western Pathfinder, johnneyw
 
Two days in.


1st April 2025


2nd April 2025

did any one attend this rail event in Cardiff
In "Shorter journeys in South and West Wales" [360117/30099/23]
Posted by infoman at 01:48, 3rd April 2025
 
https://peloton-events.co.uk/rail-cymru-conference-2025/

would any one know who was the Welsh Government – senior official that was expected to speak?

Re: [OTD] Senior Railcard launched 1st April 1975
In "Fare's Fair" [360116/30092/4]
Posted by infoman at 01:43, 3rd April 2025
 
I think the poster said at the time

over 60? get senior citizen railcard

Underneath someone scrawled driven by a driver who is 65

Re: Changes to the Highway Code
In "Active travel: Cyclists and walkers, including how the railways deal with them" [360115/25290/50]
Posted by infoman at 01:35, 3rd April 2025
 
just wondering if there any countries in the World that don't require a driving licence


Re: On this day. South Australia's triple decker train experiment.
In "Railway History and related topics" [360114/30090/55]
Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 22:35, 2nd April 2025
 
Saw this fascinating story on Facebook earlier today.

On the 1st of April, 1952, Adelaide’s railway network played host to one of the most ambitious and baffling experiments in public transport history—the triple-decker train. Conceived as a bold tourism initiative to showcase South Australia’s landscapes from an elevated perspective, these towering locomotives were designed to revolutionise rail travel and bring visitors flocking to the state.


Each train featured three stacked levels of passenger compartments, with the topmost deck offering panoramic windows for breathtaking views of the Adelaide Hills, the rolling Barossa vineyards, and the vast outback beyond. The middle level provided standard seating, while the lower level was reserved for dining cars and, in a questionable design choice, bicycle storage.
However, the reality of the triple-decker train was far less glamorous than intended. Almost immediately, problems arose. The sheer height of the carriages made them unstable on curves, leading to alarming swaying at high speeds. Station platforms had to be hastily modified to accommodate the additional boarding levels, causing chaos for commuters attempting to board the correct deck. The most infamous incident occurred when a top-level passenger, reaching for his morning newspaper, found himself in an unfortunate standoff with an overhead bridge near Blackwood.

Furthermore, tunnels proved to be an insurmountable challenge. Plans to lower the train tracks through the Adelaide Hills were briefly considered before engineers realised this would essentially require digging a second, deeper railway network—an idea even the most optimistic officials had to concede was impractical.

After just six months of service, the project was quietly abandoned, with the remaining triple-decker trains repurposed as static dining venues in country towns (one rumoured to still exist as a long-forgotten chicken coop in the Clare Valley). While it may not have succeeded, the experiment remains a fascinating and forgotten chapter in South Australia’s transport history.

I, too, still get the original image.

Re: Extreme Day Trips
In "Buses and other ways to travel" [360113/30054/5]
Posted by PrestburyRoad at 22:00, 2nd April 2025
 
I don't think I've NOT queued to get through the scanner - and if it looks to them as if you are in a hurry, you become a prime suspect for a full body search....not worth leaving it late, frankly.

I’ve flown 6 times since November, when I was deemed fit to fly after my illness of the last couple of years. My longest queue for security at Bristol has been 6 minutes. Last Tuesday it took longer to walk round all the barriers than get through the security check!

You've been lucky.  My experience in recent years is that the security check can be fast and can be very slow.  So I have to allow a long time for it because I don't want to miss my flight.  It's just one of the airport processes I have to undergo and over which I don't have control.  All of this adds to my jaundiced view of flying nowadays.

Re: Changes to the Highway Code
In "Active travel: Cyclists and walkers, including how the railways deal with them" [360112/25290/50]
Posted by eightonedee at 21:57, 2nd April 2025
 
When I first visited the Republic of Ireland in 1974, I was told that driving tests had only "recently" been introduced, and before that all you needed was 10 shillings and a trip to the post office to get your licence. I've since looked it up - it was 1964 when tests were introduced. However, for years there was a chronic shortage of test centres, and in 1979 the government introduced a moratorium - if you had held two provisional licences, you got a full licence, no need for any further test!

Re: On this day. South Australia's triple decker train experiment.
In "Railway History and related topics" [360111/30090/55]
Posted by grahame at 21:56, 2nd April 2025
Already liked by Western Pathfinder
 
I suspect it's hit an image hosting limit.  Looks a bit like this:


Re: Extreme Day Trips
In "Buses and other ways to travel" [360110/30054/5]
Posted by LiskeardRich at 21:18, 2nd April 2025
 
I don't think I've NOT queued to get through the scanner - and if it looks to them as if you are in a hurry, you become a prime suspect for a full body search....not worth leaving it late, frankly.

I’ve flown 6 times since November, when I was deemed fit to fly after my illness of the last couple of years. My longest queue for security at Bristol has been 6 minutes. Last Tuesday it took longer to walk round all the barriers than get through the security check!

Re: On this day. South Australia's triple decker train experiment.
In "Railway History and related topics" [360109/30090/55]
Posted by ChrisB at 21:14, 2nd April 2025
 
I can still see all images
still - so I seem to be the lucky one! 

Re: Changes to the Highway Code
In "Active travel: Cyclists and walkers, including how the railways deal with them" [360108/25290/50]
Posted by paul7575 at 21:11, 2nd April 2025
 
It’s quite a while since I remember seeing this, but I’m sure in my younger days the DVLA used to include leaflets in almost every tax reminder, that attempted to keep you updated on changes to the Highway Code etc.

A simple idea, but presumably abandoned on some sort of cost grounds? 

Re: On this day. South Australia's triple decker train experiment.
In "Railway History and related topics" [360107/30090/55]
Posted by GBM at 20:41, 2nd April 2025
Already liked by Witham Bobby
 
I am not now seeing the images.  Instead there is a banner offering an upgrade to Premium.

No picture, just the offer to upgrade to Premium (as others have said)

 
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