... while the driver swung his stool right around to the outside of the locomotive into the cooler fresh air ...

and this is argument about any meetings and that is any meeting being held at night times,

who wants to be an eco warrior and environmentalist  and use public transport in the cold and wet days

of our winter months for a bus that may never arrive?

Most railway events and talks have AGM's,

so maybe a suggestion to have a motion to change meeting times from night time  to day light hours.

Don't think any thing will be done in the near future,just don't out driving night times if you want to avoid LED headlights.

Eurostar plans to cut boarding times by 30 minutes after bosses admitted that St Pancras International station had become too much like an airport.

Under the planned shake-up, St Pancras passengers will be able to board Eurostar trains straight away rather than having to wait in the departures hall.

Passengers are currently required to check in 60 minutes before boarding, but the new system means they will be permitted to board up to half an hour before their train departs.

The move will allow people to turn up much closer to the time that their train is due to leave, easing pressure on the station as Eurostar expands and as rival rail companies launch services through the Channel Tunnel.

Wendy Spinks, the chief commercial officer at London St Pancras Highspeed, said the terminus needed to function more like a domestic railway station. She warned that taking the Eurostar had become too much like flying.

She said: “It cannot be the equivalent of an airport departure lounge. We see it being a really quick process. Going straight to the train is part of the plan.

“It has become too close to the airport experience, where you check in, go to security, wait in the lounge and then rush to the gate.

“You will always want some people to turn up a bit earlier so that you can process them and get them on board but at least 50pc of passengers should go straight to the train.”

The changes to speed up wait times will be rolled out with the remodelling of St Pancras as it prepares for the launch of services by Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Trains and Trenitalia of Italy by the end of the decade.

Ms Spinks said the departures logjam acted as the main obstacle to growth, with the tunnel and five international platforms at St Pancras already able to take many more trains.

Overcrowding worsened with the expansion of border controls at the station including the installation of kiosks to handle biometric checks for the EU’s entry and exit system.

She said: “Over time, security and border processing has taken up more and more space so that when you get through security, there’s nothing there.

“There is a mismatch between what the route can handle and what the station can handle.”

The £100m remodelling is expected to free up space by expanding the queuing area into the barely used arrivals hall adjoining the departures area.

Platforms will be shared between operators, with passengers expected to find their own way to the correct train.

She said: “If you look at Gare du Nord in Paris, they’ve got trains going all over the place. It’s your job to get on the right one.”

Ms Spinks said reducing the waiting time at St Pancras was also seen as key to luring more people on to the train over longer distances.

She said travelling by train “should be less stressful”, adding: “You can work and sit at a table as a group and you get to the centre of a city rather than a distant airport.

“But the more you go beyond two hours and start getting out to Germany or Geneva, say, then your time differential is harder against flying. If we shrink the time that you hang around in the station it cuts the end-to-end journey.”

Ms Spinks said that St Pancras Highspeed, which also owns the HS1 line to the Channel Tunnel, is considering applications from potential new entrants and that it expects to make recommendations on access to the Office of Rail and Road in the next few weeks.

She said there could be no guarantee that all parties will be granted the volume of services that they are seeking.

Indeed, and even better, isn't the through journey around 40 miles rather than 25?

Mark

From Kemble?

As part of this update, new users will not be able to sign-up for pay-as-you-go accounts from 12:00 on Tuesday 17 February until 17:00 on Tuesday 24 February.

Existing pay-as-you-go customers will be able to access their accounts as normal until 22:00 on Monday 23 February, when the update takes place. It is expected that pay-as-you-go accounts will be available again at 17:00 on Tuesday 24 February.

As a local who has heard broken promise after broken promise for decades, it will take much more than a crane turning up to clear a few planks of wood from around the entrance area to get me excited

Alternative Option: A free shuttle car sometimes operates from Kemble Railway Station for those arriving from other directions.

Mystery GP on train saves passenger's life


Train worker Veronika Rogers said she told Ian Drewery: "You are going to make it, you will be here with me."

A man who was resuscitated by a GP on a train has appealed to trace her so he can say thank you for saving his life.

Ian Drewery, 69, was travelling back to London from visiting his son in Swindon in September 2025 when he suddenly collapsed.

The train stopped in Reading where station staff rushed a defibrillator on board for the mystery GP to use.

On a return visit to thank all those involved, Ian said: "I was in the right place at the right time, to be surrounded by the right people."

Veronika Rogers, who was working on the GWR train on 14 September, was one of those who assisted. She recalled that she told Ian: "I do not let you go. I was saying, 'You are going to make it, you will be here with me.'"


Ian was reunited at Reading Station with some of those who helped him

At Reading Station, GWR worker Jack McIntyre said: "Veronika alerted me on the platform and it was quite extraordinary the way she came out and alerted all of us. We got the defib, got on the train, give it to the GP that was on the train and they worked on him. It is just extraordinary that he is here today."

South Central Ambulance Service said the GP's early CPR almost certainly saved Ian's life.

He said: "It's really good to be here, to meet that people that were involved in saving my life. That lady, she give me such effective CPR and I would not be here today were it not for her. If she's listening or sees this, I truly would like her to get in touch with the BBC so we can arrange to meet."

Hi Graham, need advice on repayment claim. Monday I went to Lichfield, hour late getting there due to late departing Bristol TM, incident at Cheltenham. Coming back just before Cheltenham some muppet threw a bicycle on the track, held up whilst it was moved and track inspected. Once got to Gloucester waiting for London train to Swindon, but this held up due to train doors not opening at Cheltenham. I didn't get back to Melksham by train. I initially did claim with CrossCountry,  this unsuccessful, they said do with GWR, did that, unsuccessful,  told to do with CrossCountry! Any ideas?

Who did you buy your ticket from?

On Trainline

Ah - then  I THINK tramline are your retailer and your should claim with them.

Ok. In the past had no issues with claims. The trainline app was coming up with a link for delay repayment, but now directing to operators.

Passengers hurt as tram derailed in bus crash


Fire officials have said that no-one was seriously injured in the crash

Passengers have been treated for minor injuries after a tram was derailed in a bus crash.

Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service said all passengers were safe and some were treated for their injuries at the scene in Inham Road in Chilwell, Nottinghamshire, on Thursday morning.

Nottingham City Transport said there were "severe delays" on the Orange 36 line because of the crash.

Nottingham Express Transit (NET) said there were currently no tram services between Toton Lane and Bramcote Lane.


Fire crews at the scene in Inham Road in Chilwell on Thursday morning

The road was expected to remain closed "for some time", the fire service added.

NET posted on X: "We are unable to serve any stop on Inham Road or Field Lane. Buses arriving at Chilwell are normal route to Bramcote Lane, then continue Bramcote Lane, School Lane, left High Road, to resume normal route from Cator Lane."

Sgt Nicola Thomas, from Nottinghamshire Police, said Inham Road "is likely to remain closed for the rest of the day while investigations and recovery of the vehicles take place. While the incident has caused disruption this morning, there have been no reports of any serious injuries and the scene is now being made safe," she added. "Motorists are advised to avoid the area and find alternative routes."