Recent Public Posts - [guest]
| Re: Mostly the South West. Disused Railways. Which should still be here today? In "Campaigns for new and improved services" [367564/30990/28] Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 18:56, 29th October 2025 | ![]() |
Lots of good, correct answers:
...
2. Foxhangers on the Devizes line
Chris from Nailsea (K&A, line not identified)
...
20. Midland and South West Juntion towards Ludgershall
Kennet and Avon, yes CfN - but what line
...
2. Foxhangers on the Devizes line
Chris from Nailsea (K&A, line not identified)
...
20. Midland and South West Juntion towards Ludgershall
Kennet and Avon, yes CfN - but what line
With apologies for my obvious failures to identify those particular railway lines, as well as the location of the pictures:
2. The railway line was the one from Devizes to Trowbridge. I have very limited local knowledge, so I should not comment on whether it should be open / re-opened.
20. The railway line there was the one from Andover, via Ludgershall, to Marlborough.
Just as an aside: 5. The Strawberry Line, was never particularly financially viable - it does do very well as a pedestrian / cycle path, these days.

| Re: North Cotswold line delays and cancellations - 2025 In "London to the Cotswolds" [367563/29711/14] Posted by Worcester_Passenger at 18:03, 29th October 2025 | ![]() |
20.04 on Sunday from Paddington to Hereford started 22 late and ended 55 late. Fortunately the Royal Blenheim in Oxford is a very convivial waiting room.
A couple of sets running (if "running" is the word) around yesterday with engines out which didn't help.
A couple of sets running (if "running" is the word) around yesterday with engines out which didn't help.
This seems to be an issue again today. I thought that IETs had sufficient redundancy to be able to keep to time with engines out - is this correct?
| Re: Server slow ... In "News, Help and Assistance" [367562/30293/29] Posted by grahame at 17:30, 29th October 2025 Already liked by Chris from Nailsea | ![]() |
I think I must have done something it didn't like:
Not you ... heavy loading. Ongoing experiments looking into the load spikes. In the meantime, I repeat my suggestion that LONG posts are copied before you press "post" or "preview" just in case
| Re: Nasa’s supersonic passenger plane makes first flight In "The Wider Picture Overseas" [367561/30996/52] Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 17:27, 29th October 2025 | ![]() |
Thank you for posting that item, matthij.
EDIT sorry - just spotted the top level "All across the Great Western territory" category; should this go somewhere else?
That's an understandably difficult one: there is no obvious answer, as we are (and I personally would prefer it to be continued in this way), limited in the sheer number of different boards on this Coffee Shop forum (purely in the interests of clarity, as I so often post).
I will therefore merely move this topic to our existing 'The Wider Picture Overseas' board.
CfN.

| Re: Person hit by train, Taunton 24/10/2025 In "London to the West" [367560/30967/12] Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 16:59, 29th October 2025 | ![]() |
Thank you for posting that update here, JayMac.
CfN.

| Re: Mostly the South West. Disused Railways. Which should still be here today? In "Campaigns for new and improved services" [367559/30990/28] Posted by grahame at 15:59, 29th October 2025 | ![]() |
The 68 bus runs hourly between the two stations from around 7am to 7 pm and goes via the bus station. Far more convenient than a long walk, especially in the rain
Yes - although the time I tried to catch it - from the Saturday Melksham to Weymouth train - it was timetabled to leave Pen Mill two minutes before the train arrived and presumably did so, as saying across from the train in the hope ... it was gone. No obvious answer here; the resultant road walk out to Yeovil Junction with the bus gone did not feel very safe.
| Re: Server slow ... In "News, Help and Assistance" [367558/30293/29] Posted by CyclingSid at 15:03, 29th October 2025 | ![]() |
I think I must have done something it didn't like:
Warning: mysqli_query(): MySQL server has gone away in /home/firstgreatwestern/include/ipfind.inc on line 41
Warning: mysqli_query(): Error reading result set's header in /home/firstgreatwestern/include/ipfind.inc on line 41
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Connection Problems
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Connection Problems
Sorry, SMF was unable to connect to the database. This may be caused by the server being busy. Please try again later.
| Re: 175s to GWR In "Across the West" [367557/28982/26] Posted by REVUpminster at 14:26, 29th October 2025 | ![]() |
Todays Wolverton-Laira cancelled. Might have a knock-on effect and cancel the Ely-Wolverton move tomorrow.
| Re: Mostly the South West. Disused Railways. Which should still be here today? In "Campaigns for new and improved services" [367556/30990/28] Posted by bradshaw at 14:06, 29th October 2025 | ![]() |
The 68 bus runs hourly between the two stations from around 7am to 7 pm and goes via the bus station. Far more convenient than a long walk, especially in the rain
| Re: Person hit by train, Taunton 24/10/2025 In "London to the West" [367555/30967/12] Posted by JayMac at 14:01, 29th October 2025 | ![]() |
Harry's father Trevor has posted on Facebook a reply to comments on a Local World (Somerset Live) news item about the I
incident. Many people in the comments were making assumptions about mental health.

An inquest has opened and been adjourned to a later date.
| Re: Thoughts, tangents, personal big data. May I bore you for my enjoyment? In "Introductions and chat" [367554/30964/1] Posted by Mark A at 12:28, 29th October 2025 | ![]() |
an Interdata minicomputer close coupled to a storage tube
I can't even begin to imagine...
Mark
| Re: Mostly the South West. Disused Railways. Which should still be here today? In "Campaigns for new and improved services" [367553/30990/28] Posted by grahame at 11:54, 29th October 2025 | ![]() |
One was investigated in the 1980s. The aim was a platform where the Clifton Maybank siding left the main line. However, nothing came of it.
Having to avoid crossing live railway line would have meant that you would walk past what is now the Yeovil Heritage Centre, under the main line and up the slope to Junction station. This is about 1km in length and not really practical.
Having to avoid crossing live railway line would have meant that you would walk past what is now the Yeovil Heritage Centre, under the main line and up the slope to Junction station. This is about 1km in length and not really practical.
Indeed. However - that's over twice the distance as the crow flies, which is just a smidgin over the length or a Eurostar train which we are expected to traipse along with all our luggage.

| Re: Thoughts, tangents, personal big data. May I bore you for my enjoyment? In "Introductions and chat" [367552/30964/1] Posted by grahame at 10:51, 29th October 2025 | ![]() |
I have so many thoughts. And memories. And so much to write; whether anyone actually wants to listen (or read) is another matter.
And yet more of my background - reminiscing about the choice of where to start work as I left Uni.
https://grahamellis.uk/blog1763.html
One was investigated in the 1980s. The aim was a platform where the Clifton Maybank siding left the main line. However, nothing came of it.
Having to avoid crossing live railway line would have meant that you would walk past what is now the Yeovil Heritage Centre, under the main line and up the slope to Junction station. This is about 1km in length and not really practical.
I mentioned the scheme in an article I wrote for Modern Railways some years back.
The photo shows the Yeovil shuttle in its various guises, linking up with Number 19
It is one of the slides I will be showing at the Yeovil Heritage Centre’s agm this evening when I am talking on the Wilts, Somerset and Weymouth Railway.
| Re: North Cotswold line delays and cancellations - 2025 In "London to the Cotswolds" [367550/29711/14] Posted by Worcester_Passenger at 08:42, 29th October 2025 | ![]() |
Wednesday October 29
Alterations to services between Oxford and Worcester Shrub Hill
Due to a points failure between Oxford and Worcester Shrub Hill trains have to run at reduced speed on the line towards Worcester Shrub Hill.
Train services running through these stations may be delayed or revised. Disruption is expected until 10:00 29/10.
Last Updated:29/10/2025 08:14
05:53 London Paddington to Great Malvern due 08:38 will be terminated at Oxford.
This is due to a points failure.
Last Updated:29/10/2025 07:10
08:56 Great Malvern to London Paddington due 11:27 will be started from Oxford.
This is due to a points failure.
Last Updated:29/10/2025 07:14
Due to a points failure between Oxford and Worcester Shrub Hill trains have to run at reduced speed on the line towards Worcester Shrub Hill.
Train services running through these stations may be delayed or revised. Disruption is expected until 10:00 29/10.
Last Updated:29/10/2025 08:14
05:53 London Paddington to Great Malvern due 08:38 will be terminated at Oxford.
This is due to a points failure.
Last Updated:29/10/2025 07:10
08:56 Great Malvern to London Paddington due 11:27 will be started from Oxford.
This is due to a points failure.
Last Updated:29/10/2025 07:14
| Nasa’s supersonic passenger plane makes first flight In "The Wider Picture Overseas" [367549/30996/52] Posted by matth1j at 08:18, 29th October 2025 | ![]() |
Telegraph; includes short video of takeoff: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/gift/d65a538d8f109d36 (spot the typos in the drawing dimensions
) EDIT sorry - just spotted the top level "All across the Great Western territory" category; should this go somewhere else?
Passengers are one step closer to flying supersonic for the first time since Concorde’s retirement after Nasa took its “sonic thump” plane for its first test flight.
The X-59 took off on its maiden flight on Tuesday morning, flying in an oval “racetrack” pattern over Edwards Air Force Base in California before landing at the facility.
Although it is capable of flying at 925mph, or 1.4 times the speed of sound, it stayed around the 240mph mark on the hour-long flight. Future tests will see it break subsonic boundaries.
The plane is capable of breaking the speed of sound without producing a loud sonic boom, instead producing a muffled “sonic thump”.
The aircraft left Palmdale Regional Airport in California shortly after 10am local time on Tuesday morning. Thousands of people followed its progress via online flight trackers.
The X-59 only has one seat and is not intended as a prototype for commercial airliners, but will be used to collect data to develop a supersonic passenger aircraft.
Commercial aircraft have been banned from breaking the sound barrier since 1973, after residents filed thousands of complaints in response to sonic boom tests conducted over Oklahoma City. Donald Trump this summer issued an executive order to repeal the rule.
The X-59, designed by Nasa and built by Lockheed Martin, is intended as the first step to allow travellers to travel at supersonic speeds across the US.
For decades, this has been restricted to military planes, and even then in rare circumstances.
The sleek aircraft, which measures just under 100ft, will eventually be flown above “select US communities to collect data from residents responding to the X-59’s sonic thump”.
On Tuesday’s flight, Nasa worked to gather data from the X-59’s engine response, aerodynamic handling, and air data systems, according to The Aviationist.
“We record 60 different streams of data with over 20,000 parameters on board,” said Shedrick Bessent, a Nasa engineer. “Before we even take off, it’s reassuring to know the system has already seen more than 200 days of work.”
A commercial aircraft matching the X-59’s speeds could, in theory, cover a distance of New York to Los Angeles in under three hours. Currently, commercial flights take around double that time.
Likewise, a transatlantic flight from Washington, DC to London could be completed in around four hours, rather than seven hours.
Concorde, which could travel at 1,354mph, or more than twice the speed of sound, was retired in 2003.
In June, Mr Trump repealed the ban on supersonic travel over the US, declaring advancements in “noise reduction” made flights “safe, sustainable, and commercially viable”.
“For more than 50 years, outdated and overly restrictive regulations have grounded the promise of supersonic flight over land, stifling American ingenuity... and ceding leadership to foreign adversaries,” the US president said.
The X-59 took off on its maiden flight on Tuesday morning, flying in an oval “racetrack” pattern over Edwards Air Force Base in California before landing at the facility.
Although it is capable of flying at 925mph, or 1.4 times the speed of sound, it stayed around the 240mph mark on the hour-long flight. Future tests will see it break subsonic boundaries.
The plane is capable of breaking the speed of sound without producing a loud sonic boom, instead producing a muffled “sonic thump”.
The aircraft left Palmdale Regional Airport in California shortly after 10am local time on Tuesday morning. Thousands of people followed its progress via online flight trackers.
The X-59 only has one seat and is not intended as a prototype for commercial airliners, but will be used to collect data to develop a supersonic passenger aircraft.
Commercial aircraft have been banned from breaking the sound barrier since 1973, after residents filed thousands of complaints in response to sonic boom tests conducted over Oklahoma City. Donald Trump this summer issued an executive order to repeal the rule.
The X-59, designed by Nasa and built by Lockheed Martin, is intended as the first step to allow travellers to travel at supersonic speeds across the US.
For decades, this has been restricted to military planes, and even then in rare circumstances.
The sleek aircraft, which measures just under 100ft, will eventually be flown above “select US communities to collect data from residents responding to the X-59’s sonic thump”.
On Tuesday’s flight, Nasa worked to gather data from the X-59’s engine response, aerodynamic handling, and air data systems, according to The Aviationist.
“We record 60 different streams of data with over 20,000 parameters on board,” said Shedrick Bessent, a Nasa engineer. “Before we even take off, it’s reassuring to know the system has already seen more than 200 days of work.”
A commercial aircraft matching the X-59’s speeds could, in theory, cover a distance of New York to Los Angeles in under three hours. Currently, commercial flights take around double that time.
Likewise, a transatlantic flight from Washington, DC to London could be completed in around four hours, rather than seven hours.
Concorde, which could travel at 1,354mph, or more than twice the speed of sound, was retired in 2003.
In June, Mr Trump repealed the ban on supersonic travel over the US, declaring advancements in “noise reduction” made flights “safe, sustainable, and commercially viable”.
“For more than 50 years, outdated and overly restrictive regulations have grounded the promise of supersonic flight over land, stifling American ingenuity... and ceding leadership to foreign adversaries,” the US president said.
| Re: Mostly the South West. Disused Railways. Which should still be here today? In "Campaigns for new and improved services" [367548/30990/28] Posted by grahame at 08:16, 29th October 2025 | ![]() |
19. Yeovil Town station.
Convenient for the centre of town as the name suggests, but probably the least worst through route to have lost in Yeovil. Passengers travelling Taunton to Yeovil or vv on the 54 bus may not agree, with the through journey taking about 50% longer than the train used to, but Langport is the only significant centre of population on the closed route and, who knows, maybe Langport will regain a station (shared with Somerton) on the still-open Taunton - Castle Cary line.
Convenient for the centre of town as the name suggests, but probably the least worst through route to have lost in Yeovil. Passengers travelling Taunton to Yeovil or vv on the 54 bus may not agree, with the through journey taking about 50% longer than the train used to, but Langport is the only significant centre of population on the closed route and, who knows, maybe Langport will regain a station (shared with Somerton) on the still-open Taunton - Castle Cary line.
When connections work, Yeovil (Pen Mill) to Taunton can be done in just over 40 minutes by train with a change at Castle Cary. The 22:21 this evening, 8 minute change at Castle Cary, 23:02 into Taunton. Problem is that connections don't always work ... and where the timetable suggest one, even an official one, there's the possibility that you'll have time to kill at Castle Cary.
It was never there, but perhaps Yeovil needs a "Yeovil Junction Low Level Platform" between Pen Mill and Thornford, with slope / steps / path to the main junction station.
| Re: TravelWatch SouthWest, 24th October 2025, Taunton - INVITE In "Diary - what's happening when?" [367547/30939/34] Posted by grahame at 08:06, 29th October 2025 | ![]() |
Some follow up pictures.
And the slide set from the day is available in the Coffee Shop Archive for logged in members at
https://www.firstgreatwestern.info/mirror/TWSWAutumnGM2025.pdf
| Re: Mostly the South West. Disused Railways. Which should still be here today? In "Campaigns for new and improved services" [367546/30990/28] Posted by brooklea at 08:05, 29th October 2025 | ![]() |
19. Yeovil Town station.
Convenient for the centre of town as the name suggests, but probably the least worst through route to have lost in Yeovil. Passengers travelling Taunton to Yeovil or vv on the 54 bus may not agree, with the through journey taking about 50% longer than the train used to, but Langport is the only significant centre of population on the closed route and, who knows, maybe Langport will regain a station (shared with Somerton) on the still-open Taunton - Castle Cary line.
From Somerset Live
Somerset's 'forgotten railway' reopens in stunning transformation
Casualty of the Beeching Axe - the line is back open
Casualty of the Beeching Axe - the line is back open
Err - a section of the Somerset and Dorset (which is NOT forgotten!) reopened as a walking and cycling route. Me thinks the headline is misleading.
| Re: Swindon <-> Westbury service updates and amendments, ongoing discussion - 2025 In "TransWilts line" [367544/29726/18] Posted by grahame at 06:43, 29th October 2025 | ![]() |
07:03 Salisbury to Swindon due 08:34
07:03 Salisbury to Swindon due 08:34 will be started from Westbury.
It will no longer call at Salisbury, Warminster and Dilton Marsh.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.
07:03 Salisbury to Swindon due 08:34 will be started from Westbury.
It will no longer call at Salisbury, Warminster and Dilton Marsh.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.
| Re: Car headlights to be reviewed after drivers complain of being 'blinded' at night In "The West - but NOT trains in the West" [367543/30992/31] Posted by grahame at 06:38, 29th October 2025 | ![]() |
and this is argument about any meetings and that is any meeting being held at night times,
Indeed - and that's why regional meetings such as TravelWatch SouthWest on 24th and RailFuture on 18th were both daytime meetings. Where you are looking at a single town meeting - such as Melksham Transport Group on 13th November, evening has predominated and that's typically based on attendee profiles; we (meeting organisers) want to be available to "9 to 5" working people.
Meeting groups do take note of their current and intended/desired clientele and good ones such as TWSW are responsive to inputs - note the last couple of weeks where we looked to change from Friday to Saturday next March, but then we have reversed that decision after a substantive block of participants pressed that it needs to be during the working week for them. You, infoman, expressed (if I read you right) a desire to come along last Friday but I don't think we saw you there ... happy to take inputs but for newer members / attendees it always has to be that a bird in hand - current membership - is worth two in the bush, and a substantive change takes a risk.
| discounted rail cards offer In "News, Help and Assistance" [367542/30994/29] Posted by infoman at 03:07, 29th October 2025 | ![]() |
https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/deals/railcard/
| Re: Car headlights to be reviewed after drivers complain of being 'blinded' at night In "The West - but NOT trains in the West" [367541/30992/31] Posted by infoman at 02:50, 29th October 2025 | ![]() |
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.
| Re: 175s to GWR In "Across the West" [367540/28982/26] Posted by REVUpminster at 22:05, 28th October 2025 | ![]() |
Looks like another unit (or perhaps more than one in multiple) is moving from Wolverton works to Laira tomorrow
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:K45673/2025-10-29/detailed
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:K45673/2025-10-29/detailed
And under it's own power maximum 100mph. Hopefully more than one unit as it looks like more 175s being dragged to Wolverton from Ely Thursday.
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:R19713/2025-10-30/detailed
This could mean a HST diagram being replaced by a 175 before the December timetable change.
| Re: Car headlights to be reviewed after drivers complain of being 'blinded' at night In "The West - but NOT trains in the West" [367539/30992/31] Posted by Mark A at 22:02, 28th October 2025 | ![]() |
Interestingly there is a German standard for bicycle lamps:
To which I would add maybe it would be a benefit for application to other road vehicles. Bicycle lamps in this country seem to sold on how many lux, doesn't seem to matter if is being wasted illumination to trees, walls, roofs or sky etc.
StVZO bike lights are designed to conform to German Road Traffic Licensing Regulations, with a beam shaped to avoid dazzling other road users, but the safety standard may have benefits elsewhere in the world, too.
StVZO-compliant bike lights differ from other lights on the market in that they have a cut-off, which keeps the beam focused directly on the road ahead and, in theory, out of the eyes of other road users when cycling at night.
StVZO-compliant bike lights differ from other lights on the market in that they have a cut-off, which keeps the beam focused directly on the road ahead and, in theory, out of the eyes of other road users when cycling at night.
To which I would add maybe it would be a benefit for application to other road vehicles. Bicycle lamps in this country seem to sold on how many lux, doesn't seem to matter if is being wasted illumination to trees, walls, roofs or sky etc.
2014, was it, and I delliberately sought one out, and in the UK it was a bit of a slog, and bike shops I went to were unfamiliar with the concept. To this day, many cycle lights seem to be torches, with not a thought given to beam shape despite it being very simple to achieve.
Turning to vehicles, LED lights can be a pest even in daylight - and even LED daytime running lights.
Oh, and then there's lighthouses, which now tend to be retrofitted with something low-maintenance and energy conserving, but those are possibly xenon lights of some kind. Again cool white, but also an abrupt zero to 100% to zero ramp for the on and off. I'm sure the safety and functionality is unaffected but it's so unaesthetic. :-)
And not that I need to but I find it easier to pick out a lighthouse and fix its position when the light leaves a ghost of itself when the beam's away from you and a loom when the beam swings towards and away from your position. And of course those are light qualities that say 'This is a biggie, this is the light that guides, it's not something small and on a navigational buoy (which still helps, but pfffft...)'.
Mark, all at sea.
| Re: Mostly the South West. Disused Railways. Which should still be here today? In "Campaigns for new and improved services" [367538/30990/28] Posted by TonyN at 21:15, 28th October 2025 | ![]() |
18, Newquay Harbour tramway
| Re: Car headlights to be reviewed after drivers complain of being 'blinded' at night In "The West - but NOT trains in the West" [367537/30992/31] Posted by Marlburian at 20:34, 28th October 2025 | ![]() |
My modest Vauxhall Corsa and my last car, an equally modest Ford Fiesta, both had switches to adjust the level of the headlights depending on the load, such as passengers in the rear seats. (Quite how they would fit into them I don't know but ...) I suspect that most drivers don't bother.
And that doesn't help when oncoming cars go over speed bumps. On Sunday I drove up one hill with eight such bumps in daytime and was still conscious of the running lights of oncoming cars "jumping up".
| Re: Ad for... would it be table 51 ... 1970s In "Cross Country services" [367536/30936/43] Posted by Clan Line at 20:01, 28th October 2025 Already liked by Mark A | ![]() |
Table 51 !! That brings back memories from the 70s. The 10:00 from Glasgow to Euston (always second sitting for lunch) and the Sleeper from Glasgow to Bristol are the ones that stick in my memory.
If it *is* Coryton, isn't it a singular example as the onward line at its extremity is in the 'Built but the junction to its destination never brought into use?
Cardiff Railway, and I believe only one train ever made the connection to the Taff Valley?, but in only one direction. The huge iron viaduct was scrapped during the War.














