GWRs own piece -

https://news.gwr.com/news/great-western-railway-battery-train-sets-new-world-distance-record-of-200-miles-to-celebrate-railway-200-in-style

While undoubtedly it was an achievement, we shouldn’t lose sight of the fact it was achieved with slow speed running and no on-board heating.  A lower range to allow improved speed and conditions would still allow branch line services but we need to be mindful of the practical limitations.

It needs to  - Hendy promised that it would be, without fail, open by the end of this month....

Late Queen 'refused to open airport over gun row'


The late Queen was allegedly annoyed her cousin could not fly with his shotguns

A relative of the late Queen claims she once refused to open an airport terminal after he was prevented from boarding a flight with his guns on his way to visit her at Balmoral.

Lord Ivar Mountbatten, 62, a first cousin once removed of Prince Philip, the late Duke of Edinburgh, revealed he was prevented from taking his shotguns on a flight from Bristol Airport to Aberdeen.

He told broadcaster Gyles Brandreth's Rosebud podcast Queen Elizabeth was so irritated she told him: "They want me to open their new terminal. I don't think I will now."

A spokeswoman for Bristol Airport said it was always the case that Princess Anne would open the site, and not the late Queen.

Lord Mountbatten described how a "sweet check-in lady" told him the hold was accessible from the cabin so the guns would not be secure. He claimed Bristol Airport staff refused to budge despite him telling a manager: "The Queen's sending me a car and she's expecting me for tea."


Princess Anne opening the terminal extension in 2015, having previously opened the building in 2000

In the end, his guns were left in the police armory at the airport and Lord Mountbatten took the flight to Scotland to join the Queen for the shooting weekend in the Highlands.

Later that day at Balmoral, when he recounted the tale to the Queen, it led to her "getting rather irritated" and dispatching an officer to arrange transportation of the guns, Lord Mountbatten said.

The aristocrat, who is also Elizabeth II's distant cousin, told Brandreth: "She said…'I would like Lord Ivar's guns to be up here tomorrow morning. Please see to it'. Whereupon she turns back to me and she looks at me over her glasses with a glint in her eye and she says 'They want me to open their new terminal'. She says 'I don't think I will now'."

Lord Mountbatten added: "So every time I go back to Bristol Airport now, it was opened by the Princess Royal, I have a quiet laugh to myself."

The Princess Royal first opened a terminal building at Bristol Airport in 2000, and later opened a terminal extension in 2015.

Bristol Airport's spokeswoman said: "Bristol Airport followed royal protocol which was to request a member of the royal family to open the new terminal through the Lord Lieutenants office. The Princess Royal was always assigned for our area, never the late Queen."

Lord Mountbatten is a farmer and businessman, and in later life has become a reality TV star and this year appeared in the third season of the reality show The Traitors US.

His great-uncle was Earl Mountbatten - Prince Philip's uncle and mentor, who was assassinated by the IRA in 1979.

Both reinstated just after 3.30pm.

No alternatives offered ... and I thought the 17:35 was an upper tier / protected service?  Welcome to what feels like the despairing land of empty promises.

...for the 1700 from BTM to Paddington, due to more trains than usual needing repairs according to the TM. 2 of the 5 coaches are first class.

15:15 Swindon to Westbury due 15:59

15:15 Swindon to Westbury due 15:59 has been delayed at Swindon and is now 15 minutes late.
This is due to train crew being delayed.

I’m an OLE man myself

What We're Doing About It:
We have been informed of a train hitting an obstruction on the line between Salisbury and Warminster. This means that all lines are blocked between these stations.

The local farmer.....

14:18 Westbury to Swindon due 15:00

14:18 Westbury to Swindon due 15:00 is being delayed at Westbury and is now expected to be 15 minutes late.
This is due to train crew being delayed.

Congratulations ... but please look after the day to day passengers and take a pride in that too. Our first two trains cancelled this morning due to lack of crew. First southbound at Melksham - not 06:36 but 09:10. And that's not a rarity.

This isn't GWR Ltd page

Indeed, and that message to "look after your customers - PLEASE" - need to be conveyed by other more direct routes too. However, (and I am delighted) a number of the GWR managers are also enthusiasts / enthusiastic too and it serves well to remind them of their customer in the few places that are no longer directly or indirectly financed and controlled by the Department for Transport / Treasury.

Delays to services between Westbury and Salisbury

Following animals on the railway between Westbury and Salisbury all lines have now reopened.

Train services running through these stations will be delayed. Disruption is expected until 13:15 20/08.

Customer Advice

An escaped cow is wandering along the railway line near Warminster. Specialist teams are on site assisitng with returning the cow to the field, but in the mean time trains are suspended between Westbury and Salisbury.

23.7% of charge to spare!

Congratulations to all involved.

Whoops! All cancelled due to staff shortage - isn't this the route that's operated by the milk float when it isn't out breaking records? Coincidence?

10:30 West Ealing to Greenford due 10:42
10:55 Greenford to West Ealing due 11:06
11:10 West Ealing to Greenford due 11:22
11:25 Greenford to West Ealing due 11:36
11:40 West Ealing to Greenford due 11:52
11:55 Greenford to West Ealing due 12:06
12:10 West Ealing to Greenford due 12:22
12:30 Greenford to West Ealing due 12:41

16:23 Westbury to Swindon due 17:06
17:35 Swindon to Westbury due 18:19

17:35 Swindon to Westbury due 18:19 will be cancelled.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.