Recent Public Posts - [guest]
| Re: Tarka Line - Exeter to Barnstaple: merged topics - services, facilities, incidents and events - In "Shorter journeys in Devon - Central, North and South" [372017/15711/24] Posted by grahame at 20:51, 3rd February 2026 |      |
From the BBC
Rail lines damaged in south-west England during a storm will remain closed "until further notice".
Network Rail and Great Western Railway (GWR) said engineers had been working on lines serving Exeter St Davids to Barnstaple, Exeter St Davids to Okehampton and Liskeard to Looe after Storm Chandra damaged tracks.
They said visible damage had been repaired, but specialist dive teams who needed to check submerged structures were unable to go out as water was still too high and flowing too fast for safe inspections.
Network Rail and GWR added bus or coach replacement services had been set up and apologised for any inconvenience caused. Further updates would be available on GWR's website, they added.
Network Rail and Great Western Railway (GWR) said engineers had been working on lines serving Exeter St Davids to Barnstaple, Exeter St Davids to Okehampton and Liskeard to Looe after Storm Chandra damaged tracks.
They said visible damage had been repaired, but specialist dive teams who needed to check submerged structures were unable to go out as water was still too high and flowing too fast for safe inspections.
Network Rail and GWR added bus or coach replacement services had been set up and apologised for any inconvenience caused. Further updates would be available on GWR's website, they added.
| Re: Dawlish - permanent resilience work - ongoing discussions In "London to the West" [372016/22771/12] Posted by grahame at 20:47, 3rd February 2026 Already liked by Chris from Nailsea | |
Weird - click on that link for DWL & it throws a 404 Error - but type it in & it works [Image from here is not available to guests] [Image from here is not available to guests]
I have edited the post so that it now works. There is an incompatability between our home-made acronyms expander and URLs which just happen to include one of those acronyms.
| Re: Cheltenham A64 road closed after double-decker bus crash In "Buses and other ways to travel" [372015/31571/5] Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 20:34, 3rd February 2026 | |
Sorry, my typo. [Image from here is not available to guests]
| Re: Dawlish - permanent resilience work - ongoing discussions In "London to the West" [372014/22771/12] Posted by ChrisB at 20:23, 3rd February 2026 | |
Weird - click on that link for DWL & it throws a 404 Error - but type it in & it works [Image from here is not available to guests] [Image from here is not available to guests]
| Re: Cheltenham A64 road closed after double-decker bus crash In "Buses and other ways to travel" [372013/31571/5] Posted by PrestburyRoad at 19:57, 3rd February 2026 Already liked by Chris from Nailsea | |
For anyone worried about the road being closed, I can confirm that it has reopened (the accident was yesterday, 2 February). And for anyone worried that either Cheltenham or the A64 has suddenly relocated, I confirm that road involved is actually the A46 and space-time has not warped.
| Cheltenham A64 road closed after double-decker bus crash In "Buses and other ways to travel" [372012/31571/5] Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 19:35, 3rd February 2026 | |
From the BBC:
Road closed after double-decker bus crash
[Image from here is not available to guests]
A collision between a double-decker bus and a car led to a road being closed.
The A46 Shurdington Road in Cheltenham closed following the crash, which happened at about 13:30 GMT earlier, and drivers were advised to avoid the area.
Emergency services arrived at the scene, near the junction for Church Lane, and closed the road for several hours. National Grid crews shut off power while the bus was recovered, to allow a damaged lamp post to be made safe. The road later reopened.
Gloucestershire Police said properties within a 100-metre (328ft) radius would be temporarily affected. Anybody who witnessed the collision or has dashcam footage has been asked to contact police.
A spokesperson from bus company Stagecoach confirmed one of its vehicles was involved in the incident. The spokesperson said: "A full investigation into the circumstances of the incident is under way. The safety of our passengers, drivers and other road users is our absolute priority, and we are working closely with the authorities to understand the cause of this incident."
[Image from here is not available to guests]
A collision between a double-decker bus and a car led to a road being closed.
The A46 Shurdington Road in Cheltenham closed following the crash, which happened at about 13:30 GMT earlier, and drivers were advised to avoid the area.
Emergency services arrived at the scene, near the junction for Church Lane, and closed the road for several hours. National Grid crews shut off power while the bus was recovered, to allow a damaged lamp post to be made safe. The road later reopened.
Gloucestershire Police said properties within a 100-metre (328ft) radius would be temporarily affected. Anybody who witnessed the collision or has dashcam footage has been asked to contact police.
A spokesperson from bus company Stagecoach confirmed one of its vehicles was involved in the incident. The spokesperson said: "A full investigation into the circumstances of the incident is under way. The safety of our passengers, drivers and other road users is our absolute priority, and we are working closely with the authorities to understand the cause of this incident."
| Re: Can you find the 40 British railway station names hidden in our puzzle? In "The Wider Picture in the United Kingdom" [372011/31556/51] Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 19:12, 3rd February 2026 | |
Without wanting this to be a 'spoiler', I have combined (in alphabetical order) the 20 already published answers on the charity's website with our own suggestions so far here on this topic:
Ascott under Wychwood
Barrow in Furness
Carlisle
Chippenham
Coventry
Exeter
Gloucester
Henley on Thames
Hereford (rather than Oxford, apparently)
Honiton (the lace star, apparently)
Kew Gardens
Kidwelly
Leamington Spa
Leicester
Leighton Buzzard
Nottingham
Penzance
Reading
Swansea
Taunton
Tenby
Weston super Mare
Weymouth
That's a running total of ... 23. [Image from here is not available to guests]
| Re: Driving road vehicles into floodwater - merged topics and posts, ongoing discussion In "The West - but NOT trains in the West" [372010/14923/31] Posted by CyclingSid at 18:36, 3rd February 2026 | |
Berkshire's favourite place for getting stuck https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cew8je04djyo [stock photo, "crews from Wokingham and Wokingham Road" and shows a photo of a Langley appliance, from the far end of the county]
Putting tape up will achieve nothing, they just drive through it. Lands End ford is interesting as there is a good flow through it to add to the difficulty.
Before the pub got posh, used to sit in the window and bet which ones would get stuck.
| Re: A trip on GWR's Battery Electric Train - 17/12/2024 In "Thames Valley Branches" [372009/29641/13] Posted by BBM at 18:17, 3rd February 2026 | |
Geoff Marshall has just posted a video of the train's first day in passenger service:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lvb33T3ZJnw
| Re: Can you find the 40 British railway station names hidden in our puzzle? In "The Wider Picture in the United Kingdom" [372008/31556/51] Posted by Western Pathfinder at 18:07, 3rd February 2026 | |
Chandlers Ford is a possibility.
| Re: Can you find the 40 British railway station names hidden in our puzzle? In "The Wider Picture in the United Kingdom" [372007/31556/51] Posted by Oxonhutch at 17:59, 3rd February 2026 | |
..., as was Carlisle.
| Re: Portishead Line reopening for passengers - ongoing discussion In "Campaigns for new and improved services" [372006/231/28] Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 17:32, 3rd February 2026 | |
I see that non-members are indeed welcome, at https://www.portisheadrailwaygroup.org/coming-events.html
I have therefore added this event to our Coffee Shop forum calendar.
| Re: Using the Coffeeshop forums: a question In "News, Help and Assistance" [372004/31565/29] Posted by ChrisB at 17:06, 3rd February 2026 | |
Errr....yup [Image from here is not available to guests]
A reply has been posted to a topic you are watching by GBM.
View the reply at: https://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=31565.new;topicseen#new
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Quote from: ChrisB on Today at 09:38:00
Subscribe to each thread of interest & providing you then read the new posts, you will get an email alert each time the thread is added to. No need to keep looking as the emails have a link to the unread posts
err. Nope.
No email alerts here.
Chrome desktop and gmail for forum.
Also set to the home/landing page, and click through from there as required.{
View the reply at: https://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=31565.new;topicseen#new
Unsubscribe to this topic by clicking here: https://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?action=notify;topic=31565.0
The text of the reply is shown below:
Quote from: ChrisB on Today at 09:38:00
Subscribe to each thread of interest & providing you then read the new posts, you will get an email alert each time the thread is added to. No need to keep looking as the emails have a link to the unread posts
err. Nope.
No email alerts here.
Chrome desktop and gmail for forum.
Also set to the home/landing page, and click through from there as required.{
| Re: Can you find the 40 British railway station names hidden in our puzzle? In "The Wider Picture in the United Kingdom" [372003/31556/51] Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 17:05, 3rd February 2026 | |
Hmm. [Image from here is not available to guests]
Compared with some of the more obscure ones, Barrow in Furnace was a doddle. [Image from here is not available to guests]
| Re: Looe Branch Line - timetables, cancellations, engineering work, closures and incidents In "Shorter journeys in Plymouth and Cornwall" [372002/569/25] Posted by grahame at 16:43, 3rd February 2026 | |
Train services running to and from these stations have been suspended. Disruption is expected until the end of the day on 03/02/26.
It does NOT tell us what is expected on 4th February, of course!
We're now told
Alterations to services between Liskeard and Looe
Due to flooding between Liskeard and Looe the line is closed.
Train services running to and from these stations have been suspended. Disruption is expected until the end of the day on 09/02/26.
Due to flooding between Liskeard and Looe the line is closed.
Train services running to and from these stations have been suspended. Disruption is expected until the end of the day on 09/02/26.
| A379 at Slapton In "Buses and other ways to travel" [372001/31569/5] Posted by Mark A at 16:32, 3rd February 2026 | |
The road at Slapton is on a shingle beach backed by a freshwater lake. Or rather, that's what it *was* on, the sea has removed a substantial length of the road. The A379 carries the bus route from Dartmouth to Kingsbridge.
Mark
https://www.itv.com/news/westcountry/2026-02-03/its-like-a-bombs-gone-off-shock-as-part-of-a-coast-road-is-washed-away
| Re: Can you find the 40 British railway station names hidden in our puzzle? In "The Wider Picture in the United Kingdom" [372000/31556/51] Posted by Hafren at 15:34, 3rd February 2026 | |
A Scot under Witch wood anyone? [Image from here is not available to guests] [Image from here is not available to guests]
I was trying to work out why the Scot was below Coventry!
| Re: Using the Coffeeshop forums: a question In "News, Help and Assistance" [371998/31565/29] Posted by GBM at 15:02, 3rd February 2026 | |
Subscribe to each thread of interest & providing you then read the new posts, you will get an email alert each time the thread is added to. No need to keep looking as the emails have a link to the unread posts
err. Nope.No email alerts here.
Chrome desktop and gmail for forum.
Also set to the home/landing page, and click through from there as required.
| Re: Driving road vehicles into floodwater - merged topics and posts, ongoing discussion In "The West - but NOT trains in the West" [371997/14923/31] Posted by Witham Bobby at 15:01, 3rd February 2026 | |
Hal;f a mile or so away from the wonderfully named Black Monkey Bridge. None of us had any clue about where the name came from
| Re: Using the Coffeeshop forums: a question In "News, Help and Assistance" [371996/31565/29] Posted by Hafren at 14:57, 3rd February 2026 | |
My browser on Windoze 'knows' if I start typing 'fir' in the address bar that I want the 'show unread' posts page...
But if I'm on my phone I just end up on the firstgreatwestern.info landing page (I think), and from there tap through to the forum. Initially it thinks I'm a guest, but if I click through to a recently liked subject, it suddenly remembers me!
| Re: Driving road vehicles into floodwater - merged topics and posts, ongoing discussion In "The West - but NOT trains in the West" [371995/14923/31] Posted by Trowres at 14:47, 3rd February 2026 Already liked by PrestburyRoad | |
| Re: Portishead Line reopening for passengers - ongoing discussion In "Campaigns for new and improved services" [371992/231/28] Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 14:18, 3rd February 2026 | |
Thanks for that, chuffed.
Just to confirm: is their AGM open to non-members to attend?
| Re: Portishead Line reopening for passengers - ongoing discussion In "Campaigns for new and improved services" [371991/231/28] Posted by chuffed at 14:09, 3rd February 2026 Already liked by Chris from Nailsea | |
From the Portishead Railway Action Group
2nd February 2026
Dear Member,
We’re pleased to confirm our 2025 Annual General Meeting will be held on Tuesday 24th February 2026. Doors will open at the Folk Hall, Portishead from 7.00pm with the meeting starting at 7.30pm.
With lots of activity currently happening along the Pill & Portishead line, we’re pleased to announce that the new MetroWest Project Manager, Natalie Gale-Sides, will be our guest speaker and will update us with the latest news and the construction schedule. The agenda will be as follows:
1. Welcome and Introductions
2. Apologies for Absence received
3. Minutes of the 2024 AGM approved by the committee in 2025 and sent to members 1/10/25.
4. Approval of Accounts for the year ended 31/10/2025
5. Appointment of Independent Examiner
6. Chairman’s Report.
7. Communications Report, including Facebook, Twitter and Website.
8. Membership Secretary’s report.
9. Appointment of committee.
10. Amendments to Constitution
11. Break
12. Update on progress – Natalie Gale-Sides, MetroWest Project Manager
13. Any other business.
Following on from last year’s AGM, here’s a note of which committee members now are responsible for each area of PRG activity, in addition to the existing long term committee roles of Chairman, Membership, Treasurer etc. :
MetroWest & North Somerset Council - Liaison & Monitoring: Colin & Brian
Portishead Town Council - Liaison & work on facilities: Brian & Peter
Pill & Easton-in-Gordano Parish Council - Liaison & work on facilities: Rob & Bob
Government & DfT - Liaison & Monitoring: Gareth & Rob
Network Rail - Liaison & Monitoring: Alan & TBC
Work on Station design, facilities and enhancements: Alan & Adam Stead, plus Rob & Bob (for Pill)
Work to ensure Portishead local bus service implemented at the right time to support the station & train service: Brian & Wendy
Work to prepare for a Community Rail Partnership: Wendy & Paul
Communications & Social Media: Gareth & Peter
Thanks for your support. We hope to see you at the AGM.
Regards,
Peter
Peter Maliphant
Membership Secretary
| Re: Driving road vehicles into floodwater - merged topics and posts, ongoing discussion In "The West - but NOT trains in the West" [371990/14923/31] Posted by Clan Line at 13:34, 3rd February 2026 | |
Bob_Blakey's post regarding "vertical rulers" to indicate flood water depth reminds me of a similar attempt at Warminster station some years back.
A depth ruler was attached to the wall as you came out from the underbridge to the main car park..............BUT...the "zero" mark was at least 12" above the lowest point of the road under the bridge. Doh !! (Wish I had taken a photo of it in place !)
[Image from here is not available to guests]
| Re: Using the Coffeeshop forums: a question In "News, Help and Assistance" [371989/31565/29] Posted by Witham Bobby at 13:07, 3rd February 2026 | |
Unread Posts is always my starting point
