Recent Public Posts
| Re: report - recommendation to improve West of England line Posted by bradshaw at 18:51, 22nd January 2025 |      |
Not to mention that the station at Lyme was on the edge of the town, 1km away. It is also a steep climb of about 100m OD, which I remember from our holidays to Lyme by train around 1960!
I think that the Yeovil curves might be worth a look. Yes, the Yeovil Railway Centre uses the tracks but perhaps some compromise could be met. NR could run the track over the south curve and out via the north curve back to Pen Mill. There may be a place for the Heritage Centre to run on a new alignment parallel to the south curve.
| Re: Steam trains to return at Severn Beach Posted by johnneyw at 18:46, 22nd January 2025 | |
More excuses for me to visit Severn Beach. Should be nice to visit it as it develops.
| Re: Steam trains to return at Severn Beach Posted by Timmer at 18:36, 22nd January 2025 | |
Nice to see a railway in the West Country that’s actually reopening.
| Re: Ryanair cutting 7 destinations for 2025 Posted by LiskeardRich at 18:23, 22nd January 2025 | |
Huge increases from the airport operator for landing and departure fees.
Ryanair have also announced a large number of new routes this summer
| Re: Scope to increase Bristol suburban services? Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 18:19, 22nd January 2025 | |
See also a specific topic on the subject of the Portishead line, at https://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=231.msg357425#msg357425 .
I'll do a bit more of my 'moving and merging' of posts, simply in the interests of clarity, continuity, ease of future reference, blah, blah.
| Re: Portishead Line reopening for passengers - ongoing discussion Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 18:06, 22nd January 2025 | |
Consultants.
| Re: Southern (and other TOC) rail fares Posted by JayMac at 18:03, 22nd January 2025 | |
Suggesting using a return ticket in the wrong direction? Brilliant idea if you want a slam dunk penalty fare or worse. Barry Doe says it’s ok, really?
Risk versus reward. As pointed out in the article, the chances of being caught...
This is one of those instances where I think it's unfair. If we're to continue to have walk up return fares then they should be the same for either direction. If TOCs want flow pricing then there should be single leg fares only.
A good point is made noting that using a return the 'wrong' way round isn't allowed, but discarding one leg of a return is fine when the return is cheaper than a single. The TOCs have created this mess, so I have no qualms with someone using a return like this. Of course I'd point out the risks if someone suggests it. I'd take that risk myself though.
| Re: report - recommendation to improve West of England line Posted by eXPassenger at 17:57, 22nd January 2025 | |
I do worry about the background knowledge of some of these reports.
The Maybank curve at Yeovil Junction (South to West) had earthworks but never had track and any work now would go through the Yeovil Railway Heritage Centre.
The Lyme Regis branch was a classic very slow and winding branch line. If rebuilt now I am sure that buses would be quicker for Axminster - Lyme Regis. It has also been built over in Uplyme and Lyme Regis.
| Steam trains to return at Severn Beach Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 17:49, 22nd January 2025 | |
From the BBC:
Miniature steam railway to return to resort
A miniature railway ran at Severn Beach until 1976
It has been 50 years since steam trains trundled along a miniature railway at Severn Beach. But soon, a new track will be opened – thanks to the son of a man who built a miniature train for the tourist resort in South Gloucestershire in the 1960s.
Joe Nemeth will build and run the 0.25 mile (350m) Severn Beach Miniature Railway next to the seafront promenade and expects it to be open by Easter. "People are thrilled it's coming back," he said. "Severn Beach has become really popular since the pandemic and now is the time to build something for people living there."
From the 1920s to the 1970s, Severn Beach was a thriving tourist hotspot, with an outdoor swimming pool, boating lake, and a miniature railway, which ran from 1936 to 1939, and 1955 to 1976.
Joe Nemeth has been a fan of railways since he was a small boy
Mr Nemeth plans to run vintage steam engines on the line, some of which are now 90 years old. "It all starts as a kid when you have your first train set, you either play with it again or leave it, but I was hooked," he said. "I remember the [miniature] railway with a great passion."
The attraction will open in three stages, with plans for a pond, a bridge and gardens along the route. It will be staffed by volunteers.
Work has already started on clearing ground for the railway
Local business owners are enthusiastic about the railway's return.
Miriam Street, who runs Just As You Are Tea Cottage next to where the railway will run, told the BBC she was "delighted" with the plans. "It'll be such a boom for local businesses, it'll bring people from all across Bristol to visit and we'll see that in our business as well," she said.
A miniature railway ran at Severn Beach until 1976
It has been 50 years since steam trains trundled along a miniature railway at Severn Beach. But soon, a new track will be opened – thanks to the son of a man who built a miniature train for the tourist resort in South Gloucestershire in the 1960s.
Joe Nemeth will build and run the 0.25 mile (350m) Severn Beach Miniature Railway next to the seafront promenade and expects it to be open by Easter. "People are thrilled it's coming back," he said. "Severn Beach has become really popular since the pandemic and now is the time to build something for people living there."
From the 1920s to the 1970s, Severn Beach was a thriving tourist hotspot, with an outdoor swimming pool, boating lake, and a miniature railway, which ran from 1936 to 1939, and 1955 to 1976.
Joe Nemeth has been a fan of railways since he was a small boy
Mr Nemeth plans to run vintage steam engines on the line, some of which are now 90 years old. "It all starts as a kid when you have your first train set, you either play with it again or leave it, but I was hooked," he said. "I remember the [miniature] railway with a great passion."
The attraction will open in three stages, with plans for a pond, a bridge and gardens along the route. It will be staffed by volunteers.
Work has already started on clearing ground for the railway
Local business owners are enthusiastic about the railway's return.
Miriam Street, who runs Just As You Are Tea Cottage next to where the railway will run, told the BBC she was "delighted" with the plans. "It'll be such a boom for local businesses, it'll bring people from all across Bristol to visit and we'll see that in our business as well," she said.
| Re: Scope to increase Bristol suburban services? Posted by eXPassenger at 17:47, 22nd January 2025 | |
A BBC news story quotes N Somerset as being upbeat about the line:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cn57yy9xneno
Restoring the rail line between Bristol to Portishead could be "fast-tracked", with construction beginning this year and the first trains running by 2027.
North Somerset Council leaders have approved measures to start construction - if the government agrees to fund the project.
Plans to bring the line back came under threat after the new Labour government announced it was axing the scheme's funding.
Councillor Mike Bell, leader of the council, said the government is now reviewing the project and there have been "encouraging indications that it is being fast-tracked".
... continues
North Somerset Council leaders have approved measures to start construction - if the government agrees to fund the project.
Plans to bring the line back came under threat after the new Labour government announced it was axing the scheme's funding.
Councillor Mike Bell, leader of the council, said the government is now reviewing the project and there have been "encouraging indications that it is being fast-tracked".
... continues
| Re: Portishead Line reopening for passengers - ongoing discussion Posted by UstiImmigrunt at 17:39, 22nd January 2025 | |
Putting it bluntly, if this was a line in Scotland the passenger trains would have been running for around 10 years, Wales a little less.
But £32m spent on what exactly?
| Re: Southern (and other TOC) rail fares Posted by Timmer at 17:37, 22nd January 2025 | |
Suggesting using a return ticket in the wrong direction? Brilliant idea if you want a slam dunk penalty fare or worse. Barry Doe says it’s ok, really?
I don’t think so. Like you say, they’ll be trouble if you get caught.| Re: Rail replacement advise - Melksham - until 23rd January 2025 Posted by Timmer at 17:30, 22nd January 2025 | |
I suspect people who either travel from or through Westbury are looking forward to Friday as well. This closure has been far too long.
| Re: Portishead Line reopening for passengers - ongoing discussion Posted by Red Squirrel at 17:12, 22nd January 2025 | |
Trying to embrace the concepts 'Portishead' and 'fast-tracking' at the same time risks damaging one's mental health...
| Re: Southern (and other TOC) rail fares Posted by paul7575 at 16:56, 22nd January 2025 | |
https://busandtrainuser.com/2025/01/21/avoid-paying-75-more-without-using-railcards-split-or-advance-tickets/
They say the railway’s byzantine fare structure is going to be sorted when Great British Railways (GBR) finally gets up and running. But that promise is like Billy Bunter’s never arriving postal order. Every incoming Minister in the DfT over the last couple of decades has promised to sort the complex system of rail fares and tickets out usually ordering a “full review” but instead another raft of additional price options are added to the mix. It’s happening again even now with the Great British Rail Sale.
Continues
Another excellent article by Roger French
They say the railway’s byzantine fare structure is going to be sorted when Great British Railways (GBR) finally gets up and running. But that promise is like Billy Bunter’s never arriving postal order. Every incoming Minister in the DfT over the last couple of decades has promised to sort the complex system of rail fares and tickets out usually ordering a “full review” but instead another raft of additional price options are added to the mix. It’s happening again even now with the Great British Rail Sale.
Continues
Another excellent article by Roger French
Suggesting using a return ticket in the wrong direction? Brilliant idea if you want a slam dunk penalty fare or worse. Barry Doe says it’s ok, really?
| Re: Portishead Line reopening for passengers - ongoing discussion Posted by Witham Bobby at 15:46, 22nd January 2025 | |
Yesterday there was talk of the "fast tracking" of the Filton/Brabazon station and today the Beeb reports similar hopes for the Portishead Line with trains apparently running in two years.
Here's a link to the article:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cn57yy9xneno
Here's a link to the article:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cn57yy9xneno
£32M spent to date? Astonishing
A reminder of what the costs of complying with the years of accumulated legislation and consultants tying themselves and everyone else into ever tighter knots are doing to our economy and to the chances of ever getting anything done.
| Re: Weymouth - station, facilities, improvements, events and incidents - merged posts Posted by CyclingSid at 15:03, 22nd January 2025 | |
My experience was to be greeted by a "No cycling" sign as I exited the station, which the council had obviously bought job lot of. I cycled down the old railway to Portland, returned and got on a train and left. Net economic benefit to Weymouth, zero.
Similar at Bognor. Cycled from Chichester and along the sea front. Thought I would get the train back and found an encampment of near do wells outside the station entrance. As I didn't fancy being ransomed I caught the bus.
Yet places like Lymington, Bournemouth there is no problem.
| Re: Storm Éowyn set to batter the UK with up to 90mph winds - Friday 24 Jan 2025 Posted by CyclingSid at 14:55, 22nd January 2025 | |
The Met Office https://weather.metoffice.gov.uk/forecast/gcn8t1p3y#?date=2025-01-24 forecasts gusting to Violent Storm 11 at Bournemouth. Fortunately in the early hours of Friday morning, so nobody should be at risk of having their deck chair and windbreak blown away.
Being a Southerly wind I would expect a fair amount of the beach to be dumped on the promenade. Not the conditions for the Brompton.
| Re: Portishead Line reopening for passengers - ongoing discussion Posted by johnneyw at 14:39, 22nd January 2025 | |
Yesterday there was talk of the "fast tracking" of the Filton/Brabazon station and today the Beeb reports similar hopes for the Portishead Line with trains apparently running in two years.
Here's a link to the article:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cn57yy9xneno
| Re: Scope to increase Bristol suburban services? Posted by Red Squirrel at 12:14, 22nd January 2025 | |
According to this article,
Sir John [Armitt], who is chairman of the National Infrastructure Commission (NIC), which advises the Treasury, said ministers should consider funding dozens of highway projects up and down the country as a result, rather than seeking to funnel road users on to the railways.
Which is all very depressing.
However it does go on to say:
The NIC has said that spending on new tram systems, or the expansion of existing ones, would be justified only in Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds and Bristol.
| Re: Scope to increase Bristol suburban services? Posted by anthony215 at 12:06, 22nd January 2025 | |
There's now talk in the telegraph that a number of rail projects are supposed to be getting the.chop except for hs2, east-west rail etc.
Considering the work done and money already spend on it if the Portishead project gets the chop I expect a major backlash.
I do think keeping it going and actually open it is an easy project and not that expensive in the grand scheme of things plus the benefits to the local economies
| Re: Storm Éowyn set to batter the UK with up to 90mph winds - Friday 24 Jan 2025 Posted by anthony215 at 12:03, 22nd January 2025 | |
I can definitely se this being a bad one . They saying it's going to hit us with category 2 hurricane winds when it makes landfall
| Re: Labour backing 3rd runway at Heathrow Posted by anthony215 at 12:01, 22nd January 2025 | |
The only one I can actually see happen is Gatwick plan to expand . Airlines should I stwad of all wanting to.use Heathrow make use of spare capacity at londons other airports
| Re: Charfield train station plans, drop in event. Posted by johnneyw at 11:28, 22nd January 2025 | |
The link above for the drop in event also leads to another link for a "fly through" of the proposed station where I couldn't help noticing that the proposed footbridge design included floor to roof glass sides. All very bright and attractive but I get the feeling that the designers still don't take into account the very real potential for vandalism at unmanned stations.
| Re: Birthday trip, Melksham to Penzance - 28th January 2025 Posted by GBM at 11:20, 22nd January 2025 | |
Apologies, I'm a no-show for the 28th.
Been booked for Grandson minding on the day (he's 3, I'm NOT)!
| Re: Labour backing 3rd runway at Heathrow Posted by TaplowGreen at 11:08, 22nd January 2025 | |
| Re: Ryanair cutting 7 destinations for 2025 Posted by ChrisB at 10:57, 22nd January 2025 | |
Due to ‘unjustified’ price hikes,
So you are right! Nothing to do with that proposed tax.
| Re: Labour backing 3rd runway at Heathrow Posted by broadgage at 10:45, 22nd January 2025 | |
Climate emergency ?
| Re: Rail replacement advise - Melksham - until 23rd January 2025 Posted by froome at 10:01, 22nd January 2025 | |
Looking forward to Friday
All trains to or via Westbury also call at Trowbridge
All trains to or via Swindon also call at Chippenham
Return trains from Westbury run 17 minutes BEFORE trains leave Melksham for Swindon
Return trains from Trowbridge run 10 minutes BEFORE trains leave Melksham for Swindon
Return trains from Swindon run 27 minutes BEFORE trains leave Melksham for Westbury
Return trains from Chippenham run 10 minutes BEFORE trains leave Melksham for Westbury
(Yes - those are much quicker than the buses!)
All trains to or via Westbury also call at Trowbridge
All trains to or via Swindon also call at Chippenham
Return trains from Westbury run 17 minutes BEFORE trains leave Melksham for Swindon
Return trains from Trowbridge run 10 minutes BEFORE trains leave Melksham for Swindon
Return trains from Swindon run 27 minutes BEFORE trains leave Melksham for Westbury
Return trains from Chippenham run 10 minutes BEFORE trains leave Melksham for Westbury
(Yes - those are much quicker than the buses!)
Just in time for Storm Eowyn to leave a few trees down on lines and others flooded.
| Re: 'Railway 200' events and commemorations 2025 Posted by Oxonhutch at 09:52, 22nd January 2025 | |
Two YouTube's on how Railway 150 was celebrated....railside viewpoint? 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7YBI4tslZ0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVgDgcM9euk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7YBI4tslZ0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVgDgcM9euk
Somewhere in those crowds were myself, my dad and late grandad.
