Elpenor
a clown’s heart and a mandolin
Former colleague of my best mate who works for Network Rail has supplied the times for the trip “out” as far as Dawlish which is good enough for my approximate needs
Misc steam railway, traction, station and rail-related news
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StoneRoad
heckling from the back!
Had a short ride on the South Tynedale today, after a snack lunch at Hickins [ the level crossing cafe ].
Engine was "Green Dragon" - the motion is 1937 Hunslet with somewhat more modern boiler / firebox. It is supposed to be at least partially wood-fired, but was using Polish coal and sawdust/shavings briquettes today.
[I know from discussions I've had elsewhere that the firebox and boiler are somewhat undersized when in wood-burning mode on the uphill journey - not helped by damp and greasy rails at Slaggyford today, so she danced a bit !]
The other problem they are having is trespassers at night - not-locals dancing round partly dressed and consuming questionable substances [all caught on CCTV] Which wouldn't be quite so serious if they would clear up after themselves eg leaving needles around !
Engine was "Green Dragon" - the motion is 1937 Hunslet with somewhat more modern boiler / firebox. It is supposed to be at least partially wood-fired, but was using Polish coal and sawdust/shavings briquettes today.
[I know from discussions I've had elsewhere that the firebox and boiler are somewhat undersized when in wood-burning mode on the uphill journey - not helped by damp and greasy rails at Slaggyford today, so she danced a bit !]
The other problem they are having is trespassers at night - not-locals dancing round partly dressed and consuming questionable substances [all caught on CCTV] Which wouldn't be quite so serious if they would clear up after themselves eg leaving needles around !
teuchter
je suis teuchter
It's all there in that link anyway.Former colleague of my best mate who works for Network Rail has supplied the times for the trip “out” as far as Dawlish which is good enough for my approximate needs
hash tag
Books, not bombs
I started watching this last night. Some great bits of nostalgia in here
www.bbc.co.uk
Timeshift - Series 15: 1. The Trains That Time Forgot: Britain's Lost Railway Journeys
A journey back to a lost era of rail travel, when trains had names, character and style.
www.bbc.co.uk
hash tag
Books, not bombs
Sliding Railway Bridge...( the things you discover while working nights ). I was watching this last night Canal Boat Diaries - Series 4: 1. Sheffield to Keadby towards the very end Robbie came across the Keadby canal Railway Bridge. Amazing. The Victorians built some amazing stuff.
www.newcivilengineer.com
Vazon Sliding Railway Bridge - Stainforth and Keadby Canal
Vazon Railway Bridge - Stainforth and Keadby Canal
www.penninewaterways.co.uk
Essential work begins on Lincolnshire’s one-of-a-kind Keadby Canal Bridge | New Civil Engineer
The bridge, which slides open to allow passage for boats travelling on the Stainforth and Keadby canals, is undergoing a full inspection from engineers.
www.newcivilengineer.com
editor
hiraethified
Sliding Railway Bridge...( the things you discover while working nights ). I was watching this last night Canal Boat Diaries - Series 4: 1. Sheffield to Keadby towards the very end Robbie came across the Keadby canal Railway Bridge. Amazing. The Victorians built some amazing stuff.
Vazon Sliding Railway Bridge - Stainforth and Keadby Canal
Vazon Railway Bridge - Stainforth and Keadby Canalwww.penninewaterways.co.ukEssential work begins on Lincolnshire’s one-of-a-kind Keadby Canal Bridge | New Civil Engineer
The bridge, which slides open to allow passage for boats travelling on the Stainforth and Keadby canals, is undergoing a full inspection from engineers.
This time lapse footage shows the bridge in action
StoneRoad
heckling from the back!
alongside some minor sporting occasions like a lords test match, fa cup / scottish cup finals and the derby, this weekend was also the european tram driver championship, which involves tram billiards and ten pin bowling
highlights from last year's
bejayzus !!!!
That looks totally bonkers, but great fun ...
The skill levels for some aspects were astounding and plenty of equal opportunities visible.
Now want to try that with heritage trams [nine pin bowling on cobbles ?] I wonder ...
Bus Honeygun
This week the score draws are plentiful
Speaking of heritage trams... PID and ČD Nostalgie had a children's day in Prague on Saturday. All sorts of transport involved, but was pleased to rock up in town with promise of a 'heritage tram' and find this 1920 built machine in action on route 43. Also managed a passing shot on the normal heritage 23 route of Tatra T3 and T2 the next day at Karlovo Náměstí.
existentialist
Tired and unemotional
Our old friend Geoff is on another Challenge. This time, the Heart of Wales line - something I have been promising myself far too long that I will ride. I have Plans. If they ever happen, it's going to involve table picnics on the train with champagne (or suitable sparkling alternative), a couple of overnight stays, and company. Maybe in Spring. It's good to dream 
.
Trigger warning. Geoff - and pretty much everyone else on the video so far - is absolutely SLAUGHTERING the pronunciation of the station names. Even this hardboiled old Sais knows this. Be warned.
.Trigger warning. Geoff - and pretty much everyone else on the video so far - is absolutely SLAUGHTERING the pronunciation of the station names. Even this hardboiled old Sais knows this. Be warned.
skyscraper101
0891 50 50 50
started off as a newsreel cinema. more here.
says it was demolished in 1988, although i don't remember it being there - unless it was behind hoardings or something after it closed.
And as featured about 3 minutes into the 1944 film London Terminus which obviously is worth watching all the way through
T & P
|-o-| (-o-) |-o-|
I love just about everything about this. The stunning art deco façade, the fact that it was inside a busy train terminus, and in particular the fact that it was a cartoon cinema, yet the majority of patrons would have been adults passing through the station
hash tag
Books, not bombs
Doing some research for an up and coming trip to the West country I found this sad news, so a trip back here seems like a must.
www.worcesternews.co.uk
18 staff made redundant
svr.co.uk
wages reduced by £770,000
To make these sorts of cuts it must be a huge concern and must be an issue affecting many heritage railways.
Have I time for both the SVR and Dean Forest railway?
At-risk Severn Valley Railway needs £1.5m to survive
THE future of Severn Valley Railway (SVR) is at risk unless it receives an urgent cash boost, bosses say.
18 staff made redundant
Severn Valley Railway Survival Fund | Severn Valley Railway
The SVR urgently needs to raise £1.5 million to enable it to overcome the current financial crisis & implement longer-term plans. Donate and support now!
svr.co.uk
To make these sorts of cuts it must be a huge concern and must be an issue affecting many heritage railways.
Have I time for both the SVR and Dean Forest railway?
Bus Honeygun
This week the score draws are plentiful
Marsh Barton station in the outer suburbs of Exeter opened today, years later than planned. Almost walking distance for me, so gave it a spin.
PR1Berske
Alligator in chains by the park gates.
Ticket office closure announcement to be made today
www.google.com
Labour criticises ‘rushed’ plans to shut hundreds of rail ticket offices in England
Party says closures beginning on Wednesday could exacerbate ‘managed decline’ of train network
Train firms plan mass closures of ticket offices
A public consultation has been launched on proposals to close hundreds of station ticket offices in England.
www.google.com
StoneRoad
heckling from the back!
Ticket office closures are a retrograde step, as far as I'm concerned.
My local station has been un-staffed for years, the ticket machines are crap, unreliable & badly sited [sunlight / weather etc]. Revenue protection / on-train staff are either - usually - little 'itlers or almost totally invisible.
If you want an unusual journey, or some weird split ticketing you are restricted to on-line or an proper booking office, with staff who have been adequately trained.
Also it seems that the pricing system is designed to trick the inexperienced into buying something more expensive !
It doesn't help the infrequent passenger that the system has been deliberately fragmented - both for timetabling & ticketing.
My local station has been un-staffed for years, the ticket machines are crap, unreliable & badly sited [sunlight / weather etc]. Revenue protection / on-train staff are either - usually - little 'itlers or almost totally invisible.
If you want an unusual journey, or some weird split ticketing you are restricted to on-line or an proper booking office, with staff who have been adequately trained.
Also it seems that the pricing system is designed to trick the inexperienced into buying something more expensive !
It doesn't help the infrequent passenger that the system has been deliberately fragmented - both for timetabling & ticketing.
PR1Berske
Alligator in chains by the park gates.
And here it is:
media.raildeliverygroup.com
Proposals to update the railway for how passengers use it today
Train companies launch passenger consultation on plans to modernise customer service across the rail network Staff would move out of ticket offices and on station platforms, concourses and ticket halls, adopting new ‘customer help’ roles already in place in many parts of the railway Proposals...
editor
hiraethified
Puddy_Tat
happy mew year
a moment's reflection for london's trams - 'last tram day' was 71 years ago today
it's now broadly accepted that at least two trams were out in service after the official 'last tram' ran in to new cross depot - one (that followed a different route from woolwich) was delayed on the way, and arrived at new cross as the crowd was dispersing, and the last one towards woolwich was later still.
although the tram crew who hid with their tram in the kingsway subway for two years so they could be london's last tram only existed in a 'goon show' episode...
it's now broadly accepted that at least two trams were out in service after the official 'last tram' ran in to new cross depot - one (that followed a different route from woolwich) was delayed on the way, and arrived at new cross as the crowd was dispersing, and the last one towards woolwich was later still.
although the tram crew who hid with their tram in the kingsway subway for two years so they could be london's last tram only existed in a 'goon show' episode...
Puddy_Tat
happy mew year
yes, that really was a mistake. if they had even done the blue and white to match the outline of the sunderland livery it wouldn't have been quite so bloody awful...
hitmouse
entreprenulsoip critical thinking
General RMT campaign page about ticket office closures, with links to take part in the consultations:
National days of action being planned for the 13th and 18th, with local protests to happen at train stations then:
Manchester RMT will be holding a public meeting on the 18th:
Other branches will presumably also be doing something in their areas.
Save Ticket Offices
Over the last year the RMT has been campaigning against the DfT managed train companies’ plans for wholesale ticket office closures. The result has been the largest ever response to a government consultation. On October 31, 2023 the government announced the plans had been dropped.
www.rmt.org.uk
Save Our Ticket Offices Days of Action
www.rmt.org.uk
Other branches will presumably also be doing something in their areas.
hash tag
Books, not bombs
Simply for the hell of it; a new world record concerning a train.
m.economictimes.com
Katie Price's son Harvey now a Guinness World Record holder for 'world's longest drawing of a train'
Katie Prices eldest child Harvey Price is now officially in the Guinness World Records after completing the ‘worlds longest train drawing. The model shared pictures of her son with his art.
Mumbles274
running from law and the press and the parents
Good news
Folkestone: Leas Lift closer to reopening as revamp approved
A charity is hoping to make repairs to the Leas Lift, which was built in 1885 and closed in 2017.
www.bbc.co.uk
Dystopiary
putting up a hook to hang my hopes upon
Ticket office closure announcement to be made today
Labour criticises ‘rushed’ plans to shut hundreds of rail ticket offices in England
Party says closures beginning on Wednesday could exacerbate ‘managed decline’ of train network
Train firms plan mass closures of ticket offices
A public consultation has been launched on proposals to close hundreds of station ticket offices in England.www.google.com
This could make it even harder for disabled people to travel by rail.
Ticket office closures will cut support for disabled rail passengers, papers show
