Recent content by AE

No, it's not a problem that they are replacing a system they introduced because it's failed but it would be refreshing if one politician just once acknowledged that they had got something wrong. The way it's written you wouldn't even know that they were correcting a mistake that they had brought...

"We will end the complicated franchising model". You know - that model introduced by a previous Conservative government who at the time said it was exactly what was needed to introduce 'competition' onto the railways.

Imperial/English units are defined by law in terms of metric units. So, even when you think you are using Imperial/English units you are really just using a non-standard metric unit that happens to map more or less onto an old Imperial/English unit.

The ones I saw passing through Cambridge North on Saturday were on diesel.

I'm a passenger who used to use Northern's services to connect with the WCML on Sundays. Unfortunately for me the earlier strike action and random cancellations of an hourly train more or less forced me to seek an alternative. I now walk the four miles, rather than take the train, as it is the...

If I'm only going one or two stops and and the train is busy I always stand in the vestibule. It's a combination of not wanting to waste time walking the length of the train trying to find an empty seat that might not exist combined with a bit of altruism (letting other passengers who might need...

This was also my experience when I visited BPN this summer. Passengers were held on the concourse behind barriers and tape until 5 minutes or so before the train, which was clearly visible from the concourse the entire time that I was waiting, was due to depart. I waited standing on the...

There were lots of very infuriated passengers on Wigan North Western yesterday afternoon as I arrived to catch the 1630 to Euston. Trains to Liverpool Lime Street, Manchester Airport and Barrow-in-Furness had all been cancelled - with the cause being 'a shortage of train drivers' - all within 15...

Yes, it was 30th June. I looked all over the Internet to see if there was any onward transport but I couldn't find anything official or unofficial. I was therefore very pleased to see the replacement buses shown on the platform screens at Cambridge as that saved me a long walk. I was even more...

Travelling to Cambridge North a couple of Sundays ago I arrived at Kings Cross expecting to see the 2312 to Kings Lynn on the board but the final destination was given as Cambridge. Since there were no trains to Kings Lynn displayed I decided to catch the 22:40 to Cambridge from St Pancras. When...

Unfortunately, that's not the best analogy to make. Apollo 13 had a one or two teething problems if you recall. Additionally, Apollo 14, on which Alan Shepard flew, had major computer hardware problems which almost caused the moon landing to be aborted but which were fixed using a very clever...

As I understand it, 106 vehicles was exactly the right number to extend all existing Pendolinos to 11 cars. At some point however, someone decided more Pendolino sets as a whole were more useful. So the coaches that would have gone into the, what are now the remaining, 9 car Pendolinos were...

There are parts of the country outside of London and East Anglia which pay more than they take out. Likewise there are areas inside London and East Anglia which takeout more than they put in. It all depends where you draw your imaginary lines. And that's before you get into the chicken and egg...

I haven't read them all but my favourite bit from the Phase 2a petitions I have read is from HS2-P2A-071-1 submitted by Madeley Independent Residents STOP HS2 Action Group who are evidently readers of this forum and quote the following thread http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=74515...

It wasn't that quick and it certainly wasn't cheap. The busway already needs repairing despite being only a few years old. Motorists regularly try to drive down it for some reason and at least one bus driver drove badly enough that the bus bounced off the busway. It does get busy especially in...