Recent content by DelW

I was persuaded to try andouiette years ago in a restaurant in Lyons. Like you, I managed to finish it, but once was enough! It joined weisswurst as the two types of sausage that I've no wish to encounter ever again. Due to a translation error (on my part), I accidentally ordered lamb brains...

One frustrating aspect of all this is that it was so unnecessary. On withdrawal from TfW, the 175s could have been put one at a time through an overhaul and refurbishment programme, then fed into GWR stock in good time for training to take place and 175s to be introduced progressively as Castle...

Real Time Trains shows actual units allocated on the day. I don't think there's a reliable source of allocations in advance, as units are always likely to be swapped, not only within classes but also between 1x9, 2x5 or even 1x5. Even allocations shown on the day can change at short notice, last...

Amtrak's tender document for the single level stock apparently runs to 2,673 pages. Trains magazine* has a summary in the current issue which includes these comments: Standard coaches will seat 60 people Optional high density coaches will seat 66 Premium accessible coaches will seat 33 (2+1...

There have been several extensive threads about the very poor state of GWR's class 80x (IET) seats, but this recent one suggests that there may be hope of improvement: https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/upgraded-gwr-iet-seats.304206/

It would seem so, yes. Though I don't know how much scope there may be to make that up with longer trains. Amtrak routinely stops twice at stations where platforms are too short for both sleeper and coach (seated) cars to be alongside the platform simultaneously, so running longer trains...

Amtrak has decided that the Superliners will be replaced by single level stock, with accessibility requirements being one of the contributory factors. At present they are (or will soon be) soliciting tenders from potential suppliers, and assuming that they can find a builder who can meet the...

I think that's probably right. My assumption was that the north-east is mostly high level, and the rest of the country low level, but I'm not sure even that works. Looking back at my photos of the Strasburg (Pennsylvania) and Conway Scenic (New Hampshire) railways, both have heavyweight wooden...

The steps are folded upwards when the plate is down, which it has to be for the train to move. They only pivot down when the train is stopped, the door opened, and the level plate lifted up. Possibly they'd be out of gauge if the train moved when they were in the lowered position. I don't know...

Amfleet coaches have that arrangement and they date from the mid 1970s. IIRC, folding the level plate upwards deploys the folding steps downwards. The Acela high speed sets on the North East Corridor have high level boarding only, so can only serve stations with raised platforms. They've been...

They were visited by UK Railtours' "A Bridge Too Far" railtour on Saturday 28th May 2016 - I'm not sure whether one or both sidings were used. The tour notes stated that the sidings "... were intended for stabling of Southeastern Javelin trains, also for reversing trains operating the St...

I know that. The phrase was from the point of view of someone making the hypothetical journey, either last Sunday or potentially on another occasion. But it was only a passing comment anyway.

Oh, I hadn't seen that. Just a case of hoping the LU gateline staff are aware of it too then :s.

The disadvantage would be that a passenger diverting from XC wouldn't have the tube journey included (it was in the context of a hypothetical journey from Scotland to Cornwall). They could of course use a bank card (paying extra), but passengers unfamiliar with London might not be aware of that...

Thameslink to Farringdon then Elizabeth Line to Paddington should be step-free if the relevant lifts are all working. It occurred to me on Sunday that that might be the best option for XC passengers diverting via London, whose tickets wouldn't have had validity for transfers via the Tube.