Recent content by jmbill

I live about 400 yards from the Ashford Hill bridge in Plymouth. I've gone under it and over it thousands of times. It is notorious for taking the boxes off Luton vans! Although this is only the second time in about 15 years I recall a full-size HGV smashing into it. I'd consider the bridge...

An interesting news article on the Cornwall Railway Society website (dated 30th May 2019) in a post about Cowley Bridge. Mention is made about the cancelled testing of 165s in Devon during May. Supposedly there was overnight testing planned all the way west to Plymouth, including the Barnstable...

There was a 'Visit Bristol' liveried 143 operated by Wessex Trains that somehow made it all the way to Penzance on one occasion. This particular 143 carried a little St. Piran's flag badge on its cab afterwards, in celebration of its achievement! More recently, Exeter based 143s have...

Looks like there might be a 158 heading down to Penzance right now on the 1C04. I've just seen a 3 car 158 unit on the approach to Plymouth.

Yes that's correct. 150219 is in plain blue FGW livery but has pink cab doors. So it's quite easy to spot on the network and is the one with a few upgraded features ahead of 2020 disability laws coming into force.

Yes, replacement 43s power cars shouldn't be a problem. I think one of the spares is in Plymouth Laira already. Previously when 150s have been damaged (like the derailment at Westbury or the fire on a 150 just outside Plymouth) typically a hybrid 150/153 has been formed...

Yes, the 143s and 153s are probably going to be phased out by 2020. There doesn't appear to be much interest or need for an 'ePacer'; which would still suffer from the normal pacer problems, like no frontend gangway doors for easier multiple working. The 153s have been messed about with so much...

Based on the photographs and video I've seen, it looks like NR have simply taken the track bed back down to its original Brunel level (by about 12 inches), rather than excavating out several feet of tunnel footings. Presumably over the last 60 years or so, each time a ballast drop has been done...

Very true. I was also wondering whether a future TOC might even consider the option of another refurb. of some existing HST sets. In particular, rebuild some of the MK3's to the same spec that Chiltern have got right now. Not sure if these are DDA compliant, but certainly it has been proven...

Predictions for the Plymouth area: DDA compliance will result in 143's and 153's being withdrawn from service. 150's are likely to get withdrawn too, due to increasing maintenance costs and poor condition / reliability. Newer DMU's from elsewhere in the country will be used for branchline...