Recent content by JohnR

I dont think the bridge is life expired - this section of the M5 was only completed in 1975, so its 50 years old and is carrying the road over the railway between two embankments. Much as the ideal solution is for the bottleneck there to be removed, its probably lower down the list compared to...

While Sidmouth station was a little way out of town, this wasn't as hopeless as we might think. In the early 1960s, it still had 175,000 passengers a year, with up to 1,000 passengers on a summer Saturday. At the same time, Ottery St. Mary and Tipton St. Johns had 150,000 between them. The...

I just want to celebrate a heritage railway that I think IS doing things right (maybe I'm biased as it is my local line) - the Caledonian Railway in Brechin. Its not as big as some, just 4 miles long, but that gives a 20 minute trip each way, which is probably about right. According the...

Worth highlighting that Angus Council is currently running a consultation on a possible extension of the Caledonian Railway from Bridge of Dun to Montrose. https://engage.angus.gov.uk/brechin-active-travel-tourism-and-heritage-improvements

I believe the last train from this station was the 8pm to Glasgow Buchanan St (on Saturday 1st May 1965), but does anyone know any more details? Was the identity of the loco recorded? Likewise, what was the last service to arrive? I dont have access to a 1965 timetable, so cant be sure, but I...

There are already sections of it at 100mph. Its fairly straight and level, so I dont see why it couldnt be faster. Same with long bits of the [Perth]-Barnhill-Dundee stretch

The 15.00 EDI-ARB does delay the following 15.28 EDI-ABD between Carnoustie and Arbroath, even when running on time. There's just not enough capacity.

Railfuture did some research on a National Railcard a few years ago - they've long campaigned for one. I seem to recall that suggested a £30 cost and a 50% discount (for off peak fares) would actually produce the biggest net increase in receipts (all options did so). Cant see why that isnt still...

Surely people go to Diesel Galas to relive the experiences of the 1970s and 80s? Wouldnt "being warm" be a modern rejection of that?

The best way to improve the southern end of the WCML is to add more capacity. An extra pair of tracks, where the fast express services could use, freeing up the current 4-track railway for semi-fast and stopping passengers - and more importantly freight. This would allow many more places to be...

Seems operators cant get anything right. One big complaint I've seen is that the disabled spaces are next to the disabled toilet. So when they're put at the opposite end of the coach, theres complaints.

Noticed that. First day this year that both my trains were 170s. Also - they were both one of the unbranded ones that will be going off-lease in May.

I've noticed that there are no interchanges recorded at Montrose, but the new timetable introduced in December 18 meant that people in Aberdeenshire who previously had a direct train to Glasgow/Edinburgh now had to change at Montrose. And despite the increase in the number of trains serving...

I can only speak of the two near me that I am most familiar with, but I doubt the others are much different: Staff tend to be ex-local authority, and hence come from a road background. Board members include councillors, who again tend to have a road bias. The result is there isnt the political...

I dont think they are opposed, per se, so much as very luke warm on the idea. To be honest, I've not come across any of the regional transport partnerships that are overly keen on rail reopenings.