Recent content by Phil G

I well remember the project to lower the line through box tunnel for electrification. Recently on social media there has been discussion of a speech where the local MP is asking for completion of electrification through Bath. I mentioned that the majority projects such as Box tunnel and Sidney...

Is the Western on it from Birmingham as the wording is a bit ambiguous as it sounds like that might be from Bristol only

Why would the Western not be on it the whole way? It's not like a steam engine needing coal and water....

Just travelling to Bath for the first time in ages and there is a large works compound been set up in the old goods yard at Thingley. Anyone know what's happening?

There's a Facebook user RibbleRail providing daily posts of progress on this bridge. They are making a nice job of it with reclaimed stone being used to clad everything.

Still not finishing GW electrification to Bristol or Oxford then?

I saw 56001 and 002 shortly after they arrived at Tinsley. In my attempt to get round the shed I asked the foreman if I could see the new locos as I'd travelled on the train from Bristol. He got someone to show them to me then threw me out! They were both on the same road in the shed iirc. Did...

BR had advanced tickets in 1975 or 76, they were called book ahead economy returns, I bought them a number of times to travel from Chippenham to Manchester on trains that more or less guaranteed to hold connections. They were very much cheaper than normal tickets and you had to specify the...

The article said there was a council decision due on Jan 9th, anyone know if a decision was made and what it was?

I was wondering what was going on. It's not helping the traffic in the town is it? Maybe utilities are more complex than expected?

Is there any actual new line other than loops? The original BBC story said "new railway for Cornwall" but is it just a new through service with improved frequency? I don't know much about the area so this is a genuine question.

Well I'm a senior software engineer so know my way around apps so hopefully it wasn't user error. I've also been using the GWR app since it came out and at one point led a tender to replace it (sadly we were unsuccessful). I'd been looking for 3 days prior and tickets were available in the days...

My son needed to travel from Chippenham to Bristol on Saturday afternoon and it was a bit odd that the GWR app said no trains but RTT and national rail showed trains until 17:40. He turned up for the 16:40 which ran no problem. Why would GWR not want to sell tickets?

What keeps the caps in place, is it just weight? Do they put something between the brick and the concrete to even out any imperfections?

Having lived in the corsham area all my life there are many compelling reasons to reopen the station. The suggestion above of a station near Lacock makes no sense due to where the line serves. Corsham is a dormitory for Chippenham, Bath and Bristol. The Bus service is a total Joke it takes...