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According to my local BBC South West "Spotlight" news programme (24th July) the government has abandoned any idea of splitting the GWR franchise in the far south west. It also said that that there would be no cuts now to Cross Country services in the SW where services to Torbay were under...

Trains between Exeter and Newton Abbot have been cancelled this morning due to more storm damage to the main railway line at Dawlish.All Great Western Railway and CrossCountry services have been suspended due to “significant damage”...

The Times reports: The Plymouth Herald also carries the same story:

An IEP made its first visit to Plymouth last night about 0400 hrs for gauging tests I believe before returning quickly home to Bristol or North Pole depots, not sure which. Can anyone enlarge on this.

I was told by a member of the staff at Exeter St David's today that they had seen plans in an internal staff magazine showing a major new £70million train maintenance facility to be built on the site of the present Exeter depot next to Exeter St David's station. Anyone heard any more about this...

With reference to the proposed replacement of GWR's HST's by AT300s on the Paddington/Devon and Cornwall route from 2018 I have heard rumours that there are gauging issues with the tight track curvature at Saltash and at Plymouths St Budeaux Victoria road stations that could prevent AT300s from...

Laira depot Plymouth post HST. To be or not to be that is the question. Yesterday my local BBC South West news program said that post IEP the work load at Laira will fall by 60% with consequent job losses and of course if an additional batch of Hitachi AT300 trains is approved in June to replace...

http://www.exeterexpressandecho.co.uk/Flybe-s-Exeter-London-City-route-takes-plane/story-23609386-detail/story.html

Meanwhile air and coach operators are taking advantage of rail woes in Plymouth and Cornwall. For an initial two-week period, Flybe will double the number of weekday flights between Newquay Cornwall Airport and London Gatwick from three to six times a day with effect from Wednesday, February...

MTU is to supply diesel powerpacks for Intercity Express Programme.Having provided an engine for test bench trials at the Hitachi plant in Kasado, Japan. MTU has now finalized a novel design designated...

TRANSPORT Secretary Justine Greening is poised to pump billions of pounds into the rail network to cut journey times and boost growth.In days she will announce plans for a major new electrification project to upgrade key rail routes across the country.Among the other schemes vying for funds is...

The Mcnulty report-the way foreward or a damp squid.Christian Wolmer writing in Rail 671 claims the latter. http://www.christianwolmar.co.uk/2011/05/rail-671-mcnulty-fails-the-test/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+feed%2Fchristianwolmar+%28Christian+Wolmar%29 What do...

British transport operator FirstGroup (FGP.L) said it would not take up the option to extend its First Great Western franchise for three years beyond 2013 so it can bid for a longer-term deal...

Railway research expert Professor Rod Smith on the need to address the failings on the railways. http://profeng.com/columns/where-privatisation-went-off-the-rails

FGW HST crew training has started today for the Reading Christmas blockade diversions into Waterloo. 2+7 with 43183 leading from PAD to BAN with 43163 on the rear 2+7 with 43163 leading and 43183 on the rear after reversal at BAN 1Z11 Paddington 08:03 Ladbroke Grove 08/11 Park Royal...

From another Forum http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=7633.msg76212#new Rumour has it that Chiltern have snapped up the IE Mark 3s . Apparently they are also looking to fit power doors to their existing stock including W&S coaches. Chiltern are apparently busy...

"State railway company Iarnrod Eireann is to sell off dozens of trains left languishing in a railway 'graveyard' in Dublin. The last of the iconic 80s orange and black intercity trains are to disappear forever after the company said yesterday it was hoping to sell or lease them. They are...

I understand the that today(Saturday) the 1306 Paddington to Penzance hit a tree at Lavingdon near Westbury causing severe damage to the front power car cab.The tree crashed through the power cars cab side and exited through the windscreen luckily missing the driver --- old post above --- ---...

Anyone want to watch a programme that was broadcast on BBC1 10 June at 22:35 about Rail Travel from London to Wales narrated by Christian Wolmer. An excellent programme that says it all regards FGWs woes. Broadcast information available here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00c1djs on BBC...

Barry Doe writing in the latest rail magazine says the following and I have to say that I agree with him totally on this one, "Now that I have used them a number of times. I think First Great Western’s HST’s have received the worst refurbishment ever to have been undertaken on any train...