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The frustrating thing is that it used to work with the old (a few years ago now) timetable on the MML when the Ivanhoe ran 5 minutes later. Is it completely impossible to slow the second Sheffield train down a little so that it connects at Loughborough or East Midlands Parkway? Given the...

The connections from Manchester to Syston and return annoy me these days. Going south East Midlands new second Sheffield train makes a 10 minute connection at Sheffield and 10 minutes at either East Midlands Parkway or Loughborough onto the Lincoln - Leicester train. However going north...

Maybe we should be learning from the Chinese with the station designs and requirement for photo ID to travel. I am about to take the Beijing to Shanghai line where my bags will be scanned, my ticket has my passport number on and my passport will be checked before I board the train. A huge...

Those 444 ones do look nice, I just assumed it was all 2+2 in the old Network South East area (having lived in Manchester a long time and now working in China I tend to make generalisations in my mind) From what I remember though you are by no means certain to get a 442 on either Southampton...

So am I right to think that if that train is reservable then I can not use it? I tried the Southern website but it is not clear whether I can reserve seats or not. Cross Country shows that it is not possible to reserve seats on that train if I try to buy another ticket for it, so I guess all...

Thanks both I am yet to pick up my ticket from the Fastticket machine, but the booking confirmation email says "no seats reserved" So I can probably change to the Victoria one?

The lack of Altrincham to Manchester via Sale only sends one train over the Stockport viaduct in each direction? All other trains from Wales come in via Crewe/Wlimslow or Warrington so I am not sure what benefit ripping up all of the metrolink would have. If you really want to take trains...

I am travelling down to Portsmouth tomorrow on an advance first ticket (Virgin West Coast + Connections) and my friend is travelling down from Preston (Lancs) on an advance first ticket (Virgin West Coast + Connections) My train is the 05:55 from Piccadilly and I am advised to go to London...

They do similar in China with no problems, in many cases the slower trains are marketed as such (with cheaper tickets). However all trains are run with stock capable of doing 300kmph and as such when the "slow" trains are out on the running lines they do not obstruct anything else. I will...

I would be tempted to anger everyone by terminating all XC services at Newcastle (or at a push Edinburgh) rather than sending them off to further destinations. This would then pave the way for Scotrail to provide better services between Aberdeen and Newcastle, as they seem pretty good at getting...

What about upgrading Wakefield Kirkgate and using that as the hub? If any through route does not miss Leeds to the south and east (similarly York to the west) I would consider it a waste of taxpayers money. There is simply no reason not to use classic lines for the final few miles into cities.

Some more cynical thinking: Manchester: Build a new tram network serving the airport, east didsbury and parts of the southern suburbs. Create a Northern Hub proposal which pushes trains through Piccadilly 13/14 (and 15/16 potentially). Slowly downgrade the stopping service on the Styal line...

I do like to go to Greenfield station (last one on the GMPTE day tickets) and then have a walk over the hills to end in the Diggle Hotel for an evening meal and drinks before a relatively simple stretch along the canal for the Railway, the train to Stalybridge buffet, etc. One time I have...

I usually find Suzhou is not too bad, but I have never been there for the holidays (any holiday here is a chance to fly to the UK, and I try to get out before the rush :lol:) The queues when the holiday tickets go on sale are mad as well, if you can actually call some of them queues :lol:

I would actually say that there is a lot that the UK system could learn from the Chinese rail system, particularly the high speed operations. One of the things I like here is how well organised the new stations are, with clear entry and exit routes to ensure as little conflicting movement of...

The ticket machines are in English, but foreigners can not use them to buy tickets, we can only use the non English speaking ticket windows. It is not just British railways that defy sense.

Surely if we go down the many station route (which I think we should) then the answer is to have all but a couple of headline trains stop at one or two of them. With the right amount of thought to the timetable this should mean that all the stations can have a half hourly timetabled HS service...

Is it simpler on planes? Whenever I book flights, which I do a lot around China and to return to the UK, there are many different fare calculation codes based on yield management and at least 4 distinct categories of economy class ticket for me to choose between on the...

I still think they should use the Chinese style ones that run Beijing to Shanghai and send them around during the day as well (Electric to Birmingham New Street then Diesel from there to Plymouth/Penzance or Cardiff) to another place where they can begin as the next nights train to London.

I am glad someone else expects it will work like this. Also for trains north of Rugby or Rugely or wherever it is Rugley is, then I am not sure Manchester is at capacity, especially when the Ordsall Chord moves trains over to 13/14 and frees paths back out of the terminating platforms by not...