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A couple of years ago, I came into platform 5 off the Scarborough line, behind Flying Scotsman. Is that no longer possible? (I know that the TPE services usually use 4 - it's a dam**d nuisance when you're trying to connect out of a KX service with a short connection time)

Really? The ATOC website stated quite clearly that no staff travel facilities are valid on Grand Central, the last time I looked at it. Has something changed?

That's correct. It was used to test the smoke alarm systems.

I took a (Polaroid) photo of the Midland Compound at Willesden Junction on the day it was moved from Clapham northwards (to York?). I must have a look and see if I still have it.

I know one 30-year old lady around here who refuses point blank to travel by bus. When we used a tram in Manchester last year she absolutely loved it and said "why can't we have these at home?". If they're the same success they've been elsewhere, they'll take a lot of car drivers off the...

I used the 17.20 once, a couple of years ago, when GNER were restricting restaurant car service to 1st class passengers only. I reasoned that I had a better chance of a meal on this one with a standard class ticket, (and none whatsoever on the Leeds service I really wanted) and I was right...

Hull Trains do, too.

Regarding Didcot Railway Centre: I received an e-mail yesterday saying that its future is under threat because Network Rail have refused to renew the Society's lease on the land. There's a petition at: http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/Save-the-GWS.' for anyone here who wants to sign it.

I travelled GNER 1st class between Leeds and KX fairly regularly until a couple of years ago, and often had dinner in the restaurant on the way home. I've only used the restaurant twice since NXEC took over. The first time, the food and wine were definitely not up to GNER standards; the staff...

_Very_ interesting, thanks!

I quite agree. I would love to see this moderation of competition agreement face a legal challenge at European level. I suspect that HMG's protectionist policy might not stand up too well, and that it might contravene European Competition law. Don't forget Open Access is an EU idea for creating...

Where do you get the idea that traffic will double over the next 10 - 15 years? Even before the recession/depression came along, studies were done suggesting only minimal future growth in carryings. I don't disagree with your comments re: DRS strategies, but don't forget they're still...

DBS have only been in business in the UK for a few months (as opposed to EWS, who I think you are really talking about). DB have a very different attitude to business than Wisconsin Central had, and I would expect traffic volumes to rise when they get to grips with it. I have an inside track on...

Just remembered there's a really good one in the old station building on the westbound platform at Urmston. Definitely worth missing a train for.

There's usually an announcement by the guard on the Leeds - Huddersfield stoppers (via Dewsbury), listing all the calling points, before leaving Leeds. I imagine this is necessary to make sure they don't have any Halifax or Brighouse passengers on board.

You're right - there is a bar on the ground floor of the Queen's Hotel. Never patronised the strip club, though...........

It's being underused in no small part because the rates charged to the rail freight business for running trains through it are totally uncompetitive. I was hoping that the Germans buying EWS might lead to an increase in traffic; let's see if it does.

I read some nonsense in forums, but this really does take the biscuit. A lot of enthusiasts put a lot of subscription money into Tornado. She was built completely new, using the original Peppercorn A1 blueprints, and the boiler was built in Germany.

The class 91s and Mk4s on the ECML were built to run at 140 mph, and many sections of the line will permit it. What stopped it happening was the refusal to spend the necessary money on upgrading the signalling to cope. If that policy changes, we might get 140 mph running, but after the WCML...