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mods note - split from this thread https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/most-disappointing-rolling-stock.300918/ So basically all of them. What new trains get the vote as acceptable? I'll not risk going for "good".

A friend has asked me why UP is towards London and DOWN to Edinburgh. I gave him the standard explanation that UP was towards the company HQ. I added this meant on the Midland UP was towards Derby. A quick look at the rail atlas says this is not the case at present as on the MML UP is towards...

Living north of Lancaster off peak standard returns to Euston are OK value, which is what I normally do. However in a moment of lavish abandon my next trip is coming back on a first advanced. It is all booked using this site but do prices go up and down depending on when you buy? Is early...

Arnside to Penrith as an example but I've found others. Off peak return is any train to depart after 0415. Which is all of them. Why sell anytime returns when the off peak is valid for all trains?

There must be a logical reason but why is the Transpennine Newcastle to Edinburgh a separate working, not a through train from their services terminating in Newcastle from the south? Passengers seem to like through trains and although limited it would add choice. It would also reduce (I think)...

We were down by the Nuclear Berth in Ramsden Dock, Barrow today (public parking, you just drive down). Network Rail had a van near the level crossing on the line to the berth. Is it in use? Being rehabilitated? Bit off topic for infrastructure but what sort of traffic is there on it if any?

I've driven past this for years and wondered what it is. Just on the east side of the Carnforth to Bentham line, not far from the platforms, there is a tall thin building, in dressed stone, almost Gothic revival style with a big tall chimney. It looks like a mock Gothic signal box. Is it? If...

This crossing is south of the loops and sidings just south of the Royal Border Bridge at Berwick upon Tweed. It is a very minor road with virtually no traffic. There is a foot crossing controlled by gates and red/green lights with a siren and vehicle crossing which is operated only by a rail...

In The Road to Little Dribbling, Bill Bryson, whom I enjoy a lot, describes being on Preston Station and being told his train would divide front 4 to Blackpool, rear 4 to Kendal (well Windermere, obviously). It bothers me every time I listen to the CD. I guess this was about 2011. Would this...

Ages ago a conductor on a train we were on announced the next stop as "the vast sprawling metropolis of Rowlands Castle". I've just seen someone on here refer to Long Buckby in similar terms. Is this simply convergence of humour or is it a railway staff "in" joke when referring to any modest...

Passing through Brampton this morning (by car!) Mrs S remarked that she was surprised local stations had survived. I replied that actually the area we know (Erewash Valley) was the exception as it had kept its line (obvs.) but lost all its local stations - nothing between Trent Junction and...

Renewed on line as I'm planning to emerge from COVID isolation. Works really well, I'm impressed. Really easy to upload the photo too. However the card does not bear the photo. Is this right? Why did they want a photo? Please tell me train managers won't be expecting a nice likeness of me...

Portslade this afternoon. Brighton bound train went through, barriers went up, one flash of the amber light and red wig-wags kept going. Surprisingly no one chanced the crossing (which of course I'd never dream of doing even if it meant parking up and phoning). We turned round so don't know...

A friend of ours lives in Hepscott backing on to the single line. She has just assured the family that I was certain to know what this is. https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:U41238/2021-07-24/detailed Could they be testing the level crossing? (AHB I think.) Apparently just...

Moderator note: Split from https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/welland-harringworth-bennerley-viaduct-s.215676 I suppose I am not the only person who wonders if BR closed the wrong line and station in Nottingham.

Could we not have a national system for SDO that actually works properly? What I have in mind is something like the RFID systems in shops and credit cards along the length of the platform and detectors on the train. I know there isn't an off the shelf solution but in the medium term the RFID...

I've just (via the app, cannot face the machine) bought an Arnside to Preston (Lancs) off peak return. Why is it routed via Lancaster? I cannot see any other viable route. Mrs S suggests it is to exclude via Skipton, but surely there is no way that would be covered by "any permitted"...

A friend has seen a lot of old sleepers in the Leominster area with this device made in wire (apparently) on the ends. He was sure I'd know what it was. He was wrong, but with your help he may be right. This is in a old sleeper used in a garden, but he was sure it was an old sleeper.

This may be off topic but I doubt I am the only person wondering this, it is rail related of course. To my latterly untutored A level physics (got an A in 1973) I'd have expected a shortfall in generating capacity would "show" as falling voltage. Plainly this is not the case, it comes out in...

Pottering down the M6 yesterday, near Dillicar Common, we were overhauled by two Class 325 units, which may have been the ones I saw at Motherwell earlier in the day. My driver asked me what the apparent blue LEDs on the side of them were (several, looked at about cant rail height, we both...