Search results

Following on from the popular thread on an “ideal” recast for Bristol, i’d be interested to see how the same could be achieved on a much more complex network, covering a larger commuter belt serving multiple cites. A fully enhanced timetable on the SWML is unlikely to happen for many years, if...

Assuming that a full recast of the Bristol area services is on the cards, with more frequent services and clockface timetables implemented at some point in the future, how might the service pattern look, and what action might be taken regarding joining up cross-Bristol services. Looking at each...

Can you spot all 40 stations depicted using visual clues in the image below? I have got 20 so far. Source: https://www.alzheimersresearchuk.org/brain-health-check-in/picture-puzzle/

I came across this seemingly innovative online platform which lets you send anonymous messages to other road users using their registration number. https://www.msgthatreg.com/ In theory, this sounds like a good concept, but it does leave several questions to be asked. For example, how will...

The BBC is reporting an article on the topic of banning social media for under-16s, following in the footsteps of Australia. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cz0pnekxpn8o Personally i'm mixed as to whether a complete ban is the correct approach. I definitely agree that under 16s (and...

With all the recent discussion around AI and concerns around it producing inaccurate information and increasing our dependence on technology, I'd be interested to compare it with other inventions throughout history, which with all the pros and cons added up, have proven to create more problems...

With my sister moving to Bristol next month, it has got me researching the very impressive plans for the Brabazon new town on the site of the old Filton Aerodrome. Looking at the attached map, it is clear that there will be a Metrobus route running through the length of the development and a...

Almost all bus journeys will be slower than driving, but I imagine that there are a handful that might actually be faster and more convenient too, particularly if parking is taken into account. To give an example, say you live right next to a bus stop on a main road to a market town. The bus...

Western societal expectations have traditionally dictated that adults should move out of their parents' house the moment they turn 18 and get a job, but in today's world, this is increasingly becoming less of the case. Many adults are still living with their parents well into their 20s, 30s and...

With many existing heritage railways facing financial problems, I’ve been wondering whether it would be worthwhile amalgamating all of them (or the standard gauge ones at the very least) into a single “National Trust” style organisation which oversees them all, with the goal of preserving...

Based on the similarly titled GWML and ECML threads, although this is more focused on development of the Oxbridge Arc as a whole rather than just railway related. Of course, East West Rail plays a massive part in growth along the corridor, but how that growth is manifested is another question...

Recent discussion on proposed Bristol - Oxford services has got me thinking... Assuming you could optimise the GWML to the best of its potential (without going too crazy on spending), what would your preferred service pattern look like, and what infrastructure improvements would you need to...

With the continuing trend towards metroisation of train services on the UK’s major railways, I’ve been musing about recasting the Great Eastern Main Line, which is a linear route with several branches but lots of irregular stopping patterns. It looks a relatively straightforward route to...

Satellite Navigation (Sat Nav) was initially invented as a tool to aid drivers in navigation, but now with added live traffic capabilities and almost all drivers using one, could we say that it has become an essential piece of equipment, just like the smartphone and car itself? I have never...

Most park and ride sites around are built to enable commuters and visitors to park up after a long journey and take the bus for the final leg into the town/city. Are there many sites that serve an unintentional additional purpose as parking for another settlement or visitor attraction in the...

Having spoken recently with my former work supervisor who is now a bus driver, I’m keen to delve further into how shifts are allocated for the role. I know that the job involves a lot of unsociable hours with weekend working, early starts, late finishes and split shifts the norm, but would be...

With AI now capable of creating in-depth works of art, I’ve been wondering whether such technology could evolve to enable people to relive in first person what it was like to live in a previous era, with everything made to be as authentic as possible from a particular year. Let’s say for...

I feel that one of the issues with the UK is that it lacks the support structure to enable people to change jobs and reskill if they want to. We have the Universal Credit system, but this only really helps people who are unemployed or working part time to get into an entry-level role, rather...

An interesting exercise is to consider the railway services that exist today and take a rather convoluted route. Are there any that might look different had more direct lines axed by Beeching (and before) been retained? Some possibilities in my neck of the woods: Weymouth - Bristol: As normal...

Social housing is essentially the residential equivalent of public transport, in that it is provided by councils or private organisations to offer an essential service to citizens who cannot afford private ownership. I have always believed that a good public transportation system is vital to...