@railnigel Who needs bi modes? The Merseyrail fleet has batteries for Headbolt Lane don't they?
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Kevin Fitzpatrick
1.7K posts
Kevin Fitzpatrick
@probablyonabus
Public transport nerd. Scout. Goth. Brummie in Banbury.
Banbury/Birmingham Beigetreten Temmuz 2022
450 Folgt60 Follower
They should get rid of those back to back buffer stops and buy hybrid trains and run all the way from Liverpool to Preston!
Nowt but a Lad@NowtbutaLad
An unidentified and scruffy looking British #Railways steam engine at the then 'through' #Ormskirk Station in #Lancashire; no date. The engine has an 8L shed plate on it which relates to nearby Aintree Engine Shed; it closed in June 1967. @railnigel
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@UU_Ess_Pee Your argument very much implies that rail workers don't get days off, kinda where the public lose sympathy because of course you get days off
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I wonder if Jimmy works shifts covering every day of the year, like railway workers do? 🤔
Jimmy Burgess@burge1987
@UU_Ess_Pee @nurseyphil Why should one day of the week be any more valuable than any other? Should be paid exactly the same, and should be an expected part of your schedule
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@ChimeWhistle By that logic we need to close an electrified line somewhere so we can run preserved EMUs...
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In one interview he remarked that he had done wonders for rail preservation, as without him there would have been no branch lines to be saved - thus nowhere to run preserved steam.
Nigel Harris@railnigel
Liner trains for example….
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@seatsixtyone Oxford's footbridge is always painful when a Paddington train arrives
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Wonder why they bother showing connections like this?
True, I *did* get to see the 15:49 leave in front of me by the time I fought my way over the footbridge, which was nice.
But realistically, the 16:19 is the Oxford-Bicester train you’re actually going to end up on, innit? 🤷♂️
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@ChimeWhistle Le sigh... Perfectly usable intercity railway line that could slash cross country travel times, still waiting for a public train to run...
Absolute farce. Unions cannot get away without some of the blame
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Well, the Chiltern franchise expires in September. I doubt if the DfT, the power behind the throne, will allow much to happen before then.
Diana Blamires@diana_blamires
We’re all hoping Great Western Railways are going to be stepping in to run the new East West Rail service - Chiltern appear to have no desire to run the service & GWR already have guards on trains so the unions wouldn’t be able to hold up the opening any longer by arguing over that.
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@DownOnTheStour @MonsieurPiddly Ooo I've been saying there should be a service like this for years!! Connections from the Midlands to Man airport are dire, only 1 local train an hour from Crewe
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@MonsieurPiddly In preparation for a BHM - Man Air service from December I believe serving Willenhall & Darlsaton as well 👍
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@LiamsTransport1 @nxwestmidlands I would guess they're going to do a newer vehicle, wouldn't be the first time
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Extremely disappointed to hear that @nxwestmidlands are removing their pride bus from their fleet.
The bus is now at Walsall to repaint into their 'horrid' grey with a red stripe. 🙄
Disappointing.
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@Guard_Amos Even back then their Voyagers were dangerously overcrowded and they made no noise to try change that
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@probablyonabus But, they did have the stock. As in they had HST sets which they were told to get rid of
Abram, England 🇬🇧 English
Why do passengers think TOC's can click their fingers and get extra stock?
Alex McKnight 🇺🇦 🇬🇧@alexmcknight
. @CrossCountryUK Manchester to Birmingham and then Birmingham to Exeter today. Both massively over crowded passengers stood for hours all through the train and vestibule areas. Get some bigger and better trains! It’s been like this for years #Sardines #GreatBritishRailways
Wigan, England 🇬🇧 English
@AndyBTravels @keironriley @CrossCountryUK @Heidi_Labour @LordPeterHendy To be honest, Manchester to Coventry (or Birmingham International) would make sense, bit more capacity for units to sit idle
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@keironriley @CrossCountryUK @Heidi_Labour @LordPeterHendy Even just Manchester to Stafford with cross platform should release some units - Brum is too crowded.
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A random thought about @CrossCountryUK could they utilise spare electric units to run Edinburgh to York and then cross platform transfer onto their existing units thus freeing up existing units to strengthen services….
@Heidi_Labour @LordPeterHendy I’m not holding my breath as you are failing so far on the railways IMHO
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@Northern_Travel But surely XC as the franchise holder could be putting <some> effort into <asking> for more capacity? No?
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This gentleman has got a point, but its down to the government and the DFT to order new stock.
The general consensus certainly is that the voyages are not suitable for long distance routes with high footfall.
New 9 car sets a must in future.
Alex McKnight 🇺🇦 🇬🇧@alexmcknight
. @CrossCountryUK Manchester to Birmingham and then Birmingham to Exeter today. Both massively over crowded passengers stood for hours all through the train and vestibule areas. Get some bigger and better trains! It’s been like this for years #Sardines #GreatBritishRailways
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@driverbod125 So it's not going to be anywhere near as big a problem for passengers that all of railway twitter are crowing over...
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I’ve only ever once tried to claim a refund because I didn’t travel - sometime in the mid 1990s, I was ill and cancelled my plans.
At the ticket office the next day there was a (green?) form to fill in to request the refund and… I never got the refund 🙄
ianVisits@ianvisits
In a bid to clamp down on ticket fraud that costs the railways millions each year, the government has quietly changed the rules on claiming refunds for unused train tickets. ianvisits.co.uk/articles/fare-…
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@philatrail How on earth does it take 2½ hours Nuneaton to Euston? Even via Northampton
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Interesting run from Wrexham General to London Euston and back next Monday using the route WSMR plans to use with its open access service. Outward is realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:… and return is realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:…
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@Captain_Deltic I really hate the idea that people feel unable to change trains...
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Interesting interview with the Royal Shakespeare Company leaders saying that the Stratford theatre is handicapped by the lack of a direct London train service. Apparently programmes in the 1960s used to give last train times.
Ultra-niche open access opportunity?
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@SEANLWOODCOCK Just basic respect for your surroundings, surprising someone who claims to support the greens didn't understand that
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Closing the garden gate is something you learn very early on in your political career when you go doorknocking.
Owen Jones@owenjonesjourno
One of the most surreal answers I've ever been given.
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@matthewhodg All Voyagers into the XC fleet and removing Aberdeen/Glasgow/Penzance extermities to simplify the XC network might just make for enough capacity where it's needed
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Having the full 220/221 fleet with a single operator makes perfect sense. Especially when that operator has suffered chronic overcrowding on its services for the better part of 20 years.
This would be quick easy win to transition into public ownership, can gov follow through….
Modern Railways@Modern_Railways
CrossCountry is making the case to DfT to lease a further eight Class 221s (six off-lease sets and two currently with Grand Central). modernrailways.com/article/crossc…
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@ChimeWhistle And the public see a union refusing a train service because they can't agree who presses a button to open & close doors. Unions losing public support on this
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It's the DfT/Chiltern refusing to negotiate, that is the main issue. ASLEF says as soon as DOO is mentioned, Chiltern management shrugs its shoulders and says "It's in the contract from the DfT". Until Heidi and Co start acting like adults, trains are going nowhere.
Tom@MrBrightside319
@BrokenBritain_7 @ChimeWhistle @diana_blamires @TodaysRailways So it's not the staff refusing, thanks for confirming my point.
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@ChimeWhistle 168s, leave the 196s for Leam to Stratford & Moor Street locals, job done
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I've received a DM from a senior union source, saying that the union has heard rumours that a different type of traction may be used on the East West route, as opposed to the 196s. It's expected to be discussed at next week's meeting with Chiltern.
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@ChimeWhistle Like they can even move the trolley anyway. Just stay at one end of the train when it's full and standing...
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Staff have DM to say that it's so narrow, it makes doing the "trolley wiggle" very difficult. That is where one can wiggle it to apply the brake, enabling the server to serve drinks etc without fear that the trolley will roll. I'm told one H&S rep has gone "absolutely mad".
Shadey@Shadey74712954
@ChimeWhistle I see what you mean about those grab handles. Just about catch people hip level.
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@lewis_goodall And a lot of the answer is you guys, but you won't admit it yet
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If Starmer looked away over Mandelson so did Parliament. So did most of the media. And yet Starmer finds himself almost forced to resign? Why? Part of the answer is a weak Labour Party, from top to bottom. Part of the answer is an increasingly unhinged political culture.
New writing from me
@lewisgoodall/note/c-212503323?r=4i04j3&utm_medium=ios&utm_source=notes-share-action" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">substack.com/@lewisgoodall/…
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