Recent content by Oxfordblues

Labour have finally confirmed that they do not now intend to renationalise DB Cargo, GBRf, Freightliner, DRS and Colas which would have been disastrous for the rail freight industry.

Mixed train arriving at Porthmadog yesterday conveying coal from Dinas (first 2 vehicles):

One of the major shortcomings of the EU was the failure to standardise National Minimum Wages. For example in Poland it is currently 22.8 zlotys (£4.55) per hour whereas in the UK it is £11.44. That's less than half-pay for the same work. Any ambitious youngster in Poland needed to have a good...

Carmarthen-Aberystwyth!

My view is that if the use of trunk roads and motorways were charged directly and there were to be toll-gates every 100km or so, then it could be argued that road haulage is not being subsidised. As things stand a haulier can take a 40ft box from Southampton to Glasgow without once encountering...

A booking-office colleague used to take great delight in directing American tourists to Stratford!

Indeed. Let's be grateful it's not at North Pole Junction!

I remember in the late-1960s the late-morning train from Llandudno arrived at Blaenau Ffestiniog at 12:27 and the Crosville bus was due to depart for Portmadoc at 12:22. The bus schedule was so slack (due no doubt to trade union pressure) that the driver deliberately departed a few minutes late...

"Old Oak Common" is a misleading name (one thinks of an ancient tree in a sylvan idyll). I'd prefer "West London Mega-Hub". It'll offer connections everywhere. Heathrow to Manchester, Birmingham to Shenfield, Slough to Stoke-on-Trent, the list is endless. For many journeys it'll be much more...

Could someone please supply the consist for yesterday's 6Z85 08:15 Bescot Down Side to Kingsbury condemned wagons for scrap? https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:R09268/2024-04-09/detailed

I wonder of this suspicion of cycles is from the perspective of a motorist who sees his road-space being taken up by cycle lanes and priority given to cyclists at junctions and on city-centre streets. He's perhaps developed a hatred of cyclists and this is one way to get his own back?

I once absent-mindedly left my briefcase in the staff canteen at Paddington station when I went off the buy an Evening Standard. Within minutes the whole area was evacuated and many of my colleagues had to leave their lunches uneaten. A simple mistake but I've never been more embarrassed!

I travelled today on 1O16 the 4-car 11:25 Manchester Piccadilly to Bournemouth. It started off almost full and at each station crowds of potential passenger attempted to board until by Wolverhampton it was dangerously overloaded and many were left behind. The subsequent 1O18 was also only 4...

I remember spending an evening at Sarajevo station awaiting a train to Ljubljana and the West. Suddenly the whole city disappeared in a complete blackout. Only the signal-lights remained on. That was about 1974.

I note that the flask from Heysham has today been diverted to Kingmoor: https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:60318/2024-03-28/detailed