Recent content by The Quincunx

Wait until he tries to use platform 1 or 2, on the rare occasions Elizabeth Line trains can't use the relief lines.

The IRA left a bomb in the basket of a delivery bicycle in Coventry in 1939 (not at a railways station). Killed 5 people.

ORR used to conduct closure consultations (from 1994) but the function was moved to the SRA by the Transport Act 2000. Nowadays, DfT would do the consultation (if they accept that closing the existing station is the right thing to do).

A very unsuccessful trial allowing this was carried out about 10-12 years ago. Some Railcards (including the Senior) would extract revenue if it was not for the cost of the Railcard itself.

Three of the Railcards (aka "discount fare schemes") are mandated in s28 of the Railways Act 1993 - enabling '... persons who are young (i.e. Young Persons), elderly (i.e. Senior) or disabled to travel by railway at discounted fares'.

If you want an explanation of how we arrived at the current system, see this document https://www.orr.gov.uk/sites/default/files/om/sra-fares-conclusions-2003.pdf Otherwise, see Chapter 8.2 of any of the current Rail Passenger Contracts on the DfT website...

Needs to show the District Line platform.

I remember there being provision for this station in the FCC franchise agreement in 2006.

When Beauly opened in 2002, it was designated as Experimental (I did the notices), primarily because there was a fear it would not be allowed to remain open.

The current fares regulation regime arose from the fares review carried out by the SRA in 2002, whose conculsions were published in this lengthy document in June 2003 https://www.orr.gov.uk/sites/default/files/om/sra-fares-conclusions-2003.pdf Among other things, the average increase was set to...

These are replacing an existing estate that was demolished a few years ago, so not strictly "new".

That is certainly a possibillity (depending on who the next government is). Note that the DfT's Guidance for assessing the closure of ticket offices was substantially revised earlier this year in anticipation of that consultation. Bear in mind, however, that closures are in primary legislation...

The closure process is certainly a right faff (especially for the poor sap at DfT who is lumbered with it - of whom I used to be one) but it is not expensive. The biggest cost is placing the notices in newspapers. Otherwise everything else is just business as usual.

"Almost entirely useless"? Not to me, it isn't! I went to Beaconsfield last weekend - West Ealing to Greenford; Greenford to South Ruislip; South Ruislip to Beaconsfield. Much better than shlepping all the way into Marylebone and back out again.

(customary mention of Northern Ireland)