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Probably would have been a night time ECS move to get a Voyager or HST to where it needed to be I guess. March 2023 was the last time there were scheduled diversions this way during a 4 day blockade, so that's probably when it would have been.

I am on the Railways of Devon and Cornwall Facebook page, the other day there was a photo of a diverted Class 47 hauled XC Derby to Plymouth service passing through Feniton in January 2002. I know XC haven't diverted that way for at least 15 years since the Waterloo to Exeter trains went to...

What about some Class 390 drags between Brum and Nuneaton using Class 57's? I guess that's not possible anymore due to lack of route/traction knowledge?

I remember catching an Edinburgh to Plymouth service at Bristol Temple Meads (think it was around 2015/2016) one winter evening. Train came in with 2 x 4 coach class 220 Voyagers, the rear Voyager was removed and only the front one continued to Plymouth. Luckily I was quick and got a seat but...

I've seen SWR 159s in the GWR Exeter fuelling depot. 1701888912 I find it utterly ridiculous that no rail replacement buses are proposed which they usually are during times of disruption. Usually there would be an Exeter to Yeovil bus calling at Exeter Central, Honiton, Axminster and Crewkerne...

Just grateful that route is open. Apparently there is a Limited replacement bus between Birmingham and Bristol, but that would have probably taken longer than going via Rdg.

My mum is travelling from Leicester to Exeter, now going via Reading and changing there.

What about Birmingham to Cheltenham? My mum is travelling from Leicester to Exeter via Birmingham NS tomorrow morning? Is that likely to still be closed?

I've heard the XC strike scheduled for this Saturday is now suspended. I guess therefore the usual Saturday diagrams will be HSTs? Ie 0609 Leeds to Plymouth/1227 Plymouth to Glasgow & 0805 Edinburgh to Plymouth/1727 Plymouth to Leeds?

I guess the Government are giving direct awards to TOC's as re tendering is time consuming and costly and there are wider issues they need to get on top of.

Yes sorry I meant 23.40!

I caught the 1750 Penzance to Paddington (via Bristol) GWR IET last night from Plymouth to Exeter. I tracked (no pun intended) the train which was due to arrive into Paddington at 23.59, it actually arrived 19 mins early at 20.40. So there must be quite a lot of slack in that train schedule.

Aren't the Birmingham to Nottingham services now only hourly at the moment due to building work going on at New Street reducing platform capacity? The Leicester trains aren't affected though and remain half hourly.

With the constant cancellation/curtailment of services, why the hell did XC bother reintroducing some Newcastle to Reading and Manchester to Paignton services in the new May timetable when they can't fulfill these services? The 08.03 Manchester to Paignton barely makes it beyond Bristol. Makes...

Diversions via Newport tomorrow. As far as I know the 0609 Leeds to Plymouth and 1327 Plymouth to Edinburgh should be a HST. And probably the 0706 Edinburgh to Plymouth and 1627 Plymouth to Leeds. Subject to change though due to 'action short of a strike'.

XC should be able to keep the HSTs going until such time as they can bring in replacement stock ie Avanti Voyagers when they become available. Otherwise there will be more overcrowding than there is already. Not that the DFT really care.

The seats on these things are awful, like sitting on a park bench. I've done Exeter to Paddington on them a few times but I can honestly say the SWR 159s are far comfier, therefore I tend to use those when I go to London. Even the seats on the XC Voyagers are better than the IET seats. The...

Did St Erth to Penzance on an IET yesterday afternoon (service had come from Bristol). Carpets and windows were dirty and the external paint around the doors and the front headlights was peeling away. The noise of engine beneath the carriage I was in sounded like it was struggling to cope (noise...

I notice this evening that there is a 20:21 XC service from Exeter St Davids to Birmingham New Street which takes 3 hours 40 mins and goes via Westbury, Bath, Worcester and Kidderminster. I believe this train used to start at Paignton around 20:20 before the December timetable change which...

I've had a couple of trips from Westbury to Exeter recently on a Class 800 and 802 and neither were particularly smooth rides. A 45 year old HST gives a far smoother ride, even an XC voyager is a smoother ride than an IET.