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  1. daodao

    East-West Rail (EWR): is it worth it?

    Well put - it will be many years (if ever) before this line is ever built, judging by the procrastination over HS2 for which full approval has already been obtained as far as Crewe and construction works initiated. And all just to serve a minor university city in Fenland.
  2. daodao

    Should passenger trains be identified to the public by their train numbers?

    In the closed thread https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/i-have-been-charged-with-an-offence-but-i-feel-that-i-did-not-commit-it.242505/ , @urbophile made the following comment: Should passenger trains be identified to the public by their train numbers (and not just their origin/departure...
  3. daodao

    A new Beeching-style report is needed, to refocus the role of rail

    Moderator note: Split from https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/article-in-the-spectator-yesterday-its-time-we-stopped-subsidising-the-railways.240222/ That sums up the essence of the article. The railway network in Great Britain needs to focus on what rail does best in the light of the...
  4. daodao

    Reducing the default urban road speed limit to 20 mph

    Should the rest of the UK follow Wales/Cymru and reduce the default urban road speed limit to 20 mph, as the Senedd decided yesterday? https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-62020427
  5. daodao

    All railway ticket offices in England to close?

    The Sunday Times is reporting today that: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/secret-plan-to-close-all-railway-ticket-offices-as-strikes-grip-britain-7wcccnt3x Unfortunately, the full artice is behind a paywall. While electronic tickets have advantages for many, railway ticketing is currently...
  6. daodao

    Wigan to Bolton electrification: possible changes to services

    The government has just announced electrification of the line between Wigan North Western and Lostock Junction, to be completed in 2024/5, but has not provided any indication of what alterations to train services are planned in the light of this extension of the electrified network. I have...
  7. daodao

    Current events in Afghanistan

    Mod Note: Posts #1 - #5 originally in this thread. Yet another failing that can be laid at the door of Bliar - meddling in Afghanistan in 2001, given that the Taliban are now about to regain control. Yet another example of the futility of liberal interventionism. One of the better things...
  8. daodao

    Why would anyone buy new sleeper stock when cross border services are dying out?

    Mod Note: Posts #1 - #8 originally in this thread. I really don't understand why any European rail company is buying new sleeper cars. Longer distance international trains are dying, and in many places are already dead. There no longer seem to be any passenger trains on the following...
  9. daodao

    Bus services threatened by council funding shortfalls

    The BBC is reporting today that: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-57720900 The article goes onto state that: Should councils that still subsidise selected bus services follow the example of Cumbria County Council and Stoke-on-Trent City Council in withdrawing such subsidies entirely? There is...
  10. daodao

    Is the S&C a basket case undeserving of regular public transport?

    There are no places on the S&C line between Settle and Carlisle that merit regular public transport services at all, apart possibly from Appleby, which has a weekday daytime bus link to Penrith. Settle itself has an alternative station at Giggleswick. The S&C line is a basket case, with...
  11. daodao

    New government bus funding

    Miles of new bus lanes and more services promised - BBC News Call me a cynic, but I suspect many local authorities will look this gift horse in the mouth. It seems to be "one off" funding, but unless the pump priming leads to increased bus use that is commercially viable in the medium to...
  12. daodao

    Creation of new standard (4'8½") gauge railways in countries with a different existing standard gauge

    Over the last 50 years, there are many examples of countries building new lines using standard gauge where their existing lines don't use standard gauge, or alternatively converting, or attempting to convert, some or all of their existing lines to standard gauge. Use of standard gauge instead...
  13. daodao

    Proposed rationalisation of ex-Great Central Railway London suburban services

    It is a pity that this proposal was not carried out. Once Crossrail opens, freeing up platform capacity at Paddington, it could be reconsidered.
  14. daodao

    There are too many preserved railways in the UK: what can be done to make them more viable?

    Moderator note: Split from https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/llangollen-railway-appoints-receivers.214702/ There are too many "preserved" lines in England and Wales, and only a limited number of people interested in railway preservation. It is inevitable that some will go to the wall...
  15. daodao

    Potential HS2 services

    Moderator note: Split from https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/hs2-phase-2a-recieves-royal-assent.214040/ Even if the eastern leg is not built, 2 tph could run up HS2 and, provided a suitable connection is built and the line electrified, via the ex-MR lines to Burton, Derby, Chesterfield and...
  16. daodao

    Continuing reductions in rail travel in 2021.

    Moderator note: Split from https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/dailymail-one-in-five-train-services-could-be-axed-as-treasury-tightens-purse-strings.212638 The key messages regarding transport, namely "essential travel only" and "private good, public bad", will have to continue for much of...
  17. daodao

    Alternative suggestions for High Speed 2 (HS2) extensions and Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR)

    Why this obsession with extending HS2 further north, yet alone NPR? The main benefits of a new high speed rail line are reducing journey times and increased capacity. The need for the latter doesn't really apply north of Crewe on the western leg, where routes diverge to a number of different...
  18. daodao

    My idea to prevent the use of multiple tickets for one journey

    The whole issue of split ticketing should be dealt with by the GB railway system adopting rule 11 of the Irish Railways conditions of travel which states that: 11. Re-booking at intermediate stations 11.1 Except where specially authorised, passengers are not permitted to re-book at an...
  19. daodao

    Could Metrolink trams be the solution for the Rose Hill Marple line?

    Mod note: split from https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/temporary-closure-for-rose-hill-marple.206872/ In my view, the sooner TfGM take over the ex-GC routes Southeast of Manchester to run as Metrolink, the better. They should be the next Metrolink lines. It is clear that Northern Rail...
  20. daodao

    Trafford Centre threatened with closure; could the Metrolink line be a white elephant?

    Moderator note: Split from https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/manchester-metrolink-trafford-centre-extension.171586/ https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/trafford-centre-risk-administration-closure-18470030 On 19/3/20, in post 124 of the thread...

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