King George V at Laira Depot
Roger Winnen
Roger Winnen
These photographs were taken on the 17th September 1972. David & Charles had organised a railtour Newton Abbot to Shrewsbury and return on 16th September 1972 entitled David & Charles (King George V Railtour)
No doubt the King returning went to Laira for turning, as a large number of rail enthusiasts entered Laira Depot on a mini open day to wjtness the event
No doubt the King returning went to Laira for turning, as a large number of rail enthusiasts entered Laira Depot on a mini open day to wjtness the event
720917c 6000 in the shed at Laira. Copyright Roger Winnen
720917a 6000 King George v at Laira Depot. Copyright Roger Winnen
720917a 6000 King George v at Laira Depot. Copyright Roger Winnen
West Cornwall Weed Spraying Train
Mark Lynam
Mark Lynam
Good afternoon Keith/Roger,
Last night a GBRf weedkilling train ran down to West Cornwall from St Blazey. It worked 3Q98 2133 St Blazey LIP to St Blazey LIP starting an hour late from St Blazey it was booked to run via Newquay, Penzance and St Ives but only went as far as Goonbarrow Junction signal box on the Newquay branch before heading back to Par.
Last night a GBRf weedkilling train ran down to West Cornwall from St Blazey. It worked 3Q98 2133 St Blazey LIP to St Blazey LIP starting an hour late from St Blazey it was booked to run via Newquay, Penzance and St Ives but only went as far as Goonbarrow Junction signal box on the Newquay branch before heading back to Par.
66711 at Penzance at 01.28 Copyright Mark Lynam
66711 at St Ives at 02.18 Copyright Mark Lynam
66701 on the Western end after returning from St Ives at 03.06. Copyright Mark Lynam
66711 on the other end at 03.11 before heading back to St Blazey. Copyright Mark Lynam
Many Thanks Mark for your nightshift report
Booking Office Closurers
John Roberts
John Roberts
Keith, re your recent post about Penzance ticket office, at least GWR has published more detail than other TOCs.
Perhaps you could post the link so that people can see how they'll be affected. Thanks, John R.
Have your say | Consultation on changes to ticket offices | Great Western Railway (gwr.com)
Perhaps you could post the link so that people can see how they'll be affected. Thanks, John R.
Have your say | Consultation on changes to ticket offices | Great Western Railway (gwr.com)
Booking Office
Public Consultation launched
John Roberts
Public Consultation launched
John Roberts
Please sign the petition by 25th July and forward to anyone else who may be affected.
GTR arranged an urgent public meeting on Tuesday at which we tried to raise the attached 24 issues, but they effectively blanked us.
There are no obvious benefits to the scheme, so something feels dodgy about it.
Thanks, John Roberts.
---------- Original Message ----------
From: East Surrey Transport Committee <[email protected]>
To: East Surrey Transport Committee <[email protected]>
Date: 13/07/2023 10:28
Subject: FW: Booking Office Public Consultation launched
Hi All
All booking office in our will close including East Croydon which would get a small information office.
The consultation is badly though put, it is hurried and seems to save no money. It also is only a three week consultation period the shortest possible.
I was asked to attend a meeting of GTR with some other chairs I put the attached 24 questions and got very few answers.
Please can you circulate to all within your organisation asking then and their members to object to object and also sign the petition
Attached the
London TravelWatch
PO Box 5594
Southend-on-Sea
SS1 9PZ
Thanks Charlie
GTR arranged an urgent public meeting on Tuesday at which we tried to raise the attached 24 issues, but they effectively blanked us.
There are no obvious benefits to the scheme, so something feels dodgy about it.
Thanks, John Roberts.
---------- Original Message ----------
From: East Surrey Transport Committee <[email protected]>
To: East Surrey Transport Committee <[email protected]>
Date: 13/07/2023 10:28
Subject: FW: Booking Office Public Consultation launched
Hi All
All booking office in our will close including East Croydon which would get a small information office.
The consultation is badly though put, it is hurried and seems to save no money. It also is only a three week consultation period the shortest possible.
I was asked to attend a meeting of GTR with some other chairs I put the attached 24 questions and got very few answers.
Please can you circulate to all within your organisation asking then and their members to object to object and also sign the petition
Attached the
- The 24 questions from East Surrey Transport Committee the local user group that GTR can’t answer attached
- Link to the consultation www.thameslinkrailway.com/about-us/our-commitments/public-consultation
- The petition www.change.org/p/save-our-railway-ticket-offices
- Who to object to Email your response to: [email protected]
- Or write to:
London TravelWatch
PO Box 5594
Southend-on-Sea
SS1 9PZ
Thanks Charlie
Question for GTR meeting on Booking Office Closures 11th July 23
1. Government consultations are usually 3 months, so why 3 weeks and a third party? Is this to circumvent agreed processes ?
2. Why have you not published the % of tickets sold at the Booking Office station by station. Other TOCs have ?
3. The press release states 12% of tickets are sold at booking offices. What is the full range across the network ?
4. Will each station have the same number of staff ?
5. What is the benefit? If we have the same person from the ticket office outside the ticket office - no cost saving and probably reduced customer service.
6. Why are large stations included in this where use of booking Office use is well in excess of 12% such as London Bridge, St Pancras, Victoria, East Croydon and Brighton ? Even TfL in its closed system has a number of travel centres.
7. The ticket office machines can sell a wider range of tickets than the public machines. Will the ticketing assistant/seller have access to the same equipment as the booking office ?
8. Will ticketing assistant/seller be able to sell the full range of tickets ? This includes : Advance, Boundary Zone. CIV (Eurostar tickets) Plus Bus, tickets from other stations?
9. Will the ticketing assistant/seller be able to print tickets that have been sold on line ?
10. Will the ticketing assistant/seller be able to print tickets or sell only e-tickets so you need a smart phone to travel ?
11. Will the ticketing assistant/seller be able to sell Oyster and Keycards ?
12. Will the ticketing assistant/seller be able to top up Oyster and Keycards ?
13. Will the ticketing assistant/seller be dependent direct fixed electrical connections or on wifi? This is just not reliable enough for critical systems.
14. If the ticketing assistant/seller is unable to issue a ticket will they be able to issue a permit to travel so passengers do not receive a penalty fare ?
15. Where will the ticketing assistant/seller be positioned ? Many stations have very little room such as Caterham and South Croydon. They should not be in a location that blocks the barrier ?
16. How will the ticketing assistant/seller deal with cash transactions and how will they keep cash secure ?
17. Will the ticketing assistant/seller also assist passengers with reduced mobility on and
off trains ?
18. Existing TVM don’t sell all tickets, will they sell Advance, Boundary Zone. CIV (Eurostar tickets) Plus Bus as separate transaction ?
19. Will the number of TVMs be increased ?
20. Who will be responsible for maintaining and replenishing TVMS ?
21. Some existing TVMs fail to work in bright sunlight or extreme cold and wet.
22. It says the transition will be phased how ?
23. If timetables change in future, will station hours be changed to suit?
24. Does this really save any money ?
Charles King East Surrey Transport Committee 10th July 2023
1. Government consultations are usually 3 months, so why 3 weeks and a third party? Is this to circumvent agreed processes ?
2. Why have you not published the % of tickets sold at the Booking Office station by station. Other TOCs have ?
3. The press release states 12% of tickets are sold at booking offices. What is the full range across the network ?
4. Will each station have the same number of staff ?
5. What is the benefit? If we have the same person from the ticket office outside the ticket office - no cost saving and probably reduced customer service.
6. Why are large stations included in this where use of booking Office use is well in excess of 12% such as London Bridge, St Pancras, Victoria, East Croydon and Brighton ? Even TfL in its closed system has a number of travel centres.
7. The ticket office machines can sell a wider range of tickets than the public machines. Will the ticketing assistant/seller have access to the same equipment as the booking office ?
8. Will ticketing assistant/seller be able to sell the full range of tickets ? This includes : Advance, Boundary Zone. CIV (Eurostar tickets) Plus Bus, tickets from other stations?
9. Will the ticketing assistant/seller be able to print tickets that have been sold on line ?
10. Will the ticketing assistant/seller be able to print tickets or sell only e-tickets so you need a smart phone to travel ?
11. Will the ticketing assistant/seller be able to sell Oyster and Keycards ?
12. Will the ticketing assistant/seller be able to top up Oyster and Keycards ?
13. Will the ticketing assistant/seller be dependent direct fixed electrical connections or on wifi? This is just not reliable enough for critical systems.
14. If the ticketing assistant/seller is unable to issue a ticket will they be able to issue a permit to travel so passengers do not receive a penalty fare ?
15. Where will the ticketing assistant/seller be positioned ? Many stations have very little room such as Caterham and South Croydon. They should not be in a location that blocks the barrier ?
16. How will the ticketing assistant/seller deal with cash transactions and how will they keep cash secure ?
17. Will the ticketing assistant/seller also assist passengers with reduced mobility on and
off trains ?
18. Existing TVM don’t sell all tickets, will they sell Advance, Boundary Zone. CIV (Eurostar tickets) Plus Bus as separate transaction ?
19. Will the number of TVMs be increased ?
20. Who will be responsible for maintaining and replenishing TVMS ?
21. Some existing TVMs fail to work in bright sunlight or extreme cold and wet.
22. It says the transition will be phased how ?
23. If timetables change in future, will station hours be changed to suit?
24. Does this really save any money ?
Charles King East Surrey Transport Committee 10th July 2023
Thanks John for forwarding the above information. One hopes that this will help keep public awaredness.
Burngullow sand trial
Alan Peters
Alan Peters
A trial for a new flow from Burngullow (Methrose Siding) to Longport for Land Recovery will run on Tuesday 18th July, operated by Colas Rail Freight .The train will depart Longport at 22:40 on 17th July 2023 as 4Z57 and arrive Burngullow at 06:51 class 70 hauled with empty 20 JNA wagons, the rostered locomotive is 70801.
Realtime Trains | 4Z57 2240 Longport Lr Colas to Burngullow Jn | 17/07/2023
The train will work from Burngullow at 11:25 as 6Z57 to Exeter Riverside arriving at 14:02 with 10 loaded JNA wagons and return light to Burngullow as 0Z57 departing Exeter Riverside 14:55 and arriving 17:34 at Burngullow.
Realtime Trains | 6Z57 1125 Burngullow Jn to Exeter Riverside N.Y. | 18/07/2023
Realtime Trains | 0Z57 1455 Exeter Riverside N.Y. to Burngullow Jn | 18/07/2023
The second portion with 10 loaded JNA wagons will depart Burngullow 19:29 arriving Exeter Riverside 22:09, before working to forward to Longport the following day, if successful it is hoped to be a regular service and much needed freight flow to Cornwall and offer plenty of photo opportunity in Devon and Cornwall.
Realtime Trains | 6Z59 0500 Exeter Riverside N.Y. to Longport Lr Colas | 19/07/2023
Driver Alan Peters
Realtime Trains | 4Z57 2240 Longport Lr Colas to Burngullow Jn | 17/07/2023
The train will work from Burngullow at 11:25 as 6Z57 to Exeter Riverside arriving at 14:02 with 10 loaded JNA wagons and return light to Burngullow as 0Z57 departing Exeter Riverside 14:55 and arriving 17:34 at Burngullow.
Realtime Trains | 6Z57 1125 Burngullow Jn to Exeter Riverside N.Y. | 18/07/2023
Realtime Trains | 0Z57 1455 Exeter Riverside N.Y. to Burngullow Jn | 18/07/2023
The second portion with 10 loaded JNA wagons will depart Burngullow 19:29 arriving Exeter Riverside 22:09, before working to forward to Longport the following day, if successful it is hoped to be a regular service and much needed freight flow to Cornwall and offer plenty of photo opportunity in Devon and Cornwall.
Realtime Trains | 6Z59 0500 Exeter Riverside N.Y. to Longport Lr Colas | 19/07/2023
Driver Alan Peters
Many thanks Alan for the advice - we hope for a succesfull trial.
Contrasts
James Bown
James Bown
Hi Keith Whilst travelling today back from Barnstaple and onwards to Sherborne I photographed these contrasting styles in Railway design. No prizes for guessing which one offers comfort to the traveller! Best wishes James. Bown
Contrasting front ends at Exeter St Davids. 14th July 2023. Copyright James Bown.
I would say both pretty poor in comparision with the HST. - K.J.