Drastic Changes to Rail Timetable.
57604 Pendennis Castle with the last Night Riviera from Penzance due to the emergency measures with the Coronavirus pandemic outbreak. It may be sometime before normal services are resumed. Copyright Roger Winnen
200320b This train was very quiet tonight with only a few passengers onboard. Copyright Roger Winnen
The message below comes from GWR with a request that the information is spread as widely as possible. Perhaps you might think it appropriate to put it on the CRS web site.
You may have seen in this morning’s media that following discussions with government and the wider rail industry, we are reducing services to reflect national advice against non-essential travel, while maintaining services critical to keeping key workers moving during the current situation.
The new timetable will operate from Monday (23 March). There will however also be some changes to advertised services over this weekend. The new timetable will operate until further notice.
The changes prioritise key routes, essential for those people continuing to deliver vital services as the UK responds to the current situation. We will be operating hourly London services to Bristol Temple Meads, South Wales, Worcester Shrub Hill and Plymouth where customers will be able to connect for Cornwall. Customers for the South Cotswolds will be able to connect with a two hourly service from Swindon. There will also be significant changes to regional and branch line services.
We are working hard to enter all the changes into online and digital timetables, and these should all be updated in the next seven to ten days. From then individual journeys can be checked on www.gwr.com/travel-updates/check-your-journey.
Until then we will be adding details to a dedicated page on our website gwr.com. This is being updated now and will be available later this morning.
You may have seen in this morning’s media that following discussions with government and the wider rail industry, we are reducing services to reflect national advice against non-essential travel, while maintaining services critical to keeping key workers moving during the current situation.
The new timetable will operate from Monday (23 March). There will however also be some changes to advertised services over this weekend. The new timetable will operate until further notice.
The changes prioritise key routes, essential for those people continuing to deliver vital services as the UK responds to the current situation. We will be operating hourly London services to Bristol Temple Meads, South Wales, Worcester Shrub Hill and Plymouth where customers will be able to connect for Cornwall. Customers for the South Cotswolds will be able to connect with a two hourly service from Swindon. There will also be significant changes to regional and branch line services.
We are working hard to enter all the changes into online and digital timetables, and these should all be updated in the next seven to ten days. From then individual journeys can be checked on www.gwr.com/travel-updates/check-your-journey.
Until then we will be adding details to a dedicated page on our website gwr.com. This is being updated now and will be available later this morning.
Today at Truro
Mick House
I visited Truro today to photograph DR80301 Stephen Cornish that was in the yard and while I was there I took some shots of some of the arrivals. First I took some shots of DR80301 Stephen Cornish a Multi Purpose Stoneblower operated by Network Rail, this is the first time this machine has been this far west, possibly the first time into Cornwall. Class 802 013 arrived from Penzance and five minutes later class 150 244 came in with class 158 747 on the rear.
A report by Mick House.
A report by Mick House.
Number 2 end of DR80301 Copyright Mick House.
DR80301 named Stephen Cornish. Copyright Mick House.
Class 802 0301 arrives from Penzance. Copyright Mick House.
Class 150 244 arrives from Exeter. Copyright Mick House.
Class 158 747 on the rear of 150 244 after arrival at Truro. Copyright Mick House.
Exciting tines
Weymouth Tramway
Peter Murnaghan
Weymouth Tramway
Peter Murnaghan
With the news that the Weymouth Tramway is finally to be removed, the scenes of railway staff bouncing parked cars out of the way of an approaching train are sadly now only a memory. My first encounter of the line was on a family holiday to Guernsey, as a small boy, and a GWR pannier tank was shunting on the roadway.
In sorting out some old slide boxes, I was reminded of a holiday in Jersey in 1977, which involved travel from Waterloo and back on the Channel Islands Boat Train (by then Class 33 haulage was the norm). A couple of my shots out of the carriage window captured the unique nature of the journey.
Great fun!, Peter
In sorting out some old slide boxes, I was reminded of a holiday in Jersey in 1977, which involved travel from Waterloo and back on the Channel Islands Boat Train (by then Class 33 haulage was the norm). A couple of my shots out of the carriage window captured the unique nature of the journey.
Great fun!, Peter
A tight squeeze - The Channel Is boat train forces a Wtn Nat Bristol VR 1066 up onto the pavement to pass on. 10th Sept 1977. Copyright Peter Murnaghan.
Channel Islands boat train headed by Class 33, leaving the road section of the Weymouth Tramway, past Western National's bus park. 10th Sept 77. Copyright Peter Murnaghan.
Memories are made of this - many thanks Peter.
A question from afar
Victor Menhennet..
Victor Menhennet..
From a Cornishman in exile. I have a question re the ornamental trim round the station canopies. Is there any history regarding this ? There seems to be a large variety of designs and styles. Were they 'created' by local craftsmen under the direction of the station architect ? The reason that I'm asking is that we are modifying some of our platform shelters on the Waterloo Central Railway to make them more like railway structures rather than the barn-look they currently have. At the present time work has been postponed due to a potential illness of one of our members so there is not a sense of urgency. Once they are complete I thought that adding such trim work would add authenticity to the structures. Therefore what I'm really asking for is dimensions of the trim such as shown in pic of Redruth. It is difficult seeing all the different styles to get a sense of the actual size of each 'leaf' as shown: the length, width, distance between, size of hole etc etc. Getting all that detail may be a tall order but I have to ask. If this is not possible, I fully understand and thank you for considering it.
Thanks for your question Victor, nice to know that you are thinking of something GW for far off places. Can anybody help? If you wonder where the Waterloo Central Railway is please use google or try the link below..
Thanks for your question Victor, nice to know that you are thinking of something GW for far off places. Can anybody help? If you wonder where the Waterloo Central Railway is please use google or try the link below..
Redruth station down platform building. Taken we guess by Victor. Copyright Victor Menhennet.