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Recent content by Beebman

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    british rail seat moquette

    When I was studying at a college in Isleworth in the early 80s and I was a regular traveller on the Hounslow Loop I remember that one EPB (I'm pretty sure it was 5118) still had the green and red Candy Stripe moquettes.
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    Century old LNER wagon unearthed in field near Antwerp

    I've found an article in Dutch from local Belgian TV station VRT about the excavation: https://www.vrt.be/vrtnws/nl/2024/03/19/archeologen-stoten-op-100-jaar-oude-treinwagon-in-antwerpen/ It has a second photo taken from the opposite side to the first one which also appears in the BBC article.
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    Very disappointing Eurostar Business Premier Service Journey Amsterdam to London

    I had to make a short-notice personal trip to Paris last July and as the price difference then between Standard and Business Premier was relatively small I went for the latter. I definitely appreciated the fast-track entrances at both StP and GdN but other than that there wasn't really anything...
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    Where does the WCML south, become north?

    Included in the lyrics to Flanders and Swann's 'Slow Train': https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slow_Train_(Flanders_and_Swann_song)
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    Vintage buses destroyed by fire 08/12/2023

    Update video released yesterday by the FoKAB showing the remains of Leyland Olympic JAA 708 being removed by low loader from Penton Mewsey and taken to Winchester for assessment to see if there's any hope of restoring it, seeing as it was the only vehicle which wasn't completely destroyed in the...
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    Worst damage to a locomotive sustained while hauling a railtour?

    I was on that railtour, it was HRT's 'Lancashire Witch' on the unseasonably dark and rainy July 16th 1988: https://www.sixbellsjunction.co.uk/80s/880716hr.htm
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    Advice on trip to Australia

    I went to Bendigo in 2022 and enjoyed a ride on ex-Melbourne 918, also ex-Geelong 15 was out and about on a charter. Note though that there's a hour break in service at lunchtime and the last round trip leaves Charing Cross (the nearest stop to Bendigo Station) at 3pm. I went there on a day trip...
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    Marseille Local Transport 16/17 March

    For a hotel close to the station I can recommend the Ibis Marseille Centre Gare Saint Charles - I've stayed there twice in recent years, it's just round the corner from the main entrance with about a 100 metre walk.
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    Video of a Russian EMU badly damaging the OHLE

    I've just randomly discovered this video on YouTube which was posted 6 days ago - it's a Russian EP2D EMU having an apparent short circuit and spectacularly bringing down the contact wires at Pererva Station about halfway between Moscow and St.Petersburg:
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    Electrified Rail Lines which have either closed or are now diesel operated

    I've an example in Germany - in 1984 DR electrified the line from Neudietendorf to Arnstadt in Thuringia as the latter station had more capacity for loco changes for the line on to Meiningen than back up the route at Erfurt. After reunification the former cross-border route from Erfurt to Bebra...
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    Sitting with a person when a train is empty

    Mentioning the DLR reminds me of the time I travelled on the extension to King George V station just after it opened in 2005. I managed to grab a front seat at Bank even though there was quite a crowd and indeed the train left full and standing. By the time it reached Pontoon Dock it was almost...
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    Sitting with a person when a train is empty

    Back in the 80s I boarded a fairly empty 310 at Euston to travel to Milton Keynes. As the train didn't look likely to fill up I manspreaded a little across the adjacent seat (it was a double seat as opposed to a triple one). A couple of minutes late a rather large lady sat on the seat next to me...
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    BRIGHTLINE Miami to Orlando

    This video from CBS Colorado popped up when I logged into YouTube just now: 3 injured when Amtrak train hits semi hauling milk, derails in Northern Colorado EDIT: Update from the same channel:
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    BRIGHTLINE Miami to Orlando

    Something I noticed when I travelled on Brightline last Saturday was the use of half-barriers on the exit side of crossings - that video shows an example at the 0:46 mark. Here's another example I've found on GSV: https://maps.app.goo.gl/7AoCqRwgv2ityaS18
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    BRIGHTLINE Miami to Orlando

    The opening of Brightline has inspired me to do some general bucket list ticking-off in Florida this week and having spent some time in Orlando I travelled to Miami today on the 11:50 (which ran 30 minutes late throughout due to "a delay on the train's previous journey"). When passing through...

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