Recent content by Shimbleshanks

The footbridge at Coulsdon South on the Brighton Main Line (Redhill loop) if you're ever down this way. Nice, old fashioned open footbridge on a curving section of line. Most of the regular electric units that pass through are bit monotonous, to be honest, but there are a few freights on...

Yes, I've just made a resolution to stop clicking on the Daily Express stories about conscription, Ukraine, nuclear warheads etc. The more you click on them the more you get sent. You get far more erudite and thoughtful analysis of the geopolitical situation on RailUKforums anyway.

Isn't this issue of overcrowding rather overstated? I travel a fair bit on long distance routes at different times of the day and week and can't say that I've been on a train where absolutely every last seat was occupied in second class, other than at times of catastrophic disruption (which...

The Williamson Tunnels are worth a look if they're open when you're there. An eccentric who had a load of tunnels dug out underneath his property in the early 19th Century for no known reason, very close to the cutting into Lime Street, so there is a railway connection. Visitors centre is open...

When drinking in the Crown Liquor Saloon in Belfast a few years ago I once had to convince someone that I wasn't Hugh Russell, the famous Northern Ireland boxer of the 1980s, and later boxing photographer. (He sadly passed away in October.) I think my total lack of a Belfast accent was enough to...

How far would Eurostar get in an hour? Calais Frethun? Fastest start to stop time I can find is 1hr 26min to Lille.

The length of track in Purley Rotary Field is still there, but the rails are set to the wrong gauge! (4' 8 1/2" I believe). I'm pretty sure the length in Quality Street, Merstham has gone - I hope into a museum rather than illegal scrap merchants.

Duh! 800cm would be about 26 feet...

Swiss Knight processed gruyere cheese, produced by Gerber Foods, I think. Discontinued many years ago. I wonder is it still available anywhere in the German-speaking world?

Snowdon Mountain Railway is 2'7 1/2" (800cm) because the whole thing was bought as a complete kit from the Swiss manufacturers. I think the gauge is unique in the british Isles but there are rack railways of the same gauge elsewhere in Europe.

Many years ago, a caff in High Wycombe that I used to pass on the way to the office had a board outside proclaiming: "Today's Special: Sausage, chips and beans." Perhaps that was considered exotic in 1990s Bucks....

An Indian I used to patronise in the 1980s (Khan's in Bayswater, I think) described Bhindi Bhaji (Ladyfingers) as: 'A very well known dish' - and left it at that. Perhaps there was nothing more to say, it was one of their blander creations as I remember.

Active Travel means: 'The station is miles away from the town centre - and we don't have the means or the will to do anything about it'.

After rural pub crawls, I used to use the last trains from Hever or Cowden towards East Croydon and London on the Uckfield branch (round about 22.00) and cannot ever remember any other passengers boarding or alighting. There were usually a small handful of passengers already on the train who had...

Again, very different from my experience. I recall school trips by OR Jones coach hammering down the Abergele bypass with 50 kids on board and the speedo sitting on the 80mph mark...