Recent content by sleepy_hollow

The risk does seem to be increasingly out of proportion to the benefits; you only really save money if you make open jaw, or single leg journeys, and then only if the open jaws are on different routes. Going to Weston and back from Yatton comes in at a return to Weston if all off peak, or 1.70...

In essence XC is currently operated by fast, reliable diesel trains and more of the type are probably becoming available, for all their wasted space. The railway will remain diesel operated for the foreseeable future so the real medium term questions seem to be: 1. How soon can more Voyagers...

The tide marks suggest nothing abnormal for a 13.0 m prediction on Tuesday, perhaps 50 mm higher than the similar prediction for the Wenesday tide that I photographed on the turn. That is the problem with 'severe flooding' as a reason for closure, no one knows where it is, everyone imagines...

And today, Wednesday 10th March 2024, with an astronomical tide prediction of 13.0 m at 0919, with the closure mark then well under trains ran normally all day, including aa the tide turned. High tide at 0920 BST. The 0931 outbound: Yet yesterday, with an equal predicted height...

Interesting suggestion, although last Friday may have been before Cheltenham. Next week will presumably show a return to normal and make the normal picture clearer.

240308 Sea Mills (SML) to Cam & Dursley (CDU) & Severn Beach (SVB) to SML - Where are all the Turbos? + Cycle accommodation review So, off on the 0854 from SML, changing at Bristol Temple Meads (BRI) onto the 0938 for CDU (continues to Worcester) with a view to a gentle preparation for this...

This is the Sea Mills new moon high tide at its maximum on Tuesday 12th March 2024, two days ago. Predicted as 13.2 m at 0843. The following day, Wednesday 13th was predicted at 12.8 m but still produced a timetable only planned to start at midday. Generally similar level to the 2014...

I have now located the relevant trains on RTT. Here is the train from Gloucester to Weymouth, showing the set swap at BRI in the small print. And here in two screenshots is the Weymouth to Gloucester train, also showing in the small print a complete set swap at BRI, which explains the...

I wrote the date in ISO format but put 23 instead of 24. I have now corrected this. There appears to be a suggestion that the booked operations do not follow the timetable, both in not providing the through train, and in running the substitute late.

On the 19th February 2024, a smooth first journey from Sea Mills (SML) to Severn Beach (SVB), only a few minutes late, a two car class 165 diesel multiple unit (DMU) with four other bicycles, three large. Nearly forgot to tap out at SVB, but walked back 20 metres and all the days PAYG (Pay As...

And still we are no wiser as to what is going on, whether administrative muddle or new procedures and limits. So far we seem to have the same situation as list year, where the first predicted highest tide produces a closure after which high tides are ignored. It is almost as if the first highest...

Which raises an interesting question. Were these lines built as tidal, or did they become tidal? I suppose the route past Dawlish could be described as tidal, but was presumably not intended to be so, and I know of no evidence that the Clifton Extension was intended to be susceptible to tides...

Yesterday the forecast for today was sunny, so I planned a day's cycling from Severn Beach, returning from Yate, intending to travel on the 0904 from Sea Mills, 2K14. I noticed that the Environment Agency had issued flood warnings for the Avon from Sea Mills to Conham, checked the tide forecast...

It has to be said that if you take the Mont Blanc Express, get out at Vallorcine and take the cable car up the hill from there you find yourself on an undulating moor on the Swiss border looking back down the Arve valley at the much more spectacular glaciated mountains around Chamonix at a...

A lesson in not jumping to conclusions; I suppose even the problem with doors could be doors on a different train. The turnaround signal at CDN was a favourite project of the Severn Rail Partnership for years, although they were suspected of intending it for a service with planned turnarounds...