• Our booking engine at tickets.railforums.co.uk (powered by TrainSplit) helps support the running of the forum with every ticket purchase! Find out more and ask any questions/give us feedback in this thread!

Search results

  1. AlexNL

    RealTimeTrains website

    If memory serves me right RTT has a background process which enriches the data received from the feeds with its own data. This adds the distances, as well as additional timing points and calculating passing times. But this does not run for VSTP schedules.
  2. AlexNL

    LNER Class 800 Flashing BIL on last coach

    When would a guard typically do that in such a case? Once the train has fully left the platform?
  3. AlexNL

    LNER launching a mascot

    It's been a deliberate choice by Virgin / Best Impressions to not do that, and that's being carried forward to this day. Source: Red Hot (Virgin Trains East Coast branding 2015 – ) – The Beauty of Transport
  4. AlexNL

    LNER launching a mascot

    Yep! When SNCF rebranded themselves in the mid-2000s, they launched these mascots alongside. They're named "Idix" and they represent ideas, and SNCF used Idix to present themselves as a place where ideas are nurtured and developed. They even starred in ads, like this one: :lol:
  5. AlexNL

    LNER launching a mascot

    I bought one too, but only to keep my SNCF mascots company. I swear. :D Picture of a plush toy made after EMR's "Miles" mascot alongside three pink Idix 'blobs' (mascots used by the French railways, SNCF, in the mid-2000s).
  6. AlexNL

    Two trains on the same track

    YouTube recommended me the following video about this very subject. It explains the rationale behind the 2TMV project and its history, the practical implementation (including an explanation of what a driver sees) and has good footage of the whole thing. The video is in French, English...
  7. AlexNL

    Transport for Wales Class 231 / 756 FLIRTs

    In the end, no. The new fleets (197, 231, 398, 756) are all owned by SMBC Leasing and Equitix. From a bookkeeping perspective this was more interesting than TfW/WG acquiring the units by themselves. Absolutely! The money has to come from somewhere. Another complicating factor is the...
  8. AlexNL

    Transport for Wales Class 231 / 756 FLIRTs

    In an ideal world with unlimited budgets, an all-Stadler fleet would've been a game-changer for the entirety of Wales as much as it has been in Anglia. Unfortunately that's not the world we live in, there is a limit to how much money is available. This applies to costs upfront (capital expense...
  9. AlexNL

    Two trains on the same track

    The "special signalling device" the French need is... a mid-platform signal. :-)
  10. AlexNL

    Eurostar disruption 30th November

    I'm surprised there hasn't been a case of self-detrainment.
  11. AlexNL

    Multiple ECML Issues between Newark-Peterborough (28/11/2023)

    If it's the same spot as before, perhaps some of the fencing has broken/been vandalised, making it easier for deer to get on the tracks once more. For them then to find themselves trapped on the inside of the fence.
  12. AlexNL

    Evolyn to investigate cross-Channel rail services (clarified to not include Mobico)

    That's my point, an operator like Eurostar could create one if they'd have the stock for it. If it turns out there's huge demand for London - Geneva despite the Lille shuffle it might even be worth investigating the creation of a through service.
  13. AlexNL

    Evolyn to investigate cross-Channel rail services (clarified to not include Mobico)

    Now that Eurostar and Thalys have merged, in theory it should be easier for the new integrated operator to create some sort of through ticketed service. It could also work in the other direction by connecting with London bound Eurostar services which call at Lille Europe. "Take 'Eurostar Blue'...
  14. AlexNL

    Evolyn to investigate cross-Channel rail services (clarified to not include Mobico)

    To add to that: when DB was working on their London plans, the European continent was in a recession and the long distance bus market was liberalised. Suddenly Germany saw an explosion in long distance buses, and given the financial situation a lot of DB's passengers switched to the much cheaper...
  15. AlexNL

    Evolyn to investigate cross-Channel rail services (clarified to not include Mobico)

    Alstom have also heard the news, here's their statement:
  16. AlexNL

    Evolyn to investigate cross-Channel rail services (clarified to not include Mobico)

    The SNCF of today isn't the same anti-competitive SNCF of a decade ago, though. Some reforms within the company have seen to that. The responsibility of operation of stations and such has transferred to a dedicated business unit within SNCF Réseau, the network operator. This one is pretty much...
  17. AlexNL

    Evolyn to investigate cross-Channel rail services (clarified to not include Mobico)

    That very likely means it's still pending a financial close. Alstom will probably remain quiet on the subject until the order is final and they can start building.
  18. AlexNL

    Evolyn to investigate cross-Channel rail services (clarified to not include Mobico)

    Depends on how tall you are :D Look at this trip report of a TGV from Frankfurt for example, look at how low the doorway is compared to the person standing outside: Nothing is ever easy on the railway :D
  19. AlexNL

    Evolyn to investigate cross-Channel rail services (clarified to not include Mobico)

    The international portion of High Speed 1 and its stations is built entirely to continental standards, Eurostar prove as much every day with their e320 trains. A problem would be with entry: as far as I'm aware all platforms have been built to a platform height of 76cm above top of rail...
  20. AlexNL

    Evolyn to investigate cross-Channel rail services (clarified to not include Mobico)

    The 2025 timeframe is probably feasible if the order is for a (variant of) the TGV M, so double decker coaches. The production lines for those are running at full speed and type certification is underway. I don't think Alstom could deliver a type certified single decker design in a 2 year timeframe.

Top