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  1. PTR 444

    Disc, voucher and meter parking zones

    I was up in the North of England earlier this month and came across several road signs mentioning a “Disc Zone”. From the signs, it is obvious that they a form of parking restriction, but what makes Disc Zones unique is that parking is enforced by drivers displaying a “disc” (piece of card with...
  2. PTR 444

    Speeding up slow journeys between London boroughs

    London is a global player when it comes to public transport connectivity, but the issue with cities of its size is that away from the mainline corridors, everywhere takes so long to get to. For example Epsom Downs is only 10 miles from Clapham Junction as the crow flies, but it takes longer to...
  3. PTR 444

    Local radio stations

    Thought I’d start a topic on this, as it was announced yesterday that one of the most popular radio stations for my local area, Wave 105 (covering Hampshire, Dorset and the Isle of Wight), is to be amalgamated into Greatest Hits Radio...
  4. PTR 444

    Trivia: Are there any settlements that are served by trams but not buses?

    This question applies to both the UK and internationally, as I expect examples over here will be limited to suburbs or villages. Still, I’d be intrigued to find out if there are any large towns or cities around the world that entirely use trams for their local transit network. Considering that...
  5. PTR 444

    Mobile phones in schools

    This is a regularly contested topic, and one that usually makes the news whenever there is a proposal to ban mobile phones in schools. Most children now own a smartphone and use it as a staple of their lives, whether for good or bad. They have great potential to be useful learning devices, but...
  6. PTR 444

    What if the UK’s motorway network had followed the “Neubaustrecke” concept?

    …Or the Autobahn equivalent of that word. Inspired by a similar thread on HS2 from a few months ago, I’m wondering what might have happened in an alternative scenario where Britain’s motorway network was planned as a series of incremental bypasses paralleling the existing trunk road network...
  7. PTR 444

    Should the Northern City Line appear on the tube map?

    The Northern City Line is functionally the same as the Elizabeth Line, Thameslink, Overground and sub-surface Tube lines, in that they are services operated using mainline rolling stock which are underground for at least some of their length. While it did appear on the Tube Map in times gone by...
  8. PTR 444

    Side Hustles

    In today’s connected world, it is becoming increasingly common for people to look at other sources of income in addition to their main jobs. From affiliate marketing, writing a blog or selling art online, the possibilities are endless. What side hustles do forum members here have, regardless of...
  9. PTR 444

    Which iPhone would you recommend in 2024?

    I must have been living under a rock for the past few years since I am still the proud owner of an iPhone 6s, while most of the world has moved on with more modern, up-to-date models. I can remember when the 6s launched almost a decade ago and how popular it was with Millennials and Generation Z...
  10. PTR 444

    Exploring the Home Counties north of London

    I have a week off work in the middle of February, which by lucky coincidence will also be during the period of the upcoming rail sale. As I need to be in North London the following weekend, I was thinking of taking a short solo break somewhere within the Home Counties, like Milton Keynes or...
  11. PTR 444

    Would you want to travel on staffless public transport?

    By that, I mean any driverless train, bus or tram without any other member of staff on board. We know widespread adoption of driverless vehicles is some way off yet, but progress in recent years has been rapid. I reckon at some point this century, we will see some sort of completely driverless...
  12. PTR 444

    Visiting the Normandy beaches without a car - is it practical?

    One of many places I have never been but would like to visit at some point is the Normandy coast in France. Its fame for hosting the D-Day landings on its purposely named beaches brings with it global appeal, and thus is very popular with tourists. I expect it will be even more so this year with...
  13. PTR 444

    Trivia: Train journeys under an hour that cross a time zone

    Inspired by a post on another thread about the former Calais - London Eurostar journey, I’m wondering how many train journeys there are around the world which takes less than an hour and cross a time zone, hence the illusion that you arrive ‘before’ you leave if you are travelling westbound...
  14. PTR 444

    Matt Berry narrating Thomas the Tank Engine?

    Found this clip which aired in an episode of Last Week Tonight with John Oliver from a month ago, depicting Henry the Green Engine as a disproportionately long freight train narrated by Matt Berry. (Warning - contains strong language!) I have to say I have always been a huge fan of Matt Berry’s...
  15. PTR 444

    Reopening the Ventnor Tunnel

    With last month’s landslip at Bonchurch and emergency roadworks on Ocean View Road in Ventnor blocking 2 of 3 access roads into the town, a local resident shares his view on what could be next for Ventnor, with a suggestion of restoring the railway line into the town...
  16. PTR 444

    Motorway services discussion

    The landscape of Britain’s motorway services has changed significantly since the first were opened alongside the early motorways of the 1950s and 1960s. Back in the day, they were owned by the government who leased sites out to private operators by tender (a bit like the rail franchising...
  17. PTR 444

    Major landslip near Ventnor, Isle of Wight - 10/12/23

    Yesterday evening, the landscape of the Isle of Wight changed forever following a major landslip a few metres from the A3055 Bonchurch Road. https://www.countypress.co.uk/news/23980675.isle-wight-bonchurch-landslip-near-ventnor-sees-gardens-collapse/ To make matters worse, the road to Wroxall...
  18. PTR 444

    Have any London - Bournemouth trains ever completely bypassed Southampton?

    In today’s world, the only competitive rail route from London to Bournemouth passes through Southampton Central, therefore any blockade at or west of SOU necessitates a replacement bus service. Before the Beeching Axe however, it would have also been possible to route a train from London to...
  19. PTR 444

    Could HS2 have been planned and built in the 1980s?

    HS2, despite being renowned for its cost overruns and delays, is actually progressing relatively quickly compared to a lot of other British megaprojects. The first proposal for such a concept was drawn up in 2010, and it only took another ten years before shovels finally hit the ground. Compare...
  20. PTR 444

    Banking Engine at Shap narration - where is this originally from?

    Was listening to BBC Radio 1 this evening, and somewhat to my surprise, the following narration was featured in the classic essential mix: “Let me explain what you’ve just heard.” “A Banking Engine, one of the three that work Shap in busy times, went into position at the rear of a freight that...

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