What was the last change you were genuinely excited about?

[Dr Strider]

Agree with many of the ones above, plus a few more random ones since I started travelling regularly 30 odd years ago:

- The Rugby WCML remodelling (if I had to pick a single project from the whole WCML upgrade)
- The reopening north of Bham Snow Hill, particularly Smethwick Galton Bridge with its quirky layout
- Navigation Street bridge and exit opening at Bham New Street in the 1990s
- Cardiff to Nottingham diversions using the Sutton Park line around 9 or 10 years ago.

Dr Strider

 

[apinnard]

If they had ramped up the timetable knocking minutes off here & there I may have mentioned it but apart from extending to Stansted it’s not really enough to get my juices flowing. Nothing could top the WCML upgrade & the Virgin revolution for me

Must be a right bore having to wait time at places like Chelmsford and Colchester all the time.

 

[dk1]

Must be a right bore having to wait time at places like Chelmsford and Colchester all the time.

Does my box in mate especially late evening when all you want to do is get home & done. Sundays are the best for limited dwell times.

 

[modernrail]

LNER going back to public operation and then consistently performing well in terms of innovation (seat booking etc), marketing (beating all other TOCs at getting post covid passenger numbers above pre-Covid), interaction with NR (improvements to ECML), quality of stations and constant improvements, dealing with the constant sins of the DfT (making the seats a bit better than they could have been, although still not worthy of that great route), protecting decent catering where GWR provides a pathetic hardly ever around crap trolley serving dross, attitude of staff (exponentially better that GWR, much better in the stations than Avanti and EMR), commitment to future innovation through organised open access public competition.

My only gripe with them is the availability of fares and how busy the trains are. Would love to see an increase in services to deal with that. Maybe we will see that with digital signalling.

 

[Brush 4]

Re-quadrupling on Filton Bank, redoubling the Chiltern line and most of the Cotswold line. MML 3 or 4 tracking. the Axminster redoubling, Various flyovers or diveunders. Okehampton, Bicester and soon, the rest. Any reopening really. Expanding the network can only be a good thing. HS1, the Channel Tunnel, a massive game changer. HS2 or, what's left of it....

 

[QueensCurve]

When was the last time you were genuinely excited about a change or improvement to the railways? For me it was probably the reopening of the Okehampton line or the construction of Marsh Barton station (which sadly did not happen before I moved away!)

Bonus points if you weren't let down

Norton Bridge flyover.

 

[nw1]

Rarely happens these days, but I was genuinely interested in the new GWML timetable of 2019.

A shame Covid had to wreck it.

Other things in the past 15 years or so are sparse, but would include the full opening of HS1, and the SWT modifications of 2007 which brought in the two Weymouths an hour and the hourly xx39 Waterloo-Poole semi-fast, with its interestingly unpredictable mix of stock. Now sadly gone.

 

[Sad Sprinter]

This is a great question, I really don't know. I actually find British railways to be, ironically, one of my least favourite worldwide from an enthusiasts perspective; lack of uniformity, dull stock and the general feeling of "blugh" that has plagued the railways since I've been around post-privatisation. But to answer the thread's question, I was very happy at the announcement of Great British Railways, which I think will provide much needed coordination, integration and a stronger cohesive identity for the railways.

I was also happy to hear when the Mill Hill East branch of the Northern Line was going to have direct services through to Morden again all day, for an absolute train nerd seeing the destination screens have 3 potential termini (Edgware, High Barnet and Mill Hill) can be shamefully exciting.

 

[Techniquest]

Norton Bridge flyover.

Ooh yes, I remember that being good to get done. Seems incredible that we had a time without it now!

@nw1 mentioned the 2019 GWR timetable, and yes I agree it was going to be potentially awesome. I found myself remembering the SuperFasts fondly while at Reading a couple of days ago, an incredible shame they don't run now!

 

[nw1]

I see others have gone back beyond the current era a bit, so here is a selection of the most interesting happenings since 1982, some of which probably seem a bit quirky:

- The introduction of two XC services from my local Portsmouth Direct to the North West in 1986, up from one (sadly only lasted a year, followed by a period of about 10 years with none)
- The "InterCity Cross London" project of 1986 which redirected Brighton XCs up the WCML and brought through services from Kent
- The East Grinstead electrification of 1987; a small project but it was quite a radical change to see the Thumpers replaced by CIGs and VEPs
- The Waterloo lines 1988 timetable, including Weymouth electrification and the restoration of all-day through services from Waterloo to Guildford via Ascot
- The Waterloo lines 1989 timetable, with Greyhounds and the Basingstoke and Alton services running separately
- The Solent area electrification of 1990
- The revised SWT timetable of 1997, with improved frequencies and a timetable that seemed very nicely-designed. I also found the way that the mainline stock (442s, CIGs and VEPs) was allocated at the time a work of art, to maximise usage of express stock off-peak and capacity in the peak. Thus you had 442s on the Portsmouth Direct off-peak, which would come off the Direct in the peak to double up SWML services. These would be replaced by CIGs, which came off Basingstoke/Alton services where they operated off-peak, to be replaced in turn by VEPs.
- The SWT timetable of 1999 with its significant uplift in frequency on some routes
- Operation Princess in a way. I found the timetable exciting, though I preferred the previous stock regime of 47s/86s/MkIIs/HSTs.
- The radically-revised SWT timetable of 2004

@nw1 mentioned the 2019 GWR timetable, and yes I agree it was going to be potentially awesome. I found myself remembering the SuperFasts fondly while at Reading a couple of days ago, an incredible shame they don't run now!

Indeed, I never got to see the "proper" 2019 GWML timetable as Covid kicked in before I went up that way.

 

[Sad Sprinter]

Greyhounds

What were greyhounds?

 

[Intercity110]

What were greyhounds?

i think they were diesel-hydraulics? the original usage of the class 43 number?

 

[hexagon789]

What were greyhounds?

Third rail slammer units modified with an additional motor weak field stage coming in at 45mph; improving acceleration between 45mph and 60mph and also increasing the nominal balancing speed.

 

[nw1]

What were greyhounds?

Partly answered by @hexagon789 already, but essentially, modified 4CIG (Class 421) units which provided better performance and accelerated timings on the Portsmouth Direct line fasts from May 1989. Later extended to other fast routes on the Waterloo lines.

 

[devon_belle]

What were greyhounds?

LSWR Drummond T9 class, in old money

 

[Sun Chariot]

Partly answered by @hexagon789 already, but essentially, modified 4CIG (Class 421) units which provided better performance and accelerated timings on the Portsmouth Direct line fasts from May 1989. Later extended to other fast routes on the Waterloo lines.

I used to ride the Greyhound CIGs. Did any of the VEPs get similar treatment? My old grey cells think I saw and rode at least one such unit on a Portsmouth service.

 

[hexagon789]

I used to ride the Greyhound CIGs. Did any of the VEPs get similar treatment? My old grey cells think I saw and rode at least one such unit on a Portsmouth service.

I think it was just Class 412s.

 

[Adam Evans]

Probably the reopening of the Halton Curve in 2019 as it gave my family and I a much more convenient direct service from South Parkway to Chester without having to head into town and then back out via the Wirral. It's a great shame that COVID has delayed it's full potential and reduced the service down to two-hourly, but I'm looking forward to direct Liverpool - Wales services as I think they'll be very popular amongst Liverpool-based residents.

I was very much looking forward to the extra Piccadilly platforms and the much needed additional capacity that would provide across the North, but sadly the Scrooge mentality of the Treasury and lack of political will amongst MPs has all but terminated that prospect and hope. Same applies for HS2 and NPR. We're not ever gonna get anything decent are we?

 

[bramling]

When was the last time you were genuinely excited about a change or improvement to the railways? For me it was probably the reopening of the Okehampton line or the construction of Marsh Barton station (which sadly did not happen before I moved away!)

Bonus points if you weren't let down

For me it probably has to be the 365 introduction on WAGN, back in 1996-7. Certainly not a let down, indeed in their original form they were pretty much the perfect outer-suburban train.

 

[Greetlander]

Introduction of GC Bradford - London. Halifax is in the wrong place for major services calling but it gives it a hint of a more major station. Bang in a third platform and some wires and I'll die happy.

 

[Matey]

LSWR Drummond T9 class, in old money

Still to be seen, as a ghostly image crossing Meldon Viaduct on a wild and windy night.

 

[nw1]

I used to ride the Greyhound CIGs. Did any of the VEPs get similar treatment? My old grey cells think I saw and rode at least one such unit on a Portsmouth service.

I don't believe so, no.

 

[jdp30]

For me it probably has to be the 365 introduction on WAGN, back in 1996-7. Certainly not a let down, indeed in their original form they were pretty much the perfect outer-suburban train.

I deeply miss the whining noise the 365's made as they pull away.

 

[stut]

The Brighton to Cambridge connection, Haywards Heath is my local station and my office is in Cambridge and it allows me to breeze through London. Also the connection at Farringdon to the Elizabeth Line, although I have not used it yet.

Definitely this (though Peterborough rather than Cambridge in my case). Direct trains to where I work, direct trains to Gatwick, single change (with lifts!) for Heathrow, and occasional trips to ExCeL, single change at Redhill for the North Downs Line to see family. I don't love the 700s, but the wifi is good enough for me to work onboard, including Teams calls.

 

[Halish Railway]

The reopening of various stations around Bradford in the mid-2010s. Kirkstall Forge and Apperley Bridge have really paid off, giving the Bradford Forster Square to Leeds service much more purpose, as well as finally creating some excellent Trainspotting locations on the Airedale and Wharfedale line - As a kid I always wanted a good spot to see 333s cruising along at speed.

I was incredibly excited for the introduction of 68/MK5s and 802s on the North TransPennine Route, as well as the uplifted timetable they would operate. The success of both is well documented on this forum.

 

[brad465]

The reintroduction of 465/466s on the Maidstone East line last year.

 

[Amlag]

For me it’s got to be the reopening of the Northern part of the Waverley route from Edinburgh to Galashiels/ Tweedbank ..without much doubt the number one worst/least justified Beeching closure

 

[BigB]

For me there were two projects that really made me keep a watch on progress and be keen to go on; the Edinburgh Glasgow electrification and Crossrail.

• The E&G has pretty much delivered what was intended, with a smoother and more reliable service that is just accepted as the norm now.
• The Elizabeth line has been a game changer for every trip to London I've made since it opened, and I have used the tube proper only once in the last two years, whereas previously out of necessity it was every visit and also when changing to go east or west from London.

 

[Mikey C]

Starting with the most recent events and working back...
Bank Station rebuild
Elizabeth Line core opening
S7 trains on the Circle Line
HS1 domestic services
East London Line extension
Jubilee Line extension
DLR to Lewisham
1995 stock on the Northern Line
The introduction of the Networkers

Quite a lot actually

 

[Skimpot flyer]

Thameslink via Finsbury Park, fantastic when it works - Which is pretty much all the time now to be fair to them.

I travelled on one of the ‘preview’ services and posted on Facebook how convenient it was going to be, reaching Gatwick Airport from Potters Bar with a simple same-platform change at Finsbury Park.
Then the service started, and we all remember how well it went…