Trains to Tavistock?

The much-wanted reopening of the Tavistock to Plymouth rail link has moved up the list of priorities for rail projects.

There has been a long-held ambition for the re-opening the link between Tavistock and Plymouth is to encourage people to use rail services, and the reinstatement of the rail line to Tavistock is identified in the 20-year plan of the Peninsula Rail Task Force.

Before Christmas, Damien Jones, the county’s head of transport coordination, had told West Devon councillors that the restoration of the Tavistock-Bere Alston link had moved up in the list of Department for Transport projects.

Preparatory work has been carried out by Network Rail on signalling at Bere Alston, where the line currently terminates, in advance of the possible return to trains to Tavistock.

It follows the successful reopening of the Okehampton branch last month, and with Devon County Council getting £50,000 towards the next stage of works towards the rebuilding the line between Tavistock and Bere Alston in Devon, connecting Tavistock and Plymouth by rail, work on that business case has begun.

The former Tavistock North station opened in June 1890, but closed on May 6, 1968, as part of the Beeching Axe.

However, the track bed south of Tavistock is almost intact to Bere Alston, where it joins the present-day Tamar Valley Line, with an engineering assessment in 2009 showing that the rail-bed, bridges and tunnels between Bere Alston and Tavistock were in sound condition.

But with the success of the Okehampton railway line reopening, Devon has shown that it can deliver on rail projects, and Government officials have woken up to the fact that bringing the railway back to Tavistock would connect the West Devon market town with Plymouth.

At a recent West Devon meeting, Mr Jones told councillors that while there were hundreds of projects on the shortlist, the reopening of the Tavistock line had been moving up the list as plenty of work had already been done.

“If we can get a business case, we know a number of officers are keen on this project and we could draw down more development funding to get the scheme moving forward,” he added.

The project is being sold as linking Tavistock to Plymouth, rather than Bere Alston were the actual link and line extension would be from, because Plymouth is more well-known than Bere Alston.

The plan would be to run an increased service into Plymouth via St Budeaux and Devonport Dockyard, with signalling ‘solutions’ meaning the line could cope with the increased rail traffic without interfering with the branch line services to Gunnislake.

At Devon County Council’s cabinet meeting on Wednesday, councillors backed a motion calling for more support for the revival of the railways across the whole county, which included the development of the North of Dartmoor line, connecting Plymouth, via Okehampton and Tavistock.

Dave Black, head of planning, transportation and environment, in his report to the cabinet, said: “The Restoring Your Railway Ideas Fund monies secured by the County Council for Tavistock to Plymouth rail line is an important milestone as it means it is now formally recognised by Government as a pipeline rail industry scheme. We have seen with Cullompton Railway Station that the Ideas Fund led to it gaining Strategic Outline Business Case approval and unlocking future development funding.

“We are prioritising this work as the next phase of the northern route railway and hope to build on the momentum gained from the successful Dartmoor Line reopening. This was a hugely successful project showcasing what can be achieved when local authorities, the rail industry and the local community work closely together. The Tavistock to Plymouth Rail business case work involving partners will start in January 2022.

“Decarbonisation of transport and tackling climate change is now a much higher priority for local authorities. While rail is already a low carbon mode of transport, the South West has ageing diesel train fleets and so low carbon traction options, including the transfer of more road freight to rail, are key aspirations for the Peninsula region.”

https://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/news/plymouth-news/plymouth-tavistock-railway-link-moving-6486855

Will it happen?  I certainly hope so but do worry that the cash just wont be there when its really needed…

© Foulger Railway Photography [cc] August 2017

A blast from the past:

© Roger Joanes [cc] Bere Alston.

Plymouth Railway Station Redevelopment

Back in October 2017 The Herald ran a nice little piece on Plymouth Railway Station which included some great photos

North Road Station was given a major makeover in the early 1960s, and, hot on the heels of the Civic Centre opening, which at the time was Plymouth’s tallest building, we had the opening of a second new city ‘skyscraper’ at the railway station

and ended with The HUGE plan for the future of Plymouth Railway Station

Land at and surrounding the railway station has been allocated for a mixed-use regeneration scheme to create a high quality gateway and arrival point to the city and increases the capacity of the station to accommodate increasing numbers of passengers. But it won’t just be a station. There will also be offices, education facilities, commercial, hotel, small-scale retail development, residential and student accommodation.

The Plymouth 'skyscraper' which you probably drive past without realising (its worth a read with some great photos!)

We then move to 8th February 2018 “Eight major Plymouth building projects,and when they are set to begin and finish”

A whopping £205million worth of developments are set to change the face of Plymouth over the next two years – and here is when the city can expect to see things happen.

Plymouth Railway Station – work starts in 2019

The council is pumping £5million from its capital budget towards a £40million overhaul of the North Road station site. The local authority has been working with Great Western Railway, Network Rail and Plymouth City Council on plans which envision the Intercity House office Office block being refurbished – or even knocked down – and escalators carrying passengers right up to North Cross. ““I’m confident we will be on site in 2019.”

Jump to 17th May 2018 and the Herald: Plymouth's Railway Station and the £100 million pound question

It is understood the project is not under threat – with the council having already pledged £5million – but the Government is looking at ways of paying for it and so is pitching it abroad.  The Plymouth project is earmarked for demolition to begin in 2019 with a view to having the huge scheme finished by 2021, the Government says

By the 4th September 2018 it looks like things could be starting:

Demolition to begin in £100m railway station revamp The first significant steps are being taken on the £100million revamp of Plymouth’s railway station with plans to upgrade the concourse and knock down buildings to make way for a new car park. Plymouth City Council’s Cabinet being asked to approve a £26million funding package – when it meets on September 11, 2018 – which will facilitate a phased upgrade to the station concourse and customer facilities.  Cabinet will discuss demolishing the Rail Incident Safety Centre (RISC) building on the east side of the railway station to enable a new multi-storey car park to be built.

Tudor Evans, Leader of Plymouth City Council, said: “This kick-starts a pledge we made to Plymouth in May: that we would deliver a new gateway to Plymouth at the train station with a new entrance overlooking the city, a new car park and more spaces for business and retail.

First images reveal Plymouth's train station of the future (17th September 2018)

Plans to improve the city’s welcome for rail passengers and regenerate the area around the station are moving forward now the council has  given approval for a £26million funding package. Under the first phase of the ambitious regeneration plans, GWR, working with the council and Network Rail, will work on a phased upgrade to the station concourse and customer facilities around it.

• Demolishing the rail incident safety centre (RISC building) on the east side of the railway station to enable a new multi-storey car park to be built.
• By 2021 a new 469-space car park will be built on the site of the RISC building with almost double the capacity of the existing car park.
• Modernised station staff accommodation.
• Public space works including a direct pedestrian link to North Cross and the city centre.
• A new-look entrance off North Cross will also massively improve the pedestrian access to the station.
• Potential for a new hotel and gateway development on the site of the existing car park, which will be demolished once the new one is completed.

Plymouth's multi-million-pound transport plan for roads, rail, cycling and more 2 October 2018

Plymouth is being invited to bid for a share of millions of pounds of Government cash to improve transport. The city council says it can now work up details of a package a measures, including a key part to upgrade Plymouth Railway Station.

The council says being shortlisted means that it will work with partners to work up the detail of the sustainable transport schemes with the Department for Transport and the consortium of partners that developed the bid

BY May 2019 detail is starting to emerge on the tower block itself

Plans to turn ugly train station building into student nursing hub

The University of Plymouth has plans to turn Intercity House, which stands behind Plymouth Railway Station, into a student nursing and midwifery hub.  A pre-planning application submitted to the council states that if the proposal is accepted, the building will become know as Intercity Place and will see a change of use from offices to academic facilities.

"We’ve started a journey to completely transform the station to create a better sense of arrival. With public transport playing a huge role in tackling climate change, this journey is more important than ever.

"MICA’s design transforms the 10-storey station building with a new gleaming bronze anodised, pleated façade that supports a low energy strategy for the high performing academic building.”

We now bring the story right up to date:

Plymouth station tower to become uni block as part of £100m scheme

Plymouth’s towering but dilapidated railway station skyscraper is to be redeveloped and turned into a university campus for training health professionals - also giving the city a new gateway as part of a £100mllion project The redevelopment, masterminded by the University of Plymouth, would make a major difference to one of Plymouth’s key gateways and is part of a much wider plan for the nearby university campus and the railway station concourse and land in between the two.

But most prominent for the city will be the creation of a glazed top floor viewing room, and possibly a “sky café”, which will act as a “beacon” at night for the city. And an illuminated “halo” of LED lighting on the roof will also make the tower stand out at night and act as a landmark for the city.

“Hopefully we will be able to start work in July or August with a soft strip and maybe erect scaffoldings, but work will mainly commence later  this year and complete in February 2021.”

Like with most large scale developments promised / planned in Plymouth, this has been a long time coming but finally its looking like it really is about to start happening soon. What do people think?

© did by graham: Two icons of the Plymouth Railway scene!

Ride Cornwall Back on and up…

Back on the 21st May First Kernow dropped a bit of a bombshell on their web site and Twitter feed…

Despite having agreed a new set of prices and conditions for Ride Cornwall with partner bus operators and GWR a considerable time ago, rail operators are still not able to implement these changes.  As a result, we have had to take the unwelcome decision to suspend our participation in Ride Cornwall until such time as the rail operators can implement these long planned changes. We are therefore unable to sell or accept any Ride Cornwall tickets from 26th May 2019 until further notice.We are hopeful that the implementation of the changes can be made by the rail operators as soon as possible, at which point we will be able to sell and accept Ride Cornwall tickets once again.

The current price for the Ride Cornwall ticket being £13 for the day (adult)

At the same time the day ticket prices for First Kernow goes up on the 26th May …

Kernow Network 1 day £15 from the driver (£13 from the First Bus App)

(the full list at the bottom of this page…..)

you can probably see the issue right there!

Then earlier today there was an important announcement

…we're pleased to be able to say that the changes required for the continuation of the Ride Cornwall pass have been signed off by the Dft today. As a result there will be no suspension of Ride Cornwall

The sting in the tail comes in a later tweet

Ride Cornwall
Unlimited travel all day on most buses, and after 09:00* on Cornwall’s trains

Buy from:
…train station ticket offices
…train managers/conductors
…bus drivers

The Ride Cornwall pass costs:
£18 for adults
£9 for children
£36 for a family of up to 2 adults and 3 children

*You can travel before 09:00 on the following services:
08:14 Plymouth - Penzance
08:40 Plymouth - Gunnislake

Please note that railcard and other discounts are not available against Ride Cornwall passes

At least the ticket is back on again!

A year ago today

It doesn't seem that long ago but it was exactly one year ago that two trains collided at Plymouth Station…

At 15:34 hrs on Sunday 3 April 2016, the 13:39 hrs passenger train service from Penzance to Exeter collided with an empty train which was already waiting in platform 6 at Plymouth station. The collision occurred at a speed of about 15 mph (24 km/h) and resulted in injuries to 48 people and damage to both trains.
The signaller intended that both trains should share the platform because the empty train was to form a service to London and some passengers from the Penzance service were expected to join it. Lift refurbishment work meant that without platform sharing, passengers would have needed to use the stairs and a subway when changing trains. Permissive signalling arrangements were in place at Plymouth to permit two trains to share the same platform.
The signaller misjudged the amount of space available behind the London train and wrongly believed there was room for the Penzance train. He was aware that the platform sharing arrangement required an unusual form of permissive working, but did not communicate this to the Penzance train driver, and the rules did not require him to do so.
The Penzance train driver incorrectly believed he would not be sharing a platform with the London train. There was insufficient distance to stop his train by the time he realised his mistake and had applied the emergency brake.
Great Western Railway, the operator of both trains, and Network Rail the owner of the infrastructure, had not identified the risk of a collision due to the combination of an unusual form of permissive working, the track alignment on the approach to Plymouth station, and an inexperienced driver.
The RAIB has made three recommendations. The first, addressed to Great Western Railway and possibly also relevant to other train operators, seeks improvements to the training and assessment of new drivers. The second, also addressed to Great Western Railway and possibly relevant to other train operators, arises from difficulties encountered during passenger evacuation and seeks improvements to emergency door release controls. The third recommendation, addressed to Network Rail and to be undertaken with the assistance of appropriate train operating companies, seeks a review of permissive working arrangements at stations.
Two learning points stress the care needed by drivers when undertaking permissive moves, and the value of preventing passengers boarding or alighting from trains when permissive movements are taking place in the same platform.
43160 © Joshua Brown (cc)
A full copy of the accident report can be read by clicking on the cover below
 

A New North Road?

Over the next couple of days I will be catching up on a few older railway news stories from the last month or so…

The journey to create a better welcome for Plymouth’s 2.5 million rail passengers will be able to start, thanks to the Government cash boost of £43.57 million to the Heart of the South West LEP to help create jobs, support businesses and encourage growth. Plymouth looks set to get around £4.7 million towards the cost of the redevelopment which could transform the station.

Partners have been working on concepts to dramatically regenerate the city’s tired railway station to give a better welcome to Britain’s Ocean City. And the announcement means that the detailed work on the first phase can begin in earnest. Design concepts were unveiled earlier this year for a renewal and regeneration project for the station which has not had a significant redesign since the 1960s.

They showed the entrance from North Hill transformed from a side road with an old British Rail sign, to a modern complex which combines a sense of arrival with shop and offices. The entire redevelopment could cover over 23,000 sq m (250,000 sq ft) and entail almost 1,000 sq m (10,000 sq ft) of new concourse. It would also

• entail the demolition of the existing multi storey car park
• create a high quality public realm to create a sense of place for the station
• have improved car parking, bus and taxi facilities
• education and leisure space
• office space
• better links to the City Centre

Covered escalators and lifts could link the new square with the City Centre and making this route for passengers more direct, clear and attractive. A new space could be created at the top of Armada Way offering incredible views down towards the waterfront.

A new landmark building would give the station visible presence from the City Centre as well as significant office and retail space.

Council leader Ian Bowyer said: “As Britain’s Ocean City we have one of the best – if not the best – view in the country. But when people arrive here by rail, their first impression is a 1960s multi-storey car park.

“We want to change this and to overhaul the railway station completely. We want to create a sense of arrival at what is the busiest railway station South West of Bristol.”

The Council is working closely with Network Rail, GWR and the University of Plymouth to redevelop the location so that it regenerates the area, attracts wider inward investment and contributes to the economic development of Plymouth.

Matthew Golton, Commercial Development Director for Great Western Railway said: “This year marks the start of the biggest fleet upgrade in a generation across the GWR network. With faster, more frequent services planned, new trains destined for Devon and Cornwall under construction, and the refresh of other trains underway, it is right that Plymouth station also shares in this transformation.

“We are delighted to be working with the city and other partners on these exciting plans.”

The scheme would also include improved pedestrian and cycle links to the City Centre as well as create significant public and commercial opportunities for enterprise and job creation.

The organisations involved have committed to supporting each other’s grant funding applications as well as joining forces and sharing resources, where possible, when commissioning the necessary technical surveys of the location.
Through the One Public Estate grant, the Cabinet Office has provided £500,000 to enable feasibility and planning work to be carried out on the project, while also identifying any further opportunities.

© Hugh Llewelyn (cc)

I think as long as I can remember living in Plymouth there have been plans for a revamp of Plymouth Station. It certainly needs it. Hopefully its now sounding more promising and this time it may even come to something.

What do people think?

More Moorswater

Peter Murnaghan writes:

One prediction that I would not have ventured over the last 2 years was that we would ever see the return of freight trains to Moorswater, after their 'last run' in 2013.  However, as we learn from the (excellent) Cornwall Railway Society's website, a regular weekly train has commenced bringing 22 cement wagons from Aberthaw to Moorswater on Wednesdays. returning on Thursday mornings.  Most unusually, the loco remains overnight locked in a Moorswater depot.
I understand that the next working is scheduled for 11th January.  If you wish to illustrate this working, I have a pic, taken on its most recent run, 22nd December.

Here is the train, headed by 70805 with the Moorswater empties pulling forward to the start of the Token section at Coombe, with the 0741 Penzance HST crossing the viaduct in the background.
Hope you like it. - yeah, its not bad!

Thanks Peter for the excellent picture, and keeping us up to date with events in that area.

Cross Country Continues

 

Rail passengers across Britain are set to benefit from quicker journeys, thousands of extra seats and free Wi-Fi, after the government agreed a new deal for services for the Cross Country franchise.

Under the contract, which will deliver improved connections, a better customer experience and set tough new targets, Arriva Cross Country (AXC) will continue to run services which stretch from Aberdeen to Penzance, Bournemouth to Manchester and from Stansted to Cardiff until October 2019.

Rail Minister Paul Maynard said:

We are making the biggest investment in the railways since the Victorian era and today (29 September 2016) is a key milestone in giving passengers better journeys right across the Cross Country network.

The franchise, which spans parts of England, Scotland and Wales, serves both commuters and long distance passengers and these benefits from Arriva Cross Country will deliver extra and smoother journeys for customers using these services.

The new deal will deliver a range of new benefits for passengers including:

• 39,000 more seats at peak times along the Edinburgh to Plymouth route through Leeds, Birmingham and Bristol, by December 2017

• shorter journey times from Birmingham to Manchester – typical cut of 9 minutes on a weekday and 12 minutes at weekends

• £20 million government investment in more modern trains

• free Wi-Fi by April 2018 and 4G for faster download speeds

• extra services calling at Morpeth

• customer services now open 24/7 and a new mobile app to buy tickets and check live running times

• challenging targets on punctuality and service reliability to improve the passenger experience

• waiving the £10 ‘change of travel’ fee for advance tickets from January 2017

• £340,000 of funding for community rail partnerships across the Cross Country network per year

Arriva Cross Country Managing Director, Andy Cooper, said:

We are delighted to have the opportunity to deliver even more for our customers over the next 3 years through this new agreement. Satisfaction is the theme for the range of investments we will be making, with better, faster journeys with more seats and free Wi-Fi.

We will also be looking to our customers for feedback on how we can deliver them great journeys, and a strong focus on engaging with the many communities and stakeholders our trains serve across the country.

Arriva Cross Country will now start work on its new timetable that could introduce thousands of extra seats across the network from December 2017. It will pay the government a premium of £163 million to operate the franchise from September 2016 until October 2019.

South West Trains

I dont normally cover anything with South West Trains but they do work into Devon . The rail francise is currently run by Stagecoach but the operation. The Department for Transport has started consulting on the specification for a new South Western rail franchise to start in 2017. Consultation is currently taking place with passengers, businesses and local councils on their views on the next franchise and ran until 9 February 2016. The current franchise is operated by South West Trains, and covers urban, suburban, regional, and long-distance routes between London Waterloo, Reading, Bristol, Exeter, Weymouth, and Portsmouth. It also includes the Island Line on the Isle of Wight

First Group Joint Bid

FirstGroup is pleased to announce that MTR Corporation (UK) will join the Group in a joint venture to bid for the South Western rail franchise, following the assent of the Department for Transport.

Commenting, Steve Montgomery, First Rail Managing Director said:

"We are pleased that we will be partnering with MTR in a joint venture to bid for the South Western rail franchise, for which we were shortlisted in February 2016. We have extensive expertise of running commuter, inter-urban, regional and long distance services – such as those that make up the South Western franchise – and a strong track record in delivering passenger growth. MTR run successful suburban and commuter railways; their knowledge from running London Overground and TfL Rail on behalf of Transport for London will add further depth and understanding to an important component of this franchise.

"Together, FirstGroup and MTR will develop an innovative and value for money proposal that will deliver better connectivity and significant improvements for South Western customers. Our bid will keep people moving and communities prospering across the region."

First Group

South West Trains Website

South West Trains meanwhile continues and has recently introduced a new app and web site:

Rail passengers can now access the cheapest available tickets across the UK rail network with the launch of a transformational new mobile app and website. The new South West Trains digital tools allow rail travellers to directly access the best fares without having to search multiple providers.  A new powerful booking engine developed by South West Trains is the first of its kind to be created by a train operator. It will drive both the southwesttrains.co.uk website and mobile app, searching for the cheapest available fares that can often be unavailable through third party rail websites and other booking engines.

Passengers will have easy and fast access to the cheapest fares, with no booking fees when buying tickets through the South West Trains website or app. Feedback from passengers and staff has been integral to the design of the new website and iOS app. Customer experience experts and South West Trains also compared booking tools available through popular retailers with the company’s existing website and other ticket purchase channels used by customers.

The new South West Trains website is also part of an overall £11 million digital investment strategy by parent company Stagecoach Group, one of the UK’s biggest bus and rail operators. Stagecoach Group has already launched a new bus online platform, providing live tracking of every bus and ticket purchase direct from a smartphone.

A new Android app will be launched as part of a second phase of improvements for South West Trains passengers later this year. It will also include a ‘My Account’ facility and an enhanced contact section.

© Ian Kirby

One's Train is Wrapped

A Great Western Railway Class 43 High Speed Train power car entered traffic on June 11 carrying a special wrap to mark HM The Queen’s 90^th birthday.
The work was carried out at GWR’s Laira depot in Plymouth. It carries images of the flying flags of the Royal Standard and the Union.

Colin Page, Depot Manager of Laira said: “We are really pleased and honoured that one of our locomotives will be part of the Queen’s birthday celebrations. The guys at the depot have done a fantastic job of preparing the locomotive and the results speak for themselves. It looks fantastic.”

- See more at: http://www.railmagazine.com/news/network/2016/06/13/gwr-celebrates-hm-the-queen-s-birthday-with-special-wrap-on-high-speed-train#sthash.sQf99eyj.dpuf

Railway News: Rail Replacement

Rail News

Plymouth's rail connection to Exeter and London is being disrupted for two weekends as part of a £40billion upgrade to the rail network.

Network Rail is upgrading the points and increasing clearance at the bridge.

There were replacement bus services to and from Plymouth this weekend and the same will happen next weekend.

The work involves replacing 95 points on the track and lowering some of the track to give trains better clearance under the bridges.

Dawlish Beach Cam director Simon Deane said: "Nick went on a mission for us to photograph the points change at Teignmouth."

He added: "Inconvenient as it is having no rail service for the weekend these pictures taken by Nick Campbell show just how much labour and plant equipment have been busy at work removing the worn track and laying a new foundation of stone before being able to relay the new rail. This is currently taking place between Teignmouth station and Shaldon Bridge."

Read more: http://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/Pictures-Plymouth-s-rail-link-cut-weekends/story-28827976-detail/story.html#ixzz41Xs9utOe
Follow us: @heraldnewslive on Twitter | theplymouthherald on Facebook

It hasnt all been going to plan though…

TWO engineering trains collided at Ivybridge on Saturday, causing the front of one train and two wagons to come off the track, and causing some damage to the railway line.

The line was closed to passenger trains at the time, for maintenance work, and nobody was injured as a result of the incident, but it has not yet been confirmed whether train services on Monday morning will be affected.

Following the incident, the maintenance work that was being carried out was suspended.

A spokesman said on Sunday: "On Saturday morning, an engineering train travelling at low speed collided with another engineering train at Ivybridge, causing the front of one of the trains and two wagons to come off the track.
Read more: http://www.torquayheraldexpress.co.uk/Trains-collide-South-Devon-station-maintenance/story-28823986-detail/story.html#ixzz41XtIOCm6
Follow us: @TQHeraldExpress on Twitter | theheraldexpress on Facebook

 

The renewal of the down main nears completion at Teignmouth on 28 February 2016

© Barry Lewis

© Barry Lewis (both pics under creative commons)

Looking into it, DR73907 is described as “Plasser & Theurer 08-4x4/4S-RT Switch & Crossing Tamper”

a better view of this beast

Alex Drennan September 2009 in a previous livery

Rail News

Its been a while since I covered any railway news but we have had a major news announcement today:

South Western Franchise

The Department for Transport has today (4 February 2016) announced the 2 train companies that have been shortlisted for the South Western franchise competition, after submitting an expression of interest.

The shortlisted bidders are:

• First South Western Trains Limited
• Stagecoach South West Limited

Rail Minister Claire Perry said:

The South Western franchise has some of the busiest routes in the country, serving a diverse range of passengers and places. It is vital that we have the best partner to help us meet the challenge of delivering better journeys for all customers using these services.

We are investing in additional capacity, and have ambitious plans for smart ticketing, customer service and improved connectivity across the South Western network, to give passengers real benefits across the region and beyond.

The current franchise is operated by South West Trains, and covers urban, suburban, regional, and long-distance routes between London Waterloo, Reading, Bristol, Exeter, Weymouth, and Portsmouth. It also includes the Island Line on the Isle of Wight.

Gov.uk

© Thomas Guppy (cc) 16 April 2015

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Golden Whistle

The operating team at Great Western Railway (GWR) has taken the Golden Whistle in a national awards ceremony.

The train operating company, formerly First Great Western, scooped the Golden Whistle for Major Possessions, Projects and Central Station Team award - the highest honour within the 'outstanding operating team' category - at the Institute of Railway Operators Golden Whistle Awards.

The company was also handed two silver awards for regional and intercity operational performance. Customer services training manager Ashley Bray was also highly commended in the 'outstanding individual' category.

Oxford Mail

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Great Western Satisfaction

GREAT Western Railway (GWR), has achieved its highest ever score for customer satisfaction, according to an independent transport user watchdog, Transport Focus. Increasing its year-on-year measure for overall satisfaction by 3 percent from 81 percent to 84 percent, GWR has posted its highest score since the National Rail Passenger Survey began in 1999.

Mark Hopwood, GWR managing director, said recent investment to improve capacity and punctuality are having the biggest impact on customers. He said: “These results clearly show our commitment to building a greater west and investing in what we know our customers want to see, and reflect the hard work of thousands of GWR colleagues.

Of the five key drivers of customer satisfaction, GWR improved scores in four main areas, with punctuality improving by five percent, train comfort and length of journey by three percent and ticket purchasing up by one percent.

Wilts & Glos Standard

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© Chris Warman (cc) 43188 in the new colours November 2015

© EastleighBusman 166212 Jan 2016

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I will be trying to include more Railway and other non-bus news from the area this coming year although it not an area I know that much about. As always I welcome any contributions - if you see or hear of anything which you feel may be of interest please let me know, Photos are especially welcome!