| Railways 20:22 - May 31 with 2280 views | Sharkey |
I heard that France has banned all internal flights between destinations that can be reached within two and a half hours by train , and that many EU countries plan to follow suit .
This got me thinking about how I couldn’t get to Orient to watch Colchester by train , and how our East Anglian main line is constantly under repair at the weekends . I get that what needs to be done needs to be done ( though I wish they could have done more during the Covid lockdown), but I wonder if there will ever be a day when the line is open normally at the weekend , or is it kind of like painting the Forth Bridge? |  | | |  |
| Railways on 20:33 - May 31 with 2212 views | chicoazul |
The UK is a second world country now. The state of the railways is the perfect analogue for this especially compared to the continent. |  |
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| Railways on 20:35 - May 31 with 2208 views | Dubtractor |
I think what bugs me most about the permanent engineering works at the weekends, is that you still have to pay the normal price for train tickets. |  |
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| Railways on 20:38 - May 31 with 2189 views | brazil1982 |
The Liverpool St line has been like that for 30 years, I just don't get it. |  | | |
| Railways on 20:39 - May 31 with 2186 views | jontysnut |
Doesn't answer your question but European countries have a different approach to rail travel. I recently travelled from Barcelona to Zaragoza on a high speed train going at 180mph for €9. Not luxurious but a world away from a cramped and expensive Cross Country train smelling of toilets taking 2 hours from Leeds to Birmingham. |  | | |
| Railways on 20:47 - May 31 with 2156 views | factual_blue |
One important difference between the UK and much of western Europe. Our railways didn't get bombed to destruction in WW2 and rebuilt afterwards. We're still left with outdated infrastructure and a railway map essentially determined by Victorian capitalists. |  |
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| Railways on 21:11 - May 31 with 2113 views | Guthrum |
| Railways on 20:47 - May 31 by factual_blue |
One important difference between the UK and much of western Europe. Our railways didn't get bombed to destruction in WW2 and rebuilt afterwards. We're still left with outdated infrastructure and a railway map essentially determined by Victorian capitalists. |
Then hacked about by Beeching (tho, to be fair, most of the smaller and branch lines closed were utterly loss-making). |  |
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| Railways on 21:20 - May 31 with 2097 views | Coastalblue |
Am in Wales working at the moment, had a conversation this afternoon. To get from Aberystwyth (a University Town) to Bristol, a journey of about 120 miles would take the best part of 5 hours by train. That is incredible and ridiculous. |  |
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| Railways on 21:27 - May 31 with 2077 views | Swansea_Blue |
| Railways on 20:39 - May 31 by jontysnut |
Doesn't answer your question but European countries have a different approach to rail travel. I recently travelled from Barcelona to Zaragoza on a high speed train going at 180mph for €9. Not luxurious but a world away from a cramped and expensive Cross Country train smelling of toilets taking 2 hours from Leeds to Birmingham. |
We’ve stopped flying, so use trains in Europe a bit. They’re streets ahead of us. And as you say, reasonably priced. Reliable. Quick. I’m sure they have their problems, but I’ve not experienced any. The last summer interailing trip we had the only problem we had was on the UK leg. |  |
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| Railways on 21:35 - May 31 with 1996 views | olimar |
| Railways on 20:35 - May 31 by Dubtractor |
I think what bugs me most about the permanent engineering works at the weekends, is that you still have to pay the normal price for train tickets. |
Yes, this!
Not to mention that, despite taking the full price for a bus instead of a train, they then do whatever they can to reduce how much of your journey that bus covers.
15 years back, you would get a coach and it would drop you outside Liverpool Street. Then the coach would drop you at Newbury Park and they would make you take the tube the rest of the way. Then the coach turned into a bus.
I can recall turning up at Liverpool Street, finding out there was a rail replacement service from Newbury Park and asking if I could buy a ticket from Newbury Park instead of Liverpool Street-
"no, but you get the tube journey as part of your ticket"
"Ive already paid for the tube journey to get here, it would cost me no extra to keep going". |  | | |
| Railways on 21:42 - May 31 with 1972 views | Swansea_Blue |
| Railways on 21:20 - May 31 by Coastalblue |
Am in Wales working at the moment, had a conversation this afternoon. To get from Aberystwyth (a University Town) to Bristol, a journey of about 120 miles would take the best part of 5 hours by train. That is incredible and ridiculous. |
Only because you’d have to go into England, due to the aforementioned Beeching cuts. You once would have been able to go from Aber to Carmarthen and then on to Cardiff. There’s talk now about reinstating that Aber-Carmarthen line.
https://www.peoplescollection.wales/items/1400701 [Post edited 31 May 2023 21:48]
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| Railways on 21:54 - May 31 with 1943 views | Coastalblue |
| Railways on 21:42 - May 31 by Swansea_Blue |
Only because you’d have to go into England, due to the aforementioned Beeching cuts. You once would have been able to go from Aber to Carmarthen and then on to Cardiff. There’s talk now about reinstating that Aber-Carmarthen line.
https://www.peoplescollection.wales/items/1400701 [Post edited 31 May 2023 21:48]
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It was Beeching was it? I was going to look later but somebody suggested to me that it was earlier.
Fecking stupid though, having to go to Shrewsbury or Brum to get anywhere. | |
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| Railways on 21:58 - May 31 with 1936 views | Lord_Lucan |
| Railways on 21:35 - May 31 by olimar |
Yes, this!
Not to mention that, despite taking the full price for a bus instead of a train, they then do whatever they can to reduce how much of your journey that bus covers.
15 years back, you would get a coach and it would drop you outside Liverpool Street. Then the coach would drop you at Newbury Park and they would make you take the tube the rest of the way. Then the coach turned into a bus.
I can recall turning up at Liverpool Street, finding out there was a rail replacement service from Newbury Park and asking if I could buy a ticket from Newbury Park instead of Liverpool Street-
"no, but you get the tube journey as part of your ticket"
"Ive already paid for the tube journey to get here, it would cost me no extra to keep going". |
Mate, I can remember "Essential engineering works" disrupting my passage of travel back from 1982. From what I know it might have been going on long before that, it's just that I wasn't old enough to know.
I gotta tell ya though that it isn't just a UK thing
I get the fact that they have to do the repair stuff on a Sunday, it's obvious and why wouldn't you appreciate this necessity.?
My issue is the bloody prices. The prices are fecking off the scale baby! |  |
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| Railways on 22:22 - May 31 with 1874 views | rgp1 |
| Railways on 21:54 - May 31 by Coastalblue |
It was Beeching was it? I was going to look later but somebody suggested to me that it was earlier.
Fecking stupid though, having to go to Shrewsbury or Brum to get anywhere. |
Beeching was acting under the instruction of Ernest Marples who was then the Secretary of State for transport and I believe the owner of a road construction firm! The rail mess is shocking and a bit like a room of unruly kids who have spent the last 50 years pulling each others hair out! A promise to nationalise the whole lot immediately could be a vote winner. Then again we've probably got more chance of spotting Lord Lucan riding Shergar! | | | |
| Railways on 22:25 - May 31 with 1835 views | olimar |
| Railways on 21:58 - May 31 by Lord_Lucan |
Mate, I can remember "Essential engineering works" disrupting my passage of travel back from 1982. From what I know it might have been going on long before that, it's just that I wasn't old enough to know.
I gotta tell ya though that it isn't just a UK thing
I get the fact that they have to do the repair stuff on a Sunday, it's obvious and why wouldn't you appreciate this necessity.?
My issue is the bloody prices. The prices are fecking off the scale baby! |
Yeah, I get it needs to happen, but the reason they do it at the weekend is because they make all their money during the week. So that should be covering the passengers at the weekend.
They should just acknowledge that since the service is practically non-existent, they will get you where you need to go, it will take ages and they wont charge you for it. | | | |
| Railways on 22:50 - May 31 with 1796 views | Swansea_Blue |
| Railways on 21:54 - May 31 by Coastalblue |
It was Beeching was it? I was going to look later but somebody suggested to me that it was earlier.
Fecking stupid though, having to go to Shrewsbury or Brum to get anywhere. |
Yep. He basically scrapped most north-south routes and just left the west-east corridors into England. It was partially financially motivated and partly political to force the traffic (and subsequent development) into England. He was going to scrap the only north-south mainline left that links Cardiff to Manchester via Shrewsbury, but it was seen as a political risk as it went through some closely contested constituencies. Some things never change! | |
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| Railways on 23:32 - May 31 with 1764 views | Guthrum |
| Railways on 21:54 - May 31 by Coastalblue |
It was Beeching was it? I was going to look later but somebody suggested to me that it was earlier.
Fecking stupid though, having to go to Shrewsbury or Brum to get anywhere. |
Birmingham New St is best avoided, too, since they "improved" the layout. | |
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| Railways on 06:39 - Jun 1 with 1614 views | RIPbobby |
| Railways on 20:35 - May 31 by Dubtractor |
I think what bugs me most about the permanent engineering works at the weekends, is that you still have to pay the normal price for train tickets. |
Weekends are always classed as off peak so they are cheaper. Just saying friend. |  | | |
| Railways on 07:54 - Jun 1 with 1477 views | Plums |
If you were in Germany with that match ticket in your pocket, not only would the train get you there on time, it would be free because you're going to a game. |  |
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| Railways on 10:54 - Jun 1 with 1301 views | SuperKieranMcKenna |
| Railways on 06:39 - Jun 1 by RIPbobby |
Weekends are always classed as off peak so they are cheaper. Just saying friend. |
Disingenuous comment - you knew what he meant. It’s not cheaper for a bus replacement service.
I’ve driven to so many games adding to pollution because of the weekend engineering works. A normal service for me would take two trains and around an hour. The last home game I went to was engineering works - 3 buses 2 trains and around 2hr 30 to do 50 miles - for a full price ticket of around 40 quid.
Not a chance - much quicker and cheaper to drive. | | | |
| Railways on 11:40 - Jun 1 with 1252 views | Bluespeed225 |
| Railways on 20:35 - May 31 by Dubtractor |
I think what bugs me most about the permanent engineering works at the weekends, is that you still have to pay the normal price for train tickets. |
Any Sunday event in London we attend, we stay in the Prem Inn next to the Singer Tavern and take the Monday off! We got back to Ipswich at gone 01.30 one time, having bused from Ingatstone, and picked up a train at Colchester. Cabs from Ipswich station were a bun fight and few and far between, took the gloss off the whole day. | | | |
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