The cabinet, we are led to believe, will be meeting in Wales on Thursday.
Having failed to share their plans with the House, perfect timing to announce electrification plans for the Great Western Main Line.
Alas, for our Tafia friends, nothing West of Bristol.
No matter.
Smart money has Paddington to Oxford and Newbury (think Reading remodelling and Crossrail to Maidenhead) as stage one.
Stage two has Bristol via both Parkway and Bath.
Timescales unknown.
Funding on the back of Network Rail's regulatory Asset Base.
That said, the proposals are likely to find cross party support!
What with the Rt Hon Member for Witney representing an Oxfordshire constituency and leading the Tory Party and all.
Perhaps the Noble Lord should call by, en-route to London, to raise a glass with his future boss?
UPDATE: This from 'David'...
The Guardian today says electrification through to Cardiff - and when you think about it, electrification Swindon-Parkway doesn't create much economic benefit on its own, given that all IC services on that route go through to South Wales.
25kv through the Severn Tunnel should be an interesting engineering challenge.
UPDATE: Captain Deltic adds...
Wake up Fact Compiler!
As the cabinet meeting was announced as being held in Cardiff, even a PM with Gordon Brown's tin ear was hardly likely to announce GW electrification to Bristol.
As for the Severn tunnel, overhead contact track is the logical solution.
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