Mediaballs #4

Good to see the Telegraph maintaining its hard won reputation as a journal of record.

This from the Torygraph's website about safety concerns on the sub-surface District line.


Illustrated with a nice shot of tube stock at Oxford Circus station.

Mind you, the General Manager of the District line once ran the Bakerloo...

2009 Railway Garden Competition #XXVI

This just in from 'Willie' Rushton...

Further to your earlier request for updated pictures of Hawarden Bridge I travelled the Bidston to Wrexham line yesterday but did not alight there.

However I did take this photo of the northern end of platform 4 at Wrexham General station.


Could this be a contender?

Indeed it could!

The Fact Compiler is amazed anyone can actually sign this route, unless it's by touch.

A lament for the Voyager shop

The Fact Compiler salutes Arriva Dross Country.

In particular the genius who decided to dispense with the shop in favour of an 'at-seat' (sic) trolley service.

As last week saw the final shop removed from the Voyagers the following plaintive call is to be heard aboard all XC services:

"Due to overcrowding and luggage in the aisles the trolley cannot make it down the train. Passengers wanting refreshments are invited to come to the end of coach F."

Brilliant - replace a fixed retail unit in the centre of the train with one at the far end.

And of course it carries less stock because it's just a trolley.

Did any of the bid team, so ably supported by First Class Partnerships, ever ride XC services in summer?

UPDATE: This just in from 'Bacon Butty'...

Eye readers might like to know that during the bidding there were many "mystery shoppers" aboard XC services and the shop staff all warned these people about overcrowding, bumpy vestibule connections and the general unsuitability of trolleys.

Perhaps one for Lord Adonis to get his teeth into after he's sorted out catering on the new state owned (but FCP managed) East Coast franchise...

UPDATE: This from Steve Strong...

Bollox to that!

Screw the Voyagers.

The HST's are great.

Arriva do proper trains!

UPDATE: This from Simon...

Your post on the problems caused by the removal of the shops from the Voyagers is all too familiar to this regular traveller from Oxford to Southampton .

Not only has this wrecked catering provision, it has also significantly worsened the provision for bicycles.

The previous four bike spaces (at the end of coach F) have been replaced by three (in part of the space previously occupied by the shop), one of which is effectively unusable, and all of which require you to block the door and aisle while struggling to suspend your bike from the ceiling hook.

When you add to this the fact that Cross Country seem to make no attempt to enforce their ‘mandatory’ cycle reservation policy, things rapidly descend into a free-for-all, particularly at peak hours, and those with reservations (like yours truly) regularly end up standing in the corridor connection for long periods, being attacked by the automatic doors.

Anyone would think the DfT wanted people to drive to the station!