Transport

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6 August 2008: Heritage Lines and random railway memories

When you find out a normal part of the National Rail network is called a “Heritage Line”, it puts certain phrases in mind.

2 August 2008: Safety on the tube

Every now and then you come across some statements that are quite interesting.

28 December 2007: Well I’m not moving - the problems caused by ignoring train seat reservations

Travelling by train around Christmas time is never particularly fun. Suitcases are often on the large side, and daytime trains are the domain of people dashing off across the country on mammoth treks. And importantly, trains are often full, with people standing left right and centre.

6 December 2007: GNER website relaunches just days before disappearing forever

In a slightly curious move, it appears that GNER relaunched their website on Monday. For those not that well up on the comings and goings of railway companies, the reason that this launch is rather curious is that it comes just days before GNER will cease to exist - the company will run its last train on Friday.

28 November 2007: A seat is all I ask for

Sorry to drag you back to the world of railways and trains again, however today I tried once more to get some seat reservations for the annual trip up north on the old Virgin Train.

24 November 2007: Enjoy your trip

It’s quite easy to complain about customer service, but how often do we celebrate it when it is good?

21 November 2007: No Seat

That title up there is what my batch of train tickets that arrived from The Trainline today, proudly proclaims. Three separate trains, on two different days during Christmas, on three different train companies. And no seat.

20 November 2007: Railway Engineering Work

One of the issues of trying to work out my travel arrangements for Christmas, is always trying to get the right information about what’s going on. To be fair, it’s not just as Christmas either.

19 November 2007: Where is the North? (Or, trying to work out when the trains are running at Christmas)

Here’s a question. Where is “The North”? The question came up in my mind whilst thinking about booking train tickets for the dreaded Christmas cross-country train trip in order that I might sit in a different house eating food, watching TV and drinking beer, instead of doing it in my own.

31 July 2007: Bonjour

Thanks to the wonders of the internet, it’s the little piece of music that French railway company SNCF play before tanoy announcements at their stations…

4 June 2007: Die Bahn, Das Gute

Last night when I was told that one of the best places for European railway timetables online is to pop off to Germany - in the online sense anyway.

3 June 2007: The Joys of Train Travel Planning in France

If there’s a greater test of website usability, it’s trying to find out information from a site that’s in a language you don’t speak.

15 November 2006: Travelling The Island Line (or the vaguely interesting tale of a company that seems to have absolutely no interest in corporate branding)

We were staying in Shanklin which is the final stop of the Isle of Wight’s eight mile train system - running from the pier end at Shanklin, mere moments after you get off the catamaran - which meant we got to enjoy travelling the entire route of Wight’s trains. The trains are operated by Island Line, the smallest railway franchise in the UK, which is owned by Stagecoach.

2 August 2006: The next station is… New… Add-ing-ton

It’s not often that I am speechless, but as I type this, I am. But before I explain why, let me explain.

23 May 2006: So long Centra London. No one will miss you

Well it appears Friday should have been a day of celebration for the residents of Merton. For on Friday, bus company Centra London ran its last ever journies. It appears their remaining three bus services - the 200, 201 and 493 - all got new operators the following day, and the company has now given up running passenger services.

29 December 2005: Tube Strike Threat

Well with a tube strike on New Years Eve looking increasingly likely, it’s time to dig into the archives and just point you towards what I wrote back in August 2004 about The PR Of Strikes. Most of it’s relevant in this case with just a few minor changes here and there.

21 November 2005: Agendas, Newspapers and Trains

I love a good piece of unbiased, non-partisan, well researched reporting from my news sources. Which is why I tend to avoid This Is Local London.

25 October 2005: Back To Zone 1

And so all good things must come to an end. And by that, I mean a real end. Yes, I’ve put Zone 1 back on my Travelcard.

13 October 2005: Northern Line

So we all get in a stupid mess, and trains are withdrawn on safety grounds and I have hassles getting into work because the entire tube line is shut.

23 July 2005: Two Stops and One Bag

It made me feel incredibly lazy, but yesterday I did it. Yes, I got the tube for one stop between Shepherds Bush and White City.

21 July 2005: Journey Home

Shepherds Bush. What an odd place to target. And what a bloomin’ nuisance. The whole of Shepherd’s Bush Green was sealed off as I set off for home. Which left me with an interesting problem - how to get to Kensington Olympia so I could get my train to Clapham?

28 June 2005: Sorry I’m Late Home. It Was Coldplay’s Fault

Which prat decided Crystal Palace was a good place to host a Coldplay concert on a weekday evening? I ask as one of thousands of commuters whose journey home this evening was made a misery thanks to countless train disruption on the Southern Metro network, caused by hordes of gig-goers filling trains and stations whilst railway staff struggled to cope with the crowds.

26 June 2005: Saving Money On The Trains

One thing occurred to me recently - that a lot of people don’t know about some little money saving tricks…

11 April 2005: Silverlink Hell (part 2)

Badger people enough - and importantly be firm - and you might even get a proper answer to your question.

3 April 2005: Silverlink Hell (part 1)

Every day I get the 0835 West London Line service from Clapham Junction to Wilsden Junction. Every day the train leaves the platform at 0835. Every day the train leaves the platform packed like a sardine tin - with people crushed into every available space in gross miscomfort.

14 March 2005: Good Commute, Bad Commute

I have decided that my commute in a morning can be either very good or very bad. There is no inbetween state. Just very good and very bad.

6 March 2005: Bent Travel

There’s a point in everyones life where they leave something important in their trousers when they’re bunged in a washing machine, which is why my Oystercard now has a noticeable bent in it.

26 February 2005: The Commute

There’s more to life than travelling to work…

31 October 2004: Engineering Work at Clapham Junction

Engineering work is a necessary evil and I’ll never begrudge the fact it has to happen - as long as the railway companies handle it properly.

13 September 2004: Not Open House (for me anyway)

Every year the London Open House weekend allows access to various buildings and places the public don’t normally see.

9 September 2004: London’s Buses Getting Redder

Just recently I’ve noticed that London’s buses - in the centre anyway - seem to be getting redder.

6 September 2004: Glasgow Subway (again)

My curiosity often gets the better of me, hence after writing about the Glasgow Subway, I had to find out more about it and its past.

2 September 2004: Glasgow: Transport

To be honest, we didn’t go far out of the city centre bar the bus trip to and from the…

27 August 2004: Railcard Savings

My very last Young Persons Railcard expired on 13 August 2004 - I’m now too old for one and train fares will now be sadly, more expensive.

16 August 2004: The PR of strikes

I never cease to be surprised by the stupidity of some unions. Any strike is a PR disaster for a union, but some unions seem to revel in making the disruption for the public as great as possible.

16 July 2004: Get your gold card now

Network Gold Cards are very useful but very confusing. And I don’t understand them.

12 July 2004: Getting London Moving

On the 6 July, Ken Livingstone announced how London’s transport system could look in 2016 if he gets to do everything he wants. And if he does, he’ll be very luck.

30 June 2004: Tube Strikes

You know, I’d actually have some sympathy with the tube strike today if I actually believed in what they were striking for. But when they’re striking after being offered a 6.75% pay rise over two years and the promise to ensure they work a five day week, well all you can think to say is ‘gready f***ers’.

5 April 2004: Celebrating the 65

I was reminded about London United taking over the 65 bus route, and this evening I found a I post about it that I made to a mailing list.

23 January 2004: Routemaster Extinction

Routemasters. I’ve also always felt some excitment about travelling on them. Jumping on the platform… Those curved stairs. That wonderful design. Those cramped piddly seats… The fact you can’t get a wheelchair on…

20 December 2003: First Class!

When it comes to long distance travel, I always prefer the train - and nothing beats the comfort of first class.

11 December 2003: Oystercards and Routemaster Buses.

Anyone in London can’t have missed Oystercards - the new smart card travel ticket from Transport for London. But how do you use them on London’s open-backed Routemaster buses?

28 November 2003: Oyster Oyster Oyster

Through the gates in a flash? Get real! But Oystercards are much better when you have an arm full of shopping!

29 October 2003: On The Buses

I seem to have rather a problem with travelling once the tube has shut so it’s time for yet more epic tales of late night travel ala Bods.

5 October 2003: Uxbridge and Back - 1938 style

A trip to the London Transport Museum Depot today saw more than just wandering around a big warehouse full of signs, trains and buses, but also the chance to take an hour long trip on a 1930s tube train!

28 August 2003: Power Failure

Power problems and transport chaos. Well I had to get two buses instead of a tube train anyway…

22 August 2003: Bank Holiday Rail Closures

Are you surprised that we have to actually maintain our railways? It seems many are.

17 August 2003: A Train From Manchester

In contrast to the Virgin Pendolinos, you can get on Midland Mainline’s new service from Manchester to London. Older trains, but lovely scenery. Shame it was just so late…

17 August 2003: A Train To Manchester

A journey up to Manchester on Friday gave me my first chance to try one of Virgin’s new Pendolino trains which are now running up and down the West Coast Mainline.

11 August 2003: Smouldering Rails

Rails on fire. Rolling down the road….

6 July 2003: The Amazing Chip Vending Machine.

Chips from a vending machine? Sometimes you just have to try these things. Why, who knows, but you do.

18 May 2003: The Epic Night-time Journey from Kings Cross to Ealing.

A three hour bus ride to do a 90 minute journey. Travelling from Kings Cross to Ealing last night was not fun…

19 March 2003: Railcard Wonderland

Cheap train fares when you’re 25? Well Apparently you can buy a new Young Persons Railcard when you’re 25. That’s me told.

6 March 2003: The Real Underground

Funnily enough, London isn’t as organised as the Tube map would have you believe. Far from it infact as one website will let you know.

18 November 2002: Stop Moaning About The Tube

Yes, the tube deliberatly breaks down just to spite you. Ha ha.

30 August 2002: Central London Motorists

Go on, clog up the capitals streets with your fumes, get stuck in traffic jams. Don’t expect any sympathy from me.

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