The Rail Enthusiast thread

[Richard A Thackeray]

Wednesday 18th
2.

Carnforth Station
Lancashire

This is the Brief Encounter (film) station!!
Time was starting to press slightly, so l didn’t go in

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brief_Encounter

https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/642327
https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/642321

 

[Sallar55]

Not very good for the Swiss railway timetable , delayed train.

 

[BrumJim]

Interestingly, the local units here are the same Stadler trains, albeit built to a larger loading gauge. By the way, do the toilets work any better on the UK ones?

We also have franchising but it's done differently and local authorities have lots more say in provision. Among other things this means there's plenty of cycle provision.

Toilets functioning is based on:
1) How much vandalism occurs
2) Finding someone on a depot who is prepared to spend their days looking after toilets, and is hard working and effective. Not a popular job, so often gets passed on to the non-popular fitter.

Interesting that the franchises have got a say on provision of facilities. In GB it is based largely on promised provision, and numbers of seats is one of the metrics on which they are assessed. Hence cycling provision is sacrificed for seats.

 

[BrumJim]

Just read a brief piece Mitsubishi have a train that although not yet in service, tops out at 603kmh!

That is a tremendous amount of air to shove out of the way!

 

[Andy in Germany]

Toilets functioning is based on:
1) How much vandalism occurs
2) Finding someone on a depot who is prepared to spend their days looking after toilets, and is hard working and effective. Not a popular job, so often gets passed on to the non-popular fitter.

Interesting that the franchises have got a say on provision of facilities. In GB it is based largely on promised provision, and numbers of seats is one of the metrics on which they are assessed. Hence cycling provision is sacrificed for seats.

The franchises are given out on a state level and at times even more locally than that. As far as I know the provision is fairly clearly defined.

Because of the localises franchises the new(er) trains are now being painted in black and yellow, the state colours of Baden Württemberg:

This is in Endingen am Kaiserstühl, which is the local depot for the SWEG, or South West Railway Company, which itself is owned by Baden Württemberg and runs local services on some state owned (as opposed to Deutsche Bahn owned) railways.

 

[Andy in Germany]

An extremely empty York Station during the recent strikes:

From the "From the Guards Van" railway photography blog.

 

[the_mikey]

An extremely empty York Station during the recent strikes:

View attachment 676695

From the "From the Guards Van" railway photography blog.

Here's one from 2015, not much busier with the exception of a Pacer languishing with it's engine growling away waiting for it's scheduled department...

 

[Andy in Germany]

Stuttgart has one short rack railway as part of its transport system: I travelled on it every day for two years because my College was near the bottom station. It is also helpful because it carries bicycles uphill all day unlike the rest of the tram system which won't allow them during the morning and evening peak.

They have a new generation of trams and about time too: these have a proper low floor section so wheelchairs can use them, and they've really extended the bike wagon that travels with them: the old one was less then half the size and looked a bit home made, the new one even has space for transport bikes which shows how important they've become in the last few years. They also rebuilt the workshop to fit the new trams, which is needed because the metre gauge rack line is entirely independent of the rest of the standard gauge system.

The tram company has produced a video about the change . it's in German but the pictures are pretty informative; if in doubt play a music video and watch it with the sound off.

 

[Badger_Boom]

View attachment 676873


Here's one from 2015, not much busier with the exception of a Pacer languishing with it's engine growling away waiting for it's scheduled department...

A few years ago I woke up on a Pacer at that platform. I'd fallen asleep on my way home from work and somehow been left alone after all the other passengers had got off, and the crew had switched the lights off and disappeared.

 

[Andy in Germany]

A few years ago I woke up on a Pacer at that platform. I'd fallen asleep on my way home from work and somehow been left alone after all the other passengers had got off, and the crew had switched the lights off and disappeared.

This happens so often in Japan that there are special ticket machines to pay for the extra if you miss your station. As a teenager Beautiful Wife's aunt would frequently wake up at the terminus, several stops from home; she'd stay where she was until the train returned, but that failed on occasion because she'd fall asleep again...

 

[Spartak]

I occasionally work night shift and get the train home with my bike.
I travel from Avonmouth to Stapleton Road and I'm always dropping off, luckily the branch line crosses onto the main line and the train shakes about usually waking me before Stapleton Road, however on the odd occasion I've been woken up by fellow passengers when we pull into Bristol Temple Meads !!!

 

[Spartak]

In Belgium 🇧🇪 again so here's my obligatory picture at Mechelen Station.

 

[Andy in Germany]

In Belgium 🇧🇪 again so here's my obligatory picture at Mechelen Station.

View attachment 677306

Nice, I didn't know Belgian railways used Vectron locomotives.

 

[robjh]

Look what came through Peterborough at 7 o'clock this evening

 

[rogerzilla]

https://www.rmweb.co.uk/topic/70783-jim’s-“out-and-about-with-gbrf”-thread/

If you like photos of freight trains, you should see some of the stuff on this thread. He's a GBRf driver and the night shots, in particular, are incredible. I wish I had his job!

The starry snow shots on page 326 of the thread define "cold"!