From the category archives:

Trains

Another breakdown at Stratford

February 22, 2010
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Yet again a broken down train at Stratford sees us all turfed off just one station outside of London. If this is what it’s like for commuters, how are we going to cope with the influx of visitors to the Olympics?

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Broken down train at Stratford

January 19, 2010

Our train our of London broke down half way to Stratford this evening, and a 30-minute journey turned into a two and a half hour slog on three trains, stopping at almost every station on the line.

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Breakdown at Ilford

August 25, 2009

A particularly crappy journey home last night. A very slow roll-out from London and then, as we got to Ilford, full stop as the driver rebooted the train. Whatever was wrong – something about the safety systems, apparently – she said she couldn’t fix it, so after 15 minutes or so we were turfed off.

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A very full train home

January 29, 2009

A fatality blocked the line, and the train operator tried to cram 16 carriages-worth of people into a train of just four coaches.

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Broken down train

January 14, 2009

A broken down train holding us up this morning. Not mine – another one some way ahead, causing queues at Shenfield. I know it’s been cold, but if countries like Canada and Sweden can manage to run the trains, why can’t we?

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08h58

January 8, 2009

Poor 08h58. That’s when it’s supposed to leave Chelmsford, and it’s a nice train to catch. It’s modern, comfortable, air-conditioned, and usually only half full.

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Cups and saucers come a cropper

October 20, 2008

End of the line for cups and saucers on trains – Telegraph:
The move comes after passengers in the First Class dining car complained that they were being annoyed by the noise of spoons making tinkling sounds as they sit on saucers. 
If only rattling tea cups was the worst thing to assault our ears in standard [...]

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Steam returns to British rails

February 11, 2008

Just as France is rolling out the AGV, British enthusiasts are set to put steam back on track as they complete an 18-year project to build Britain’s first new steam train in half a century.

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Why AGV is better than TGV

February 5, 2008

French train manufacturing giant Alstom has unveiled what it’s calling the successor to the TGV. The AGV (Automotrice Grande Vitesse / high-speed railcar) does away with conventional engines at either end, instead moving the driving force to each and every wheel, allowing the AGV to travel faster and seat more passengers in the same amount [...]

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Eurostar facts

October 2, 2007

It’s too easy to whinge about the state of the British railways, particularly when you have to ride them each day, so it’s cheering to read The Observer’s list of amazing facts about High Speed 1, Britain’s first high speed line, which will carry the Eurostar from the capital to the coast.Among the most mind-blowing [...]

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