TransPennine Express To Edinburgh
In the July 2016 Edition of Modern Railways, there is an article entitled CAF to build new TPE trains.
This is said.
Once TPE extends its services via the East Coast Main Line to Edinburgh from December 2019, it intends to use pricing and frequency to encourage journeys on this route to mitigate crowding on its West Coast Main Line services.
I don’t think the Scots will object to this competition to Virgin.
It would also appear that because of the success of the Borders Railway, that there are suggestions to add new stations on the East Coast Main Line at Reston and East Linton. These would fit in well with an increased frequency of fast passenger trains up the East Coast Main Line.
Boris And Trump
I like this poster.
Boris And Trump
Let’s face it, if you’re stupid enough to vote for Trump as United States President, you’re probably stupid enough to vote for Brexit in the UK.
Trump and Brexit together would be a perfect storm!
A Design Crime – Milk In Plastic Tubes
i got my morning cup of tea on the Caledonia sleeper, with milk in plastic tubes.
A Design Crime – Milk In Plastic Tubes
I hope the young man, who first designed this abberation, is truly sorry for what he created.
I say young man, as nobody over fifty starting to feel the aches and pains of life would have created this design.
It was certainly a man, as any woman, who had worn nail polish, would probably have discarded the idea.
Years ago, when I chewed my nails, I certainly wouldn’t have been able to open these awful containers.
They should be consigned to the dustbin of history and I declare them a design crime.
Edinburgh Tram’s Elaborate Catenary
When I’m in Edinburgh, I always think that the overhead wires for the trams are over-elaborate and intrusive.
The picture was taken as I arrived. Compare that picture, with this one in the centre of Birmingham.
The Birmingham design is a lot simpler and as the trams are both from the same builder, you can’t say that the Midland Metro is designed to easier rules. This system could surely have been used on Princes Street, where I took this picture.
There is no excuse for bad design.
The Midland Metro is also showing the way for its extension, by using battery power through the historic centre.
Edinburgh Haymarket Station Gets It Right
Edinburgh Haymarket station is another example of Network Rail’s stations with a wide bridge over the tracks, like Leeds, Derby and most spectacularly Reading. London Bridge will join the club in the next couple of years.
As most trains stop at both Waverley and Haymarket stations in Edinburgh, I think passengers will ask themselves, why they would ever use the truly dreadful Waverley station?
- Access to the trams at Waverley means using endless steps and escalators to get to Princes Street and then an uncovered walk to the tram.
- Trams at Haymarket are just a short level walk outside.
- Taxi drop at Waverley is difficult with more steps. It’s on the level at Haymarket.
- Tickets to Edinburgh allow you to go to either station.
- Coming from the West and needing the tram, will passengers increasingly change at Edinburgh Park station?
Don’t fall into the trap of getting off at Edinburgh Waverley, which now always seems to be called just Edinburgh.
My only reservation about Haymarket is the station’s size.
Is it big enough for an important rugby match at Murrayfield, where the savvy will arrive at Haymarket and take a tram?
And will it be big enough, when the trams are extended, as they surely will be?
A Design Crime – The Forthside Bridge In Stirling
I first wrote about the Forthside Bridge in Stirling in Stirling, when I thought it was impressive.
But on my second visit to the City, I realise that practically, it isn’t as good as you’d expect.
It’s biggest problem, is that it was not properly integrated with the station, the main road through the city and the shopping centre.
I was staying on the wrong side of the tracks and to get to my train, I needed to cross the bridge, enter the station and then walk back across the tracks on another bridge.
In a sensible station design the bridge in the station would lead to a second ticket gate on the other side. One guy told me, it used to and he thought about buying a flat on the other side, until the ticket gate was removed.
Note.
- When I arrived on Friday night, I went to the Shopping Centre to buy a jumper at the Marks and Spencer there! It closed at 18:00. On a Frioday night! Ridiculous!
- On Saturday, I went to Pizza Express at about 21:00. Staff probably outnumbered the patrons.
- It was certainly a lot busier on the other side of the tracks.
So was one guy about eighteen right, when he said the bridge was all bullshit.
I’m nominating the Forthside Bridge in Stirling as a design crime.
The Anonymous Widower 