Here at FGW, we are awaiting our first vehicles to be out shopped in new DfT spec livery soon.I like the new colours - not too strippie. Can't believe the similarity to the Swiss one !
After all these years of wanting to do it, I finally obtained the Hornby 2721 pannier in the red fictitious livery and named it Red Admiral....... .It has always seemed to fit !
At least we are keeping our seating. Again, an increase in numbers mean for the past two years we have been shunting extra coaches in for wed and Thurs nights in July and Aug.
I do hope all these numbers for the Scottish routes add up.
People from the west would like to travel up on Fri night to do the various events held on saturdays..... . plenty of people have asked me but all I can do is put in reports.... .
I too had a spotting on the 11th but can't claim it as it was unidentified - through frosted glass, fluttered against the outside whilst I was inside. Red Admiral size and shape. Long Rock depot Penzance.
Just a few points re the Cornish Night Riviera. During July and august it runs to full capacity most days. We are short of stock to cope with possible bookings and demand is growing. It is a big disappointment to all that there is no tag on order for new stock for us. My personal thoughts are because of IEP and franchise date uncertainty and lack of continuity would mean no joined up plan. There is life in the structure of our SLEPs so I guess they who are think its better to gut them and have a new interior to more modern spec. for now until some point when...... .
A 57 can easily power a longer sleeper train and again more locos would be nice. If only for planned maintenance such as the current bogie refurbishment programme - its the replacement DRS locos that have caused most problems since last summer.
As for value, its not just the price but the practical ease of using a sleeper service that also counts. On a weeks holiday you gain 2 full days extra !
Finally, lots would like to see all services run on a Saturday night too and a new service brought back up to Bristol and on to Scotland up the west side.
I would have concerns about using the new 73 though....... .
Ahh Bullfinches, one of the best. sadly it means a long walk in the cold for me to see any in the usual places. Just the usual Blue, Great, Coal, Green and Chaff and Long-tailed in my local flocks.
People scraping ice off their windscreens, shunters tripping over,BRUTEs over platform edges and topically, a Haggis running around the top of a hill ( either left or right footed.... ) .
Have said this before in a similar thread, pigeons on platforms. Also, abandoned Christmas trees, dog poo bins and who is going to be the first to have Elsa and Anna or Olaf.......
I'll let it go..... !
Another sign of a so far easy winter here is that my local starling murmuration over my part of town is much smaller this year. Flys over around 1615 each evening before joining up with the Penrose Estate flock before settling in the woods of the estate near Loe pool.