Not Jeremy

Oops, quite right, oh well....

Now you're talking! Antoine de Caunes, featuring Jean Paul Gaultier and, er, "Lola". Rapido - why, it almost made the licence fee worth paying! Marvellous stuff. Apologies for lowering the tone of the thread, enjoy this spiffing Titfield image in recompense, (tee hee): Picture copyright of Studio Canal, purchasable from their most excellent excellent website.

Apart from the witterings of dear old "Northmoor" here, I'm not aware of anyone who thinks that the LSW route would ever replace the coastal route. That is certainly not the intention of the website that I flagged up or any of the groups to which it is linked. It would be in "addition to", a pretty simple concept I think. Why anyone would think otherwise is beyond comprehension.

Oh really - just why is that? A false premise I feel and your "just in case it's really needed for one week every decade (at worst)" is disingenuous to say the least. Sure, you think the idea is stupid, I'm a complete f*ck wit, the bloke with the new website is some sort of London based nutter, but a reopened through LSWR route would be more useful than for just "one week every decade", even by the most pessimistic of estimates. As for rebuilding the route, well yes I agree it looks to be unlikely - but it is not an impossibility. Bringing the idea to people's attention as the new website has done can surely only improve any prospects of such a thing happening. I do not understand why some here appear to be so compelled to rubbish the idea. That does NOT mean that I think it will happen. Personally I'm chuffed to bits that we have trains back to Okehampton - have you been on the new service yet? If you haven't yet then I urge you to try it out, it is wonderful thing on so many levels. Simon

Not being bazoom buddies and with all that front an udder possibility could be going bust.

I would guess that Hornby have checked out the legal situation, but whatever the legality may be this is a poor move on Hornby's part I think. Sour grapes would seem to feature, and speaking as a Simon I rather wish Simon would stop giving Simons a bad name. What is it that he says on the television - "we are selling dreams".... Strange dreams. Simon

You clearly think it's a rotten idea. Fair enough. But you have completely missed the point of what he has done. As a community we are seen as tending towards the binary and obsessive, your post I think exemplifies that unfortunate characteristic. It is an idea - ideas are the things which make the World go around. Obsessing over "facts" will achieve absolutely nothing.

That's all fair enough, but I think misses the point. The website as set up may be by one person, but what is interesting is that he puts forward a "new" idea, ie the "early" replacement of the Northern route. He provides a readable and interesting summary of why he thinks that is a good idea, and then (the clever bit) links through to all of the current functioning "pressure groups" that relate to the idea. So, if you were a Whitehall mandarin with cash to throw about, and you looked at his site, then it might give you some ideas.... Now I know that is unlikely, but the point holds that he has provided a good focus on a concept that is not dead in the water or impossible, and moreover is somewhat in the politicians focus. Because: They still face the issue of long term rail resilience into Cornwall. They have spent a lot of taxpayers cash on reopening the major part of the route to Okehampton and are bound to be seeing how it goes. And it is going well. As enthusiasts we have a tendency to drill down into detail, which is absolutely fair enough, but in the real world ideas (good or bad) are rarely pushed forwards on the back of sweating the details. It is the idea that is the thing, which is what I think he has put forward intelligently and cleverly. Time will tell, and in the meantime we have Okehampton back on the network, which some people said would never happen. So, I am not trying to re-ignite any previous argument or discussion, just flag up an interesting development that might influence what happens. Simon

That was a project put forward by Ian McCall of Mainline and Maritime which he didn't in the end pursue. The idea was very much the same as "Western Times" though, something to fill the potential gap left by the cessation of Great Western Journal, covering a subject with continuing interest and appeal to a significant number of people. Here's to many future issues! Simon

Or you go without and put a jumper on? As regards prices and the true costs etc, fair dinkum Boxsportsman, but in Blighty as it is currently arraigned you just know that Johnny supermarket and Ms middle person (let's not be sexist) will be financially ripping the piss for all that they are worth and to Hell with the real value of anything. And then there was Covid! Sic transit gloria Brittaniae I may not have declined that correctly....

An acorn! See what I did there? And I'll have a pint while you're up at the bar... Churrrs

Could this be the beginning of something big in the West Country? https://join-up.uk/?fbclid=IwAR3in7blqCy84c0feQ2-MbXytAqDh43xNg0P5UBJc3W6HUC-rogfx5BdKj4 Either way, talking it up has got to be better than talking it down. Simon

Good for them, perhaps there is a future after all....

I predict that the predictions here will be the predictions here ("Groundhog Day") and some of us sadly appear to be doomed to be forever wringing our hands and worrying whatever happens. The planet's fine old fruit, it's the multiplying bipeds who may have to change a few things... In the meantime the Sun has come up and is looking beautiful - another day beckons!

What utterly wonderful photographs these are, thank you for bringing them to our attention. I think I am right in thinking that Derek Chaplin was known (by the late Peter Barnfield at least) as the "Welsh Wizard". He used to go around model railway shows with his friend the great Maurice Deane and they were both always good fun to talk to. Maurice very kindly gave me his few shots of Limpley Stoke station, happy memories. Simon

Jol Funnily enough, we have a new Spar down the road, which is very useful and staffed by jolly people. But owing to its small-ness it doesn't have any mince pies, and I therefore had to substitute apple pies the other night, which was a bit traumatic for all concerned. Nothing but Christmas pudding or mince pies can really do justice to the traditional evilly potent brandy butter that is in the fridge. Thus have I fallen prey to the siren call of Waitrose, which has other stuff I need too! Simon

"inevitable restrictions" - just like the swamp of deaths and mayhem from Omicron that was going to wipe out Christmas then? If you genuinely feel as distressed as your post suggests then I think you really are worrying too much. Of course I could be wrong, it wouldn't be the first time. Me, I'm off into town to count non mask wearers buy some mince pies. Hope you are all enjoying the holiday. Despite the situation, which I do agree is not what any of us would want. Simon

Probably that little known extra class member "Western Repellant"🤣

Gosh, that's a complicated concept your hitting us with there, perhaps you could explain further for us poor saps who don't share your perspicacity and insight. Not Jeremy

You are quite right of course, no matter how hard you try it just isn't possible to see the sea as you are whisked over Meldon Viaduct in an immaculate SWT Class 159....

Hi Kevin OK, I'm giving up and am bowing out for now at least It would be good if you could at least some of the time address points that are put to you. I did read what you wrote. Perhaps you might return the favour sometime? Simon

A pointless bit of hypothetical jeopardy - the sort of nonsense that Jeremy Vine is so very good at. Another bastion of the mighty BBC. Just sayin......

Call me a right wing raving loony if you like, but I really do not think that "voting against plan B" constitutes the sort of "lunatic denial" that you have previously described and to which I was (I thought unequivocally) expressly referring to in my earlier post. As far as to whom I was referring with my footie comment, no it was clearly not you. I am generally or mostly talking about the thread when I make comments, and I find it genuinely interesting to read and hear about alternative points of view. If only others here were so open minded, or is that unfair, I don't know.... Simon

I agree with you Neil, but that wasn't what I was saying. I was simply observing that the NHS has not (thus far) been overwhelmed by Covid, and that was a good thing and something of an achievement. That there are numerous issues I would agree, as evidenced by much of the dicusssion after my post. Simon

What on earth are you talking about with "inflatable hospitals" what does that mean? I'm talking about planning and resourcing of the hospitals and medical side of things, I'm not thinking about your "restrictions". Personally I believe this has been carried out well in the UK and continues to be well thought out and prepared for different eventualities I do wonder whether you haven't created a bit of a straw man or straw men with your concern about a group of people who you say want to throw away all precautions. Apart from possibly a very few raving nutters(?) I do not believe that such a group of people actually exist. And as to the extent that this mythical group of ill intentioned bogeymen/women would be able to influence what happens - well even if they existed they haven't, they can't and they won't. I certainly do not advocate any such approach, ie throwing away all precautions. But, dare I say it, people not wearing masks at a football match, in a supermarket, on a train are not necessarily uncaring assassins out to wipe out octogenarians. I am just less worried by it all I think and don't really see too much point in over analysing everything as some here seem to do. It is what it is.