Foulounoux

We have been using eurotunnel since 1995 when we got engaged in the Loire valley (got the date right this time) So have been in pre frequent traveller days, frequent traveller for many years and likewise had to revert to full price travel this year First observation despite all the we won't use ET unless you bring back FT posts on social media ET remains busy Second much more of the traffic is freight Third published data shows volumes are up Therefore commercially why would they discount fares when demand is still so high This summer I couldn't even book an outbound leg midweek with a refundable std fare so had to book flexiplus Glad we did as even on a Wednesday it was crowded Coming back French douane escargot mode meant pre security we were queuing so held in the terminal car park .... nudge to shop maybe After French douane was empty and straight to boarding This set me thinking With FT I would never have considered upgrading to Flexiplus Without FT the incremental cost of Flexiplus makes it more attractive to upgrade Btw the navette refurbishment is due to restart was postponed due to covid

And now Frejus blocked https://www.railfreight.com/corridors/2023/08/28/traffic-along-frejus-railway-halted-after-a-landslide/ Apologies didn't realise already posted more appropriately elsewhere See thread in French section

Bit of a moment there we've been married 27 years so it wasn't 2006 but 1996 I do remember our anniversary honest

https://www.thelocal.fr/20230729/group-of-companies-planning-to-launch-eurostar-rival An English version of the story

In today's Charente Libre Evolyn proposal for service from 2025 Apparently in the FT if you are looking for an English language version

The original resurrection of the VSOE used the Seacat They used the Seacat because they owned both, Sea Containers being part of James Sherwood empire along with the Pullman cars In 2006 we went on the train to Innsbruck and thence to Vienna The crossing in June was awful as a force 7/8 and a catamaran don't make best buddies. 2hr delay and 1hr 15 crossing zig zag across the channel for safety reasons I wrote to them explaining that experience of the VSOE was supposed to be more than that and whilst I understood the wish to make best use of the assets it wasn't the experience people paid for. Rich food on the VSOE doesn't go well after such a crossing 🤢 Amazingly we had a reply from the general manager admitting that they should have looked at alternatives and in September 2006 we had a free trip to Paris in order to trial the first use by them of Eurotunnel It didn't match the atmosphere of the original crossing but was much better for the stomach

Seems the campaign to get the Limoges Angouleme line is building I saw that many of the shops in Chabanais joined a recent protest shutting for one hour Here's hoping that it has some effect

Jeff 27 years ago we got engaged in the Loire Valley Our route from Calais was abbeyville Rouen then the N154 7 hrs to Blois Today we get to the Charente in less time without rushing But now and again we come via Orleans and then the N154 St Remy is always a stress point know it well

The question then will be what need for the railway as an express bus service would be a cheaper option

So part two of the three part saga of the RN141 Grenord to Roumaziere will be finished in 2024 Roumaziere to Chassenuil the final part is 2028 Chabanais bypass was originally due to start building back in 2006 when we bought Foulounoux 22 years for the whole project

Some idea of how the civil service has developed Working at the MOD purchasing organisation I found that one of the vacant positions I was covering was vacant due to the incumbent being promoted The pass mark for the exam was 20% More about him later..... 3 of us as contractors were covering 13 vacancies Historically the section had never been below 2000 order lines overdue We started with over 2500 overdue Within weeks the 3 of us identified some of the issues and by the time I left the overdue lines were below 1500 The exit interview was interesting with the admiral who was in charge asking how we did it One of the permanent junior civil servant replied well they work all the time.... And thats without the potential fraud scenario I uncovered,. The response when I questioned the CS involved was why are you worried it's just government money..... He literally had no idea that taxes pay for spending There were some genuine hardworking civil servants in the team but the culture was do as little as possible so they struggled to achieve

The author also indicates in the final section The Future that there is further work to do in order to operate it fully as desired

Up trains can access the fiddle yard via the facing crossover before the tunnel on the lhs of the plan

As an ex member ex area officer etc of the Conservative party I despair at the general level of ignorance that we now have masquerading as ministers. At least in the 90's we had people who had worked in the real world and understood the basics of their brief. And of course civil servant advised and no special advisors Mind you I did get told off once for informing John Major he was wrong,..... Can't recall what the issue was though

https://www.newcivilengineer.com/latest/hs2-confirms-that-work-on-the-euston-tunnel-is-to-be-paused-18-04-2023/ Link in my feed this morning I couldn't see it elsewhere If already discussed let me know and I will remove Colin

We will be there in a couple of weeks. So will check up on progress Last summer they were working on bridges across the lanes west of chabanais. But seemed a token workforce

Yet building a relatively short bypass of in the Charente is taking forever We bought our house 16 years ago and only one portion of the route linking two dual carriageway sections has been completed. The next has been under construction for six or seven years and the final few miles is still only in the study phase Oh and our railway has been shut for five years due to rotten sleepers So not everything is fast in France

Unfortunately my wife just out of hospital has mobility issues. Turned away from main car park as no spaces Overflow was too far away for her Then what was galling is to having made a u turn watch 20 other cars get directed in without issues 😡😡

Article from New Civil Engineer on line https://www.newcivilengineer.com/latest/nic-urges-quick-delivery-of-hs2-and-northern-powerhouse-rail-to-boost-northern-productivity-24-02-2023/

I can answer question 1 as part of the supply chain 57% is the maximum amount of wind energy a turbine can extract you need a certain % of wind pass through for the turbine to work Hence the placement of turbines within a wind farm to ensure maximum use of the wind Colin

Some of the replies to swr on twitter have been "interesting". The I'm in London why can't you get me home type

Ok Curve ball here Kil in Sweden..... pronounced Chill 5 routes including mainline Oslo to Stockholm,line via Trollhatten to Goteborg And two branch line Plus the weirdest platform arrangements ive seen

Wife and I enjoyed it this morning crowded when we arrived but then became less so Favourite for me was Bottom Works Siding...the YouTube videos don't do justice to how great it is in such a small space Only observations from the wife is why are so many of the exhibitors apparently so miserable 🤐 The only operators that seemed to smile were bottom works and rossiter rise She said I thought its supposed to be a hobby not a punishment I'm saying nothing Positive for her were the strategic chairs allowing her to rest.

Same year for my parents Bournemouth Belle was how they travelled to their honeymoon hotel in um Bournemouth

For us locals the less crowded hall certainly made it an enjoyable experience Oh and lesson learned when you spot something you think of buying...buy it. I ignored my wifes advice and came back to a trader to find the items I had in mind in the hands of someone else who was just paying for them 🙄