Yes but he needs 4 shirts and a Jacket !

you are right

Ikr

Not sure if this is more a compliment to Geoff’s presenting skills or a comment on the dire state of KZfaq

Obviously a compliment, i guess 😆

If only the private train operators actually wanted to run services on them. The government subsidises them if they run or not so they have little incentive to give a poop, sadly.

@@TalesOfWar I think that paying operators based on the number of seats per hour on a per station basis would be a good way to: • Encourage operators to stop more trains and • Encourage operators to use longer trains. Then you need to get the government to drop the ticket prices, with the aim of filling up as many seats as possible. Ideally, the train operating companies need to be replaced by local transport authorities (like TfL or Merseytransport) that are all owned and run by locally elected government bodies, with each of those government bodies given funding deals that are based primarily on creating modal shift away from cars and onto public transport. And ideally the national operating company needs to be owned and run by the Welsh Assembly, the Scottish Parliiament and some sort of democratic body that represents the people of England (if not an English Parlament, then something where the city mayors and county mayors have control) and given funding deals that are based primarily on creating modal shift away from motorway use and domestic flights and onto high speed railway lines and existing InterCity services. I don't know exactly what needs to be done in Northern Ireland, but it obviously needs to be done in association with the Republic of Ireland, as it's better to have trains and buses crossing the border, rather than have NI cars polluting the Republic and have RoI cars polluting Northern Ireland. (There is at least one line that closed due to the border crossing the line in multiple places. So maybe negotiations could be done to create railway enclaves/exclaves and to permanently hand control of some of that land over to a joint body that acts in the interest of restoring train services that support people on both sides of the border.) Trains (and trams and buses) are the way that we can do the decarbonisation things that multiple climate change conferences have agreed we need to do. And they are also the way we can reduce pollution in and around cities, transform rat runs into low traffic neighbourhoods and have a joined up strategy that supports things like "cycle and ride" that are seen as "too difficult" at the moment. But, they are not difficult at all. We just need to provide funding for the things that will make improved services happpen...and remove obstacles that stand in the way of improvements happening.

New stations are great, but what you won't see from Geoff's channel is just how badly the trains are ran outside of London. Every other train is cancelled, often on the day with little warning with no alternative. Trains often delayed by 30-60 minutes. Rush hour commute trains are severely impacted, instead of 6 carriages, only 3 will arrive. Prices for tickets rise every single year with inflation, but services only get worse and worse.

@@MoPaTography Wait... trains run outside of London? Could have fooled me! lol

At least at most of the towns in Britain have train service

I'm more triggered by the so-called Moseley Village station. It's 2023, not 1823. Moseley isn't a village.

WMR has been promising us new trains on the Cross City Line for the past three years, so don't hold your breath waiting for the new stations.

@@meliaelentari well, thankfully its Network Rail, TfWM and Volker Fitzpatrick (who have diverted workers from University to get Camp Hill finished by December fingers crossed) that will deliver the stations and not WMR.

@@DadgeCity I'm triggered by the apostrophe in Kings Heath and Kings Norton!

What kind of fiend wouldn't want a station to have such a cool, fruit related name??

If it can reduce the number of people driving along the Alcester Road it can only be a good thing... the traffic is horrendous at peak times.

Joe Lycett will be delighted I'm sure 😂

​@Greg Robson right... they blocked cars from taking alternate routes through kings heath to town, but didnt give an alternative. sometimes takes 2 hours for me to get to town on the 50 or 35

Let's hope it isn't like electrification of the Pennine route! That's been promised for over a century at this point!

I travel past the site of the new Beaulieu Parkway station on a daily basis and the amount of work looks immense. A short viaduct is probably first to cross a brook allowing the central passing loop to be constructed. Its quite impressive and I moved here in 1978 when the station was first mentioned. Great video as always Geoff.

It's located In chelmsford

@Cal Alaera The footbridge at Cottingley is staying as it’s a footpath and has been there since the days of steam.

And Henbury

@@SAStarbucks good shout

shame so many of the former railway alignments in Bristol have been built over because otherwise its getting quite a good commuter rail network

Apart from the Portway Station, which should open in the spring, Geoff does not mention the others, because despite the Metrowest project being planned for around 10 years they will not open before 2025 at the earliest.

@@OhSome1HasThisNamethe only options now for the old alignments out of mangotsfield/fishponds is now either rip up the very popular cycling route there now or to bring back the trams which people want but the mayor will never let happen

Just drawn in good old Adobe Illustrator. Thanks for your kinds words!

And it’ll reopen Sheffield Victoria as a result which is great. It’d be even better if the line could in future thorough run to Deepcar & Stocksbridge.

I really need a station at rother valley because it takes the piss to walk all the way down to woodhouse

@@lordgemini2376 I’ll believe THAT when I see it!

Network rail reckon 2025 to complete Beaulieu Park (North Chelmsford) but the local council say late 2024. It is a large station with a big concourse (including retail & catering), three covered platforms with two passenger bridges, parking for 700 cars and 500 bikes, plus a bus terminus, so I guess that will take quite a while to build. Its badly needed as Chelmsford's main city centre station can be very crowded.

@@Pesmog When I lived in Essex 20 years ago they were talking about this station. Glad to see it's finally going ahead.

@@Pesmog I agree it's badly needed bit given how long it has taken NR so far I'm not convinced it will be 2 years time even with a year of disruptive possessions to get it built! And then will need to be enlarged in a few years as the loop isn't long enough for a freight train.

The diggers are already on site at Beaulieu

@@davidbull1914 I hear you David. I have a £1 bet with my brother that we will see a fourth platform at Beaulieu Park and a new 'Chelmsford South' Station in our lifetimes, just like they have been forced to do at Cambridge. 👍

expect that to be significantly delayed because of the gov'ts refusal to fund TFL properly

so happy for you, robin. 😍

@@scootmandem7373 thanks

I guess?

the locals were given a choice and it was unanimous

they put it to a vote to locals, "Hazewell" was considered, but Pineapple won!

I thought he had got it wrong , near where i live there is a river leven (leeven)

I use OpenStreetMap and use the "Transport map" layer, it shows a pretty plain map with all rail lines in bold black.

2090? Gosh, that's quick work for the UK!

I can’t see that line finishing at Ashington. Surely it will form a loop back to Newcastle via Morpeth.

I was going to comment this as well!

And they were track laying there only last week. Station building is small but coming on well.

As is the new Bletchley High Level Station.

Indeed. And though it'd be a push for the rest of East-West Rail (Varsity Line) to be reinstated in the time frame, work on building a new station at Cambridge South commenced last month, expected opening date 2025. Up North, funding is secured to reopen Cheadle station (near Stockport) on the mid-Cheshire line. That's also expected for 2025.

Work is well advanced on the line between Bicester and Bletchley. The Bletchley overpass has been rebuilt, the new Bletchley High Level has been built and is being fitted out and, the new re-sited Winslow station will be completed this year. Further along the line towards Bedford, plans are being finalised to close some of the level crossings and Bedford St. Johns station may be re-sited depending on what the route between Bedford and Cambridge being determined.

Also Filton north is due to be completed in the next two years or so

Geoff was right not to mention the other stations in the Bristol area, despite 10 years of planning work they will not open until 2026 at the earliest.

@@clnre can’t tell if this is sarcasm or not 😂 but why does building a station take so long? Especially if the line is already there - I can only think that getting the utilities (water/gas etc) is what causes the hold up?

@@andymerrett Not a reference I'm familiar with, I'm afraid!

I'm sure he'll "rise" to the occasion.

That spelling may not help him (think leavening, unleavened bread) - might be easier to say Leven rhymes with Steven.🙂

It's one of those "you either know it or you don't" names; people with a knowledge of the history of football would remember the club that played there (Vale of Leven) and would remember the right pronunciation.

@@MRTransportVideos Vale of Leven isn't fife - it's Dunbartonshire - but has the same pronunciation.. Not the same pronunciation as leaven though!

I believe that the link to Aylesbury has been canned for the foreseeable future.

It won't terminate at Bicester as the line between Bicester and Oxford is already open.

How can you demolish a quarry? Asking for a friend.

@@peterjones3557 They didn't fully demolish it, they demolished all the bumps on it as they're currently working on a new residential area! This means a lot more people will be able to live in it.

@@Joewiththetrains Sorry, I was being facetious, as in; a quarry is a hole in the ground, how do you demolish hole? - you fill it in.

Is there still one train a day direct between Wolverhampton and Walsall? It used to be hourly, but was virtually stopped hence the reopening of Willenhall station was delayed indefinitely.

Only every half an hour to Brum or Walsall possibly hour at first the quickest way depending on the M6 and therefore the A41, A454 and roads around the Darlaston, Moxley and Willenhall area Is the 529 every 7 minutes and not long to Willenhall or 529 and X51 or Tram from Darlaston 34/37/39 past Darlaston to Walsall X51 depending on the A34 and J7 to Brum or To Wolves 34/37/39 to Darlaston and 79 to Wolverhampton or 34/39/37 to Darlaston 79 to Either West Brom if the Tram Is down then 74 to Brum or 80/89 or potentially 4/4H/4M 3/3A to Smethwick, Sandwell and Dudley or Brum 74 directly to get the faster more frequent train to Brum or Wednesbury for what our Mayor thinks saves the problems can do no wrong the Tram. Apart from when's it down which has been often then it's the good old 79 and 74 or Train to the rescue. I really hope people use it but the Schedule doesn't suit commuters who if they miss the Train might as well remain on the Bus. If it was every 15 minutes it might be a threat more for Darlaston as the 79 is every 12 Minutes and takes 30 - 35 minutes to reach Wolverhampton or West Brom and 10 minutes to reach Wednesbury to get the Tram because from Darlaston Town Centre where the Bus Station is and you would have to drive through to get to The Station it Is 5 minutes on the Bus 34/37/39 which are every 6 minutes between Darlo and Walsall or 5 minutes in the Car 5 minute Walk From The Bus Stop over the Railway Bridge turn onto Cemetery Road and 2 minutes to get a ticket 3 minutes and your Train is there. Or Driving 2 minutes to find a space 2 minutes to grab stuff and lock it. 2 minutes to get Tickets and Paper Train is in 9 minutes. If the old Railway Tavern was still there and it was half hourly wait in the Pub have a quick Pint Walk 2 minutes or so and done. I'm not sure if it would have had to be demolished due to the Platform location I think the Station Building is opposite The Cemetery if not it will be where the Railway Taverns Beer Garden was

​@@nigelkthomas9501I ay found it but it used to be 06:38AM on a Saturday Morning Wolverhampton to Walsall the only time the line is used Is Frieght due to Bescot being at the end or right now WCML Diverts mostly Avanti from Scotland and the North West going to London via the Trent Valley ie not serving Wolverhampton or Birmingham although Avanti use the line for some Wolverhampton to London Services and ECS to Birmingham from Oxley LNWR use it in prep for the stations for the New Street to Crewe Via Stoke Services I think 1 or 2 Services maybe only know again for familiarisation from Wolverhampton to Rugeley/Hendesford use the line to Walsall and I have seen 1 TFW Shrewsbury Birmingham Service apparently use it. Other than that it was the 06:38AM Wolverhampton to Walsall Train it used to be hourly daily until 2008 then I believe weekdays a twice daily return then twice daily on Saturday at 06:38AM WVH - WSL 19:38 return then just 1 way 06:38AM now other than diverts nothing that is stopping anyway

Is that the one right next to Papworth Hospital? Very much looking forward to that one, and wasn't sure when it was due.

Network rail say four platforms, so Cambridge South is going to be pretty large. Apparently there are eventually planned to be 50k new jobs in the south of the city at the various bio-science, medical research campus's and planned new hospitals so they are scaling it appropriately. It will also be the first Cambridge station off the end of the re-born East-West rail so it could be busy. The new Beaulieu Park station at Chelmsford will also have passenger count well above a million as its in a busy urban setting and there are a planned 14,000 new houses close by.

@@davidb3471 Yes, that's the one.