Railways around Coventry

Hi all I have enjoyed a lovely out & about day today. Started with a coffee at the Belgrade, followed by a train trip to Marston Green for a small cod & chips which I ate at B'ham International. They are so good, a rival to the Dorridge fish & chippy for quality. (The shop wrapped them so well so that I was not a nuisance regards smell for one stop on a train). I then had time for the first stopper back to Coventry to watch the Duchess drift through. Fish & Chippy location. The shop is in a block of shops in Station Rd, adjacent to Marston Green railway station. You see the attention to food detail that you get on our web-site.

The Duchess a couple of minutes later at London Road Cemetery with power on. Philip, was there a problem at Coventry station? your LM train waited in platform one for over ten minutes with the signal clear delaying the following Pendolino and the Duchess?

Hi Peter, The time of its passing through Coventry was thwarted with congestion. Platform two was occupied by the Nuneaton train, due out at 42 minutes, as well as a LM service to Euston via Northampton, which made it late leaving platform 1, as it was held so as to connect with a Cross-country service going to Leamington, where their tickets were valid to London. I understand that the Duchess was very late leaving Derbyshire, but made up lost time. Best wishes to you. ps The chap in my picture was motoring on to Rugby where the Duchess was due for a water stop.

Hi PeterB The Duchess is expected to return during next week, Tuesday or Wednesday has been suggested. Are you able to confirm the return time & date, please.

Philip, The Duchess is heading back from the West Somerset Railway to Southall (London) on Monday so it will probably head north on Tuesday, but no timings available yet. I don't think the timetabling department work weekends so it will probably be Monday before the timings become available. The National Preservation forum normally has the best info on light engine and positioning moves (and a nice picture of the Duchess approaching Tile Hill). If I find any timings I will post them here. Peter.

Hi & thank you Peter You are Brill!

Trainspotters waiting on Coventry Station to go on a special outing, 1962 [courtesy: Evening Telegraph]

Hi all Railway Discontent As we approach the August bank holiday, anyone travelling, please keep your eye on the news, which may not affect Coventry itself, but may have knock-on effects. Whilst most of us I am sure, deplore the anarchy, I do have some sympathy with some of the issues. I was shown a train drivers schedule a week ago, which beggared belief with what the man had to do. He cannot put the phone down on a customer & go to the loo when he is hurtling along at speed. Businesses are putting so much pressure on employees. Yesterday I travelled to Stratford upon Avon on the No X18, (stagecoach bus) where I was equally gob-smacked when the bus driver showed me his schedule. It appears crazy. Is this the real reason why a bus hits a wall, taking out two souls in the process? Most of us have to work for a living, the funding coming from a successful business, but success surly means achievement. What is the achievement when a bus is in a ditch or a train passes a red light because the staff are exhausted?

Love that picture. That is on platform 4, so might be a north-bound trip. Brill! ps. I am of the opinion that the chap with the crutches is the late Bob Clewes, who lived in Green Lane, was Courtaulds engineering apprentice of the year in 1967ish. He became an instrument engineer until his spinabifida took his life at a very early age. He came to my wedding.

6201 Princess Elizabeth is due through Coventry 13:40 Monday (22nd August). Timings Peter.

Gibbet Hill Signal Cabin I spent almost every lunch break up that oak tree in the playing fields. It's not obvious from the picture but there is a very steep slope between the school playing fields and the railway line. Post copied from topic Bishop Ullathorne School on 22nd Aug 2016 6:32 pm

Report that off-peak car parking charges have been withdrawn at Coventry Station, in addition to an increase in the standard charge

Hi all A landslide & derailment near Watford are causing major disruption through Coventry just now. PS. I have just looked at Coventry departure boards 10.30am & there are no cancellations, just some very late running trains. I might take a look later when it dries up. Also I noticed some of the platform lifts are out of action. Update at 11.30am The Euston-Shrewsbury Virgin train is cancelled, but there are alternatives from B'ham New Street. The incident that has caused the delays in Coventry. Landslide near Watford Daily Mail report I have included this in our Coventry section as Coventry is caught up an so involved. We can all see what is going on.

Hi all Hoping that the injured, which includes crew as well as an expectant lady, are on the mend. Whatever criticism may arise, sometimes the industry is the devil no matter what it does. This area is very unstable ground, which is why there are two separate tunnels. There are many sites where the railway runs through compromises. The tunnels were meant to be a lot longer, but as in the case of the line near Leamington that was in the news a bit back, the ground would struggle to cope with the weight of a tunnel. Sometimes there is no one right answer, other than tubing maybe, for these soft ground sites. Near to this location is where four separate bores had to be built to house each individual track, the ground being so unstable.