Great Western Coffee Shop

Travel & transport from BBC stories as at 01:15 04 Apr 2026

- French-owned ship passes through Strait of Hormuz
* Bus or Lime bike? New subscription heats up the race for a cheaper commute
- Amputee's home burgled during bus-pass challenge from John O' Groats to Land's End

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[whole diary]

11/04/26 - Hastings Diesel at ESR
09/05/26 - BRTA - Westbury
05/06/26 - EPF Annual Meeting
20/06/26 - Hastings Diesel at Paignton ?

On this day
4th Apr (1966)

Release of Great St Trinians Train Robbery (*)

• • • • • • Site Style 1 2 3 4
Next departures • Bristol Temple Meads • Bath Spa • Chippenham • Swindon • Didcot Parkway • Reading • London Paddington • Melksham
Exeter St Davids • Taunton • Westbury • Trowbridge • Bristol Parkway • Cardiff Central • Oxford • Cheltenham Spa • Birmingham New Street

April 04, 2026, 01:29:25

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Great Western Coffee Shop

All across the Great Western territory

Introductions and chat Please introduce yourself here, and chat through related subjects not covered elsewhere, including records of your personal journeys, by rail or other means, posted here for the information of our readers.	6210 Posts 665 Topics	Last post by froome in Re: A personal update - ... on March 31, 2026, 11:26:18
Who's who on Western railways It's often hard to find who's responsible for what, who's helpful and not ...	3595 Posts 368 Topics	Last post by grahame in Re: Community and Rail -... on March 16, 2026, 10:08:27
Smoke and Mirrors Tired of being passed from one person to the next and next, and back to the start?	2530 Posts 223 Topics	Last post by grahame in Rail Industry double spe... on March 08, 2026, 15:42:25
Fare's Fair Discussion of tickets, options and pricing - a minefield that it's hard for the customer to understand	27086 Posts 2161 Topics	Last post by TaplowGreen in Re: Ticket Types - Tradi... on Yesterday at 19:32:40
Buses and other ways to travel There may be other options than a train. Bus, plane, ferry, car, taxi and canal posts welcome! And mixed mode too! Data Managers: Bus_Lady, VickiS	13074 Posts 1367 Topics	Last post by stuving in Re: North Sea ferries - ... on April 02, 2026, 18:52:23
Your rights and redress What to do if things go wrong - the connection misses or the train's too full.	2400 Posts 213 Topics	Last post by Chris from Nailsea in Re: Court punishments sh... on September 01, 2025, 23:35:23
Across the West General rail topics - PLEASE CHECK to see if your topic would be better on one of the other boards first!	63170 Posts 2128 Topics	Last post by NickB in Re: Thames Valley infras... on Yesterday at 17:00:12
Diary - what's happening when? Events on the railway - and that the railway may take you to - in the Great Western area.	3603 Posts 555 Topics	Last post by grahame in Re: West Wiltshire Rail ... on March 20, 2026, 19:04:37
Looking forward - the next 2, 5, 10 and 20 years Planning for GBR, Net zero, and much more - a time of great opportunity and great risk	8693 Posts 470 Topics	Last post by ChrisB in Re: Addressing Informati... on March 31, 2026, 20:08:36
Meet the Manager This is where we host live chat sessions (or as close as we get) with key players or provide links to industry sessions Data Manager: Bryony	852 Posts 85 Topics	Last post by Chris from Nailsea in Re: Travel with Confiden... on March 23, 2025, 22:43:44
Media about railways, and other means of transport For news of television, radio, social media, the printed word and any other medium with railway / other means of transport content, and discussion of it after it has been released.	2907 Posts 308 Topics	Last post by matth1j in Swindon Railworks - Hoot... on March 26, 2026, 13:52:54
Active travel: Cyclists and walkers, including how the railways deal with them Bikes - whether folding cycle, unicycle, bicycle or tricycle - and their interractions with the railways. Hikers and backpackers too. Data Manager: CyclingSid	2073 Posts 221 Topics	Last post by grahame in Re: Climate change and v... on April 02, 2026, 14:28:06
The Wider Picture in the United Kingdom Related railway, infrastructure, public and other transport incidents and issues within the United Kingdom - please also post here any topics relating to journeys to or from the UK	28915 Posts 2489 Topics	Last post by Mark A in Stations vs development on Yesterday at 14:12:29
The Wider Picture Overseas Related railway, infrastructure, public and other transport incidents and issues in the Republic of Ireland, Europe and elsewhere in the World, which are specific to that location	3594 Posts 390 Topics	Last post by broadgage in Re: World wide measures ... on March 31, 2026, 09:19:25

Journey by Journey

London to Reading London, Ealing, Slough, Maidenhead, Twyford and Reading services - post here also for issues affecting Reading Station and Reading commuters particularly Data Manager: Ollie	7943 Posts 582 Topics	Last post by CyclingSid in Re: Twyford parking rule... on March 31, 2026, 09:41:10
London to Kennet Valley Paddington to Theale, Midgham, Thatcham, Newbury, Kintbury, Hungerford, Bedwyn, Pewsey and Westbury	1912 Posts 168 Topics	Last post by grahame in Re: Devizes 52-year wait... on October 07, 2025, 13:28:11
London to Didcot, Oxford and Banbury London to Tilehurst and stations to Didcot, Oxford and Banbury	3660 Posts 179 Topics	Last post by IndustryInsider in Re: Oxford station - fac... on March 26, 2026, 14:31:01
London to Swindon and Bristol London to Swindon, Chippenham, Bath, Bristol and Weston super Mare	4114 Posts 333 Topics	Last post by Chris from Nailsea in Mystery GP on Great West... on February 19, 2026, 16:38:00
London to South Wales London to Newport, Cardiff, Bridgend, Port Talbot, Neath and Swansea (Post here on other operator's services from England to Cardiff if you like)	2265 Posts 226 Topics	Last post by grahame in Re: Hunting Dogs on the ... on January 09, 2026, 09:00:43
London to the West to and from Westbury, Taunton, Exeter, Newton Abbot, Totnes, Plymouth and Cornwall (Other operators services to Exeter and Plymouth - posts welcome)	9558 Posts 518 Topics	Last post by Chris from Nailsea in Re: Taunton station - se... on April 02, 2026, 17:19:01
Thames Valley Branches Ealing to Greenford, Hayes and Harlington into Heathrow, Slough to Windsor, Maidenhead to Marlow, Twyford to Henley and Reading to Basingstoke	1968 Posts 163 Topics	Last post by bradshaw in Re: GWR's Battery Electr... on March 14, 2026, 21:06:10
London to the Cotswolds London to Moreton in Marsh, Evesham, Worcester, Malvern and Hereford Data Manager: IndustryInsider	10970 Posts 499 Topics	Last post by charles_uk in Re: North Cotswold line ... on March 31, 2026, 09:52:38
North Downs Line Reading, Wokingham, Farnborough, Guildford, Dorking, Reigate, Redhill and Gatwick	1232 Posts 186 Topics	Last post by stuving in Re: New overnight train ... on Yesterday at 18:41:30
TransWilts line Swindon, Chippenham, Melksham, Trowbridge, Westbury, Dilton Marsh, Warminster and Salisbury Data Manager: Reginald25	11846 Posts 927 Topics	Last post by grahame in Parliamentary drop-in re... on Yesterday at 16:26:57
Heart of Wessex Weymouth, Dorchester, Yeovil, Castle Cary, Frome to Westbury, onward service to Bath and Bristol Data Manager: rogerw	3069 Posts 268 Topics	Last post by John D in Re: Frome station - faci... on April 02, 2026, 15:26:58
Portsmouth to Cardiff Including Brighton services, and Southampton, Salisbury and Trowbridge to Bath and Bristol. Also other TOC services from Portsmouth / Southampton to Salisbury	3829 Posts 454 Topics	Last post by grahame in 1 hour 20 minute gap at ... on March 30, 2026, 22:26:03
Bristol (WECA, now WEMCA) Commuters From Trowbridge and Bath, from Weston and beyond, from South Wales, Cheltenham and Severn Beach into Bristol and Bath	14010 Posts 876 Topics	Last post by Noggin in Re: Tower blocks to be b... on Yesterday at 10:18:39
Oxford, Didcot and Reading from the West Journeys from Swindon and West thereof to Oxford, Reading and other stations outside London Data Manager: grahame	640 Posts 41 Topics	Last post by grahame in Open access Bristol - Ox... on March 30, 2026, 11:21:33
Shorter journeys in South and West Wales Great Western within South Wales and Transport for Wales (Trafnidiaeth Cymru Trenau)	3801 Posts 422 Topics	Last post by grahame in Re: MOU from the UK gove... on March 31, 2026, 12:34:35
Shorter journeys in Devon - Central, North and South From Exeter to Exmouth, Barnstaple, Okehampton, Torbay and Plymouth	5476 Posts 348 Topics	Last post by grahame in Torbay - usage metrics on March 07, 2026, 14:55:53
Shorter journeys in Plymouth and Cornwall Journeys from Plymouth to Penzance, and Gunnislake, Looe, Newquay, Falmouth and St Ives lines.	9651 Posts 582 Topics	Last post by Oxonhutch in Re: Calstock, on the Gun... on Yesterday at 22:16:10
Swindon to Gloucester / Cheltenham Swindon, Kemble, Stroud, Gloucester, Cheltenham and onwards	1618 Posts 114 Topics	Last post by Chris from Nailsea in Trespasser at Gloucester... on March 10, 2026, 14:27:04
South Western services National Services formerly operated by South West Trains or First MTR from August 2017, their stations, trains, etc. Data Manager: JayMac	5728 Posts 475 Topics	Last post by Mark A in Re: Earley Station, Read... on April 02, 2026, 18:52:05
Cross Country services Trains and routes operated by Cross Country trains	2812 Posts 205 Topics	Last post by Mark A in Re: Refurbs ! on February 13, 2026, 08:42:03
Chiltern Railways services For lines and services operated by Chiltern Railways	2771 Posts 128 Topics	Last post by grahame in Re: East West Rail Timet... on February 10, 2026, 22:21:23
Transport for London Underground, Overground, TfL Rail, Crossrail. And posts on buses, trams, light rail and on the river too.	3611 Posts 250 Topics	Last post by PhilWakely in Re: Most expensive per-m... on April 01, 2026, 19:26:25

Sideshoots - associated subjects

Campaigns for new and improved services A place to post about other campaigns for improved public transport services and link to their web sites	8397 Posts 296 Topics	Last post by ChrisB in Re: East - West Rail upd... on March 29, 2026, 20:22:42
News, Help and Assistance News about this site, and an area where you can ask for help on how to use it and other online sites	3940 Posts 425 Topics	Last post by Red Squirrel in Re: Copyright of images ... on March 20, 2026, 11:40:07
The Lighter Side Games, Quizzes, Trivia, etc	30834 Posts 2325 Topics	Last post by TonyN in Re: Day trips from Melks... on Yesterday at 21:36:15
The West - but NOT trains in the West An area where you can post about people and places in the West which are not train related	3409 Posts 347 Topics	Last post by Chris from Nailsea in Re: Aberfan disaster - 2... on April 02, 2026, 14:46:52
Heritage railways, Railtours, buses, canals, steamships and other public transport based attractions Railway lines and other public transport attractions, largely separate from the national network. Covers those saved from closure, reinstated or specially built and includes commemorative events.	5440 Posts 431 Topics	Last post by Chris from Nailsea in Re: North Somerset Counc... on April 02, 2026, 19:40:24
Railway History and related topics Railways and other public transport as it was - mainly GWR area, but some UK and even overseas. Things we can't see any more and are not campaigning to get back, including model railways	1951 Posts 322 Topics	Last post by Chris from Nailsea in Re: Severn Railway Bridg... on March 11, 2026, 11:12:19

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