Berkshire's favourite place for getting stuck https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cew8je04djyo [stock photo, "crews from Wokingham and Wokingham Road" and shows a photo of a Langley appliance, from the far end of the county]

Putting tape up will achieve nothing, they just drive through it. Lands End ford is interesting as there is a good flow through it to add to the difficulty.

Before the pub got posh, used to sit in the window and bet which ones would get stuck.

 
Geoff Marshall has just posted a video of the train's first day in passenger service:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lvb33T3ZJnw

 
Chandlers Ford is a possibility.

 
..., as was Carlisle.

 
I see that non-members are indeed welcome, at https://www.portisheadrailwaygroup.org/coming-events.html

I have therefore added this event to our Coffee Shop forum calendar.

 
Errr....yup [Image from here is not available to guests]

 
Hmm.  [Image from here is not available to guests]

Compared with some of the more obscure ones, Barrow in Furnace was a doddle.  [Image from here is not available to guests]

 

We're now told

 
The road at Slapton is on a shingle beach backed by a freshwater lake. Or rather, that's what it *was* on, the sea has removed a substantial length of the road. The A379 carries the bus route from Dartmouth to Kingsbridge.

Mark

https://www.itv.com/news/westcountry/2026-02-03/its-like-a-bombs-gone-off-shock-as-part-of-a-coast-road-is-washed-away

 

I was trying to work out why the Scot was below Coventry!

 
err. Nope.
No email alerts here.
Chrome desktop and gmail for forum.
Also set to the home/landing page, and click through from there as required.

 

Hal;f a mile or so away from the wonderfully named Black Monkey Bridge.  None of us had any clue about where the name came from

 
My browser on Windoze 'knows' if I start typing 'fir' in the address bar that I want the 'show unread' posts page...

But if I'm on my phone I just end up on the firstgreatwestern.info landing page (I think), and from there tap through to the forum. Initially it thinks I'm a guest, but if I click through to a recently liked subject, it suddenly remembers me!

 
Not Water Lane, but Lower Bilbrook Lane near Washford:

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/Washford,+Watchet/@51.1618884,-3.3847237,3a,75y,257.85h,74.57t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sr-9jGBovErkiH524jKs0nA!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fcb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile%26w%3D900%26h%3D600%26pitch%3D15.429874687013921%26panoid%3Dr-9jGBovErkiH524jKs0nA%26yaw%3D257.8541583999878!7i16384!8i8192!4m6!3m5!1s0x486de60b752fd08d:0x9ce093c7d5c222dd!8m2!3d51.1612835!4d-3.3636225!16s%2Fm%2F026dv55?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI2MDEyOC4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D

 
Thanks for that, chuffed.

Just to confirm: is their AGM open to non-members to attend?

 
From the Portishead Railway Action Group



 2nd February 2026


Dear Member,
We’re pleased to confirm our 2025 Annual General Meeting will be held on Tuesday 24th February 2026. Doors will open at the Folk Hall, Portishead from 7.00pm with the meeting starting at 7.30pm.
 
With lots of activity currently happening along the Pill & Portishead line, we’re pleased to announce that the new MetroWest Project Manager, Natalie Gale-Sides, will be our guest speaker and will update us with the latest news and the construction schedule. The agenda will be as follows:
 
1.    Welcome and Introductions
2.    Apologies for Absence received
3.    Minutes of the 2024 AGM approved by the committee in 2025 and sent to members 1/10/25.
4.    Approval of Accounts for the year ended 31/10/2025
5.    Appointment of Independent Examiner
6.    Chairman’s Report.
7.    Communications Report, including Facebook, Twitter and Website.
8.    Membership Secretary’s report.
9.    Appointment of committee.
10.  Amendments to Constitution
11.  Break
12.  Update on progress – Natalie Gale-Sides, MetroWest Project Manager
13.  Any other business.
 
Following on from last year’s AGM, here’s a note of which committee members now are responsible for each area of PRG activity, in addition to the existing long term committee roles of Chairman, Membership, Treasurer etc. :
MetroWest & North Somerset Council - Liaison & Monitoring: Colin & Brian
Portishead Town Council - Liaison & work on facilities: Brian & Peter
Pill & Easton-in-Gordano Parish Council - Liaison & work on facilities: Rob & Bob
Government & DfT - Liaison & Monitoring: Gareth & Rob
Network Rail - Liaison & Monitoring: Alan & TBC
Work on Station design, facilities and enhancements: Alan & Adam Stead, plus Rob & Bob (for Pill)
Work to ensure Portishead local bus service implemented at the right time to support the station & train service: Brian & Wendy
Work to prepare for a Community Rail Partnership: Wendy & Paul
Communications & Social Media: Gareth & Peter
Thanks for your support. We hope to see you at the AGM.

Regards,
Peter
 
Peter Maliphant
Membership Secretary

 
Bob_Blakey's post regarding "vertical rulers" to indicate flood water depth reminds me of a similar attempt at Warminster station some years back.

A depth ruler was attached to the wall as you came out from the underbridge to the main car park..............BUT...the "zero" mark was at least 12" above the lowest point of the road under the bridge.  Doh !!  (Wish I had taken a photo of it in place !)

[Image from here is not available to guests]

 
Unread Posts is always my starting point

 
I just go to the Coffee Shop Index page out of habit really.

 
According to the Oxford Clarion https://oxfordclarion.uk/the-clarion-3-february-2026/ The new bridge will not be lifted in place until Thursday not Tuesday as I stated above. There are also some good pictures in that link.

 

Today: https://stationlifts.org.uk/DWL

Historical availability data for Dawlish's lifts: not exactly upbeat either.

https://stationlifts.org.uk/DWL/history

Mark

 
I walked through Oxford Station this morning, quite literally, walking from Seacourt Park and Ride to the end of Hythe Bridge Street. Everything was very well signposted, with plenty of staff on hand to direct people, but it was extremely busy and felt a bit like walking through a building site—made worse by the rain.

Crossing the temporary bridges over the tracks was a rather strange experience. As for the works themselves, it’s difficult to see much at the moment, but it does appear that the original bridge has been removed and the new one is not yet in place. I understand the new bridge is due to be installed on day three, which I assume is today.

 
Is the star straddling the river a reference to Starcross?

 
Subscribe to each thread of interest & providing you then read the new posts, you will get an email alert each time the thread is added to. No need to keep looking as the emails have a link to the unread posts

 

Yes - it runs generally south-eastwards from near Exe Bridges to Gabriel's Wharf on the west bank of the Exeter Ship Canal close to the new(ish) Marsh Barton railway station. However on the collection of old Exeter maps there is no evidence that I can see which indicates the route was ever associated with a watercourse of the type described.