| Pondering Travel to.. 11:14 - Nov 27 with 4147 views | Boston |
..my third win in a row and noting others advice re train, I took a quick butchers at the options. Y'know, riding a bus replacement for the leg from Ipswich to Norwich doesn't look that bad, only 45 miles of sitting uncomfortably close to someone else's poor personal hygiene. The other rail routes, taking onboard the time to change trains really don't appeal.
Whadyafink? |  |
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| Pondering Travel to.. on 16:42 - Nov 28 with 1079 views | Boston |
I'm going Kings Cross via Cambridge. I've not been to Carrow Rd for about forty years, quite looking forward to it. My pre match drink will probably be in a carrot cruncher establishment as I'm meeting one of my brothers who has local six fingered friends. | |
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| Pondering Travel to.. on 17:14 - Nov 28 with 962 views | Boston |
FYI - just discovered that the Watford / Euston line isn't running tomorrow. Fortunate that I noticed as my trip was due to commence from Kenton, so a slightly longer stroll around to Northwick Park to get a good start on my step count. | |
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| Pondering Travel to.. on 07:13 - Nov 29 with 786 views | Boston |
More train trouble - have just discovered that the service from Kings X to Cambridge has been disrupted. It's all change to buses at Hitchin. | |
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| Pondering Travel to.. on 09:07 - Nov 29 with 672 views | Big_Mac |
Have you already got your match ticket sorted? |  | | |
| Pondering Travel to.. on 10:24 - Nov 29 with 580 views | NorrisGreen |
Didn't we basically invent rail travel in the UK? What a debacle our rail network has become!
I live 180 miles from Norwich as the crow flies and bizarrely have a direct rail route there. Only issue is it takes 5hrs30mins... what's that, an average of 30mph or something? Maybe they're using Stephenson's Rocket on the route. | | | |
| Pondering Travel to.. on 09:03 - Dec 4 with 385 views | stowmarketrange |
| Pondering Travel to.. on 14:04 - Nov 27 by TheChef |
How long can it take to build a footbridge?? |
Our new footbridge is supposed to be operational in the 1st quarter of next year at a cost of £5.5 million.That will be about 15 months since they started building it. |  | | |
| Pondering Travel to.. on 09:51 - Dec 4 with 315 views | Boston |
| Pondering Travel to.. on 10:24 - Nov 29 by NorrisGreen |
Didn't we basically invent rail travel in the UK? What a debacle our rail network has become!
I live 180 miles from Norwich as the crow flies and bizarrely have a direct rail route there. Only issue is it takes 5hrs30mins... what's that, an average of 30mph or something? Maybe they're using Stephenson's Rocket on the route. |
Do you live in Merseyside, I heard that from another fan a few days before the fixture? | |
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| Pondering Travel to.. on 10:08 - Dec 4 with 291 views | johann28 |
| Pondering Travel to.. on 10:24 - Nov 29 by NorrisGreen |
Didn't we basically invent rail travel in the UK? What a debacle our rail network has become!
I live 180 miles from Norwich as the crow flies and bizarrely have a direct rail route there. Only issue is it takes 5hrs30mins... what's that, an average of 30mph or something? Maybe they're using Stephenson's Rocket on the route. |
This. It was TWO hundred years ago this year (on September 27 to be precise) when the first ever passenger steam train pulled by Locomotion No1 creaked along the line from Shildon to Darlington, with the great man George Stephenson himself at the controls.
The 26-mile Stockton and Darlington Railway was groundbreaking. It also helped convince investors that these new-fangled contraptions – steam trains – might actually work, clearing the way for the Liverpool and Manchester Railway of 1830. The wheels of industrialisation were up and running, soon spreading across the globe as railway fever took hold.
Now look at it. Outrageously high ticket prices, delays, cancellations and overcrowding commonplace, then you have outdated rolling stock, catering that makes Loftus Rd look like the Ritz, and even – in a turn of events last summer – the wrong sort of soil. I've seen everything this year alone: ‘crew being delayed’, ‘waiting for part of the train to be attached’, flooding, ‘a fault on the train in front’, endless signal failures, – the message ‘we are very sorry to announce...’ seems to be on a continuous loop.
Grand plans to bring trains into public ownership under Great British Railways feel like shuffling the deckchairs on the Titanic. And don’t even get me started on HS2.
The sad truth is successive governments of whatever colour has let its railways decline badly over many years. Meanwhile, countries like China, Japan and Germany treat infrastructure as a foundation for economic growth. China’s high-speed rail network connects remote regions while remaining widely affordable and profitable – a process that began several decades ago when China was far poorer than it is today. Japan’s Shinkansen (bullet train) sets global standards for punctuality and efficiency. And Germany’s £71 billion rail modernisation plan prioritises efficiency and sustainability, reflecting a strong belief that investing in infrastructure drives growth, even during a serious economic downturn.
The UK’s infrastructure challenges extend well beyond rail. An ageing electricity grid, inconsistent broadband, underwhelming 5G coverage, and fragile water systems reflect a broader lack of strategic vision and investment. These failures leave Britain ill-prepared for the demands of a 21st-century economy. Successive governments have taken a piecemeal approach, tinkering at the edges while avoiding the bold decisions needed for long-term solutions. High transport costs and poor digital infrastructure discourage businesses from operating, while crumbling energy and water systems raise household bills and impose significant environmental costs. The results are inefficiency, declining trust in public institutions, and a steady erosion of Britain’s global competitiveness.
To reverse this decline, only bold investments in technology and modern infrastructure are essential. Modernising rail systems with AI-driven scheduling, full automation, and predictive maintenance could lower costs, save time, boost reliability and increase capacity. Upgrading broadband and 5G networks to world-class standards would bridge regional divides. Smart energy grids and advanced water management systems would drive sustainability, enhance resilience and reduce costs for households and businesses. These upgrades are the backbone of a competitive economy. Revitalising infrastructure could become the cornerstone of a credible growth strategy.
But nah, lets just keep papering over the cracks. |  | | |
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| Pondering Travel to.. on 12:36 - Dec 4 with 181 views | Boston |
Always made me laugh, Japans Bullet Train! There's been bullets on the New York subway since the 1960's. | |
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| Pondering Travel to.. on 12:36 - Dec 4 with 181 views | stowmarketrange |
| Pondering Travel to.. on 10:24 - Nov 29 by NorrisGreen |
Didn't we basically invent rail travel in the UK? What a debacle our rail network has become!
I live 180 miles from Norwich as the crow flies and bizarrely have a direct rail route there. Only issue is it takes 5hrs30mins... what's that, an average of 30mph or something? Maybe they're using Stephenson's Rocket on the route. |
That’s the route I’ve taken to a few northern away games,but it does take longer than normal services do. | | | |
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