Andy’s Thought Dump

I’ll be the first to admit that I strongly dislike the current British Government and many of the people it. However, I’ve always said I’d be fair, and they have actually done something right. It isn't an overnight fix, and in my opinion, it doesn't quite go far enough yet, but it’s almost there. I’ve long believed that the railway should be publicly owned. For too long, we’ve had a fragmented system that just didn't work for the passenger. A Step Toward Public Ownership The move to bring passenger services back under public control is a massive step in the right direction. I believe the government needs to eventually own the trains they run, too. Keeping the operators and the freight companies separate makes perfect sense to me, it allows for a more streamlined system. My hope is that this new setup will lead to a "joined-up" relationship with the devolved Welsh and Scottish rail companies. We need a network that actually talks to itself across borders, rather th...

  GWR HST at Teignmouth 2023 I know, I know - I promise I wouldn’t turn this into a 24/7 railway blog! But sometimes, a piece of history is so intertwined with your own life that you simply have to pay your respects. Today, I’m saying a final, fond farewell to a true icon of the tracks: the British Rail Class 43 HST , better known to most of us as the Intercity 125 . A Soundtrack to My Youth If I had to describe my early years in one sound, it would be "the scream." While I didn't grow up in the city itself, Cardiff was a massive part of my life. I spent so much time there shopping with my Mum before catching my train back up the valleys to Pentrebach . Those HST engines were the constant backdrop to our trips. I remember being a small child and hearing that unmistakable roar echoing out of Cardiff Central . Even when I wasn't at the station, the sound followed me. I’d be at my auntie and uncle’s house in Fairwater , and you’d hear them screaming past on the main line...

 There is a specific kind of magic that belonged to the 1980s. It wasn't just the music or the neon, it was the weight and substance of the gifts under the tree. This year, as I looked through some old photos and caught a glimpse of a familiar yellow-nosed locomotive, I was transported back to a cold morning in 1987 . I was eight years old. That age where the line between "believing" and "knowing" is paper-thin, but the excitement is absolute. I remember the rush of adrenaline as I ran downstairs in the dim early light. There, nestled among the wrapping paper and the glow of the tree lights, was the big one: the Hornby InterCity 125 Electric Train Set . A Masterpiece in Miniature For those who didn't grow up with a Hornby box under the tree, it’s hard to describe the presence it had. It wasn't just a toy, it was a world in a box. The livery was the classic "Executive" dark grey and yellow, exactly the same as the real High Speed Trains (HSTs) t...