RoscoTrain107

So my spotting on my 3rd visit to Liskeard is done for today

A lot of 150s and IETs and also a CrossCountry Class 220 voyager in its new look

Plus of course the Looe Valley Line via Platform 3 although one journey left 10 minutes thanks to a late running service from Penzance to London Paddington

Whilst there I spent a few minutes checking out their heritage centre which is on the Looe Branch Platform via Platform 3.

It maybe small but it did give an idea of some of the history of the Looe Valley Line

Later on Great Western Railway services to London Paddington had problems due to a track inspection on the Up line between Westbury and Reading.

So that’s spotting done for today and possibly until early October

So for now take care and have a good one

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3 days ago (edited) | [YT] | 55

RoscoTrain107

Trainspotting can push you to the limit especially in the heat of summer even today it’s cooler but not by much

Well a nice cap and a pair of sunglasses plus of course sunscreen is the order of the day not just before travel in the heat but even during it.

Without those well you end up get cooked

3 days ago | [YT] | 30

RoscoTrain107

Well back on the rails and back to Cornwall first time in 4 years

Starting with my 2nd visit to Saltash

Whilst it might be shorter visit this time but at least it’s not IETs on its own

Nope got two 150/2s doing local services to and from Penzance

No 175s today

Next up is Liskeard and things are likely to heat up

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3 days ago | [YT] | 62

RoscoTrain107

Apologies about being late on mentioning about the events of what took place at 15:54, Thursday August 13th 2026 near Lewes, East Sussex 

The train in question was a Southern service 1F34 which was on the 14:24 from London Victoria - Eastbourne which consisted of 2 four car Class 387 Electrostar (387172 in GBR Livery & 387304 in ex C2C Livery) which at the time was running 30 minutes late.

Unfortunately around 1 mile north of Lewes the train derailed.

Whilst the Front set 387172 was undamaged however the rear set 387304 was not so fortunate

Whilst the front car remained up right after derailing however the rear 3 carriages came off the tracks and went down the embankment next to the nearby River Ouse to the East side and Landport Road on the West Side.

At the moment so far of the 150 people that were onboard, 20 people have been injured with 2 being seriously injured.

An investigation is underway by the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) to establish the facts about why the train's rear 3 carriages derailed

At this stage its best for everybody that till the investigation has been completed to NOT speculate on anything and should let the investigators do their work to find out what happened, why and what recommendations can be made to improve safety and make sure a similar accident isn't repeated.

There will be a sight investigation then the clean up operation including re-railing the 3 derailed carriages of 387304 depending how much damage its sustained structurally and then tow them away for repairs if required.

Then once sight is cleared then the RAIB will once the information they need is in then when ready released their preliminary findings 

Preliminary report is NOT the final report by the way because the Final Report likely will take months. 

Eventually when the investigators have got their findings and handed back the site to Network Rail then they will make any repairs necessary which may take days or a few weeks.

Once the repairs are complete and checked by inspectors that everything is in order and good to go it's only then trains especially between Haywards Heath and Lewes can start operating again.

For those who were caught up in it for those who were injured do wish a speedy recovery and those who have been shaken up by the accident do get the support needed going forward

So I will leave it there for now and take care.

5 days ago (edited) | [YT] | 49

RoscoTrain107

Not easy to get photos but here are some of the partial eclipse from my house

In a shape like a Banana

Of Course not all saw the eclipse which is unfortunate

Do you see the eclipse this evening?

Leave your experience in the comments below

So for now take care and have a good one

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6 days ago (edited) | [YT] | 55

RoscoTrain107

Whilst I don’t have much plans coming up in August

However there is a slight possibility that I might be early October heading to Paris

Can’t confirm yet whether it happens or not

But if it does happen then yes travelling by Eurostar

Filming at stations like Paris Nord, Paris Est, Paris Gare de Lyon is a No No because it’s likely France will be very strict on security

However I do aim to film at some stations on RER and Paris Metro

I have been over the past year looking up on other rail content from Paris to get a bit of a eye opener on what I may face if Paris goes ahead

RER E at a station of Neuilly Porte Mallot is one place I would like to visit because not only opened in December 2024 but trains on that between Magenta (Gare du Nord) and Nanterre La Foile can run underground up to 75mph via a complex signalling system known as SACEM (Système d'aide à la conduite, à l'exploitation et à la maintenance) but it’s being enhanced long term on all 5 RER lines into a system known as NExTEO.

And one thing I will certainly probably will get use to very quickly is double decker trains

Presently All but one RER line has double decker trains but RER B will have theirs by around 2029/2030 with new MI20s replacing the MI79s and Mi84s which are over 40 years old been around since 1981 and 1984.

Paris Metro is also interesting especially with presently 3 lines driverless with Lines 1, 4 and 14

Line 13 is due to be automated by 2032 and new trains to come with MF19s which are slowly rolling out on some of the lines already

Line 10 got a few sets of the new MF19s replacing the MF67s which have been around since 1968 and will be 65 years old by the time they retire in 2033.

They also replace the MF77s which have been operating 1978 plus the MF88s which been around since 1993 and have been very unreliable.

Line 7bis, Line 3bis, Line 12, Line 13, Line 8, Line 13, Line 7

Lines 15. 16, 17 and 18 are coming up over the next few years as part of the Grand Paris Express Project

Whether it happens I will hopefully find out soon but if it happens if I thought Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 last year was tough well Paris will be even harder.

And also need to get to grips with the Navigo Pass system on how that works which sounds easy but it’s complex

So that will do for now and any other updates I will reveal when that comes

So for now take care and have a good one

6 days ago | [YT] | 47

RoscoTrain107

So last October Virgin Trains got the all clear for the space of the extra capacity at Temple Mills for their services on the High Speed market from London to Paris with the help of Alstom with Avelias

Well today it seems they aren't the only ones going after Eurostar 

The Italians with the help from Hitachi are planning to join in as well well more of Trenitalia France itself

So today the news is that Trenitalia France have ordered 19 more High Speed Trains from Hitachi as part of expansion of their Open Access business but also mentioned the idea of launching a service between London and Paris from 2029.

The train in question is the Frecciarossa1000 which is also used by Trenitalia itself and another Open Access Operator Iryo in Spain,

Designed to run up to 250mph (400kmh) however its limited to between 186mph and 200mph.

The 186mph applies on Italy's high speed lines due to infrastructure restraints although its capable of operating on other countries rail line infrastructure like France, Spain 

The 19 sets to add to the fleet of Trenitalia France will likely be built at Hitachi Rail Italian base in Pistoia in Italy itself.

Trenitalia France owned by FS Italiane Group say that they will be maintained at a new developing maintenance depot at Maison-Alfort Pompadour just outside of Paris.

Trenitalia France have services to and from Paris Gare De Lyon to Lyon Perrache / Lyon-Part-Dieu as well as Milan via Turin and also Paris - Marseille St Charles.

I'll leave a link for the story down below
www.railtechnologymagazine.com/articles/fs-italian…

My take on it is that on paper its promising however in practice I will say Im a bit sceptical of the idea following through and getting the approvals needed to operate into the UK

It should be reminded the fact that last October when it came to whether Eurostar, Virgin Trains Europe or Trenitalia France being the main 3 competing for that extra capacity at Temple Mills the Office Rail Regulator (ORR) rejected Trenitalia France's application and gave it to Virgin Trains

So thats one of the issues for Trenitalia France that may end coming up again

Also its not like with the Channel Tunnel or HS1 you can't just simply starting running any high speed service without going through the requirements needed

I mean other approvals would be required from access and authorisation for use into the UK will be needed first long before any rail service of Trenitalia France can really be materialised for real not just an idea.

So if Trenitalia France are really going to make the idea of doing a London - Paris service by 2029 then authorisation either needs to get a move on or than Trenitalia France really are going to have to provide a convincing for the Channel Tunnel Commission and the ORR which will be a tall order.

Im not going to list other issues that Trenitalia France will need to sort out because its probably as long as trying to go through all the steps to get any train to work probably or like a pilot reading a takeoff or landing checklist which requires further detail and accuracy to get right without skipping any steps.

So whats your take on Trenitalia Frances idea of a London - Paris service from 2029 and do you think it will happen or just another idea/

Leave your thoughts in the comments below and for now have a good one

Photo Credit: FS Group/Tancredi Group

1 week ago (edited) | [YT] | 64

RoscoTrain107

Hi guys so at the moment I don't have any videos on the horizon so I'm sorry for that

So I thought whilst its over 2 months to Halloween 2026 I would think its a good idea to announce to what my next story will be about

Last year was about "The Nightmare Javelin"

This time its over to East Anglia region and for Halloween 2026 the story will be based on a Class 745 Flirt and it will be known as

"The Howling Flirt"

I will admit straight away that this will be a more difficult story to write and follow up on my Halloween Story from Last Year.

So the plot line is this
"As night falls for Halloween 2026 onboard one Flirt some young enthusiasts make a shocking discovery to only find out that the train they are on does a lot more than just travel on the rails

Can they survive the scariest rail journey of their lives or will they end up becoming consumed by the Howling Flirt before Sunrise?

Now just before some begin to panic its worth noting that the Halloween story I write is of course not real 

However the idea is to see if you can take a real life train and turn it into a halloween story.

So that will do for now and for now take care and have a good one

1 week ago | [YT] | 72

RoscoTrain107

So we have reached 4600 subs now

Thanks so much to all of those for the support and whilst I admit that even at times when a rail community can be on the edge it doesn't mean it has to be all doom and gloom.

The road to 5000 remains ongoing and the next step Is 4700

Tall order overall but not impossible

So lets keep it going

2 weeks ago | [YT] | 119