Stop & Examine

Silly station signs.

We asked for your railway limericks, and Trevor Huntington and Mike Williams have obliged. Trevor, from Huddersfield, sticks with the original fares theme for his, with a word of praise for our Fares and Service Expert Barry Doe: The problem with railway fares’ table It’s as matted as a proverbial cat’s cradle. There’s no common sense or logic on view To tempt the traveller - either me or you. So ask Barry Doe to sort it - he’s able! Meanwhile, Mike tells us he was at a music and poetry meeting in his home town of Swindon recently, when those in attendance were asked to write an impromptu limerick about railways. Mike supplied the following: The work on Brunel’s greatest asset Has suddenly gone somewhat ‘Tacet’ Electrification To Temple Meads station Will hardly get past Wootton Bassett “Anything mentioning Wootton Bassett gets a laugh in Swindon!” says Mike.

And it had a similar effect here. It’s the best we’ve had so far, but can you can do any better?

Keep sending us your limericks at rail@ bauermedia.co.uk

“Hi,” says Simon Mortimer. Hi Simon. “You wanted pictures of ‘battered trains’ - still going! Here’s one in Thailand…”

Simon snapped Unit 1213 standing at Ban Laem on January 1 2008, at the start of the western section of the famous Maeklong Railway - it passes through a market where the stalls all move to facilitate the passage of the trains. He tells us that the unit constituted the only motive power on this isolated section.

“It was suggested - and I saw no alternative on the visit - that stock is occasionally transferred by barge,” he recalls.

“But how bad a condition it has to get to, to warrant such a transfer, is open to speculation! The unit had clearly had some prangs and lacked a lot of windows, but it’s generally warm and sunny - so fresh air is no bad thing!”

Keep your battered and bruised trains soldiering on? Send us your pictures and stories at rail@ bauermedia.co.uk