Nice-looking station! Where is it?

[RobbieM]

“But I thought these trains used the third rail?”

[RobbieM]

Well, this one has been going longer than a Liz Truss premiership. Any other takers for station X-Ray, or shall I finally put the lettuce out for composting?

[tubeguru]

Get on with it.

[RobbieM]

Get on with it.

I thought you might be entering first…?

[tubeguru]

Well I did look at it, and should be able to work it out, but I can't be bothered any more ...

[RobbieM]

That’s the spirit!

I’ve left this one run longer than usual to try to get a feel for when it’s time to halt “Nice Looking stations” for now. I thought maybe after Yankee and Zulu, but now may be the time.

I will try to find time to answer X-ray properly in the next few days. In the meantime, I am pretty sure the hint narrows it down to one station…

[tubeguru]

Well, I actually like them, but they run for so long that people might be losing interest. You're hardly getting hundreds of entries are you?

[RobbieM]

Not hundreds. Thousands…

I’ve generally related speed to demand. Perhaps I should press on but with no frills - suspend the bonus perhaps. Then I can speed up. (It takes time to come up with a bonus which isn’t a hint in its own right.)

[tubeguru]

Not hundreds. Thousands…

I’ve generally related speed to demand. Perhaps I should press on but with no frills - suspend the bonus perhaps. Then I can speed up. (It takes time to come up with a bonus which isn’t a hint in its own right.)

Yeah, just set a fixed time limit for each one (two or three weeks?) and just go through them. I don't think letting them run longer will encourage more people to enter. It's always the same people anyway

[RobbieM]

It's always the same people anyway

And even some of them are falling by the wayside. Let’s see if I can pick them up…

[tubeguru]

It's always the same people anyway

And even some of them are falling by the wayside. Let’s see if I can pick them up…

You may find that the long time limit for entries might be dissuading people. Hence why I say just set it to a fixed limit for each one, and then they'll roll through more quickly, and people will notice them more.

[RobbieM]

I’ll see what I can do. In the meantime, go on, give X-ray another go…

Will answer when I can access my main PC (and have the spare time).

I’m pretty sure I have narrowed it to one station, for anyone who knows anything about rolling stock etc.

[tubeguru]

I’ll see what I can do. In the meantime, go on, give X-ray another go…

Will answer when I can access my main PC (and have the spare time).

I’m pretty sure I have narrowed it to one station, for anyone who knows anything about rolling stock etc.

Is it Headbolt Lane, platform 2? Can't be bothered to PM you

[RobbieM]

Is it Headbolt Lane, platform 2? Can't be bothered to PM you

Can’t be bothered to PM me? Not sure I can be bothered to tell you you’re correct!

Now you have put yourself in firing line to answer the dead simple bonus.

If you can be bothered!

[RobbieM]

Well, the lettuce has really wilted now. We’re well into our replacement iceberg. So finally, let’s call time on this, before the X-ray does any more damage.

Keen train buffs should easily detect the new Class 777 Stadler Merseyrail stock. That’s the first clue, but hang on: as the hint implies, doesn’t Merseyrail use a third rail for their electricity? So where is it?

Indeed, they do. But the 777s also use a bit of battery, of course. And that means that when Merseyrail extended their network last year, they could run to one more terminus station and back on battery power, with no need of third rail. Of course, as has already been let on by the guru himself, this brand new station is Headbolt Lane. With a photo I took on 8th January this year. A nice-looking station it is too! But it should be, ‘cos after all, that’s the name of the competition. Well done to trains500 and tubeguru (eventually) for getting it right.

No-one got the bonus, but that should be as easy. The nearest station which has already been featured in the thread? Why, you’re looking at it in the photo! Yes, less than a mile down the track you’ll see the recently featured Station Uniform, which is Kirkby. The Station X-Ray photo even features the same bridge as the piccy I took in 2022, but it’s missing a platform now.

Well, Station Yankee will be coming soon, but due to popular demand (or otherwise) I may need to find a way of speeding the quiz up. However, economies will have to be made. Watch this space….