Recent Public Posts - [guest]
| Re: East Somerset Railway - visiting by public transport. Sensible / practical? In "Heritage railways, Railtours, buses, canals, steamships and other public transport based attractions" [373499/31774/47] Posted by grahame at 08:19, 22nd March 2026 |      |
I should add that the East Somerset Railway is NOT unique in being hard to reach by public transport. There's an irony in attraction about old public transport celebrations being only randomly accessible by public transport. The Swindon and Cricklade railway is another interesting one ... as it the West Somerset - astonishing that as it should be providing a public transport rail service from all over the UK to Butlins and Minehead. And I have yet to reach Gartell and Stafold Barn ...
| East Somerset Railway - visiting by public transport. Sensible / practical? In "Heritage railways, Railtours, buses, canals, steamships and other public transport based attractions" [373498/31774/47] Posted by grahame at 08:13, 22nd March 2026 Already liked by PrestburyRoad, Western Pathfinder | |
written 22nd March 2026 ...
As the crow flies, it's about 1km from Mendip Vale station to the main road at Shepton Mallet. As the bus rider coming to yesterday's diesel heritage day by public transport, it was a 4km yomp. There IS a bus that runs part of the way - the 162, every 4 hours, Monday to Friday, which isn't much use for a transport attraction that's open on Saturdays, Sundays, and only occasionally during the week.
I set out on the 07:15 bus from home ... change at Bath onto the 08:10 service on route 174 to Shepton Mallet, there just before half past nine, and grabbed a coffee and breakfast in a cafe. And set out to walk. Signage for the walk is virtually non-existent, or I am blind - any directions apart from immediate town centres seemed set up for motorists; as a pedestrian I blithely turn right on "No right turn"s and walk to the end of cul-de-sacs, often finding paths going through.
I got to the main cross roads on the outskirts of town, wishing I was a crow, and puzzled by a brown heritage sign looking to turn me right when I felt I should be going straight. Looked at a map on my phone which gave me no clue as to whether or not there was a shorter route, and a local gentleman came up and asked me if I was lost. I explained where I was headed, and he didn't know about access to Mendip Vale either ... but he did advise that the road to the main station at Cranmore - perhaps a 7km journey - had no footpath beyond Doulting and was dangerous on foot; I re-assured him I did not plan to use the main road. Thanked him, and set off.
The age of chivalry lives. A big THANK YOU should he read this to Jonathon, who picked up his car, drove along the start of the road, pulled over and offered me a lift - which I accepted - to Cranmore Station itself. Like me, he's retired and wasn't in any particular rush for the day - beyond that, I know nothing of him other that he's a gent, a good driver, a car a darned sight cleaner than ours, and that he was amazed at the full car park at Cranmore Station where he dropped me off. 10:28 - I got onto the platform just in time to see the 10:30 leaving, and perfectly happy with that - I had not intended to catch it, it looked rammed, and I wanted a look around anyway.
[Story of the day would go here - 11:30 train (dmu) to Mendip Vale, 11:45 train back to Cranmore though is said "Bath Spa" on the front, 12:30 GWR railbus back to Mendip Vale taking - literally - the last seat]
Mendip Vale Station is set in a delightful wooded cutting. It is ever so slightly more accessible than Manulla Junction, the totally isolated junction for Ballina in western Ireland. There is a "permissive path" along the edge of the railway land from the station back beside the boundary fence to the byway that crossed the railway about 800 metres to the east - the only way to go west to Shepton is to go east along this path.
The word "path" is perhaps generous. Someone (official I am sure) has cut steps up the cutting from the platform to the top of the bank, and along the way there are various signs pointing out holes to be avoided. The path provides all the features you might expect of an adventure walk - ups and downs, trees to dodge, slippery bits alongside barbed wire you don't want to fall into, awkward steps and rises and it shares the way with a little stream at one point. From the top of the cutting at Mendip Vale, it falls away to a valley that the railway spans on an embankment and bridge, and rises again as the railway runs into the next cutting to emerge between trees and bushes on the little road that crosses that cutting, now not 1km but 2km from Shepton Mallet.
A lovely walk, yes, I enjoyed it, but as a recommended day out for this summer's timetable / public transport brochure, no. I think of my online friends who I have met up with at the Coffee Shop and even here I could not realistically recommend it.
The warmest day of the year yet ... and I haven't changed out of my winter coat - the one that Lisa took so long to get me using last autumn because it is so warm. By the time I got to Shepton Mallet (and found the bus stop - another lack of waymarking) - 30 seconds before the bus arrived - my shirt and the coat were soaking with sweat.
12:44 from the platform, 13:10 at the road bridge, 13:48 bus. Got off in Radstock for a much needed pot of tea in the mining museum - but that's another story.
The East Somerset Railway is a wonderful attraction. Don't try to go by public transport. But great to meet up with rail enthusiast friends there, some of whom I know "both ways" and others who know me from the publicity I encourage in public transport advocacy work and I vaguely recognise, but I am (apology due - I know my limitations) unable to put a name to the face. A really good day - in terms of providing public transport, the heritage bus and train businesses rarely do anything, but then they don't pretend to. What they DO do is to provide an excellent and interesting day out, an excuse to see places and to travel, a learning experience, exercise, and a friendly social interaction where we all look out for each other in our sometimes maverick ways.
| Re: Dawlish - permanent resilience work - ongoing discussions In "London to the West" [373497/22771/12] Posted by Mark A at 07:59, 22nd March 2026 | |
That installation needed to have been designed by a nautical architect.
Me: not experienced as a nautical architect, but aware that, say, farm animals, in poor weather, do not by choice stand facing the prevailing wind: wishing I'd had more input into the design than just the opportunity given (and taken) to comment on the planning application.
Mark
Me: not experienced as a nautical architect, but aware that, say, farm animals, in poor weather, do not by choice stand facing the prevailing wind: wishing I'd had more input into the design than just the opportunity given (and taken) to comment on the planning application.
Mark
[edit] DWL mention =- grahame
Today: https://stationlifts.org.uk/DWL
Historical availability data for Dawlish's lifts: not exactly upbeat either.
https://stationlifts.org.uk/DWL/history
Mark
But are the lifts at Dawlish working now? Well... no, one of them is out. (The one on platform 2, it's reliability over the past month, 41% but neither are exactly stellar and of course if they take it in turns to break, as they both serve the same route across the footbridge the reliability figures can be combined.)
Mark
| Re: Out and about, 21.3.2026 In "The Lighter Side" [373496/31766/30] Posted by Mark A at 07:52, 22nd March 2026 | |
... in an attempt not to type 'Bath Road, Shepton Mallet' before others had had a go. Though on first sight I was fixated on it being the viaduct by the station site in Tavistock, but was thinking 'However did Graham get to Tavistock at this hour?'
Mark
| RailAir and GBR In "Buses and other ways to travel" [373495/31773/5] Posted by CyclingSid at 06:40, 22nd March 2026 | |
Sorry if I have been asleep on the job.
What is happening to RailAir links in the great new Great British Railways wonderland. I don't know what the current contractual relationship between the ROC and the RailAir provider.
From a passenger point of view will things carry on seamlessly? (Innocent fool?).
| New electric buses to help cut carbon emissions in Surrey In "Buses and other ways to travel" [373494/31772/5] Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 22:57, 21st March 2026 | |
From the BBC:
New electric buses 'will help cut carbon emissions'
The new Enviro200ev buses, the same model as shown here, will be used on two routes in Surrey
New electric buses will soon begin operating in Surrey in a bid to cut carbon emissions in the county.
The 13 electric buses are in the final stages of being built, with Surrey County Council stating that are to be in service next month.
Four will run on the 436 route between Woking and Weybridge, and the other nine will be used for the 461 route between Chertsey and Kingston.
Councillor Matt Furniss said: "I'm delighted that Surrey residents will benefit from these 13 new electric buses as we continue to invest in expanding our fleet of cleaner, greener vehicles."
The council expects the buses to save about 13,000 tonnes of carbon over their lifetime.
The authority said that it had also invested £9m in "bus priority measures" to ensure buses arrived on time, and £1.4m on improved information at bus stops.
The new electric buses will have Wi-Fi and charging points on board.
The new Enviro200ev buses, the same model as shown here, will be used on two routes in Surrey
New electric buses will soon begin operating in Surrey in a bid to cut carbon emissions in the county.
The 13 electric buses are in the final stages of being built, with Surrey County Council stating that are to be in service next month.
Four will run on the 436 route between Woking and Weybridge, and the other nine will be used for the 461 route between Chertsey and Kingston.
Councillor Matt Furniss said: "I'm delighted that Surrey residents will benefit from these 13 new electric buses as we continue to invest in expanding our fleet of cleaner, greener vehicles."
The council expects the buses to save about 13,000 tonnes of carbon over their lifetime.
The authority said that it had also invested £9m in "bus priority measures" to ensure buses arrived on time, and £1.4m on improved information at bus stops.
The new electric buses will have Wi-Fi and charging points on board.
| Re: Passenger numbers up 7% Spring 2025 on Spring 2024 In "The Wider Picture in the United Kingdom" [373493/31005/51] Posted by Trowres at 21:58, 21st March 2026 Already liked by grahame, Mark A | |
You really mean how the DfT are going to deal with the increase, don't you?
Perhaps the DfT would be a little more enthusiastic about dealing with the increase (more vehicles?) if everything in the rail industry didn't have such spectacular price-tags attached?
| Re: Out and about, 21.3.2026 In "The Lighter Side" [373492/31766/30] Posted by bobm at 21:02, 21st March 2026 | |
| Re: Northumberland Line - reopened December 2024, further developments possible In "Campaigns for new and improved services" [373491/29569/28] Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 16:25, 21st March 2026 | |
From the BBC:
Will Northumberland Line success help more open?
The final station to be completed on the Northumberland line will open on 29 March
On 29 March the final station, Bedlington, opens on the Northumberland Line marking the completion of the project to reopen the route from Newcastle to Ashington.
With passenger numbers exceeding predictions, could its success give new impetus to other projects to reopen former railways across northern England?
Dennis Fancett, chair of the rail users group Senrug, which campaigned for the Northumberland line for 20 years, hopes so. He believes the obvious next step is to extend it along the existing freight tracks to a new station at Woodhorn and from there to Newbiggin-by-the-Sea.
The county council has confirmed it is looking at it as a possibility.
But Senrug's ambitions do not end there. "There is also a case to extend the Newcastle to Morpeth local service, along the existing freight tracks to Bedlington with a new station at Choppington," Fancett says.
Among its other aims, the group would like to see a link between Ashington and Alnmouth and a new station at Seghill.
Ian Walker, Chair of Railfuture North East, an independent organisation which campaigns for better rail services, believes the Northumberland Line strengthens the case for reopening other former railway lines or the creation of new ones. "I think an extension of the metro, what they call the Washington loop, will definitely happen," he says.
Among his other hopes for the future are the Leamside Line which runs from Pelaw in Gateshead to Tursdale in County Durham which he says "would really open up East Durham".
An agreement to do so has been signed by the transport secretary, subject to the assurance that it delivers good value for money.
Then there is the Stillington route, a 10 mile (16km) stretch, currently used as a freight route, from Norton South junction north of Stockton station to Ferryhill South junction on the East Coast Main Line.
He says it could "could really help reduce journey times between Newcastle and Middlesbrough if used for passengers". He also says some of these schemes are "closer than they have ever been" but accepts funding is an issue.
(BBC article continues)
The final station to be completed on the Northumberland line will open on 29 March
On 29 March the final station, Bedlington, opens on the Northumberland Line marking the completion of the project to reopen the route from Newcastle to Ashington.
With passenger numbers exceeding predictions, could its success give new impetus to other projects to reopen former railways across northern England?
Dennis Fancett, chair of the rail users group Senrug, which campaigned for the Northumberland line for 20 years, hopes so. He believes the obvious next step is to extend it along the existing freight tracks to a new station at Woodhorn and from there to Newbiggin-by-the-Sea.
The county council has confirmed it is looking at it as a possibility.
But Senrug's ambitions do not end there. "There is also a case to extend the Newcastle to Morpeth local service, along the existing freight tracks to Bedlington with a new station at Choppington," Fancett says.
Among its other aims, the group would like to see a link between Ashington and Alnmouth and a new station at Seghill.
Ian Walker, Chair of Railfuture North East, an independent organisation which campaigns for better rail services, believes the Northumberland Line strengthens the case for reopening other former railway lines or the creation of new ones. "I think an extension of the metro, what they call the Washington loop, will definitely happen," he says.
Among his other hopes for the future are the Leamside Line which runs from Pelaw in Gateshead to Tursdale in County Durham which he says "would really open up East Durham".
An agreement to do so has been signed by the transport secretary, subject to the assurance that it delivers good value for money.
Then there is the Stillington route, a 10 mile (16km) stretch, currently used as a freight route, from Norton South junction north of Stockton station to Ferryhill South junction on the East Coast Main Line.
He says it could "could really help reduce journey times between Newcastle and Middlesbrough if used for passengers". He also says some of these schemes are "closer than they have ever been" but accepts funding is an issue.
(BBC article continues)
| 'Fabulous' market town named best place to live in Wales In "The West - but NOT trains in the West" [373490/31771/31] Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 15:14, 21st March 2026 | |
From the BBC:
'Fabulous' market town named best place to live in Wales
The Sunday Times judges picked Usk as best place to live in Wales
A thriving Welsh market town known for its award-winning floral displays and praised for its sense of community has been named the best place to live in Wales in a new guide.
Usk in Monmouthshire was chosen because of its attractive setting and convenient location, according to the Sunday Times.
Six other locations in Wales were included in the guide, which named Norwich in Norfolk the overall best place to live in the UK.
Among them were Anglesey, described by judges as "breathtakingly beautiful", Cowbridge in the Vale of Glamorgan, which boasts the best secondary school in Wales, and the Cardiff neighbourhood of Pontcanna. Aberystwyth in Ceredigion, Crickhowell in Powys and Llandeilo in Carmarthenshire also made the list.
Crickhowell, located in the Brecon Beacons in Powys, was also among the Sunday Times' Best Places to Live in Wales
Located on the river Usk, which gives the town its name, judges said volunteers were "involved in everything in the 'Town of Flowers', from planting the 2,500 plants to secure its latest Britain in Bloom gold award to running the annual Usk Show."
"It's a place where nesting boxes are provided for swifts, where wild swimmers campaigned for a £10 million wastewater upgrade to combat river pollution and where more than 60 community groups - covering subjects such as astronomy and philosophy - keep the calendar full to bursting," it added.
Once a Roman encampment site, the town also boasts a castle dating back to the Norman invasion of Wales. Many of its buildings date back to the early 19th Century period when it developed into a market town.
(BBC article continues)
The Sunday Times judges picked Usk as best place to live in Wales
A thriving Welsh market town known for its award-winning floral displays and praised for its sense of community has been named the best place to live in Wales in a new guide.
Usk in Monmouthshire was chosen because of its attractive setting and convenient location, according to the Sunday Times.
Six other locations in Wales were included in the guide, which named Norwich in Norfolk the overall best place to live in the UK.
Among them were Anglesey, described by judges as "breathtakingly beautiful", Cowbridge in the Vale of Glamorgan, which boasts the best secondary school in Wales, and the Cardiff neighbourhood of Pontcanna. Aberystwyth in Ceredigion, Crickhowell in Powys and Llandeilo in Carmarthenshire also made the list.
Crickhowell, located in the Brecon Beacons in Powys, was also among the Sunday Times' Best Places to Live in Wales
Located on the river Usk, which gives the town its name, judges said volunteers were "involved in everything in the 'Town of Flowers', from planting the 2,500 plants to secure its latest Britain in Bloom gold award to running the annual Usk Show."
"It's a place where nesting boxes are provided for swifts, where wild swimmers campaigned for a £10 million wastewater upgrade to combat river pollution and where more than 60 community groups - covering subjects such as astronomy and philosophy - keep the calendar full to bursting," it added.
Once a Roman encampment site, the town also boasts a castle dating back to the Norman invasion of Wales. Many of its buildings date back to the early 19th Century period when it developed into a market town.
(BBC article continues)
| Re: Squirrels - red, grey or albino, on the railways or otherwise - ongoing discussion In "The Lighter Side" [373489/5560/30] Posted by johnneyw at 15:03, 21st March 2026 Already liked by Chris from Nailsea | |
Stumbled upon this place for a quick caffeine fix today. Does one of our esteemed mods have a dark side alter ego sideline?
| Re: Out and about, 21.3.2026 In "The Lighter Side" [373488/31766/30] Posted by grahame at 15:02, 21st March 2026 Already liked by Mark A, bradshaw | |
Lovely spring day - Mendip Vale.
| Re: Out and about, 21.3.2026 In "The Lighter Side" [373487/31766/30] Posted by bradshaw at 12:58, 21st March 2026 Already liked by grahame, FarWestJohn | |
East Somerset Railway have a dmu/railcar service today
The viaduct is on the Bath Road at Shepton Mallett, once the S&DJR
| Birmingham woman wishes she had become a train driver years ago In "The Wider Picture in the United Kingdom" [373486/31770/51] Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 12:57, 21st March 2026 | |
From the BBC:
'Becoming a train driver in my 40s was the best thing I ever did'
Sharon Paton, 49, started driving West Midlands Railway trains just over a year ago
"I absolutely love it, I wish I'd done it years ago," Sharon Paton says, of her decision to change careers to become a train driver in her 40s.
"I don't have any deadlines, I don't have to answer emails, I've got the best office window you can have, driving around the countryside."
While just over one in 10 train drivers are women, the Birmingham resident said she had not come up against any negativity about being in the minority. Paton said: "The first day I walked in, there was a cohort of eight drivers and I was the only woman and I thought, 'oh God, am I going to be accepted?' But it's been fine. You've earned your place."
Having previously worked in print and marketing for decades, Paton said she had got to a point where she fancied a change. "I'd always wanted to do a practical job, and my brother-in-law had just gone through the training for a train driver and said, 'why don't you try it?'."
She jumped at the idea, and now drives West Midlands Railway services between Birmingham, Redditch, Lichfield, Wolverhampton and Rugeley.
Paton is one of a growing number of female train drivers working for West Midlands Railway
Despite her enthusiasm, the rigorous 12-month training process caught Paton by surprise. "There's about 12 different rounds of testing, psychometric, cognitive, safety-critical stuff, problem solving and a couple of quite meaty interviews," she said.
Trainees also sit exams about railway rules, train maintenance and have 270 hours of supervised driving practice.
Though she began classroom training in November 2023, it was at least four months before she got near a train. At one point, she said she had found herself at a depot in the middle of the night looking at the underside of an engine, thinking, "what on earth have I done, how did I get here?".
"It's quite a shock to the system, that's for sure, after being in a marketing office," she laughed. "But also exciting and interesting too."
(BBC article continues)
Sharon Paton, 49, started driving West Midlands Railway trains just over a year ago
"I absolutely love it, I wish I'd done it years ago," Sharon Paton says, of her decision to change careers to become a train driver in her 40s.
"I don't have any deadlines, I don't have to answer emails, I've got the best office window you can have, driving around the countryside."
While just over one in 10 train drivers are women, the Birmingham resident said she had not come up against any negativity about being in the minority. Paton said: "The first day I walked in, there was a cohort of eight drivers and I was the only woman and I thought, 'oh God, am I going to be accepted?' But it's been fine. You've earned your place."
Having previously worked in print and marketing for decades, Paton said she had got to a point where she fancied a change. "I'd always wanted to do a practical job, and my brother-in-law had just gone through the training for a train driver and said, 'why don't you try it?'."
She jumped at the idea, and now drives West Midlands Railway services between Birmingham, Redditch, Lichfield, Wolverhampton and Rugeley.
Paton is one of a growing number of female train drivers working for West Midlands Railway
Despite her enthusiasm, the rigorous 12-month training process caught Paton by surprise. "There's about 12 different rounds of testing, psychometric, cognitive, safety-critical stuff, problem solving and a couple of quite meaty interviews," she said.
Trainees also sit exams about railway rules, train maintenance and have 270 hours of supervised driving practice.
Though she began classroom training in November 2023, it was at least four months before she got near a train. At one point, she said she had found herself at a depot in the middle of the night looking at the underside of an engine, thinking, "what on earth have I done, how did I get here?".
"It's quite a shock to the system, that's for sure, after being in a marketing office," she laughed. "But also exciting and interesting too."
(BBC article continues)
| Re: Manchester Piccadilly station to shut for upgrade - February / March 2026 In "The Wider Picture in the United Kingdom" [373485/31052/51] Posted by IndustryInsider at 12:43, 21st March 2026 Already liked by Mark A | |
And.....the Carabao Cup Final at Wembley on Sunday features a club from.......yup, Manchester!
No London train until lunchtime will mean substantial overcrowding on the few trains to get to Euston in time for kick-off.
You couldn't make it up really. 50 other weeks without a Cup Final at Wembley to choose from
No London train until lunchtime will mean substantial overcrowding on the few trains to get to Euston in time for kick-off.
You couldn't make it up really. 50 other weeks without a Cup Final at Wembley to choose from
There are seven trains running from Stockport, which is only 6 miles away and has over 1000 parking spaces, before the services start up from Piccadilly.
| Re: Out and about, 21.3.2026 In "The Lighter Side" [373484/31766/30] Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 12:39, 21st March 2026 Already liked by eightonedee | |
Go-Op's next service to Taunton.
| Re: Out and about, 21.3.2026 In "The Lighter Side" [373483/31766/30] Posted by grahame at 12:22, 21st March 2026 | |
| Dog finds Canadian message in a bottle on Aberdeenshire beach In "The Lighter Side" [373482/31769/30] Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 12:14, 21st March 2026 | |
From the BBC:
Dog finds Canadian message in a bottle on Aberdeenshire beach
This photo of Maggie the dog was taken after the bottle was opened
A message in a bottle dropped from a boat off Canada has been found washed up in the north-east of Scotland.
The short letter, written in French and dated in 2024, was found inside the bottle at St Cyrus in Aberdeenshire. Having travelled across the Atlantic, it was found by one of Mike Scott's dogs during a beach walk. The 60-year-old said he was "amazed" by the bottle's journey of about 2,700 miles (4,300km).
The bottle floated across the Atlantic
The professional photographer from Johnshaven takes his dogs to St Cyrus most days for a walk. He described the weather as "wild" at the time they discovered the bottle. "As I was walking, Maggie my dog was sniffing a bottle that was just washing up. It was a really dark glass bottle with a lid and something in it."
The blue letter was inside a brown bottle
He explained: "I had found a message in a bottle before, but it was just from Dundee, so I was not expecting much. There was a zip bag in it, and a letter in French. I put it in my rucksack and put it on translate when I got home."
The note - which appeared to be signed 'Annie Chiasson' - said the bottle had been put to sea from a ferry travelling between Prince Edward Island and Iles-de-la-Madeleine in August 2024.
Scott said: "So the small glass bottle has survived two winters at sea, traveling from the east coast of Canada, across the north Atlantic, over the top of Scotland and down into the North Sea for us to find at St Cyrus."
"The sender was asking to let them know if found," he said. "We found the woman on Facebook, my wife sent a message, but we have heard nothing back."
BBC Scotland News has also tried to contact the sender.
Scott said: "It was such a weird thing to find, it's not just our own rubbish that washes up. It's amazing it was not smashed. I do not imagine she thought it would end up in Scotland across the Atlantic."
This photo of Maggie the dog was taken after the bottle was opened
A message in a bottle dropped from a boat off Canada has been found washed up in the north-east of Scotland.
The short letter, written in French and dated in 2024, was found inside the bottle at St Cyrus in Aberdeenshire. Having travelled across the Atlantic, it was found by one of Mike Scott's dogs during a beach walk. The 60-year-old said he was "amazed" by the bottle's journey of about 2,700 miles (4,300km).
The bottle floated across the Atlantic
The professional photographer from Johnshaven takes his dogs to St Cyrus most days for a walk. He described the weather as "wild" at the time they discovered the bottle. "As I was walking, Maggie my dog was sniffing a bottle that was just washing up. It was a really dark glass bottle with a lid and something in it."
The blue letter was inside a brown bottle
He explained: "I had found a message in a bottle before, but it was just from Dundee, so I was not expecting much. There was a zip bag in it, and a letter in French. I put it in my rucksack and put it on translate when I got home."
The note - which appeared to be signed 'Annie Chiasson' - said the bottle had been put to sea from a ferry travelling between Prince Edward Island and Iles-de-la-Madeleine in August 2024.
Scott said: "So the small glass bottle has survived two winters at sea, traveling from the east coast of Canada, across the north Atlantic, over the top of Scotland and down into the North Sea for us to find at St Cyrus."
"The sender was asking to let them know if found," he said. "We found the woman on Facebook, my wife sent a message, but we have heard nothing back."
BBC Scotland News has also tried to contact the sender.
Scott said: "It was such a weird thing to find, it's not just our own rubbish that washes up. It's amazing it was not smashed. I do not imagine she thought it would end up in Scotland across the Atlantic."
| Re: Passenger numbers up 7% Spring 2025 on Spring 2024 In "The Wider Picture in the United Kingdom" [373481/31005/51] Posted by ChrisB at 10:53, 21st March 2026 | |
You really mean how the DfT are going to deal with the increase, don't you?
| Re: Manchester Piccadilly station to shut for upgrade - February / March 2026 In "The Wider Picture in the United Kingdom" [373480/31052/51] Posted by ChrisB at 10:52, 21st March 2026 | |
These finals are booked over a year in advance. Next years has already been booked, although of course no one knows who is playing it yet.
For two weekends in a year, it can't be rocket science NOT to book ANY major works, surely - that require more than an overnight closure?
| Re: National Car Parks (NCP) goes into administration In "Buses and other ways to travel" [373479/31752/5] Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 10:14, 21st March 2026 | |
Some business analysis, from the BBC:
Home working, long leases and rise of parking apps - what went wrong for NCP
One of the UK's biggest car park companies collapsed into administration this week, leaving almost 700 jobs at risk.
For many, their first reaction to the news was bafflement. How could a company that charged as much as £65 for a day's parking fail to turn a profit?
So where did it all go wrong for National Car Parks, and what could its future look like?
NCP has a varied estate, with 340 car parks across the country, including in airports, train stations, hospitals and town centres.
With working from home affecting commuter demand, and shopping increasingly involving mouse clicks rather than footsteps, its city-centre and commuter car parks have had reduced occupancy.
The firm's collapse shows the "combined impact of flexible working, cost-of-living challenges and fuel prices, as well as the general fall in high street shopping and increase in delivery services", says Nick Stockley, partner at Mayo Wynne Baxter.
There has "undoubtedly been a big shift" away from commuters needing parking space five days a week, says the British Parking Association (BPA). Chief engagement and policy officer Alison Tooze says habits are now far more sporadic and more people are trying to avoid paying for tickets. "The difficulty has been knowing what normal looks like, where are we going to land post-pandemic, is this it in terms of people's travel, habits and demand for parking, and it's been a very uncertain picture."
NCP's parent company, Park24, which is Japanese, said higher energy prices as a result of the outbreak of war in Ukraine in 2022 increased its operating costs. It said this had been compounded by "persistently high" UK inflation, with NCP experiencing inflation-linked rent rises.
The costs of maintaining car park infrastructure are "huge", says the BPA's Tooze, including equipment, lighting and staffing. They're often in prime locations so face high business rates, she says, and they require maintenance to ensure they are structurally sound as cars, including electric vehicles, get bigger and heavier.
But motoring group the AA says a failure to expand parking spaces as vehicles grew over the decades had led to issues such as scratched doors. It added rising costs were also felt by customers, as "councils and private operators copied each other's ever-rising ticket prices", says AA president Edmund King.
In some places, it is cheaper to pay a fine than use an NCP car park, with some people opting deliberately to risk a fine rather than fork out for the "extortionate" charge.
Since the noughties a slew of parking apps have risen to prominence, offering drivers plenty of options beyond the traditional multi-storey car park. People get some extra income by renting out their empty driveways, or unused spaces in residential car parks, while drivers get more choice, flexibility and value.
Punters have "voted with their wheels", says the AA's King. "NCP didn't keep up with the changing world of more flexible and app-based local parking."
(BBC article continues)
One of the UK's biggest car park companies collapsed into administration this week, leaving almost 700 jobs at risk.
For many, their first reaction to the news was bafflement. How could a company that charged as much as £65 for a day's parking fail to turn a profit?
So where did it all go wrong for National Car Parks, and what could its future look like?
NCP has a varied estate, with 340 car parks across the country, including in airports, train stations, hospitals and town centres.
With working from home affecting commuter demand, and shopping increasingly involving mouse clicks rather than footsteps, its city-centre and commuter car parks have had reduced occupancy.
The firm's collapse shows the "combined impact of flexible working, cost-of-living challenges and fuel prices, as well as the general fall in high street shopping and increase in delivery services", says Nick Stockley, partner at Mayo Wynne Baxter.
There has "undoubtedly been a big shift" away from commuters needing parking space five days a week, says the British Parking Association (BPA). Chief engagement and policy officer Alison Tooze says habits are now far more sporadic and more people are trying to avoid paying for tickets. "The difficulty has been knowing what normal looks like, where are we going to land post-pandemic, is this it in terms of people's travel, habits and demand for parking, and it's been a very uncertain picture."
NCP's parent company, Park24, which is Japanese, said higher energy prices as a result of the outbreak of war in Ukraine in 2022 increased its operating costs. It said this had been compounded by "persistently high" UK inflation, with NCP experiencing inflation-linked rent rises.
The costs of maintaining car park infrastructure are "huge", says the BPA's Tooze, including equipment, lighting and staffing. They're often in prime locations so face high business rates, she says, and they require maintenance to ensure they are structurally sound as cars, including electric vehicles, get bigger and heavier.
But motoring group the AA says a failure to expand parking spaces as vehicles grew over the decades had led to issues such as scratched doors. It added rising costs were also felt by customers, as "councils and private operators copied each other's ever-rising ticket prices", says AA president Edmund King.
In some places, it is cheaper to pay a fine than use an NCP car park, with some people opting deliberately to risk a fine rather than fork out for the "extortionate" charge.
Since the noughties a slew of parking apps have risen to prominence, offering drivers plenty of options beyond the traditional multi-storey car park. People get some extra income by renting out their empty driveways, or unused spaces in residential car parks, while drivers get more choice, flexibility and value.
Punters have "voted with their wheels", says the AA's King. "NCP didn't keep up with the changing world of more flexible and app-based local parking."
(BBC article continues)
| Re: Looking for Wiltshire (Unitary) numbers In "Introductions and chat" [373478/31768/1] Posted by rogerpatenall at 10:00, 21st March 2026 | |
Generally speaking, Grahame, I am in genuine awe of all the work you do for the community - including for nerds like me. Awe, and admiration.
And then there are days like today. I read the above, had a chuckle and then went back to wondering and worrying what that man of influence across the Pond is dreaming up next. . .
| Re: Out and about, 21.3.2026 In "The Lighter Side" [373477/31766/30] Posted by Mark A at 09:55, 21st March 2026 | |
*Sits on hands*
Mark
| Re: Out and about, 21.3.2026 In "The Lighter Side" [373476/31766/30] Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 09:52, 21st March 2026 | |
I know - but I cheated, so I won't answer here.
CfN.
| Looking for Wiltshire (Unitary) numbers In "Introductions and chat" [373475/31768/1] Posted by grahame at 09:49, 21st March 2026 | |
Would anyone care to help me estimate or guess the following
How many passenger journeys in a (current) year
- by train to, from, between stations in Wiltshire
- by train passing through Wiltshire
- by bus to, from, between bus stops in Wiltshire
- by train passing through Wiltshire
- by coach to, from, between coach stops / destinations in Wiltshire
- by coach passing through Wiltshire
And more difficult questions
- how many individuals (different) travellers?
- how many of them hold driving licenses and would have a vehicle available?
- how many Wiltshire residents, UK residents, visitors from overseas?
- average journey lengths by each mode?
| 'All hands on deck' for SS Great Britain museum fundraiser In "Heritage railways, Railtours, buses, canals, steamships and other public transport based attractions" [373474/31767/47] Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 09:45, 21st March 2026 | |
From the BBC:
'All hands on deck' for SS Great Britain fundraiser
About 100 people are competing to 'win' the SS Great Britain for a night
Competitors are preparing to battle over who can keep their hands on the deck of a historic steamship the longest to "win" the vessel in an "urgent" fundraising challenge.
The competition is part of the SS Great Britain Trust's 'All Hands on Deck' appeal to raise £180,000 in six weeks for completion of the ship's Dockyard Museum.
The last person with their hand touching the deck by 15:30 GMT on Saturday will get the Bristol-based ship and museum all to themselves and 40 other people for a night.
"This really is all hands on deck," said Louisa Pharoah from the trust, adding: "The new museum will be incredibly special as it's been created by the people of Bristol."
With 100 competitors expected to take part, there will be a series of distractions, including "Mr Brunel himself doing everything he can to deter even the most determined competitors", a spokesperson said.
Pharoah, the trust's director of people and development, said it was an "exciting chance to potentially win the ship for the night".
"And a brilliant way to rally together as a community to support one of Bristol's most important cultural icons," she added.
The SS Great Britain was designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel, and launched from Bristol in 1843. It was the world's first iron-hulled screw-driven ocean liner and sailed around the world 32 times, covering more than one million miles (1.6m km) at sea, before being brought back home to Bristol in 1970 and eventually opened to the public.
If the fundraising target is reached, the new museum will open in July
The on-board museum closed to the public on 23 February to begin major redevelopment work. Although a £1.3m investment has been secured, local businesses, community groups and the public are being asked to support the fundraising.
Pharoah said the museum would "showcase the untold stories of those who travelled on the ship, from more than 50 different nationalities", with many of the stories uncovered by researchers from local Bristol communities.
The Trust aims to raise the funds by mid-April, with plans to open the new museum in July.
About 100 people are competing to 'win' the SS Great Britain for a night
Competitors are preparing to battle over who can keep their hands on the deck of a historic steamship the longest to "win" the vessel in an "urgent" fundraising challenge.
The competition is part of the SS Great Britain Trust's 'All Hands on Deck' appeal to raise £180,000 in six weeks for completion of the ship's Dockyard Museum.
The last person with their hand touching the deck by 15:30 GMT on Saturday will get the Bristol-based ship and museum all to themselves and 40 other people for a night.
"This really is all hands on deck," said Louisa Pharoah from the trust, adding: "The new museum will be incredibly special as it's been created by the people of Bristol."
With 100 competitors expected to take part, there will be a series of distractions, including "Mr Brunel himself doing everything he can to deter even the most determined competitors", a spokesperson said.
Pharoah, the trust's director of people and development, said it was an "exciting chance to potentially win the ship for the night".
"And a brilliant way to rally together as a community to support one of Bristol's most important cultural icons," she added.
The SS Great Britain was designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel, and launched from Bristol in 1843. It was the world's first iron-hulled screw-driven ocean liner and sailed around the world 32 times, covering more than one million miles (1.6m km) at sea, before being brought back home to Bristol in 1970 and eventually opened to the public.
If the fundraising target is reached, the new museum will open in July
The on-board museum closed to the public on 23 February to begin major redevelopment work. Although a £1.3m investment has been secured, local businesses, community groups and the public are being asked to support the fundraising.
Pharoah said the museum would "showcase the untold stories of those who travelled on the ship, from more than 50 different nationalities", with many of the stories uncovered by researchers from local Bristol communities.
The Trust aims to raise the funds by mid-April, with plans to open the new museum in July.
| Out and about, 21.3.2026 In "The Lighter Side" [373473/31766/30] Posted by grahame at 09:33, 21st March 2026 Already liked by Mark A, rogerw | |
First picture - but where?
More to follow during the day
| Re: Manchester Piccadilly station to shut for upgrade - February / March 2026 In "The Wider Picture in the United Kingdom" [373472/31052/51] Posted by Mark A at 09:14, 21st March 2026 | |
Though if Picadilly (and Manchester itself) hadn't had terminus capacity shredded to match pessimistic 60s rail traffic forecasts...
Mark
| Re: Passenger numbers up 7% Spring 2025 on Spring 2024 In "The Wider Picture in the United Kingdom" [373471/31005/51] Posted by John D at 07:55, 21st March 2026 | |
Did a bit more number crunching on latest ORR (Oct-Dec 2025) quarterly data
https://dataportal.orr.gov.uk/media/2hto1os3/passenger-rail-usage-oct-dec-2025.pdf
From table 1 GWR passengers up 6% in a year (8% year earlier)
From table 2 GWR passengers 5% more Km travelled, so slight decrease in average journey length (km travelled also up 5% year earlier)
From table 4 increased train km by 3% (also 3% previous year)
From table 5 increased vehicle km by 2% (5% previous year)
so average number of vehicles per train has fallen again (trains getting shorter)
Obviously if passenger km up 5%, but vehicle km only up 2% then trying to squeeze 3% more passengers per vehicle, which inevitably is going to lead to more standing or crowding on some routes at certain times.
Comparing to the Oct-Dec 2023 data, there is now over 10% increase in passenger km in 2 years. So how does GWR intend to cope with this growth ?
.... offload 3x4car HSTs, introduce (slowly) 68 class 175s, net 56 vehicles on a fleet of around 950 vehicles, in other words only cover about half the 10%, and expect other 5% to squeeze in or stand.
| Re: International Energy Agency recommends public transport In "Looking forward - the next 2, 5, 10 and 20 years" [373470/31765/40] Posted by grahame at 05:33, 21st March 2026 | |
The reduction in the use of (oil) fossil fuels may be being forced on us by the war that's blocked supplies, but it's also forcing us to be more frugal with our planet's resources - for the good of the our long term future in terms of climate change. I do look at the pictures shown on our TV of bombs dropping and burning resources and worry - of course - about the people involved, but also about the damage to the environment done by such events.
