Presumably it translates to the allocated train has broken.

Should more space be allowed for that part of our population which eats fish, but not meat?

I thought this photogaph of a Bristol bus was worth pointing out...

https://www.flickr.com/photos/fray_bentos/200198976/in/photostream/

Ah... but I don't yet have my head round what this is doing.

Mark

https://faremap.cjar.co.uk/

You could also say, it's 'slightly less bad'. 

Arrests after windows on multiple vehicles smashed


Police said heritage vehicles had also been damaged at the coach yard

Two teenagers have been arrested after almost all the windows were smashed on vehicles parked at a storage yard.

Avon and Somerset Police said it was called after the "significant damage" was caused to two minibuses, five single-decker coaches, three double-decker vehicles, and two privately-owned cars at the yard near Midsomer Norton in Somerset.

Staff said five people with their faces covered had been on site when they got there, and a boy in his mid-teens was arrested at the scene before being de-arrested and taken home.

A second boy in his mid-teens was arrested on Tuesday on suspicion of causing criminal damage, and remains in police custody.

Avon and Somerset Police said the first boy will be interviewed in due course but de-arresting him and taking him home had been "necessary".

A further three vintage vehicles were damaged, and will be "very difficult" to repair, police added.

Martin Spiller, managing director of Centurion Travel, said the damage would affect the community as well as his family-run firm.

The company previously operated 28 coaches - 10 of which have been vandalised.

Spiller said the firm now faces costs of "tens of thousands" in repairs and finding replacement vehicles to fulfil its contracts - particularly for schools in Bath and North East Somerset now the Easter break has ended.

(BBC article continues)

Yes, I think that's a fair statement...as long as you include the "Still poor" bit.

CalMac's dual-fuel ferry has run solely on diesel since July


CalMac initially suspended use of the ship's liquefied natural gas after concern that some gas could enter the engine spaces

CalMac's "eco-friendly" dual-fuel ferry Glen Sannox - which is capable of running on gas - has been operating solely on diesel since last July, it has emerged.

The operator initially suspended use of the ship's liquefied natural gas (LNG) last summer after concern that some gas could enter the engine spaces.

An extra safety feature was fitted during the vessel's annual overhaul to address the issue but CalMac then decided not to "re-gas" the ship when it returned in February.

A spokesperson said re-gassing would take at least a week and the priority had been to get Glen Sannox back into service as soon as possible given the shortage of available vessels on its west coast network.

The initial decision to suspend the use of LNG for the main engines followed concern that gases from a vent pipe could enter the engine spaces via an air intake, according to the Daily Express which first reported the story.

Venting into the atmosphere is a standard feature of LNG ships to control pressure and to get rid of "boil off" gas - where the gas deliquefies - as well as gases released when the ship switches between fuels.

The ship's refrigerated LNG tank then had to be emptied for safety reasons before it went for an extended overhaul in Merseyside in November.

CalMac said refilling the LNG tank was a lengthy process because the engine had to cool down for a week before the refuelling operation could commence.

Given the shortage of serviceable vessels it was facing, the operator decided instead to continue operating the ship solely on marine gas oil, a form of diesel.


CalMac says the cryogenic LNG tank on Glen Sannox cannot be refilled until the engines have been allowed to cool for a week

CalMac said it planned to resume using LNG once the current network pressures had eased and a suitable opportunity arose to take Glen Sannox out of service for re-gassing.

The spokesperson added: "She was designed to run on either LNG or diesel and has not operated on LNG since July 2025. The vessel has been a welcome addition to the CalMac fleet since she joined the service in January 2025."

The ferry, which normally serves Arran, is currently redeployed to the Ullapool- Stornoway route because of vessel shortages.

(BBC article continues)

Weekend of disruption expected on Midland Mainline


The old footbridge at Harlington station is being removed after a new one was installed

Work to remove an old footbridge over a busy section of the Midland Mainline has begun, with disruption expected until Monday.

Network Rail said the structure at Harlington station in Bedfordshire would be taken down after a new one - designed to last 120 years - opened on 9 April.

The work, part of a series of improvements, means buses are replacing Thameslink trains between Bedford and Harpenden, until 20 April.

Dan Matthews, Network Rail's operations director said: "By co-ordinating this work with other key upgrades along the route, we are keeping disruption to a minimum and helping passengers see the benefits as quickly as possible."

East Midland Railway is not running trains between Bedford and London St Pancras during this time, with a replacement bus service operating between Bedford and Hitchin.


Network Rail says the new footbridge at Harlington is designed to last 120 years

While services are suspended, Network Rail engineers said they would also carry out:

* Track renewal at Flitwick, where five engineering trains and a tamper maintenance machine will install 642 metres of new rail, along with 2,760 tonnes of ballast and 1,008 concrete sleepers

* Further work on the Access for All project at Luton station, to install an accessible footbridge and three lifts

* Drainage work at Harpenden station to prevent flooding, protect the railway and support safer, more reliable services for passengers.

Adrian Gogay, infrastructure director for Thameslink, said: "I would like to apologise to customers [as] journeys are going to take longer. Please do plan ahead, allow more time and check the latest online before setting out - especially if you are travelling to Luton Airport."

If it's any comfort, (as we're told above) apparently it's "definitely improving" 

Still poor...but definitely improving.

New rail trail explores globally significant sites


The south-west trail includes attractions such as Bath, Stonehenge and Avebury

A new rail guide has been launched to celebrate globally significant sites across the West of England.

The map offers a curated collection of two-day trails featuring eight Unesco-designated sites across the region, which visitors can travel to using Great Western Railway's (GWR) route.

Kathryn Davis, CEO of Visit West, said some of the UK's most remarkable Unesco-designated landscapes are found in the West, including Bath - a double-inscribed World Heritage Site - and Bristol, a Unesco City of Film. "This initiative brings them together for the first time, making it easier for visitors to explore, understand, and appreciate their global significance while travelling sustainably," she said.


It's hoped people will travel more sustainably by using rail links

Andy Bell, project coordinator, said Wiltshire also plays a huge part as it is home to two major World Heritage sites recognised by the United Nations' cultural agency Unesco. "Wiltshire benefits from having two World Heritage sites which include Stonehenge in Avebury," Bell said. "They're contributing their outstanding universal value as Unesco calls it - their sort of cultural value in the world."


The Avebury stone circle in Wiltshire is a Unesco world heritage site

He added that the "biggest element" of a carbon footprint for a family holiday in the south-west "is travel".

"So, if they're coming down in a car, that's a major part of the carbon footprint of the journey," he added.



GWR has released interactive content, route ideas, and practical information to help people plan journeys.

Ruth Powell, GWR regional partnerships manager, said: "We're proud to support this initiative, helping customers connect with some of the south-west's most internationally-celebrated landscapes and cultural sites by train. Rail is one of the most sustainable ways to travel, and this campaign showcases just how accessible these world-class destinations can be."

Also heard that in that neck of the woods,the 11 or 12 starts some where North of Bristol Parkway,then changes number to a 11 or 12.

Then continues is journey into Bristol,so it says on the bus destination Bristol Parkway,although it continues to central Bristol.

The regulars know this, but newbees or visitors would not.

Although I have heard from others,that SOME drivers ask where are you going and tell them to get on the bus to get into central Bristol.

From the BBC:


Perchance not unrelated to the fact of the school holidays?

How about the authorities stop the hand wringing and, if it isn't already in place, install some temporary CCTV to confirm whether or not this is an ongoing problem, and identify the guilty parties.

Petrol cost 5s 5d per gallon - equivalent to 7.1 pence per litre

Surprise!!!  It’s bust again. 
Definitely reaching the point of ‘nope, I won’t bother going in case I can’t come back’ that we had in 2024 (and every other year since 2020 really)

Cancellations to services between Slough and Reading
Due to a points failure between Slough and Reading fewer trains are able to run on some lines.
Train services running to and from these stations may be cancelled or delayed. Disruption is expected until 22:45 17/04.

A German woman has been separated from her two-year-old daughter in Edinburgh after a Home Office mistake left her stranded in Dusseldorf earlier this week.

Liza Tobay, who has lived in the UK for 15 years, had taken her oldest child, a six-year-old boy, to visit his grandfather and some other relatives over Easter when confronted with what she said appeared to be “a serious administrative error”.

She is one of millions of EU citizens who, before Brexit, could just use their passport at the border, but must now prove they have “settled status” to enter the country as a lawful resident.

The first she knew of the error in the UK system was during her return on Wednesday when she tried to make a connecting flight from Munich to Edinburgh during a layover in Dusseldorf.

Article continues ...