WAVERLEY COMPLETES HER FIRST SEASONAL CIRCUMNAVIGATION OF GREAT BRITAIN IN OVER 40 YEARS!

Waverley has just crossed the finishing line as she proudly steams up the Firth of Clyde this evening, marking the completion of her clockwise tour round Great Britain.

Just over 7 weeks ago Waverley's epic repositioning voyage from Ayr to the South West began, much to the surprise of all those who closely monitor her adventures away from the Firth of Clyde.
This evening she has passed abeam of Ayr on the final leg of her journey from London to Glasgow. Waverley first circumnavigated Great Britain in 1981, just 6 years into her preservation career, and did so for three seasons in the 1980s.

Since then, trips round the north and along the east coast have been rare. The decision to sail over 1,200 nautical miles from Ayr to Dartmouth via the east coast back in August this year was taken due to swell conditions off Land's End which did not show signs of abating.

The choice was either to be storm bound and be certain of missing many sailings or take her full circle and achieve some success in the South West and the opening week of the South Coast programme. Since late August Waverley has sailed the South Coast and Thames Estuary offering thousands of passengers the opportunity to step aboard.

Following the final sailing on the Thames on Sunday 12th October Waverley set her course for home. In the early hours of Monday morning she departed Gravesend and steamed round the South East of England.

After refuelling at Weymouth she rounded Land's End and continued her journey north. Given the good weather conditions and calm seas, she didn't rush but instead has paddled home at a leisurely and more fuel efficient speed - a sharp contrast to the journey south which saw over 35,000 litres of extra fuel required. The video in this post shows Waverley's final transit under Tower Bridge at the start of the 800 nautical mile journey from London to Glasgow.
 
Now, as Waverley returns to the Clyde we’re celebrating another truly remarkable season. It’s been one filled with unforgettable cruises, special moments, and the pure joy of seeing our national treasure welcomed in every port and pier she has visited.
 
The weather has at times forced changes to the sailing programme but despite that, and the odd operational challenge, the ship has recorded well over 150,000 passenger journeys this season so far.

This weekend marks the finale of Waverley’s 2025 season with sailings on Saturday 18th and Sunday 19th October - we invite you to join us in welcoming her home in style.

Saturday 18th October - Step aboard at Glasgow (1000), Greenock (1145), Kilcreggan (1215) or Dunoon (1245) to cruise up the spectacular fjord-like Loch Long to Arrochar for a brief photocall at Ardnagal Pier.

Sunday 19th October – Step aboard at Glasgow (0930), Greenock (1115), Rothesay (1250) or Largs (1340) to cruise round Bute viewing Garroch Head, Inchmarnock and the stunning Kyles of Bute. On this cruise Waverley will also make a brief call at Tighnabruaich from 1530 until 1620.

Rhiannon was on the train on her way home from a day out with friends earlier this summer when she was sexually harassed by a group of men

Reports of sexual assaults and harassment on trains have risen by more than a third over the past 10 years, according to data requested by a BBC investigation.

There were 2,661 incidents reported across England, Scotland and Wales last year, where one in 10 were children - with some younger than 13.

Rhiannon Williams said she was sexually harassed on a train earlier this year and recalled: "You can't go anywhere, you can't escape. I had to sit there and put up with it."

British Transport Police has said the rise is a "concern" and will take every allegation "seriously" while the group that represents train companies added operators have a "zero tolerance to sexual harassment".

Data gathered by the BBC via a Freedom of Information request to the British Transport Police found a 37% increase in reports of sexual offences across England, Scotland and Wales since 2015.

Warning: This story contains details some may find distressing.

Rhiannon said she was sexually harassed on a train this summer by a group of drunken men while going home in west Wales after a day out with friends at the seaside resort of Tenby in Pembrokeshire. "It was uncomfortable and scary," the 18-year-old told the BBC. "It's a situation of feeling quite cornered. You're on a train, you can't go anywhere, you can't escape. It definitely made me feel trapped."

A witness reported the harassment to the British Transport Police and officers are still investigating the incident, which happened in August.

"It's due to the normalisation of these situations, the attitude that boys will be boys and it's something women should put up with," added Rhiannon, who is from Llanelli. "It shouldn't be like that, these situations make women feel extremely intimidated and uncomfortable."

Sexual offences can include rape, sexual assault or sexual harassment. Police say harassment is anything that makes you feel uncomfortable or is inappropriate, such as staring, constant questioning or catcalling. Despite the rise, officers fear sexual assault and sexual harassment on trains and in stations is still underreported - and worry some do not report it to police at all.

Like Maddie Waktare, who said she was sexually assaulted by a man sitting next to her while travelling on a train from London Waterloo. "It was a busy train, but he was taking up more space than he needed to," said the 30-year-old. "His body was encroaching onto me which made me feel uncomfortable. It was summer and I was wearing a dress and he ran his hand up the side of my thigh." Maddie said she froze. "He kept doing it," she added.


Maddie Waktare was on a train from London going to visit family when she said she was sexually assaulted by a male passenger

"I stood up forcefully and glared at him. I was in shock and disbelief. I couldn't believe this had happened to me."

Now Maddie is angry for not reacting. "I never thought I would be someone who would freeze," she said. "It made me realise how normalised it is in society. The problem is you don't know what these people are capable of, it starts with something like this and then their crimes can get worse. I should have reported it."

Of those 22,100 reports of sexual offences on trains in the past 10 years, detectives could not identify a suspect in half of the cases.

The UK government has said they have pledged £17m to improve British Transport Police's access to station CCTV to help "ensure offenders are identified and brought to justice more quickly".

Footage of a train conductor being arrested on a station platform after sexually assaulting an 18-year-old female passenger has been released by the British Transport Police as part of the BBC investigation.

Nicholas McMurray was jailed for seven years after being convicted for sexually assaulting a woman who cannot be named for legal reasons, on a mainline train between London Paddington and Swansea.

She had been talking on her phone on a journey from Cardiff when Great Western Railway (GWR) train manager McMurray asked to check her train ticket, before adjusting her dress, and sexually assaulting her. The passenger reported the incident to British Transport Police when she arrived at Swansea Station and McMurray was arrested on the platform.

Officers placed clear bags over his hands to preserve evidence before he was taken to the police station. The 38-year-old from Swansea was found guilty of sexual assault and assault by penetration at Swansea Crown Court earlier this year and put on the sex offenders register for life.

GWR said McMurray was immediately removed from duty. "He resigned with immediate effect during the disciplinary process, where the likely outcome was immediate dismissal," a spokesperson said.

British Transport Police said McMurray had "completely abused his position and took advantage of this young woman".

Sexual offences involving children under 18 have trebled on the trains in the past decade from 146 reports in 2015 to 443 in 2025. In total more than 2,900 reports were made over the past 10 years involving children.

"While any rise in crime figures is a concern, it's important to contextualise that this is down in part to an increase in intelligence-led operations involving plain clothes officers who are specially trained to identify offenders," said Det Ch Insp Nia Mellor of British Transport Police. Those undercover officers patrol stations looking for "people hanging about not catching trains".

"It's people moving up and down platforms trying to position themselves closer to lone females, or females that may be a bit more vulnerable because of intoxication," said Sgt Morgan Andrews.

Officers also feel men should be more aware of how women may feel about being approached.

It happened to Julia who was on a train with a friend from Bedford to London when she received unwanted attention from a group of men. "They kept staring and speaking in a different language and it felt like they were planning something," said the 22-year old actress, originally from Switzerland but now living in London.


Julia says unwanted attention from a group of men made her anxious

She said at the end of the train journey the men started to follow them. "We ran so they couldn't follow us to the tube or follow us home, you don't know what their intentions are," she said. "I was really anxious. I was scared, I was scared for my friend."

Anyone that experiences or witnesses sexual assault or harassment on the rail network is advised to text the British Transport Police on 61016 with details of the incident, location and time.

"No woman or girl should be made to feel uncomfortable during their rail journey," said Det Ch Insp Mellor. "Unacceptable behaviour on the network has serious consequences and will not be tolerated. We are relentless in our pursuit to hold these offenders to account and ensure the railway network is a safe place to be for everyone."

The Rail Delivery Group, which represents the UK's train operators, said every allegation will be "taken seriously".

"There's zero tolerance in terms of sexual harassment on our network," said their chief executive Jacqueline Starr.

The UK government has said people should be able to use the rail network "without fearing for their safety".

"A rise in reports does not necessarily mean more incidents are occurring," added a government spokesperson. "It may reflect that more victims now feel able to come forward because of increased awareness and messaging across the network."

I can feel a thread split coming up - as this has strayed so far off topic ..

18:57 London Paddington to Great Malvern due 21:18 will be terminated at Worcester Shrub Hill.
It has been delayed previously and is expected to be 57 minutes late from Oxford.
This is due to trespassers on the railway.
Last Updated:15/10/2025 20:41

19:53 London Paddington to Hereford due 22:57 has been delayed at London Paddington and is now 24 minutes late.
This is due to trespassers on the railway.
Last Updated:15/10/2025 20:19

19:45 Great Malvern to London Paddington due 22:24 is being delayed at Oxford.
This is due to trespassers on the railway earlier today.
Last Updated:15/10/2025 21:51

Not a hope - the ramp & the wheelchair in a straight line - I very much think that the wall prevents the wheelchair from lining up on the ramp unless the bus stops away from the kerb

I agree with ChrisB: that is absolutely impractical access to the bus for a wheelchair user. CfN.

Watch as train manager arrested after sex assault

This is the moment a train conductor was arrested on a station platform after sexually assaulting an 18-year-old female passenger.

Nicholas McMurray, 38, from Swansea has been jailed for seven years after being found guilty of sexual assault and assault by penetration at Swansea Crown Court and put on the sex offenders' register for life.

The woman had been talking on her phone on a journey when the Great Western Railway train manager asked to check her ticket and sexually assaulted her. She reported the incident to British Transport Police when she arrived at Swansea station and McMurray was arrested.

Great Western Railway said McMurray was immediately removed from duty, with the British Transport Police saying he had "completely abused his position and took advantage of this young woman".

The bodycam footage of the arrest has been released by the police as part of a BBC investigation.

I came to this story via social media. The amount of people stating, quite confidently, that this was an electric bus was astounding. It seems any vehicle fire these days MUST be an EV according to these luddites, who never read beyond the headline and just let their prejudices dictate their belief.

This bus was a decade old diesel engined Alexander Dennis Enviro400.

An internal combustion engine vehicle is 20 times more likely to go on fire than an EV.

Ferry strike vote called off by RMT after talks



A ballot on industrial action on cross-Solent ferries has been cancelled.

Wightlink had proposed staff cuts, potentially affecting up to 50 roles, as part of a project which it said would improve the business.

Following "constructive talks" with the RMT Union, Wightlink said it had withdrawn its original proposal and would continue discussions.

RMT general secretary Eddie Dempsey confirmed its members would not be balloted on strike action, saying it had been a "successful outcome".

Wightlink said it had been consulting the union over proposed changes for the Rostering and Operational Efficiency Project - which it described as a "five-year company plan to modernise the business and to make improvements for passengers".

Chief executive Katy Taylor said "We take our responsibility as a lifeline service seriously and we are doing everything we can to avoid industrial action as we know the impact it has on our customers. We will continue talks with the RMT and hope to agree a way forward for changes which are needed to further improve our services, increase flexibility and to add additional sailings."

The maritime union had previously said the proposals would put 160 jobs at risk and threatened to ballot for industrial action unless the "reckless plans" were withdrawn.

Following the talks, Mr Dempsey said: "This is a successful outcome for RMT members at Wightlink who stood together and showed the company they would not accept threats to their jobs or safety. RMT is always prepared to engage in genuine talks about improvements, but we will never accept changes that put jobs or safety on the line."

Wightlink operates vehicle and passenger services between Portsmouth and Ryde as well as vehicle ferries between Yarmouth and Lymington.

Rebuilt Devon rail link 'could give £1bn economic boost' if restored


Railfuture says the economic benefits could be seen by the year 2040

The possible reintroduction of a train service between between Barnstaple and Bideford could generate up to £1bn for the local economy, according to a rail group.

The Northern Devon Rail Development Partnership is looking at extending the current Tarka line between Exeter and Barnstaple back into Bideford, with a half-hourly service and other improvements to produce the economic benefits by 2040.

Roger Blake, of Railfuture, which leads the partnership, said any plans would first "look at restoring the original route along the Tarka Trail", but with guarantees a continuous trail must remain for walkers and cyclists.

If approved, any construction would take at least three years to complete.

Mr Blake, who acknowledged there were many hurdles to overcome and it was more a long-term strategy, said the trail and the railway "would have to adapt".

"At Fremington Quay, the railway would have to move and not go through the quay by constructing a bit of new railway inland as a bypass," he said.

The group insisted there was a "huge appetite" to start a feasibility study into the restoration of the Barnstaple to Bideford line, and the re-introduction of the Exeter to Okehampton line had proved how successful it could be.

Mr Blake said the next stages were to "test strategic fit so we answer the question why bother doing this at all". The next part of the feasibility test was looking at "complexity, which is focused on how do we do it, given that we feel we have a case to be doing it in the first place", he added.

Members of the group also said they were looking at possible funding and setting out a valid business case before presenting it to the government.

Wide enough to get the bus ramp down & a wheelchair in front of it to go up that ramp? Or inaccessible?

Met PC's misconduct proven over bus stop arrest

A Metropolitan police officer who arrested a woman in 2023 for bus fare evasion in south London committed misconduct, a disciplinary panel has found.

PC Perry Lathwood will be given a written warning after a three-day hearing found he breached professional standards for calling Jocelyn Agyemang a "daft cow" during the incident in Croydon. He was cleared of allegations that he breached standards relating to equality and diversity and use of force – including applying handcuffs, and discreditable conduct.

The officer was originally fined £1,500 for assaulting Ms Agyemang, who had been travelling with her young son, but had his conviction quashed last September.

The tribunal had heard Ms Agyemang had been stopped getting off a bus in Whitehorse Road where Transport for London inspectors were being assisted by police as part of a ticket checking operation.

In PC Lathwood's body-worn footage Ms Agyemang is heard saying "can you get off my arm" and "this man is hurting me". The footage appears to show PC Lathwood shouting at her to "stop resisting" and shortly afterwards says "there's a road behind you you daft cow, stay here".

When Ms Agyemang's Oyster card was checked and it was confirmed she had paid her fare, she was de-arrested at the scene.

The director of the Independent Office for Police Conduct, Amanda Rowe, said: "Police officers must treat members of the public with respect and courtesy during the course of their duties. This was a distressing incident for the woman, who was handcuffed in public in front of her child, and the language used by PC Lathwood was disrespectful and unprofessional."

Ms Rowe said the incident had become "high profile" after a video of the arrest shared on social media went viral. She explained that it caused "significant public concern at the time", particularly in the Croydon community. The director said the interaction "continues to have a lasting impact on the woman involved".

Paula Dodds, chair of the Metropolitan Police Federation, said: "Short video clips of incidents viewed from the comfort of sterile and calm environments rarely take into account what police officers in London encounter on a daily basis - or provide a genuine understanding of the true nature of our difficult and dangerous job. Police officers have no issue with scrutiny and accounting for their actions and use of force - but this has to take into account the dynamic and split-second challenges and the reality of our challenging role. PC Lathwood can finally put this incident behind him and carry on his career. We ask that he and his family are now left alone to get on with their lives."

the facilities at the bus stop (which is on a narrow curb between a high wall and the road; no shelter because it would be so close to the main roadway in would be a traffic hazard).

I would even take sitting in a smoking carriage on an old HST against a voyager

is a fair old drag if you are on crutches or in wheelchair. I presume the councillor is able-bodied (apologies if there is a more woke way of putting it), put them in a wheelchair for a day?

For the railways' infrastructure, there are other noses in the taxpayer's wallet, too.  All the consultants and contractors etc, with all their cash-absorption.  Getting anything done appears to cost way more than it could, and has been disproportionately inflated above the cost of getting it done years ago, when it was largely done in-house

Does the Data Protection Act come in somewhere. I know at least one local council that cannot use the electoral register for other council purposes; e.g. notifying change of bin collections. Might be different interpretations. Also is disability classified as a protected characteristic? Which could be another reason for not sharing.

6.3. How we use your Personal Information
When you supply personal information to RDG we will use it for the following purposes:
We and/or the train companies whose information is provided in the 'Railcard' app may also use your information: (a) for internal market research and analysis purposes; and (b) to carry out survey related activities with you.
We will not share or distribute any of the information you provide to us to unaffiliated third parties, unless required to do so by law.
We will only collect and use your information for the services to be provided and the duration required for the provision of the services.  We may need to retain the information for a reasonable period of time after the end of the services.

6.3. How we use your Personal Information
When you supply personal information to RDG we will use it for the following purposes:
We and/or the train companies whose information is provided in the 'Railcard' app may also use your information: (a) for internal market research and analysis purposes; and (b) to carry out survey related activities with you.
We will not share or distribute any of the information you provide to us to unaffiliated third parties, unless required to do so by law.
We will only collect and use your information for the services to be provided and the duration required for the provision of the services.  We may need to retain the information for a reasonable period of time after the end of the services.

For the railways' infrastructure, there are other noses in the taxpayer's wallet, too.  All the consultants and contractors etc, with all their cash-absorption.  Getting anything done appears to cost way more than it could, and has been disproportionately inflated above the cost of getting it done years ago, when it was largely done in-house

One additional benefit of a disabled railcard is 50% off River Roamer fares on the Uboat Thames clippers in London.

450 metre walk from the station to the bus stop is reasonable

There is promised a new independent passenger watchdog - enveloping Transport Focus & the ORR's passenger parts plus other 'bits' still being developed (e.g. accessibility). We will need to await the Railways Bill in order to discover exactly what this being is - and whether there will be any requirement on it to consult passengers, or 'stakeholders' - & if the latter, whether the definition of 'stakeholders' includes passenger representatives, or indeed, actual passengers/users or simply the defined consultees.

A couple of weeks further to wait, I suspect for that.