These fairs have to have a council-led HSE inspection before they are allowed to open each time - the council issues a licence to operate.

I suspect Netley council is holding its breath....

Not being an engineer:

regarding the Portishead line crossing the river to the Severn Beach line,
 how far back down the line to Portishead line would the climb have had to start to get level with the current road bridge
and how far down the Severn beach rail line be to get it level towards Bristol.

The Avonmouth M5 bridge has a 30m clearance over the river (not sure at what tide state) so you would need about 1km ramps on each side at 1 in 30, or 2 km for 1 in 60.  

On the outside terrace at The Idle Rocks hotel in St Mawes there are water pistols on the tables which are very effective in deterring seagulls landing on the wall and eyeing up your food.

A man in his 80s has been taken to hospital in a life-threatening condition after he was struck by a bus in central London.

Emergency services were called at around 12:50 BST following the crash at the junction of Margaret Street and Regent Street.

The London Ambulance Service (LAS) said paramedics treated two people at the scene, with one taken to a major trauma centre as a priority. The Met Police said his condition was "thought to be life-threatening".

The other person was assessed and discharged at the scene, LAS said.

The service sent ambulance crews, paramedics, and a hazardous area response team to the scene, as well as dispatching the air ambulance.

Police said no arrests had been made, and bus services in the area have been diverted.

Try doing that on the Royal Albert Bridge. 

...

If you want a really extreme example of sharing, Google Gisbourne Airport where the railway line crosses the runway.

It's perhaps somewhat worrying that a shotgun licence has been granted to someone who's unable to tell the difference between a rabbit & a seagull.

Fair 'co-operating' after teenager injured on ride



Organisers of a steam fair where a young woman sustained potentially life-changing injuries to her head say they are working with authorities to establish what happened.

The 18-year-old was taken to hospital after the incident on a ride at the Netley Marsh Steam and Craft Show at about 22:50 BST on Saturday.

Netley Marsh Steam and Craft Show said it was "co-operating with all parties involved" following the "unfortunate incident".

"No further comment will be made until such time as appropriate and more information is available," it said in a statement on Sunday.

It said any other comments made on social media did not reflect organisers' views and that it "will continue to support all parties involved".

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary said officers were liaising with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) at the weekend.

A woman, who told the BBC she helped administer first aid to the teenager, said there had been "shock and panic" at the scene. The woman, who did not wish to be identified, said she had not initially realised the severity of what had happened. "One of the girl's friends came down and said how serious it was and some of us offered assistance. It's very shocking it could happen on a fairground ride that young children go on. This must never happen again," she said.

An HSE spokesperson said the incident was "local authority enforced and with Hampshire police".

Err ... what sort of repairs are needed to a train that can number into Westbury from the South West, but then not carry on North East to Melksham and Chippenham?

Three dead after sewage overflow causes German train to derail, say police

Three people have been killed and several others badly hurt after an overflowing sewage shaft caused a landslide that derailed a passenger train in south-west Germany, local authorities say.

Prosecutors said the train crashed between Riedlingen and Munderkingen near Stuttgart on Sunday following heavy rain in the area.

The deluge is believed to have caused an overflow, triggering a landslide on the banks running next to the tracks.

The train driver, another rail employee and one passenger died, while 41 people were injured. On Sunday, German Chancellor Freidrich Merz said he "mourn[ed] the victims" and offered his "deepest sympathy" to their families.

In a post on X, he said he was in close contact with the interior and transport ministers, and had requested that they provide the emergency services with all the support they need.

In a statement shared on Sunday, Ulm police said the train was on a 90 km (55 mile) route between Sigmaringen and Ulm when it derailed.

They said the investigation into the cause of the accident was ongoing, and the site of the incident would remain closed.

Rail traffic will remain suspended and clean-up work will begin on Monday, they added.

Around 100 people were on board the train when at least two carriages derailed in a forested area around 18:10 local time (17:10 BST), German news agency dpa reported on Sunday.

Images of the crash show carriages turned on their sides and heavy emergency service presence as firefighters and emergency teams worked to gain access to trapped passengers. Fallen trees can also be seen at the scene.

In a statement, operator Deutsche Bahn said: "Our thoughts and sympathies are with the victims and everyone who now has to process this experience."

The Rendsburg High Bridge over the Kiel Canal has a 42 metre clearance, and a spectacular spiral on the north side for trains to loose / gain height. "The required maximum incline of 1:150 (a one-metre gain in altitude for every 150 metres in distance) made it necessary to build elevated embankments and access bridges of about 5.5 km (3.4 mi) at each side" says WikiPedia

Due to a shortage of station staff at Worcester Foregate Street the line is closed.
Train services running through this station have been cancelled. Disruption is expected until the end of the day.
Customer Advice
We have been informed that Worcester Foregate station is closed this morning to trains, due to staff sickness.
As a result GWR services will not call at the station. Customers are advised to use Worcester Shrub Hill to make their journeys instead.
Further Information
An update will follow within the next 2 hours.
Last Updated:28/07/2025 07:52

07:13 Great Malvern to London Paddington due 09:42 will be started from Worcester Shrub Hill.
This is due to a shortage of station staff.
Last Updated:28/07/2025 07:03

08:56 Great Malvern to London Paddington due 11:27 will no longer call at Worcester Foregate Street.
This is due to a shortage of station staff.
Last Updated:28/07/2025 07:49

09:56 Great Malvern to London Paddington due 12:23 will be started from Oxford.
This is due to train crew being delayed by service disruption.
Last Updated:28/07/2025 07:30

10:59 Great Malvern to London Paddington due 13:25 will no longer call at Worcester Foregate Street.
This is due to a shortage of station staff.
Last Updated:28/07/2025 08:03

06:52 London Paddington to Great Malvern due 09:29 will be terminated at Oxford.
This is due to train crew being delayed by service disruption.
Last Updated:28/07/2025 07:29

07:50 London Paddington to Great Malvern due 10:14 will no longer call at Worcester Foregate Street.
This is due to a shortage of station staff.
Last Updated:28/07/2025 08:02

Our event attracts hundreds of people and can overload the car parks in Warminster town centre if everyone tries to park there. Fortunately Warminster is well served by buses and trains from the surrounding towns, as well as cities such as Cardiff, Bristol, Bath, Salisbury, Southampton and Portsmouth and so we strongly recommend that you use these if at all possible.