There are places where this co-operation has led to fruitful interactions to the mutual benefit of the national and heritage railways. The Spa Valley Railway with their parallel running into Eridge and the Chinnor and Princes Risborough with their brand new Chinnor Independent Line parallel to NR's Thame Branch Siding.

I think a few others have through ticketing arrangements as well.

Thankyou Mr Cromwell 

One major difference between UK heritage railways and the majority of the German narrow gauge steam lines is that the latter were mostly transferred as “going concerns” from DB to a “private” company (in most cases probably majority local authority owned, complete with subsidies, possibly lucrative contracts for schools traffic etc. They are also almost exclusively in areas that qualify/qualified for numerous EU grants. As such their financing structure bears little resemblance to what we would understand as a heritage railway. The German equivalents of those look enviously across the channel…

There seem to be a number of Scottish castles on the market at present - here's another

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c17n170gqkqo

Seems to come with a history of plans to do something to make a future user it that aren't in agreement with how the Scottish Government would like it used.  Ferry from Mallaig.   Mallaig has one of the highest proportion of local people arriving at the station by other public transport and proportion of use.

Following a safety inspection of the track at Honeybourne the line towards Oxford has now reopened. Disruption is expected until the end of the day.
Train services between Worcester Shrub Hill and Oxford are returning to normal but some services may still be cancelled, delayed or diverted. Evesham, Pershore, Moreton-In-Marsh, Kingham, Charlbury and Hanborough will not be served.
Customer Advice
A section of track near Honeybourne is closed for a safety inspection. Unfortunately this means we are currently unable to run our service between Worcester and Oxford. We are currently arranging plans for customers affected on the route. In some cases it may be possible to divert trains between Worcester Shrub Hill and Reading, but stations along the way will not be served. On board staff will inform customers of the route they will take, and potential journey times.
Last Updated:27/08/2025 20:48

1P38 16:32 Great Malvern to London Paddington due 19:29 will no longer call at Didcot Parkway but will call additionally at Radley.
It has been delayed at Honeybourne and is now 174 minutes late.
This is due to a safety inspection of the track.
Last Updated:27/08/2025 20:17

1P42 19:02 Great Malvern to London Paddington due 21:26 will no longer call at Worcestershire Parkway Hl, Pershore, Evesham, Moreton-In-Marsh, Kingham, Charlbury, Hanborough and Oxford.
This is due to urgent repairs to the track.
Last Updated:27/08/2025 19:34

1P44 19:45 Great Malvern to London Paddington due 22:24 will be started from Oxford.
This is due to a safety inspection of the track.
Last Updated:27/08/2025 20:24

1P46 20:56 Worcester Foregate Street to London Paddington due 23:29 will be started from Oxford.
This is due to a safety inspection of the track.
Last Updated:27/08/2025 18:42

1W36 18:57 London Paddington to Great Malvern due 21:18 was terminated at Oxford.
This is due to urgent repairs to the track.
Last Updated:27/08/2025 20:10

20:52 London Paddington to Great Malvern due 23:13 will be cancelled.
This is due to a safety inspection of the track.
Last Updated:27/08/2025 19:55

An estimated £20,000 penalty in terms of fuel costs but will hopefully rescue a lot of bookings.

Mark

Serious profit being made per trip then!

£500 per room per night is definitely Bath pricing

(ok that is over Christmas, and it is a nice place - recently changed hands I believe https://beechfieldhouse.co.uk/offers/christmas-2025/ )

Cut/paste is very handy for organisations like GWR when it comes to dealing with these matters.

Due to a safety inspection of the track at Honeybourne the line towards Oxford is blocked. Disruption is expected until the end of the day.
Train services between Worcester Shrub Hill and Oxford may be cancelled, delayed or diverted.
Customer Advice
A section of track near Homeybourne is closed for a safety inspection. Unfortunately this means we are currently unable to run our service between Worcester and Oxford. We are currently arranging plans for customers affected on the route. In some cases it may be possible to divert trains between Worcester Shrub Hill and Reading, but stations along the way will not be served. On board staff will inform customers of the route they will take, and potential journey times.
Last Updated:27/08/2025 17:56

16:32 Great Malvern to London Paddington due 19:29 will no longer call at Didcot Parkway but will call additionally at Radley.
It is being delayed at Honeybourne.
This is due to a safety inspection of the track.
Last Updated:27/08/2025 17:40

17:26 Worcester Foregate Street to London Paddington due 19:52 was terminated at Worcester Shrub Hill.
This is due to a safety inspection of the track.
Last Updated:27/08/2025 17:38

18:02 Worcester Foregate Street to London Paddington due 20:29 will no longer call at Worcestershire Parkway Hl, Pershore, Evesham, Honeybourne, Moreton-In-Marsh, Kingham, Charlbury, Hanborough and Oxford.
It will be delayed between Worcester Shrub Hill and Didcot Parkway.
This is due to a safety inspection of the track.
Last Updated:27/08/2025 17:58

There's one that's located less than a mile (as the crow flies, anyway) from Melksham station which at one time had "near Bath" as a strapline on their website, and no mention at all of Melksham...

No-one - it's going to be free  . ... of course, it means "free at the point of use" and there's some potential sense in that.   

I have noted in Luxembourg and in certain places in Norway that there is no charge for the use of public transport, and at places in France and Germany where some services are free or you are assumed to have a ticket where loading and unloading speed, so transit time and staffing levels can be notably reduced.

We are a long way from the underground going barrier free and people not even having to swipe a card as they get on buses, but it has its attractions.

Yes: Ellie, Customer Service Advisor, is doing her best to defend the indefensible. 

Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby given speeding fine

August: The yellow box is gone but not forgotten

A yellow box junction which was hailed as the biggest in the UK and Ireland has been removed from a County Londonderry town.

The 40m-long yellow markings in Maghera were painted in June, then reduced in size in July, and now have disappeared completely. However, a yellow box is expected to make a comeback in the autumn, when resurfacing work in the town is completed.

Mid Ulster Councillor Denise Johnston said she wants a meeting with the Department for Infrastructure over what she described as "a waste" of public money. Questions have been asked about the cost of the work, and why the lines were painted in June if resurfacing work was planned in August.

SDLP councillor Denise Johnston told BBC Radio Foyle: "It just doesn't make sense and it's not a good use of public money. I do get the importance of a yellow box - a yellow box will be necessary there - but … if you know you're going to resurface the road two or three months later, why would you do it?"  She said many people in Maghera had been left "bemused and confused".


July: The beginning of the end

The Department for Infrastructure (DfI), which is in charge of roads in Northern Ireland, said the costs could not be released as they were "commercially sensitive".

Explaining the changes which have taken place, a DfI spokesperson said: "The department implemented the yellow box markings at this location to assist with the ease of Translink bus movements to and from the main bus stop on St Lurachs Road.

"The extent of the markings was reviewed following initial installation and subsequently reduced in length to improve traffic flow. The yellow box marking will be reinstated upon completion of the resurfacing on Hall Street."


June: The yellow box in all its glory

Maghera, with its population of fewer than 5,000 people, was dubbed the "small town with the big yellow box" after the first appearance of the markings in June.

The extra-large box stretched along a busy junction frequently used by buses, lorries and cars. After complaints, the box was scaled back but it took a while as the distinctive yellow markings are not easily removed.

Public realm improvements have been taking place in the town for the past year. As well as installing new street furniture and widening footpaths, the project tried to tackle traffic flow issues.