The seagulls, or the water pistols? 

A man has been arrested after a teenager was raped in a toilet on a train in south-east London, British Transport Police (BTP) said.

The 17-year-old girl was attacked after boarding a Thameslink train towards Abbey Wood from Woolwich Arsenal railway station at about 06:10 BST on 19 July, having been sexually assaulted on the platform five minutes beforehand.

The man left the network at Abbey Wood while the girl continued to Slade Green station and later reported the incident to police.

BTP said a 30-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of rape and taken into custody. He was later released on bail pending further inquiries.

Officers are appealing for anyone who was at Woolwich Arsenal station and may have seen the pair on the platform, or anyone who saw them on the train, to contact police immediately.

I doubt the Local Authority safety inspection would involve a in depth mechanical, electrical inspection, observing full operation by all the operators, setting up etc. More likely it will be an audit of the HS File, inspection, maintenance and repair reports, records of operator training, management of safety policy.  The Local Authority would unlikely have the skill staff, resources and time to carry out a full inspection of every ride and machine.

Under the Health and Safety (Enforcing Authority) Regulations 1998, the local authority is generally the enforcing authority for leisure activities.

National Association for Leisure Industry Certification

NAFLIC is the UK trade association for amusement ride inspectors and other companies and individuals who provide inspection and maintenance services to ride owners, controllers and operators. Members are qualified in all aspects of amusement ride inspection and all are registered with ADIPS, the Amusement Device Inspection Procedures Scheme, which is fully endorsed and supported by the Health and Safety Executive.

The membership also includes others who provide valuable input into the inspection and maintenance aspects of rides and attractions, such as manufacturers and suppliers. Additionally, NAFLIC provides technical assistance and advice to the amusement park and travelling fairground industry.

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?