I have now merged two topics here, as they both cover the same subject - for clarity, continuity and ease of future reference, as ever.

 
hopefully, 'intimate' would mean an image of that ilk would be unlikely to be posted on this forum. Steam engine innards might be the exception

And then you still have to prove 'without consent'.....from whom, the subject or photographer?

 
As a regular bike user, I find most bike lights blinding as well, especially head torches. The general attitude to selling bike lights appear to be make them as bright as possible and don't worry where the light goes. Similar for scooters, when they bother. Personally I have one of the German spec lights that don't blind other users.

I think part of the problem with cars and similar, is do drivers dip their lights. Don't know the legal position but you shouldn't need full beam if there is street lighting. And does anybody use side/parking lights these days, it doesn't appear so.

 
I'm posting here in full support of grahame's update on this particular topic.

We on the administrator / moderator team (and we are very much a team, of volunteers!) do keep a close eye on everything that is posted here on the Coffee Shop forum, as it can be read by any viewer - members and guests.

In the past, after discussion 'behind the scenes', we have very occasionally invited a member to reconsider something they have posted. Such rare interventions have generally been accepted without rancour, avoiding the need for the team to take any further action.

This is just to reassure our members that we wouldn't let any of you get into trouble over something posted, perhaps 'in the heat of the moment', without being given the opportunity to reconsider.

CfN. 

 
My general thinking is pick the TOC whose delay pushed the journey past threshold; if one pushed past 15m, then a connection pushed it past 30m, so both added to the issue, I'd be inclined to say TOC that caused initial delay.

Use the appeal/re-claim button, which IIRC allows a brief explanation - e.g. 'Both legs of journey delayed but initial delay with XXX' or whatever. I assume the system at one TOC is probably noticing the delay on the other TOC's leg and automatically passing the buck, but a manual appeal should sort it, I would have thought. If it's a case of each TOC's contribution to delays going past thresholds being equal, they should work out between themselves who is liable in DR terms.

I've had this before, but it was more clear-cut – TOC 2 had the delay, but their system referred me to TOC 1 (longer journey leg). They flagged no delay on their part (true) so I asked them to pass back to TOC 2. All sorted.

 
The majority of trips for me are on foot or (especially since I got my bus pass!) by bus. On the very rare occasion that I have to drive in the dark, I do find that modern headlights can be ferocious. At least here in Europe these can have the ability to switch off some cells to avoid dazzling oncoming traffic; as I understand it some countries such as the US don't allow this.

 

From Kemble? 

That's about 20 miles! 

 
Also of interest (to me, anyway ) is that, of the 31 members who have cast their votes so far, only 22 have apparently never used Melksham station.

I may even have bumped into some of you there, without knowing, over the years.

 
From the BBC:

 
Not in my experience.

As stated elsewhere I use the LNER website to book GWR tickets and they've always processed delay/repay claims very swiftly without trying to refer me elsewhere.

 
From a friend who lives in Melksham (and shared with permission)



I am not sure on this one - advice please!

 
From the BBC:

 

Back-up system working as it should this afternoon.

 
About time! This will eliminate the greatest drawback to using Eurostar.

Can our own national rail operators implement similar changes at their London terminals, please? And Eurostar/SNCB at Brussels Midi?

 
From CymruRails

 

Exeter St Davids ... change for Okehampton and Copplestone ...

https://www.gwra.co.uk/nextauction.html

 
As a local who has heard broken promise after broken promise for decades, it will take much more than a crane turning up to clear a few planks of wood from around the entrance area to get me excited

 
Faster boarding for Eurostar?  FromThe Sun


It's not a long journey and it seems sense after clearing all the security hoops added since 2020 to allow immediate boarding ... I might even go for a couple of unreserved carriages to just let people join the next train - after all, London to Paris timing is about the same as London to Exeter

 
Update ... another (potential) law for the moderators and admins

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cz6ed1549yvo


And add ...  AI, deep fakes, banning under 16s from addictive platform use ...

... ah, the changing world of moderating a platform such as the Coffee Shop.   

More - from our viewpoint - an issue of being aware. We already have mechanisms in place which mean they come to attention in the unlikely / very rare instances of things happening here.   AI is an interesting case ... to think about policies, and suggestions perhaps?

 
Interesting is the proposed extension from Coryton to Radyr along the disused Cardiff Railway, including rebuilding the bridge over the River Taff. The original only ever carried one train in its life, and was demolished during WWII. If they design it right, they could reuse the original bridge footings which never saw much dynamic loading. 

 
Although the title is "Nearest Station", it does say "Chippenham is the primary train station for the festival", perhaps based on the free shuttle bus that will run from there (which makes sense given the relatively infrequency of the Melksham train service). But it would be helpful to also state what the actual nearest station is.

 
The full 38 page document which includes all the proposed schemes (most of which remain unfunded currently) is here

https://tfw.wales/sites/default/files/2026-02/TTT-Final_ENG.pdf

The service to Bristol is number 22 on the map / list
(numbering is not a priority order, it is 7 near central Cardiff, then runs roughly clockwise from Anglesey via borders to SW Wales)

Just to be clear the Bristol services are from South West Wales, and are basically an extension of services that currently terminate at Cardiff.  It is not a Cardiff-Bristol stand alone service (which is the way some people seem to describe it).

My understanding is it will be operated by class 197 DMUs.   Although they were ordered in 2018 (yes, 7-8 years ago), a number are still not in service, and others keep failing.   Many of them are also only 2car and appears crowding on these short trains is common.

The work (funded) includes line speed improvements on the relief (slow) lines between Severn Tunnel Junction and Cardiff).  Looks like majority of the new stations will be a single island serving these lines with one track slewed around the new island platform.  From another document platforms appear to be 170m (sufficient for 8x20m EMU).

The new agreed funding includes enhancements at Cardiff West junction in 2028 to allow frequency increase.    There are ambitions to extend electrification in Cardiff area (Cardiff- Cogan) so that Penarth is within battery range of the class 398 tram-trains

The new document includes more south Wales electrification (proposed, not yet funded) including as far as Swansea - Burry Port & Pembray where a turn back will be added, although presumably bimodes could continue beyond here (or battery EMUs to Carmarthen), the final stage mentions Pontarddulais -  Cwrt Sart (I had to look this up, it is near Briton Ferry station), so is basically the north Swansea District line.

Although not mentioned it is fairly obvious that if growth (rail usage) continues in Wales, more new trains will need to be ordered soon.  It would appear to be daft to order more pure diesel trains if more lines will hopefully become part or wholly electric, allowing the pure diesels to gradually migrate to the mainly unelectrified bits.

 
From the Melksham News


and noting ...


Neston Park is just under 4 miles (just under 90 minutes to walk) from the nearest railway station, which is Melksham, contrary to the online information that says it's Chippenham which is about 7 miles away.

 
Original quiz may have gone ... but looking around I found this one and managed to name the 14 stations in the Bristol area in 2 and a half minutes of the five allowed. More a test of typing speed than having to think about the answers.

https://www.sporcle.com/games/opi96/bristol

 

Indeed - and I have read your mentions / views and factor them into the logic when I'm involved in any meeting setup decisions.

One thing puzzles me - you have active views about meetings, both lighttime and darktime ones, which would suggest a keen interest in attending them - and yet (to my knowledge) we have never met.    Do you come to any of these meetings but remain one of the crowd (not that they are all exactly crowded) or is there some [other] reason you don't make any of them?

 
I did mention a little while ago the benefit of,when,holding events(not just rail events) in day light hours.

This "could" improve footfall,I don't know any large company that holds AGM's at night time.

But,will things ever change?

 
From the BBC


The whole premise of the article is to consider driving yourself as the (only) way to get to evening meetings; sad but it's what the majority of people who have been active, self-propelling and interested enough to actually attend meetings and social events have done ... as they / we get older, ut gets harder.

I was - struck - by the number of people we met at Leekes in Melksham in the lead up to Christmas - handing out public transport timetables at a store with a huge car park (and a bus stopping just outside) as to just how many customers are headed for a potential mobility crisis and a need to change their habits as driving or being driven becomes an issue for them.