On Sat, 19 Feb 2022 16:05:29 +0000,
martin.coffee@round-midnight.org.uk wrote:

>On 19/02/2022 14:53, Roland Perry wrote:
>> In message <suqv6q$44h$1@dont-email.me>, at 14:35:06 on Sat, 19 Feb
>> 2022, Tweed <usenet.tweed@gmail.com> remarked:
>>
>>> I detest Brexit and all that has ensued from it. However, I’ll get with
>>> the ETIAS scheme and make the best of it. Complaining, or calling out as
>>> one poster here likes to call it, won’t change anything. I aim to go
>>> to my
>>> grave in the best possible mood that I can muster.
>>
>> Today, I'm surrounded by neighbours complaining their power has gone out
>> (not sure why today, as the storm was yesterday). And the papers are
>> increasingly full of condemnation of power companies and their
>> restoration efforts after storms.
>
>Yes. The power companies operate on the same principle as railway
>"control" They have enough operatives for normal working and cannot
>cope with anything above.
>>
Hence some news reports showing repairs being done by a company from
the next country never mind the next company area.
<snip>

On Sat, 19 Feb 2022 15:01:13 +0000,
martin.coffee@round-midnight.org.uk wrote:

>On 19/02/2022 14:05, Recliner wrote:
>> On Sat, 19 Feb 2022 13:14:29 +0000, Bevan Price <bevanprice666@gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>> On 19/02/2022 11:27, Recliner wrote:
>>>> Roland Perry <roland@perry.co.uk> wrote:
>>>>> In message <suqh0e$447$1@dont-email.me>, at 10:32:48 on Sat, 19 Feb
>>>>> 2022, Bevan Price <bevanprice666@gmail.com> remarked:
>>>>>> On 19/02/2022 08:27, Graeme Wall wrote:
>>>>>>> On 18/02/2022 22:06, Recliner wrote:
>>>>>>>> Recliner <recliner.usenet@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>>>>>> Graham Harrison <edward.harrisom.one@btinternet.com> wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> On Mon, 14 Feb 2022 21:16:53 -0000 (UTC), Recliner
>>>>>>>>>> <recliner.usenet@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> I was wondering if mainline rail charters hauled by Flying
>>>>>>>>>>> Scotsman are
>>>>>>>>>>> shown in RTT?  I notice that this one hasn't appeared (yet), and
>>>>>>>>>>> I know
>>>>>>>>>>> that the timings shown online differ from the actual finalised
>>>>>>>>>>> timings. The
>>>>>>>>>>> light engine moves to and from Southall are shown.
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> <https://www.railwaytouring.net/the-cotswold-venturer-2022 " rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.railwaytouring.net/the-cotswold-venturer-2022>
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> The letter accompanying the ticket says:
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> Please note due to trespassing issues we have been asked
>>>>>>>>>>> by Network Rail and the
>>>>>>>>>>> British
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> Transport Police to not publicise the final timings for th
>>>>>>>>>>> e train so we would appreciate it if you could
>>>>>>>>>>> treat the timings given overleaf as strictly confidential.
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> I just received a message to say it's been cancelled.
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> Ah, yes, you're right, thanks for the warning. I've not yet received an
>>>>>>>>> email to that effect, but it's on the website:
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> https://www.railwaytouring.net/the-cotswold-venturer-2022
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Found the email:
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Cotswold Venturer - Urgent Update - Tour Cancelled
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> We have just been informed that despite the best efforts of the Network
>>>>>>>> Rail Charter Division in monitoring the situation throughout the day and
>>>>>>>> looking at alternative routing in case the original route was not
>>>>>>>> possible
>>>>>>>> for our train, the Regional Network Rail Route Director has this evening
>>>>>>>> made the decision to cancel our Cotswold Venturer train tomorrow.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> We are very sorry for the late notice of this cancellation, which is
>>>>>>>> outside of our control, and we apologise for any disappointment it may
>>>>>>>> cause, everyone involved had worked together in the hope that the train
>>>>>>>> would be able to take place tomorrow.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> We are now working with our operating company, West Coast Railways,
>>>>>>>> Network
>>>>>>>> Rail and the caretakers of Flying Scotsman to try and redate the tour in
>>>>>>>> March and will be in touch with you as soon as we have a firm date
>>>>>>>> for this
>>>>>>>> rescheduling. Should the new date not be convenient for you, then
>>>>>>>> you will
>>>>>>>> be entitled to transfer your funds to a different tour or to receive
>>>>>>>> a full
>>>>>>>> refund of monies paid to us.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Your patience at this time will be appreciated whilst we make the
>>>>>>>> necessary
>>>>>>>> arrangements, we will be in touch with you again in the coming days to
>>>>>>>> advise further.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Once again our sincere apologies for any inconvenience.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> —————
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> I wonder how much this will cost the FS operation (NRM?), WCR, RTC and
>>>>>>>> Gravy Train (caterers), and wonder if NR covers some or all of the costs?
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> I don't have any wasted travel or hotel costs, but I'm sure many of the
>>>>>>>> other would-be passengers will have.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Act of God invoked presumably.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Two other railtours / charters have managed to run today (19 February),
>>>>>> albeit both running rather late:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Reading to Lincoln:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:U68002/2022-02-19/detailed
>>>>>
>>>>> +137 at Banbury!
>>>>>
>>>>>> and Telford Central to Appleby:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:U91449/2022-02-19/detaile
>>>>>> d#allox_id=0
>>>>>
>>>>> Are either of them kettles?
>>>>
>>>> No, as you can see from RTT, they're diesel-hauled.
>>>>
>>> According to reports elsewhere, a Class 68 to Lincoln, and a pair of 47s
>>> to Appleby and back.
>>
>> Yes, the 47s were identified. I wonder why the 68 was pathed as only a 75mph loco? It's the most powerful diesel loco
>> in service in the UK, and can easily pull a train like that at 100mph.
>
>What is says is that it is planned for 75mph. I don't know what the
>consist is but is there a 75mph limited coach included?
>I don't suppose the route beyond Banbury is cleared for much more than
>75mph anyway.
>
"Planned as" doesn't always resemble the overall reality. Trains on
the DC line are "Pathed as Class 710 EMU - Planned for 75mph max" but
the highest permitted speed anywhere on the line is 45mph.

Charles Ellson <charlesellson@btinternet.com> wrote:
> On Sat, 19 Feb 2022 10:00:10 +0000,
> martin.coffee@round-midnight.org.uk wrote:
>
>> On 19/02/2022 08:29, Graeme Wall wrote:
>>> On 18/02/2022 22:28, martin.coffee@round-midnight.org.uk wrote:
>>>> On 18/02/2022 22:06, Recliner wrote:
>>>>> Recliner <recliner.usenet@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>>> Graham Harrison <edward.harrisom.one@btinternet.com> wrote:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> On Mon, 14 Feb 2022 21:16:53 -0000 (UTC), Recliner
>>>>>>> <recliner.usenet@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> I was wondering if mainline rail charters hauled by Flying
>>>>>>>> Scotsman are
>>>>>>>> shown in RTT?  I notice that this one hasn't appeared (yet), and I
>>>>>>>> know
>>>>>>>> that the timings shown online differ from the actual finalised
>>>>>>>> timings. The
>>>>>>>> light engine moves to and from Southall are shown.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> <https://www.railwaytouring.net/the-cotswold-venturer-2022 " rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.railwaytouring.net/the-cotswold-venturer-2022>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> The letter accompanying the ticket says:
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Please note due to trespassing issues we have been asked by Network Rail and the
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> British
>>>>>>>> Transport Police to not publicise the final timings for the train so we would appreciate it if you could
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> treat the timings given overleaf as strictly confidential.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> I just received a message to say it's been cancelled.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Ah, yes, you're right, thanks for the warning. I've not yet received an
>>>>>> email to that effect, but it's on the website:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> https://www.railwaytouring.net/the-cotswold-venturer-2022
>>>>>
>>>>> Found the email:
>>>>>
>>>>> Cotswold Venturer - Urgent Update - Tour Cancelled
>>>>>
>>>>> We have just been informed that despite the best efforts of the Network
>>>>> Rail Charter Division in monitoring the situation throughout the day and
>>>>> looking at alternative routing in case the original route was not
>>>>> possible
>>>>> for our train, the Regional Network Rail Route Director has this evening
>>>>> made the decision to cancel our Cotswold Venturer train tomorrow.
>>>>>
>>>>> We are very sorry for the late notice of this cancellation, which is
>>>>> outside of our control, and we apologise for any disappointment it may
>>>>> cause, everyone involved had worked together in the hope that the train
>>>>> would be able to take place tomorrow.
>>>>>
>>>>> We are now working with our operating company, West Coast Railways,
>>>>> Network
>>>>> Rail and the caretakers of Flying Scotsman to try and redate the tour in
>>>>> March and will be in touch with you as soon as we have a firm date
>>>>> for this
>>>>> rescheduling. Should the new date not be convenient for you, then you
>>>>> will
>>>>> be entitled to transfer your funds to a different tour or to receive
>>>>> a full
>>>>> refund of monies paid to us.
>>>>>
>>>>> Your patience at this time will be appreciated whilst we make the
>>>>> necessary
>>>>> arrangements, we will be in touch with you again in the coming days to
>>>>> advise further.
>>>>>
>>>>> Once again our sincere apologies for any inconvenience.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> —————
>>>>>
>>>>> I wonder how much this will cost the FS operation (NRM?), WCR, RTC and
>>>>> Gravy Train (caterers), and wonder if NR covers some or all of the
>>>>> costs?
>>>>>
>>>>> I don't have any wasted travel or hotel costs, but I'm sure many of the
>>>>> other would-be passengers will have.
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>> I suspect some will already be in their hotel without access to their
>>>> email and perhaps unaware.  I hope there are not too many
>>>> disappointments at the departure points tomorrow.
>>>
>>> The sort of people who can afford these trips won't have access to email
>>> from their hotels? Seriously?
>>>
>> Yes.
>>
> I have been in hotels where both the mobile data and hotel WiFi have
> been next to useless.
>

Recently? Unless it’s a hotel in the middle of nowhere with no competition
and has an overwhelming selling point, it’s not going to survive these
days. Even the big brand hotels have had to give up trying to charge for
WiFi.

In message <0qa21hlvri8d6fmfvuidb5s8ha1sjh5ugr@4ax.com>, at 17:41:20 on
Sat, 19 Feb 2022, Recliner <recliner.usenet@gmail.com> remarked:
>On Sat, 19 Feb 2022 14:35:38 +0000, Roland Perry <roland@perry.co.uk> wrote:
>
>>In message <dav11h55l3lg8ngt6aq5frpkronaodfee0@4ax.com>, at 14:24:11 on
>>Sat, 19 Feb 2022, Recliner <recliner.usenet@gmail.com> remarked:
>>>On Sat, 19 Feb 2022 12:20:49 +0000, Roland Perry <roland@perry.co.uk> wrote:
>>>
>>>>In message <suqkmj$ds3$1@dont-email.me>, at 11:35:46 on Sat, 19 Feb
>>>>2022, martin.coffee@round-midnight.org.uk remarked:
>>>>
>>>>>The only email I have on my phone is my personal address only known to
>>>>>relatives and close friends. I certainly wouldn't trust it to
>>>>>commercial organisations.
>>>>
>>>>Most smartphones need an email address from either Apple or Google to
>>>>set them up. But I'm loving all this anti-email-on-phone stuff, having
>>>>been on the receiving end of accusations of being an anti-Mticketing
>>>>luddite in the past.
>>>
>>>I suspect that you are Martin fall into the category of the eccentric
>>>elderly who don't use their phones like most of the population.
>>
>>If having 300 apps and using them for a wide range of communications and
>>other technical processes, including having two of them on my desk being
>>interrogated dozens of times a day, is "eccentric", then maybe I'd have
>>to agree with you.
>
>How many other long-retired people, who don't go anywhere, fill their
>time with such activities?

As I'm not long-retired the question is misconceived. But it does sound
like you've done a U-turn there from accusing me of being a luddite to
being an over-active geek.

>>I just don't think they are very good at tasks like power-user (in terms
>>of quantity and diversity) email.
>
>Actual power users seem to manage to do a lot on their smartphones.

I'd love to see someone searching the most recently archived gigabyte**
of their usenet traffic for references to Tim... (which is what I was
using my PC for yesterday). That's not entirely the phone's fault, but
also down to the way Google Groups has crippled their search facility
(not least by censoring whole usenet groups). So one has to revert to
more traditional methods.

> It's just retired blokes like you who find them inadequate.

I only find them inadequate for dealing with large quantities of email,
large documents, and those things which PCs are better at.

Actually, there's another whole set of things I don't think anyone would
attempt. The craze at the moment is AI-enhancing video and photos. A
phone would be useless at either. I wouldn't even want to edit (no
enhancing) video on a phone, which is probably why we get aberrations
like the Youtube of FS on its way to London the other day, with about
10% useful content in it.

** uk.r is about 100MB/yr for example and I was looking back three
years. Several other groups involved.
--
Roland Perry

In message <lk921h97a2vbcqf9cih0ur15r8ddvi02b1@4ax.com>, at 17:25:48 on
Sat, 19 Feb 2022, Recliner <recliner.usenet@gmail.com> remarked:
>On Sat, 19 Feb 2022 14:57:04 +0000, Roland Perry <roland@perry.co.uk> wrote:
>
>>In message <f2021hta4h84u9a0l75aj1981g3avu1aa0@4ax.com>, at 14:39:11 on
>>Sat, 19 Feb 2022, Recliner <recliner.usenet@gmail.com> remarked:
>>
>>>>I detest Brexit and all that has ensued from it. However, I’ll get with
>>>>the ETIAS scheme and make the best of it. Complaining, or calling out as
>>>>one poster here likes to call it, won’t change anything. I aim to go to my
>>>>grave in the best possible mood that I can muster.
>>>
>>>Yes, 100% agreed. There's no point banging on about what a mistake
>>>Brexit was,
>>
>>There is a point, because the perpetrators are still in power, and are
>>screwing up the aftermath.
>
>So, criticise them for their current incompetence, not what they said
>in 2016.

We are only here because of the way the conducted a campaign of lies and
misdirection, ahead of the referendum.

>And, note that the current PM was elected on a platform of achieving a
>hard Brexit, which is exactly what he's done.

He just said he'd "get Brexit done", which by then, even many remainers
perceived to be the most pragmatic way out of the stalemate. It doesn't
mean they had changed their mind about the need for Brexit.

And if you think promising no customs checks across the Irish sea was a
"hard Brexit", then we must agree to disagree The only way to deliver
that would have been a very soft Brexit.

>So, that's one election promise he did keep. There's no point
>complaining if a politician was elected on a clear platform, and
>proceeded to deliver it, just because you don't like it.

Almost nothing has yet been "delivered" apart from lots of friction on
trade, especially with Northern Ireland.

>>>and we just have to make the best of the situation we are now in,
>>>including taking advantage of any opportunities that it presents.
>>
>>Including improving the recovery process by having different/better
>>leaders/policies to cope with the consequences of leaving.
>
>How are you going to achieve that? Not by moaning about Brexit.

It's the consequences of Brexit which need the most "moaning about", to
flush out better ways forward.

>As we all know, there's a high probability that BoJo will soon be
>leaving politics,

You keep saying that, but his actions indicate he wants to cling on at
all costs. There must be half a dozen occasions now where any other PM
would have resigned in shame.

>but he will most likely be replaced by another Brexiteer with a better
>chance of winning the 2024 general election.

If he's replaced it will clearly be by someone that MPs think will give
them a better chance. But that will be a very different election,
because the public is now much more alert to broken-pledge syndrome, so
won't be so easily fooled.
--
Roland Perry

On 19/02/2022 22:32, martin.coffee@round-midnight.org.uk wrote:
> On 19/02/2022 19:33, Graeme Wall wrote:
>> On 19/02/2022 17:51, Recliner wrote:
>>> On Sat, 19 Feb 2022 17:32:10 +0000, Graeme Wall
>>> <rail@greywall.demon.co.uk> wrote:
>>>
>>>> On 19/02/2022 17:25, Recliner wrote:
>>>>> On Sat, 19 Feb 2022 14:57:04 +0000, Roland Perry
>>>>> <roland@perry.co.uk> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>> In message <f2021hta4h84u9a0l75aj1981g3avu1aa0@4ax.com>, at
>>>>>> 14:39:11 on
>>>>>> Sat, 19 Feb 2022, Recliner <recliner.usenet@gmail.com> remarked:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> I detest Brexit and all that has ensued from it. However, I’ll
>>>>>>>> get with
>>>>>>>> the ETIAS scheme and make the best of it. Complaining, or
>>>>>>>> calling out as
>>>>>>>> one poster here likes to call it, won’t change anything. I aim
>>>>>>>> to go to my
>>>>>>>> grave in the best possible mood that I can muster.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Yes, 100% agreed. There's no point banging on about what a mistake
>>>>>>> Brexit was,
>>>>>>
>>>>>> There is a point, because the perpetrators are still in power, and
>>>>>> are
>>>>>> screwing up the aftermath.
>>>>>
>>>>> So, criticise them for their current incompetence, not what they
>>>>> said in 2016.
>>>>
>>>> That's all the brexiteers can do, keep harking back to what they claim
>>>> other people said 6 years ago rather than face up to reality of what is
>>>> happening now.
>>>
>>> The hardline Brexiteers want to see deregulation, Article 16 to be
>>> The triggered in NI, and taxes cut. BoJo gave them
>>> Brexit, but not the flavour of Brexit they wanted.
>>
>> As they all want different things he can't deliver. No-one outside the
>> ERG actually wants or can afford any serious deregulation.[1]
>> Triggering Article 16 doesn't solve the NI problem, in fact it makes
>> it worse. Taxes can't be cut because of the short-fall of tax income
>> because of the drop in trade caused by brexit.
>>
>> [1] Interesting quote from an Irish journo, Nick Tyrone, about Mogg's
>> new "job":
>>
>> Anyhow, it’s worth gazing into a crystal ball and wondering what will
>> happen under Rees-Mogg’s reign as Brexit Opportunities Minister. I
>> reckon he’ll do what everyone who has tried to solve this conundrum
>> has done before. He’ll ask businesses and get next to nothing back.
>> They don’t really want to change much. Then he’ll figure he needs to
>> speak to small businesses, only to find that’s really logistically
>> difficult and besides, they don’t actually want to change much either,
>> convinced that whatever the government does will almost certainly make
>> things worse. Then the stuff he’ll find using Brexity think tank types
>> will all be about the slashing of workers rights, getting rid of
>> construction safeguards, that type of thing, which will just be
>> rejected by whomever is the prime minister out of hand, or will meet
>> with such opposition from campaign groups and the public that it will
>> all be dropped. In the end, Rees-Mogg will come up as empty handed as
>> everyone else who has attempted the same exercise.
>>
>>
>
> The amusing thing is that most of the construction safeguards (and other
> health and safety) originate from HMG regulation in the first place.

As does quite a lot of other Brussels legislation that is supposed to be
so bad for us.

--
Graeme Wall
This account not read.

On 20/02/2022 01:25, Anna Noyd-Dryver wrote:
> Graeme Wall <rail@greywall.demon.co.uk> wrote:
>> On 19/02/2022 12:27, martin.coffee@round-midnight.org.uk wrote:
>>> On 19/02/2022 11:54, Graeme Wall wrote:
>>>> On 19/02/2022 11:35, martin.coffee@round-midnight.org.uk wrote:
>>>>> On 19/02/2022 11:21, Recliner wrote:
>>>>>> Tweed <usenet.tweed@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>>>> <martin.coffee@round-midnight.org.uk> wrote:
>>>>>>>> On 19/02/2022 08:29, Graeme Wall wrote:
>>>>>>>>> On 18/02/2022 22:28, martin.coffee@round-midnight.org.uk wrote:
>>>>>>>>>> On 18/02/2022 22:06, Recliner wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>> Recliner <recliner.usenet@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>>> Graham Harrison <edward.harrisom.one@btinternet.com> wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>> On Mon, 14 Feb 2022 21:16:53 -0000 (UTC), Recliner
>>>>>>>>>>>>> <recliner.usenet@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> I was wondering if mainline rail charters hauled by Flying
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Scotsman are
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> shown in RTT?  I notice that this one hasn't appeared (yet),
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> and I
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> know
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> that the timings shown online differ from the actual finalised
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> timings. The
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> light engine moves to and from Southall are shown.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> <https://www.railwaytouring.net/the-cotswold-venturer-2022 " rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.railwaytouring.net/the-cotswold-venturer-2022>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> The letter accompanying the ticket says:
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Please note due to trespassing issues we have been asked by Network Rail and the
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> British
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Transport Police to not publicise the final timings for the train so we would appreciate it if you could
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> treat the timings given overleaf as strictly confidential.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>> I just received a message to say it's been cancelled.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> Ah, yes, you're right, thanks for the warning. I've not yet
>>>>>>>>>>>> received an
>>>>>>>>>>>> email to that effect, but it's on the website:
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> https://www.railwaytouring.net/the-cotswold-venturer-2022
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> Found the email:
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> Cotswold Venturer - Urgent Update - Tour Cancelled
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> We have just been informed that despite the best efforts of the
>>>>>>>>>>> Network
>>>>>>>>>>> Rail Charter Division in monitoring the situation throughout
>>>>>>>>>>> the day and
>>>>>>>>>>> looking at alternative routing in case the original route was not
>>>>>>>>>>> possible
>>>>>>>>>>> for our train, the Regional Network Rail Route Director has
>>>>>>>>>>> this evening
>>>>>>>>>>> made the decision to cancel our Cotswold Venturer train tomorrow.
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> We are very sorry for the late notice of this cancellation,
>>>>>>>>>>> which is
>>>>>>>>>>> outside of our control, and we apologise for any disappointment
>>>>>>>>>>> it may
>>>>>>>>>>> cause, everyone involved had worked together in the hope that
>>>>>>>>>>> the train
>>>>>>>>>>> would be able to take place tomorrow.
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> We are now working with our operating company, West Coast
>>>>>>>>>>> Railways,
>>>>>>>>>>> Network
>>>>>>>>>>> Rail and the caretakers of Flying Scotsman to try and redate
>>>>>>>>>>> the tour in
>>>>>>>>>>> March and will be in touch with you as soon as we have a firm date
>>>>>>>>>>> for this
>>>>>>>>>>> rescheduling. Should the new date not be convenient for you,
>>>>>>>>>>> then you
>>>>>>>>>>> will
>>>>>>>>>>> be entitled to transfer your funds to a different tour or to
>>>>>>>>>>> receive
>>>>>>>>>>> a full
>>>>>>>>>>> refund of monies paid to us.
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> Your patience at this time will be appreciated whilst we make the
>>>>>>>>>>> necessary
>>>>>>>>>>> arrangements, we will be in touch with you again in the coming
>>>>>>>>>>> days to
>>>>>>>>>>> advise further.
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> Once again our sincere apologies for any inconvenience.
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> —————
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> I wonder how much this will cost the FS operation (NRM?), WCR,
>>>>>>>>>>> RTC and
>>>>>>>>>>> Gravy Train (caterers), and wonder if NR covers some or all of the
>>>>>>>>>>> costs?
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> I don't have any wasted travel or hotel costs, but I'm sure
>>>>>>>>>>> many of the
>>>>>>>>>>> other would-be passengers will have.
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> I suspect some will already be in their hotel without access to
>>>>>>>>>> their
>>>>>>>>>> email and perhaps unaware.  I hope there are not too many
>>>>>>>>>> disappointments at the departure points tomorrow.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> The sort of people who can afford these trips won't have access
>>>>>>>>> to email
>>>>>>>>> from their hotels? Seriously?
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Yes.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> I went on a day trip with Statesman recently. The demographic was
>>>>>>> very much
>>>>>>> in the retired and long retired area. They all had smartphones. The
>>>>>>> idea
>>>>>>> that the elderly can’t handle smartphones is fast becoming obsolete.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I still come across older folks on tours with neither home email nor
>>>>>> smartphones, and occasionally not even a basic mobile phone at all.
>>>>>> Some
>>>>>> use(d) email at work, but never felt the need for it at home. They're
>>>>>> definitely a small, shrinking minority, but they do still exist. So
>>>>>> it's
>>>>>> quite possible that a few such people were booked on this trip.
>>>>>>
>>>>> I've got a couple of friends with smart phones but they only use them
>>>>> to make or receive calls.  Don't leave them voice mail as they have
>>>>> no idea what to do with it.
>>>>>
>>>>> The only email I have on my phone is my personal address only known
>>>>> to relatives and close friends.  I certainly wouldn't trust it to
>>>>> commercial organisations.
>>>>
>>>> What's wrong with having a sacrificial gmail address for companies to
>>>> use? Not difficult to have a second or third address on your phone and
>>>> abandon it if/when it gets abused.
>>>>
>>> Too much hassle.  It's a painful process setting up google email addresses.
>>>
>>> I like to provide each organisation I have a dealing with a unique email
>>> address.
>>
>> And that's not a hassle to set up?
>>
>
> When I used email addresses from my own domain I received email to
> *literally anything* @ that domain. So there was no 'setting up' to use an
> email address, other than typing, say, my-bank@my-domain.blah into the
> appropriate field.
>

On 20/02/2022 06:31, Charles Ellson wrote:
> On Sat, 19 Feb 2022 10:00:10 +0000,
> martin.coffee@round-midnight.org.uk wrote:
>
>> On 19/02/2022 08:29, Graeme Wall wrote:
>>> On 18/02/2022 22:28, martin.coffee@round-midnight.org.uk wrote:
>>>> On 18/02/2022 22:06, Recliner wrote:
>>>>> Recliner <recliner.usenet@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>>> Graham Harrison <edward.harrisom.one@btinternet.com> wrote:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> On Mon, 14 Feb 2022 21:16:53 -0000 (UTC), Recliner
>>>>>>> <recliner.usenet@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> I was wondering if mainline rail charters hauled by Flying
>>>>>>>> Scotsman are
>>>>>>>> shown in RTT?  I notice that this one hasn't appeared (yet), and I
>>>>>>>> know
>>>>>>>> that the timings shown online differ from the actual finalised
>>>>>>>> timings. The
>>>>>>>> light engine moves to and from Southall are shown.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> <https://www.railwaytouring.net/the-cotswold-venturer-2022 " rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.railwaytouring.net/the-cotswold-venturer-2022>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> The letter accompanying the ticket says:
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Please note due to trespassing issues we have been asked by Network Rail and the
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> British
>>>>>>>> Transport Police to not publicise the final timings for the train so we would appreciate it if you could
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> treat the timings given overleaf as strictly confidential.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> I just received a message to say it's been cancelled.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Ah, yes, you're right, thanks for the warning. I've not yet received an
>>>>>> email to that effect, but it's on the website:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> https://www.railwaytouring.net/the-cotswold-venturer-2022
>>>>>
>>>>> Found the email:
>>>>>
>>>>> Cotswold Venturer - Urgent Update - Tour Cancelled
>>>>>
>>>>> We have just been informed that despite the best efforts of the Network
>>>>> Rail Charter Division in monitoring the situation throughout the day and
>>>>> looking at alternative routing in case the original route was not
>>>>> possible
>>>>> for our train, the Regional Network Rail Route Director has this evening
>>>>> made the decision to cancel our Cotswold Venturer train tomorrow.
>>>>>
>>>>> We are very sorry for the late notice of this cancellation, which is
>>>>> outside of our control, and we apologise for any disappointment it may
>>>>> cause, everyone involved had worked together in the hope that the train
>>>>> would be able to take place tomorrow.
>>>>>
>>>>> We are now working with our operating company, West Coast Railways,
>>>>> Network
>>>>> Rail and the caretakers of Flying Scotsman to try and redate the tour in
>>>>> March and will be in touch with you as soon as we have a firm date
>>>>> for this
>>>>> rescheduling. Should the new date not be convenient for you, then you
>>>>> will
>>>>> be entitled to transfer your funds to a different tour or to receive
>>>>> a full
>>>>> refund of monies paid to us.
>>>>>
>>>>> Your patience at this time will be appreciated whilst we make the
>>>>> necessary
>>>>> arrangements, we will be in touch with you again in the coming days to
>>>>> advise further.
>>>>>
>>>>> Once again our sincere apologies for any inconvenience.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> —————
>>>>>
>>>>> I wonder how much this will cost the FS operation (NRM?), WCR, RTC and
>>>>> Gravy Train (caterers), and wonder if NR covers some or all of the
>>>>> costs?
>>>>>
>>>>> I don't have any wasted travel or hotel costs, but I'm sure many of the
>>>>> other would-be passengers will have.
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>> I suspect some will already be in their hotel without access to their
>>>> email and perhaps unaware.  I hope there are not too many
>>>> disappointments at the departure points tomorrow.
>>>
>>> The sort of people who can afford these trips won't have access to email
>>> from their hotels? Seriously?
>>>
>> Yes.
>>
> I have been in hotels where both the mobile data and hotel WiFi have
> been next to useless.

In which case you are stuffed.

--
Graeme Wall
This account not read.

Tweed <usenet.tweed@gmail.com> wrote:
> <martin.coffee@round-midnight.org.uk> wrote:

>>>
>>> The sort of people who can afford these trips won't have access to email
>>> from their hotels? Seriously?
>>>
>> Yes.
>>
>
> I went on a day trip with Statesman recently. The demographic was very much
> in the retired and long retired area. They all had smartphones. The idea
> that the elderly can’t handle smartphones is fast becoming obsolete.
>
>

Indeed. You have to be very ancient to be of the generation who never had
the opportunity to avail themselves of equipment such as Personal Computers
or Word processors and then onto phones of varying capabilities keeping up
with how to work them as they developed.
With the mid eighties now being around 35 years ago there are many who took
to using IT equipment
in their late 50’s and 60’s who are now their 80’s or 90’s.
It will also be true that there are many who did not follow that path but
they probably will not be the relatively comfortable pensioner who isn’t
constrained to surviving on the state pension alone and physically wrecked
by a lifetime of manual work.
There won’t be many of those on a rail tour as they will rarely be able to
afford the fare or to stay in hotels.

GH

Recliner <recliner.usenet@gmail.com> wrote:
> Bevan Price <bevanprice666@gmail.com> wrote:
>> On 19/02/2022 08:27, Graeme Wall wrote:
>>> On 18/02/2022 22:06, Recliner wrote:
>>>> Recliner <recliner.usenet@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>> Graham Harrison <edward.harrisom.one@btinternet.com> wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> On Mon, 14 Feb 2022 21:16:53 -0000 (UTC), Recliner
>>>>>> <recliner.usenet@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> I was wondering if mainline rail charters hauled by Flying Scotsman
>>>>>>> are
>>>>>>> shown in RTT?  I notice that this one hasn't appeared (yet), and I
>>>>>>> know
>>>>>>> that the timings shown online differ from the actual finalised
>>>>>>> timings. The
>>>>>>> light engine moves to and from Southall are shown.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> <https://www.railwaytouring.net/the-cotswold-venturer-2022 " rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.railwaytouring.net/the-cotswold-venturer-2022>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> The letter accompanying the ticket says:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Please note due to trespassing issues we have been asked by Network Rail and the
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> British
>>>>>>> Transport Police to not publicise the final timings for the train so we would appreciate it if you could
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> treat the timings given overleaf as strictly confidential.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I just received a message to say it's been cancelled.
>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Ah, yes, you're right, thanks for the warning. I've not yet received an
>>>>> email to that effect, but it's on the website:
>>>>>
>>>>> https://www.railwaytouring.net/the-cotswold-venturer-2022
>>>>
>>>> Found the email:
>>>>
>>>> Cotswold Venturer - Urgent Update - Tour Cancelled
>>>>
>>>> We have just been informed that despite the best efforts of the Network
>>>> Rail Charter Division in monitoring the situation throughout the day and
>>>> looking at alternative routing in case the original route was not
>>>> possible
>>>> for our train, the Regional Network Rail Route Director has this evening
>>>> made the decision to cancel our Cotswold Venturer train tomorrow.
>>>>
>>>> We are very sorry for the late notice of this cancellation, which is
>>>> outside of our control, and we apologise for any disappointment it may
>>>> cause, everyone involved had worked together in the hope that the train
>>>> would be able to take place tomorrow.
>>>>
>>>> We are now working with our operating company, West Coast Railways,
>>>> Network
>>>> Rail and the caretakers of Flying Scotsman to try and redate the tour in
>>>> March and will be in touch with you as soon as we have a firm date for
>>>> this
>>>> rescheduling. Should the new date not be convenient for you, then you
>>>> will
>>>> be entitled to transfer your funds to a different tour or to receive a
>>>> full
>>>> refund of monies paid to us.
>>>>
>>>> Your patience at this time will be appreciated whilst we make the
>>>> necessary
>>>> arrangements, we will be in touch with you again in the coming days to
>>>> advise further.
>>>>
>>>> Once again our sincere apologies for any inconvenience.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> —————
>>>>
>>>> I wonder how much this will cost the FS operation (NRM?), WCR, RTC and
>>>> Gravy Train (caterers), and wonder if NR covers some or all of the costs?
>>>>
>>>> I don't have any wasted travel or hotel costs, but I'm sure many of the
>>>> other would-be passengers will have.
>>>>
>>>
>>> Act of God invoked presumably.
>>>
>>
>> Two other railtours / charters have managed to run today (19 February),
>> albeit both running rather late:
>>
>> Reading to Lincoln:
>>
>> https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:U68002/2022-02-19/detailed
>>
>> and Telford Central to Appleby:
>>
>> https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:U91449/2022-02-19/detailed#allox_id=0
>>
>
> Those sorts of delays can put the kibosh on a steam train, with its
> carefully planned water stopsnajd limited endurance between them. But I
> suspect that NR just didn't want to have to accommodate a slow, thirsty
> steam train on an already very disrupted network. The fact that it was
> hauled by FS would have made it worse, not better.
>
>

Would there be also a safety issue for the crew of a steam locomotive?
With no windscreen wipers on the spectacle plates Drivers and Firemen may
have to look out for signals by partially putting their head out of the
side which could be quite risky with lots of branches
now leaning into the track. At least the cab of modern traction will give
a degree of protection.

GH

<martin.coffee@round-midnight.org.uk> wrote:
> On 19/02/2022 11:21, Recliner wrote:
>> Tweed <usenet.tweed@gmail.com> wrote:
>>> <martin.coffee@round-midnight.org.uk> wrote:
>>>> On 19/02/2022 08:29, Graeme Wall wrote:
>>>>> On 18/02/2022 22:28, martin.coffee@round-midnight.org.uk wrote:
>>>>>> On 18/02/2022 22:06, Recliner wrote:
>>>>>>> Recliner <recliner.usenet@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>>>>> Graham Harrison <edward.harrisom.one@btinternet.com> wrote:
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> On Mon, 14 Feb 2022 21:16:53 -0000 (UTC), Recliner
>>>>>>>>> <recliner.usenet@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> I was wondering if mainline rail charters hauled by Flying
>>>>>>>>>> Scotsman are
>>>>>>>>>> shown in RTT?  I notice that this one hasn't appeared (yet), and I
>>>>>>>>>> know
>>>>>>>>>> that the timings shown online differ from the actual finalised
>>>>>>>>>> timings. The
>>>>>>>>>> light engine moves to and from Southall are shown.
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> <https://www.railwaytouring.net/the-cotswold-venturer-2022 " rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.railwaytouring.net/the-cotswold-venturer-2022>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> The letter accompanying the ticket says:
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> Please note due to trespassing issues we have been asked by Network Rail and the
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> British
>>>>>>>>>> Transport Police to not publicise the final timings for the train so we would appreciate it if you could
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> treat the timings given overleaf as strictly confidential.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> I just received a message to say it's been cancelled.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Ah, yes, you're right, thanks for the warning. I've not yet received an
>>>>>>>> email to that effect, but it's on the website:
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> https://www.railwaytouring.net/the-cotswold-venturer-2022
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Found the email:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Cotswold Venturer - Urgent Update - Tour Cancelled
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> We have just been informed that despite the best efforts of the Network
>>>>>>> Rail Charter Division in monitoring the situation throughout the day and
>>>>>>> looking at alternative routing in case the original route was not
>>>>>>> possible
>>>>>>> for our train, the Regional Network Rail Route Director has this evening
>>>>>>> made the decision to cancel our Cotswold Venturer train tomorrow.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> We are very sorry for the late notice of this cancellation, which is
>>>>>>> outside of our control, and we apologise for any disappointment it may
>>>>>>> cause, everyone involved had worked together in the hope that the train
>>>>>>> would be able to take place tomorrow.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> We are now working with our operating company, West Coast Railways,
>>>>>>> Network
>>>>>>> Rail and the caretakers of Flying Scotsman to try and redate the tour in
>>>>>>> March and will be in touch with you as soon as we have a firm date
>>>>>>> for this
>>>>>>> rescheduling. Should the new date not be convenient for you, then you
>>>>>>> will
>>>>>>> be entitled to transfer your funds to a different tour or to receive
>>>>>>> a full
>>>>>>> refund of monies paid to us.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Your patience at this time will be appreciated whilst we make the
>>>>>>> necessary
>>>>>>> arrangements, we will be in touch with you again in the coming days to
>>>>>>> advise further.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Once again our sincere apologies for any inconvenience.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> —————
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> I wonder how much this will cost the FS operation (NRM?), WCR, RTC and
>>>>>>> Gravy Train (caterers), and wonder if NR covers some or all of the
>>>>>>> costs?
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> I don't have any wasted travel or hotel costs, but I'm sure many of the
>>>>>>> other would-be passengers will have.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I suspect some will already be in their hotel without access to their
>>>>>> email and perhaps unaware.  I hope there are not too many
>>>>>> disappointments at the departure points tomorrow.
>>>>>
>>>>> The sort of people who can afford these trips won't have access to email
>>>>> from their hotels? Seriously?
>>>>>
>>>> Yes.
>>>>
>>>
>>> I went on a day trip with Statesman recently. The demographic was very much
>>> in the retired and long retired area. They all had smartphones. The idea
>>> that the elderly can’t handle smartphones is fast becoming obsolete.
>>>
>>
>> I still come across older folks on tours with neither home email nor
>> smartphones, and occasionally not even a basic mobile phone at all. Some
>> use(d) email at work, but never felt the need for it at home. They're
>> definitely a small, shrinking minority, but they do still exist. So it's
>> quite possible that a few such people were booked on this trip.
>>
> I've got a couple of friends with smart phones but they only use them to
> make or receive calls. Don't leave them voice mail as they have no idea
> what to do with it.
>
> The only email I have on my phone is my personal address only known to
> relatives and close friends. I certainly wouldn't trust it to
> commercial organisations.
>

Those are personal choices but people who take them have to live with the
inconveniences created by making them.

Business and other organisations will organise their methods to suit the
majority.

With society rapidly going cashless and online purchasing the only way to
obtain something you often need a basic phone to receive an authentication
code by text*to complete a purchase.
Some offer email as an alternative.
* Text msgs can be sent to a landline number where an automated voice
will read them,
but how long the reprieve that BT has given the service remains to be seen
, and many people don’t
know it exists. A subset of people understandably think they are spam
calls.

GH

In message <sus5al$fgn$10@dont-email.me>, at 01:25:41 on Sun, 20 Feb
2022, Anna Noyd-Dryver <anna@noyd-dryver.com> remarked:
>>
>> Does your tried and tested newsreader quote and preserve these 25
>> space-separated characters:
>
>[snip]
>
>> ¶
>
>This always used to be a symbol used in the locomotive allocation books for
>spotters! I think it meant dual braked, perhaps?
>
>I don't think I've seen it used in any other context.

It was a "Pointless" answer on a popular [M'lud] teatime quiz show,
about three years ago.

Quite pleased I knew it (while I have no ambition to go on the show; but
like University Challenge, from the less-stressful situation of my sofa,
I generally score at least as well as the winning contestants).

In my first year at University, my College had won University Challenge
the previous season. Normally populated by second-years (first years not
yet engaged with it, third years not wanting the distraction from their
Finals). So seeing members of the winning team (by then third years)
every day, was a bit surreal.
--
Roland Perry

In message <fbo31htus19ookksjbajikhp1spp9b88e2@4ax.com>, at 06:41:39 on
Sun, 20 Feb 2022, Charles Ellson <charlesellson@btinternet.com>
remarked:
>On Sat, 19 Feb 2022 16:05:29 +0000,
>martin.coffee@round-midnight.org.uk wrote:
>
>>On 19/02/2022 14:53, Roland Perry wrote:
>>> In message <suqv6q$44h$1@dont-email.me>, at 14:35:06 on Sat, 19 Feb
>>> 2022, Tweed <usenet.tweed@gmail.com> remarked:
>>>
>>>> I detest Brexit and all that has ensued from it. However, I’ll
>>>>get with the ETIAS scheme and make the best of it. Complaining, or
>>>>calling out as one poster here likes to call it, won’t change
>>>>anything. I aim to go to my grave in the best possible mood that I can muster.
>>>
>>> Today, I'm surrounded by neighbours complaining their power has gone out
>>> (not sure why today, as the storm was yesterday). And the papers are
>>> increasingly full of condemnation of power companies and their
>>> restoration efforts after storms.
>>
>>Yes. The power companies operate on the same principle as railway
>>"control" They have enough operatives for normal working and cannot
>>cope with anything above.
>>>
>Hence some news reports showing repairs being done by a company from
>the next country never mind the next company area.
><snip>

One of my extended family is a linesman (not Wichita) but gets
handsomely paid to deploy to distant states - often California - to help
repair their infrastructure.
--
Roland Perry

In message <j7egpaFubj2U1@mid.individual.net>, at 09:43:06 on Sun, 20
Feb 2022, Marland <gemehabal@btinternet.co.uk> remarked:

>You have to be very ancient to be of the generation who never had
>the opportunity to avail themselves of equipment such as Personal Computers
>or Word processors and then onto phones of varying capabilities

When I was designing the PCW word processor in 1985, while the history
says it was supposed to be easy enough for AMS's secretary Joyce
[perhaps in her early 50's] to use, my benchmark was my mother, by then
a retired schoolteacher in her mid-60's. Seems to have hit the spot.
--
Roland Perry

On 20/02/2022 10:20, Roland Perry wrote:
> In message <sus5al$fgn$10@dont-email.me>, at 01:25:41 on Sun, 20 Feb
> 2022, Anna Noyd-Dryver <anna@noyd-dryver.com> remarked:
>>>
>>> Does your tried and tested newsreader quote and preserve these 25
>>> space-separated characters:
>>
>> [snip]
>>
>>> ¶
>>
>> This always used to be a symbol used in the locomotive allocation
>> books for
>> spotters! I think it meant dual braked, perhaps?
>>
>> I don't think I've seen it used in any other context.
>
> It was a "Pointless" answer on a popular [M'lud] teatime quiz show,
> about three years ago.
>
> Quite pleased I knew it (while I have no ambition to go on the show; but
> like University Challenge, from the less-stressful situation of my sofa,
> I generally score at least as well as the winning contestants).
>
> In my first year at University, my College had won University Challenge
> the previous season. Normally populated by second-years (first years not
> yet engaged with it, third years not wanting the distraction from their
> Finals). So seeing members of the winning team (by then third years)
> every day, was a bit surreal.

According to a 1960s era Ian Allan combine it meant "trains fitted with
air-brake equipment" In other words, dual-braked.

--
Graeme Wall
This account not read.

Roland Perry <roland@perry.co.uk> wrote:
> In message <lk921h97a2vbcqf9cih0ur15r8ddvi02b1@4ax.com>, at 17:25:48 on
> Sat, 19 Feb 2022, Recliner <recliner.usenet@gmail.com> remarked:
>> On Sat, 19 Feb 2022 14:57:04 +0000, Roland Perry <roland@perry.co.uk> wrote:
>>
>>> In message <f2021hta4h84u9a0l75aj1981g3avu1aa0@4ax.com>, at 14:39:11 on
>>> Sat, 19 Feb 2022, Recliner <recliner.usenet@gmail.com> remarked:
>>>
>>>>> I detest Brexit and all that has ensued from it. However, I’ll get with
>>>>> the ETIAS scheme and make the best of it. Complaining, or calling out as
>>>>> one poster here likes to call it, won’t change anything. I aim to go to my
>>>>> grave in the best possible mood that I can muster.
>>>>
>>>> Yes, 100% agreed. There's no point banging on about what a mistake
>>>> Brexit was,
>>>
>>> There is a point, because the perpetrators are still in power, and are
>>> screwing up the aftermath.
>>
>> So, criticise them for their current incompetence, not what they said
>> in 2016.
>
> We are only here because of the way the conducted a campaign of lies and
> misdirection, ahead of the referendum.
>
>> And, note that the current PM was elected on a platform of achieving a
>> hard Brexit, which is exactly what he's done.
>
> He just said he'd "get Brexit done", which by then, even many remainers
> perceived to be the most pragmatic way out of the stalemate. It doesn't
> mean they had changed their mind about the need for Brexit.
>
> And if you think promising no customs checks across the Irish sea was a
> "hard Brexit", then we must agree to disagree The only way to deliver
> that would have been a very soft Brexit.
>
>> So, that's one election promise he did keep. There's no point
>> complaining if a politician was elected on a clear platform, and
>> proceeded to deliver it, just because you don't like it.
>
> Almost nothing has yet been "delivered" apart from lots of friction on
> trade, especially with Northern Ireland.
>
>>>> and we just have to make the best of the situation we are now in,
>>>> including taking advantage of any opportunities that it presents.
>>>
>>> Including improving the recovery process by having different/better
>>> leaders/policies to cope with the consequences of leaving.
>>
>> How are you going to achieve that? Not by moaning about Brexit.
>
> It's the consequences of Brexit which need the most "moaning about", to
> flush out better ways forward.
>
>> As we all know, there's a high probability that BoJo will soon be
>> leaving politics,
>
> You keep saying that, but his actions indicate he wants to cling on at
> all costs.

Yes, it would seem so, until Carrie changes her mind.

> There must be half a dozen occasions now where any other PM
> would have resigned in shame.

He's incapable of shame. He's spent his whole life being caught out for
lying, and regards it as business as usual.

>
>> but he will most likely be replaced by another Brexiteer with a better
>> chance of winning the 2024 general election.
>
> If he's replaced it will clearly be by someone that MPs think will give
> them a better chance.

Yup. He was chosen as leader in the summer of 2019 because the MPs and
party members (correctly) guessed that he was the candidate most capable of
winning the next election, and will be replaced when they think someone
else now occupies that position. The polls suggest that Sunak is closing in
on that position, but not enough Tory MPs are yet convinced of it.

> But that will be a very different election,
> because the public is now much more alert to broken-pledge syndrome, so
> won't be so easily fooled.

Johnson was already well known as a proven liar, and it seemingly made no
difference at all, presumably because most voters think that's true of all
politicians (which it is, to a degree).

He had two big advantages in 2019, neither of which will apply next time:
Brexit and Corbyn. So, whoever leads the Tories in 2024 will find it much
more difficult to win an absolute majority. But Sunak is seen to be very
likely do much better than Johnson, which is why Johnson will be evicted.

Labour also has no chance of an absolute majority, unless its unofficial
electoral pact with the LDs is not only unusually successful, but also
leads to a formal coalition after the election.

Charles Ellson <charlesellson@btinternet.com> wrote:
> On Sat, 19 Feb 2022 15:01:13 +0000,
> martin.coffee@round-midnight.org.uk wrote:
>
>> On 19/02/2022 14:05, Recliner wrote:
>>> On Sat, 19 Feb 2022 13:14:29 +0000, Bevan Price <bevanprice666@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>> On 19/02/2022 11:27, Recliner wrote:
>>>>> Roland Perry <roland@perry.co.uk> wrote:
>>>>>> In message <suqh0e$447$1@dont-email.me>, at 10:32:48 on Sat, 19 Feb
>>>>>> 2022, Bevan Price <bevanprice666@gmail.com> remarked:
>>>>>>> On 19/02/2022 08:27, Graeme Wall wrote:
>>>>>>>> On 18/02/2022 22:06, Recliner wrote:
>>>>>>>>> Recliner <recliner.usenet@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>>>>>>> Graham Harrison <edward.harrisom.one@btinternet.com> wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> On Mon, 14 Feb 2022 21:16:53 -0000 (UTC), Recliner
>>>>>>>>>>> <recliner.usenet@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> I was wondering if mainline rail charters hauled by Flying
>>>>>>>>>>>> Scotsman are
>>>>>>>>>>>> shown in RTT?  I notice that this one hasn't appeared (yet), and
>>>>>>>>>>>> I know
>>>>>>>>>>>> that the timings shown online differ from the actual finalised
>>>>>>>>>>>> timings. The
>>>>>>>>>>>> light engine moves to and from Southall are shown.
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> <https://www.railwaytouring.net/the-cotswold-venturer-2022 " rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.railwaytouring.net/the-cotswold-venturer-2022>
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> The letter accompanying the ticket says:
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> Please note due to trespassing issues we have been asked
>>>>>>>>>>>> by Network Rail and the
>>>>>>>>>>>> British
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> Transport Police to not publicise the final timings for th
>>>>>>>>>>>> e train so we would appreciate it if you could
>>>>>>>>>>>> treat the timings given overleaf as strictly confidential.
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> I just received a message to say it's been cancelled.
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> Ah, yes, you're right, thanks for the warning. I've not yet received an
>>>>>>>>>> email to that effect, but it's on the website:
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> https://www.railwaytouring.net/the-cotswold-venturer-2022
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> Found the email:
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> Cotswold Venturer - Urgent Update - Tour Cancelled
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> We have just been informed that despite the best efforts of the Network
>>>>>>>>> Rail Charter Division in monitoring the situation throughout the day and
>>>>>>>>> looking at alternative routing in case the original route was not
>>>>>>>>> possible
>>>>>>>>> for our train, the Regional Network Rail Route Director has this evening
>>>>>>>>> made the decision to cancel our Cotswold Venturer train tomorrow.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> We are very sorry for the late notice of this cancellation, which is
>>>>>>>>> outside of our control, and we apologise for any disappointment it may
>>>>>>>>> cause, everyone involved had worked together in the hope that the train
>>>>>>>>> would be able to take place tomorrow.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> We are now working with our operating company, West Coast Railways,
>>>>>>>>> Network
>>>>>>>>> Rail and the caretakers of Flying Scotsman to try and redate the tour in
>>>>>>>>> March and will be in touch with you as soon as we have a firm date
>>>>>>>>> for this
>>>>>>>>> rescheduling. Should the new date not be convenient for you, then
>>>>>>>>> you will
>>>>>>>>> be entitled to transfer your funds to a different tour or to receive
>>>>>>>>> a full
>>>>>>>>> refund of monies paid to us.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> Your patience at this time will be appreciated whilst we make the
>>>>>>>>> necessary
>>>>>>>>> arrangements, we will be in touch with you again in the coming days to
>>>>>>>>> advise further.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> Once again our sincere apologies for any inconvenience.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> —————
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> I wonder how much this will cost the FS operation (NRM?), WCR, RTC and
>>>>>>>>> Gravy Train (caterers), and wonder if NR covers some or all of the costs?
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> I don't have any wasted travel or hotel costs, but I'm sure many of the
>>>>>>>>> other would-be passengers will have.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Act of God invoked presumably.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Two other railtours / charters have managed to run today (19 February),
>>>>>>> albeit both running rather late:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Reading to Lincoln:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:U68002/2022-02-19/detailed
>>>>>>
>>>>>> +137 at Banbury!
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> and Telford Central to Appleby:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:U91449/2022-02-19/detaile
>>>>>>> d#allox_id=0
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Are either of them kettles?
>>>>>
>>>>> No, as you can see from RTT, they're diesel-hauled.
>>>>>
>>>> According to reports elsewhere, a Class 68 to Lincoln, and a pair of 47s
>>>> to Appleby and back.
>>>
>>> Yes, the 47s were identified. I wonder why the 68 was pathed as only a
>>> 75mph loco? It's the most powerful diesel loco
>>> in service in the UK, and can easily pull a train like that at 100mph.
>>
>> What is says is that it is planned for 75mph. I don't know what the
>> consist is but is there a 75mph limited coach included?
>> I don't suppose the route beyond Banbury is cleared for much more than
>> 75mph anyway.
>>
> "Planned as" doesn't always resemble the overall reality. Trains on
> the DC line are "Pathed as Class 710 EMU - Planned for 75mph max" but
> the highest permitted speed anywhere on the line is 45mph.
>

Yup, it's purely a characteristic of the train, and nothing to do with the
route.

Marland <gemehabal@btinternet.co.uk> wrote:
> Tweed <usenet.tweed@gmail.com> wrote:
>> <martin.coffee@round-midnight.org.uk> wrote:
>
>>>>
>>>> The sort of people who can afford these trips won't have access to email
>>>> from their hotels? Seriously?
>>>>
>>> Yes.
>>>
>>
>> I went on a day trip with Statesman recently. The demographic was very much
>> in the retired and long retired area. They all had smartphones. The idea
>> that the elderly can’t handle smartphones is fast becoming obsolete.
>>
>>
>
> Indeed. You have to be very ancient to be of the generation who never had
> the opportunity to avail themselves of equipment such as Personal Computers
> or Word processors and then onto phones of varying capabilities keeping up
> with how to work them as they developed.
> With the mid eighties now being around 35 years ago there are many who took
> to using IT equipment
> in their late 50’s and 60’s who are now their 80’s or 90’s.
> It will also be true that there are many who did not follow that path but
> they probably will not be the relatively comfortable pensioner who isn’t
> constrained to surviving on the state pension alone and physically wrecked
> by a lifetime of manual work.
> There won’t be many of those on a rail tour as they will rarely be able to
> afford the fare or to stay in hotels.
>

On rail tours, I sometimes bump into a recently retired NR signaller who
used to operate one of the new-fangled workstations in a new consolidated
signalling centre. He's probably in his early 60s. He's never had home
email, and has a relatively basic phone without email.

On another architectural tour this month there was an alert chap in hs 70s.
Never had a computer, email or mobile phone.

Marland <gemehabal@btinternet.co.uk> wrote:
> Recliner <recliner.usenet@gmail.com> wrote:
>> Bevan Price <bevanprice666@gmail.com> wrote:
>>> On 19/02/2022 08:27, Graeme Wall wrote:
>>>> On 18/02/2022 22:06, Recliner wrote:
>>>>> Recliner <recliner.usenet@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>>> Graham Harrison <edward.harrisom.one@btinternet.com> wrote:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> On Mon, 14 Feb 2022 21:16:53 -0000 (UTC), Recliner
>>>>>>> <recliner.usenet@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> I was wondering if mainline rail charters hauled by Flying Scotsman
>>>>>>>> are
>>>>>>>> shown in RTT?  I notice that this one hasn't appeared (yet), and I
>>>>>>>> know
>>>>>>>> that the timings shown online differ from the actual finalised
>>>>>>>> timings. The
>>>>>>>> light engine moves to and from Southall are shown.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> <https://www.railwaytouring.net/the-cotswold-venturer-2022 " rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.railwaytouring.net/the-cotswold-venturer-2022>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> The letter accompanying the ticket says:
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Please note due to trespassing issues we have been asked by Network Rail and the
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> British
>>>>>>>> Transport Police to not publicise the final timings for the train so we would appreciate it if you could
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> treat the timings given overleaf as strictly confidential.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> I just received a message to say it's been cancelled.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Ah, yes, you're right, thanks for the warning. I've not yet received an
>>>>>> email to that effect, but it's on the website:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> https://www.railwaytouring.net/the-cotswold-venturer-2022
>>>>>
>>>>> Found the email:
>>>>>
>>>>> Cotswold Venturer - Urgent Update - Tour Cancelled
>>>>>
>>>>> We have just been informed that despite the best efforts of the Network
>>>>> Rail Charter Division in monitoring the situation throughout the day and
>>>>> looking at alternative routing in case the original route was not
>>>>> possible
>>>>> for our train, the Regional Network Rail Route Director has this evening
>>>>> made the decision to cancel our Cotswold Venturer train tomorrow.
>>>>>
>>>>> We are very sorry for the late notice of this cancellation, which is
>>>>> outside of our control, and we apologise for any disappointment it may
>>>>> cause, everyone involved had worked together in the hope that the train
>>>>> would be able to take place tomorrow.
>>>>>
>>>>> We are now working with our operating company, West Coast Railways,
>>>>> Network
>>>>> Rail and the caretakers of Flying Scotsman to try and redate the tour in
>>>>> March and will be in touch with you as soon as we have a firm date for
>>>>> this
>>>>> rescheduling. Should the new date not be convenient for you, then you
>>>>> will
>>>>> be entitled to transfer your funds to a different tour or to receive a
>>>>> full
>>>>> refund of monies paid to us.
>>>>>
>>>>> Your patience at this time will be appreciated whilst we make the
>>>>> necessary
>>>>> arrangements, we will be in touch with you again in the coming days to
>>>>> advise further.
>>>>>
>>>>> Once again our sincere apologies for any inconvenience.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> —————
>>>>>
>>>>> I wonder how much this will cost the FS operation (NRM?), WCR, RTC and
>>>>> Gravy Train (caterers), and wonder if NR covers some or all of the costs?
>>>>>
>>>>> I don't have any wasted travel or hotel costs, but I'm sure many of the
>>>>> other would-be passengers will have.
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Act of God invoked presumably.
>>>>
>>>
>>> Two other railtours / charters have managed to run today (19 February),
>>> albeit both running rather late:
>>>
>>> Reading to Lincoln:
>>>
>>> https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:U68002/2022-02-19/detailed
>>>
>>> and Telford Central to Appleby:
>>>
>>> https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:U91449/2022-02-19/detailed#allox_id=0
>>>
>>
>> Those sorts of delays can put the kibosh on a steam train, with its
>> carefully planned water stopsnajd limited endurance between them. But I
>> suspect that NR just didn't want to have to accommodate a slow, thirsty
>> steam train on an already very disrupted network. The fact that it was
>> hauled by FS would have made it worse, not better.
>>
>>
>
> Would there be also a safety issue for the crew of a steam locomotive?
> With no windscreen wipers on the spectacle plates Drivers and Firemen may
> have to look out for signals by partially putting their head out of the
> side which could be quite risky with lots of branches
> now leaning into the track. At least the cab of modern traction will give
> a degree of protection.
>

Yes, could be, I hadn't thought of that.

Recliner <recliner.usenet@gmail.com> wrote:
> Anna Noyd-Dryver <anna@noyd-dryver.com> wrote:
>> <martin.coffee@round-midnight.org.uk> wrote:
>>> On 19/02/2022 14:05, Recliner wrote:
>>>> On Sat, 19 Feb 2022 13:14:29 +0000, Bevan Price <bevanprice666@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> On 19/02/2022 11:27, Recliner wrote:
>>>>>> Roland Perry <roland@perry.co.uk> wrote:
>>>>>>> In message <suqh0e$447$1@dont-email.me>, at 10:32:48 on Sat, 19 Feb
>>>>>>> 2022, Bevan Price <bevanprice666@gmail.com> remarked:
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Two other railtours / charters have managed to run today (19 February),
>>>>>>>> albeit both running rather late:
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Reading to Lincoln:
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:U68002/2022-02-19/detailed
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> +137 at Banbury!
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> and Telford Central to Appleby:
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:U91449/2022-02-19/detaile
>>>>>>>> d#allox_id=0
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Are either of them kettles?
>>>>>>
>>>>>> No, as you can see from RTT, they're diesel-hauled.
>>>>>>
>>>>> According to reports elsewhere, a Class 68 to Lincoln, and a pair of 47s
>>>>> to Appleby and back.
>>>>
>>>> Yes, the 47s were identified. I wonder why the 68 was pathed as only a
>>>> 75mph loco? It's the most powerful diesel loco
>>>> in service in the UK, and can easily pull a train like that at 100mph.
>>>
>>> What is says is that it is planned for 75mph. I don't know what the
>>> consist is but is there a 75mph limited coach included?
>>> I don't suppose the route beyond Banbury is cleared for much more than
>>> 75mph anyway.
>>>
>>
>> Perhaps railtours are planned for 75mph by default? That won't prevent them
>> from actually running at the maximum speed of loco/stock, where
>> appropriate.
>
> I think, only diesel hauled, and only with locos capable of at least that
> speed.

Yea, that's more accurately what I meant.

But tours hauled by 95 or 100mph capable diesel locos appear only to be
pathed for 75?

> Steam tours, and those hauled by class 59/60 locos, are pathed for
> 60mph.

And class 20s.

> Electric hauled are pathed for at least 90mph.
>

Thanks!

Anna Noyd-Dryver

Roland Perry <roland@perry.co.uk> wrote:

>
> I wouldn't even want to edit (no
> enhancing) video on a phone, which is probably why we get aberrations
> like the Youtube of FS on its way to London the other day, with about
> 10% useful content in it.
>
>

Actually I find the video editing software on my phone to be far, far
better and quicker than any such software I ever had on PC.

Anna Noyd-Dryver

Graeme Wall <rail@greywall.demon.co.uk> wrote:
> On 20/02/2022 01:25, Anna Noyd-Dryver wrote:
>> Graeme Wall <rail@greywall.demon.co.uk> wrote:
>>> On 19/02/2022 12:27, martin.coffee@round-midnight.org.uk wrote:
>>>> On 19/02/2022 11:54, Graeme Wall wrote:
>>>>> On 19/02/2022 11:35, martin.coffee@round-midnight.org.uk wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> The only email I have on my phone is my personal address only known
>>>>>> to relatives and close friends.  I certainly wouldn't trust it to
>>>>>> commercial organisations.
>>>>>
>>>>> What's wrong with having a sacrificial gmail address for companies to
>>>>> use? Not difficult to have a second or third address on your phone and
>>>>> abandon it if/when it gets abused.
>>>>>
>>>> Too much hassle.  It's a painful process setting up google email addresses.
>>>>
>>>> I like to provide each organisation I have a dealing with a unique email
>>>> address.
>>>
>>> And that's not a hassle to set up?
>>>
>>
>> When I used email addresses from my own domain I received email to
>> *literally anything* @ that domain. So there was no 'setting up' to use an
>> email address, other than typing, say, my-bank@my-domain.blah into the
>> appropriate field.
>>
>
> Used to be able to do that when I was with Demon. Very useful it was too.
>

It was until some spammers started apparently sending emails claiming to be
*from* my domain, and my inbox was always full of bounces of those emails.
Also the email addresses which the spammers use get changed over time, eg
from my-bank@ to mmy-bankk@ to my-bank123bank@ etc…

Anna Noyd-Dryver

On 20/02/2022 11:12, Recliner wrote:
> Roland Perry <roland@perry.co.uk> wrote:
>> In message <lk921h97a2vbcqf9cih0ur15r8ddvi02b1@4ax.com>, at 17:25:48 on
>> Sat, 19 Feb 2022, Recliner <recliner.usenet@gmail.com> remarked:
>>> On Sat, 19 Feb 2022 14:57:04 +0000, Roland Perry <roland@perry.co.uk> wrote:
>>>
>>>> In message <f2021hta4h84u9a0l75aj1981g3avu1aa0@4ax.com>, at 14:39:11 on
>>>> Sat, 19 Feb 2022, Recliner <recliner.usenet@gmail.com> remarked:
>>>>
>>>>>> I detest Brexit and all that has ensued from it. However, I’ll get with
>>>>>> the ETIAS scheme and make the best of it. Complaining, or calling out as
>>>>>> one poster here likes to call it, won’t change anything. I aim to go to my
>>>>>> grave in the best possible mood that I can muster.
>>>>>
>>>>> Yes, 100% agreed. There's no point banging on about what a mistake
>>>>> Brexit was,
>>>>
>>>> There is a point, because the perpetrators are still in power, and are
>>>> screwing up the aftermath.
>>>
>>> So, criticise them for their current incompetence, not what they said
>>> in 2016.
>>
>> We are only here because of the way the conducted a campaign of lies and
>> misdirection, ahead of the referendum.
>>
>>> And, note that the current PM was elected on a platform of achieving a
>>> hard Brexit, which is exactly what he's done.
>>
>> He just said he'd "get Brexit done", which by then, even many remainers
>> perceived to be the most pragmatic way out of the stalemate. It doesn't
>> mean they had changed their mind about the need for Brexit.
>>
>> And if you think promising no customs checks across the Irish sea was a
>> "hard Brexit", then we must agree to disagree The only way to deliver
>> that would have been a very soft Brexit.
>>
>>> So, that's one election promise he did keep. There's no point
>>> complaining if a politician was elected on a clear platform, and
>>> proceeded to deliver it, just because you don't like it.
>>
>> Almost nothing has yet been "delivered" apart from lots of friction on
>> trade, especially with Northern Ireland.
>>
>>>>> and we just have to make the best of the situation we are now in,
>>>>> including taking advantage of any opportunities that it presents.
>>>>
>>>> Including improving the recovery process by having different/better
>>>> leaders/policies to cope with the consequences of leaving.
>>>
>>> How are you going to achieve that? Not by moaning about Brexit.
>>
>> It's the consequences of Brexit which need the most "moaning about", to
>> flush out better ways forward.
>>
>>> As we all know, there's a high probability that BoJo will soon be
>>> leaving politics,
>>
>> You keep saying that, but his actions indicate he wants to cling on at
>> all costs.
>
> Yes, it would seem so, until Carrie changes her mind.
>
>> There must be half a dozen occasions now where any other PM
>> would have resigned in shame.
>
> He's incapable of shame. He's spent his whole life being caught out for
> lying, and regards it as business as usual.
>
>>
>>> but he will most likely be replaced by another Brexiteer with a better
>>> chance of winning the 2024 general election.
>>
>> If he's replaced it will clearly be by someone that MPs think will give
>> them a better chance.
>
> Yup. He was chosen as leader in the summer of 2019 because the MPs and
> party members (correctly) guessed that he was the candidate most capable of
> winning the next election, and will be replaced when they think someone
> else now occupies that position. The polls suggest that Sunak is closing in
> on that position, but not enough Tory MPs are yet convinced of it.
>
>
>> But that will be a very different election,
>> because the public is now much more alert to broken-pledge syndrome, so
>> won't be so easily fooled.
>
> Johnson was already well known as a proven liar, and it seemingly made no
> difference at all, presumably because most voters think that's true of all
> politicians (which it is, to a degree).
>
> He had two big advantages in 2019, neither of which will apply next time:
> Brexit and Corbyn. So, whoever leads the Tories in 2024 will find it much
> more difficult to win an absolute majority. But Sunak is seen to be very
> likely do much better than Johnson, which is why Johnson will be evicted.

Don't think the wannabe-maggie, Truss, would agree with you about Sunak :-)

>
> Labour also has no chance of an absolute majority, unless its unofficial
> electoral pact with the LDs is not only unusually successful, but also
> leads to a formal coalition after the election.
>
A certain amount would depend on how well the various nationalist
parties do. Also I can see a scenario where some current right wing
tories returning to their Faragist home parties in protest against not
getting the Brexit(s) they wanted.

--
Graeme Wall
This account not read.

On 20/02/2022 11:15, Anna Noyd-Dryver wrote:
> Graeme Wall <rail@greywall.demon.co.uk> wrote:
>> On 20/02/2022 01:25, Anna Noyd-Dryver wrote:
>>> Graeme Wall <rail@greywall.demon.co.uk> wrote:
>>>> On 19/02/2022 12:27, martin.coffee@round-midnight.org.uk wrote:
>>>>> On 19/02/2022 11:54, Graeme Wall wrote:
>>>>>> On 19/02/2022 11:35, martin.coffee@round-midnight.org.uk wrote:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> The only email I have on my phone is my personal address only known
>>>>>>> to relatives and close friends.  I certainly wouldn't trust it to
>>>>>>> commercial organisations.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> What's wrong with having a sacrificial gmail address for companies to
>>>>>> use? Not difficult to have a second or third address on your phone and
>>>>>> abandon it if/when it gets abused.
>>>>>>
>>>>> Too much hassle.  It's a painful process setting up google email addresses.
>>>>>
>>>>> I like to provide each organisation I have a dealing with a unique email
>>>>> address.
>>>>
>>>> And that's not a hassle to set up?
>>>>
>>>
>>> When I used email addresses from my own domain I received email to
>>> *literally anything* @ that domain. So there was no 'setting up' to use an
>>> email address, other than typing, say, my-bank@my-domain.blah into the
>>> appropriate field.
>>>
>>
>> Used to be able to do that when I was with Demon. Very useful it was too.
>>
>
> It was until some spammers started apparently sending emails claiming to be
> *from* my domain, and my inbox was always full of bounces of those emails.
> Also the email addresses which the spammers use get changed over time, eg
> from my-bank@ to mmy-bankk@ to my-bank123bank@ etc…
>

With the demon set up I only downloaded mail from boxes I had set up so
the spammers bounces never reached me. I used to periodically use the
web interface to check I hadn't missed anything that was mis-spelt.
Occasionally found a live email address for a 419 scam and forwarded all
the spam to it. Well it amused me anyway. My favourite was the scammer
claiming to be the widow of the late Karol Wojtyla…

--
Graeme Wall
This account not read.

Roland Perry <roland@perry.co.uk> wrote:
> In message <suqv6q$44h$1@dont-email.me>, at 14:35:06 on Sat, 19 Feb
>
>
> Today, I'm surrounded by neighbours complaining their power has gone out
> (not sure why today, as the storm was yesterday).

In some cases they are finding trees that haven’t yet made contact or
damaged a line but have become too close and will likely do so soon so turn
off power while the chainsaw gang works,
in other cases similar trees finally give up and bring down the lines even
if it is some hours after the peak of the storm.

>
> Doesn't worry me so much because without broadband I just use the SIM in
> my laptop (how many people have that) and the UPS under my desk will
> keep my second screen (how many people have either of those) going for a
> few hours before I might then have to rely on just the laptop's own
> screen.
>
> Yes, my mood is fine.

If the broadband router is 12v DC like our BT one then a good back up is
one of those car jumpstart packs and most of those as well as one or two
car cigar lighter sockets’ have a USB socket as well to charge phones etc.
Obviously the time to obtain or make a lead with the correct size of barrel
connector is before the time you need it. Using it I had our BB back on
in minutes but then lent it to a neighbour so he could complete sending
some business correspondence both for his business and his wife who now
works from home.
Meanwhile it gave a chance to run the generator for real in case the power
was off for long enough to affect the freezer but fortunately it came back
after 3 hours, then off for another 30min as they removed a tree that
though it hadn’t yet fallen had tilted too close for comfort.
At the other end of the village some were still off last night, the pub
which like us had been restored
quickly was doing good business in meals and I suspect it will be the same
today .
What frustrates many is that they have an oil fired heating system or range
stoves that have become useless because they won’t function without
electric.
People really should make some back up rather than depend 100% on a mains
supply.
I made the decision when we had the Wood burner installed to keep it simple
and have its water boiler connected using the old gravity system. No
electrics to depend on.
Flat topped so kettle and pots heat nicely.

GH