Several years ago, the delayed Tilehurst-Didcot service was billed to stop at all stations. But it ran fast to Didcot, causing some consternation among those of us who wanted to get off at intermediate stations. One youth ran up to the driver's door and started banging on it - dunno if he expected the train to reverse. At Didcot the driver remained in the cab until most passengers had dispersed.

What kept him? In 1886 G P Mills took 5 days 1 hour and 45 minutes on an Old Ordinary (better known as a penny-farthing): Anfield BC website.

As I mentioned in the "squirrels"  thread a couple of hours ago: seagull caught winging it on-london-bound train/

I can't believe that the Reading Chronicle was the first with this story.

Justin Gutmann secured £25million from Stagecoach South Western Trains - the largest ever compensation package paid out from collective action in the UK^▸ (United Kingdom). His epic legal battle claimed passengers with a Travelcard covering the Underground may have been overcharged for onward journeys out of London."

I'm not sure that the reporter has got her facts right ...

Just watched the second episode, though there were several times during it when I wondered why.

At least one "plot hole" as perceived by some critics was explained: the train was bi-mode, so cutting off the electric power wouldn't have stopped it. But it seemed to take a long time for anyone to realise that, on a train speeding out of control, it might be a good idea for everyone to get as far back as possible.

Very few of the characters appeal: "Billy McCloud" (the on-train crew member), "Tobi McKnight" (the young geek at the cyber-security agency), "Aaron Moy" (the retired geek brought back to help) and "Fraser Warren" (the obdurate retired driver). Many of the others were irritating, and the wide-eyed reactions of the two leads quickly palled.

Another four episodes ...   I'm wondering whether to bother ...

Last night I watched the first episode of "Nightsleeper",  set on a train from Glasgow to London, with a government agency intervening in escalating events onboard and two strangers working together to save passengers as the train hurtles towards disaster.

The reviews have not been good. 

IMBD

Work on station lifts progresses. I don't visit Tilehurst Station as much as I used to, but this afternoon at 1330 there was a rare instance of an ambulance parked in its bay, ready to respond to local calls. A little later, the Reading Chronicle reported "chaos"at the Royal Berks A & E with a photo of a queue of ambulances, though the hospital said it was no busier than usual for a Monday. (I suspect that a disgruntled  patient or their relative may have rung the Chronicle to complain.)

I decided to stay with the AA, rather than switch to a Mickey Mouse insurer to save a few pounds.Yesterday and this morning, I tried to renew on-line, but kept on getting a message that there was a problem and to try again later. So I rang up, and got a helpful agent who said that their IT system had been updated and that she needed to check a few details with me. Just as well, as she asked if the value of the car was still £16k; I reckoned not and said that I'd had a couple of on-line valuations for £11.5k.  Where upon she reduced my premium from £526 to £437.52.

I'm sure that were I to have a write-off accident in the next year the AA would not have paid out £16k but the current value.

I also had a raft of quotes via a comparison site, the lowest being £486, with roadside assistance not included - it was with the AA.

The reporter, Kieran Williams, looks like yet another of the very young people working on local news websites. When wr.iting a book during Lockdown I came across several more up and down England. Those working on the Reading Chronicle receive critical "comments" every day. It's wondered what sort of initial and on-the-job training they get

With reference to AA insurance, for 2022-23 it cost me £337, for 2023-24 £510 and the quote for renewal this month is £526, if there are no changes to the policy.

Last year's quote was a heck of hike, but I was ill at the time and also conscious that other companies had upped their prices.

With the costs of an MoT and service and road fund, that's £1100 just to keep it on the road, or £20 a week. Replacing a damaged A/C condenser last month cost £490. All of which, after just 2,000 miles of driving in the past 12 months, makes retaining the vehicle seem an extravagance.

As I noted above, I've had lower quotes, and I'll be considering these over the weekend.

I'm wondering whether to ditch the car, not that renewal quotes for my Fiesta insurance look that bad: £369+. I haven't been using it so much these past 15 months, and sometimes it's been mainly for the sake of keeping the battery charged. I wouldn't be much inconvenienced, what with doing my Big Shop on-line and being within walking distance of "corner shops" - and Tilehurst Station, trains from which conveniently serve a good number of destinations.

As it happens, I've been using the bus more for for trips into Reading, rather than the train. (I have a bus pass.) I'm not so sure if this trend will continue over the winter, with more risks of my catching a bug on the bus than on the train. (I have a depleted immune system.)

I was going to be mischievous and extend this discussion to "what is the West Country", but it seems that it embraces the same counties as "the South West".

But "the West of England" is a smaller entity.

(But we never see "West England" or "Western England.)