Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby given speeding fine

August: The yellow box is gone but not forgotten

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

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

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

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


July: The beginning of the end

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

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

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


June: The yellow box in all its glory

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

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

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

I would argue that Ayton Castle is rather more in England than Scotland. 'Scottish Borders', maybe - but Berwick-upon-Tweed is in England. 

I guess it's fairly standard, but it is nicely put - all is forgiven

The estate features a narrow gauge railway – which runs through part of the grounds – complete with platform, ticket office, engine shed and joiner’s shop.

Investigation continues into fatal helicopter crash


The remains of the helicopter were taken away on Tuesday

An investigation into how a helicopter came to crash in a field on the Isle of Wight is continuing, the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) has said.

Justyna Czoska, 52, Wojciech Kowalkowski, 49, and 54-year-old Simon Hewitt were killed when the aircraft came down near Shanklin on Monday morning.

A spokesperson for the AAIB previously said they were gathering physical evidence from the accident site and interviewing witnesses.

The wreckage was removed from the crash site on Tuesday.

The spokesperson added the investigation was likely to take 12 months.


Justyna Czoska, Wojtek Kowalkowski and pilot Simon Hewitt (right) died in the crash on the Isle of Wight

A spokesman for operator Northumbria Helicopters previously said G-OCLV - a Robinson R44 II - had departed from Sandown Airport at approximately 09:00 BST on Monday. It said the aircraft was "carrying four passengers on board including the pilot, and was undertaking a flying lesson".

Witnesses reported the aircraft spiralling before crashing in a field alongside the A3020 at 09:20. One person was airlifted to the major trauma centre at University Hospital Southampton, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary said. The other three people on board died.

Ms Czoska and Mr Kowalkowski were both from Banbury in Oxfordshire, while Mr Hewitt was from Barton-upon-Humber in Lincolnshire.

Ms Czoska's family described her as "beautiful, funny, talkative, optimistic and kind", and said she was "always wanting to make those around her happy. She was our best friend, we miss the sound of her voice, we will miss her forever," they said.

Mr Kowalkowski's family said he was "the father of two loving children", with Ms Czoska's daughter saying: "He always made me happy and always made my mum happy."

Mr Hewitt's partner and family said they were "absolutely broken", describing him as "the most wonderful, intelligent, kind man and father".

Northumbria Helicopters said in a statement that its "devoted pilot" Captain Simon Hewitt would be "truly missed".

So yesterday I had 2 consecutive journey options to work cancelled; today it's 2 consecutive journey options from work 

Thank you for contacting Great Western Railway regarding your journeys from Melksham to Bristol Temple Meads.

We are working extremely hard to provide a punctual and reliable service. Therefore, it is very disappointing that you have been affected by disruption to our services recently.

I understand your frustration regarding this matter, and I would like to assure you that any disruption to our services is logged and investigated both internally and externally afterwards. We have teams dedicated to identifying trends in this respect and if there are recurring issues that arise as a result, we will work to apply the necessary changes. I can assure you, therefore, that any recurring problems will be on our radar, but I do apologise once again for the stress and frustration caused

As you are aware, I do advise that you submit a Delay Repay claim, for future journeys, I do advise you pre-purchase your tickets for your journeys to ensure that the correct amount of compensation is awarded for the length of delay you had encountered.

Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to get back in touch with me.

Thank you again for contacting Great Western Railway.

Yours sincerely,

Ellie

Customer Service Advisor

The UK - or perhaps I should say England? - seems to be very good at providing reasons why things can't happen.

Many so-called heritage railways here are in some sort of financial difficulty at the moment. There's a recent thread on https://www.railforums.co.uk/ on this topic. It's rather dismal reading; contributors suggestions seem to include retrenchement - fewer operating days or trimmed timetables - and more drift away from being a genuine heritage railway towards some sort of sedate fairground ride "experience".

Another thread discusses main-line links. Again:,dismal reading: not worth the effort. Few passengers for the cost and effort etc. ( I have to say in this context that the main line railway hasn't helped -a thought that I may develop later).

When Grahame mentioned the Mollibahn (another line to the coast), I started to wonder about its business model. Its summer timetable (which runs until 2nd November) starts at 0640, with a nearly hourly service until the last train arrives back at 19:24. Seven days a week, I believe; and the railway's PDF timetable shows connecting train services.

We stopped doing the lottery many, many years ago

The Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge in China has undergone a five-day testing process ahead of the scheduled opening in late September.

The load test is the final step before it is considered safe to welcome traffic. A testing team drove 96 trucks onto designated points to test the bridge's structural integrity.

Rising 625m (2,083ft) above a river in Guizhou province, the bridge will upon completion set the record for both the world's tallest bridge and largest span bridge built in a mountainous area.

A heritage railway is using water trains to help tackle the risk of fire, after one of the driest years on record.

Trains have been pulling water tanks – equipped with pumps and sprayers – to damp down the sides of railway tracks along the Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland Railways in Gwynedd. They aim to minimise the risk of steam engines causing fires but have also been able to help provide North Wales Fire and Rescue Service with water in inaccessible places to tackle other blazes.

Paul Lewin, general manager of the railway, said the water trains were like a "fire engine on rails", and had been used most weeks throughout the summer. The railway's biggest water tank holds 3,300 gallons (15,000 litres).

"I don't think more than a week has gone by without us needing to mobilise the water trains for some reason," said Mr Lewin. "A lot of that has been protective work, dousing the lineside with water to protect from fire."

However, he also said they were on hand to deliver water to North Wales Fire and Rescue Service in remote locations, if needed. "We had somebody set a car on fire near one of our embankments just last Thursday, which caused quite a considerable fire, and we were able to mobilise the water train and work with North Wales Fire and Rescue to send water down the embankment towards the car and the area that was on fire," he added.

The company runs about 40 miles (64km) of track between two lines around Porthmadog, Caernarfon and Blaenau Ffestiniog in Gwynedd. Mr Lewin said this year had been the driest he had seen in his 23 years at the railway.

On Tuesday afternoon, North Wales Fire and Rescue Service confirmed it was in attendance at a fire behind Maes Du Golf Club, Cwm Mountain, Llandudno, with a number of crews and wildfire units called to the scene.

A spokesperson for the service urged the public to stay away from the area and asked people in the Llandudno area to close their windows and doors, especially residents on Ffordd Maenan and Bodnant. Over the bank holiday weekend the public were also warned to stay away from a mountain fire after vehicles blocked routes the fire service were using to get to the scene.

Fire crews were called to Anglesey's Mynydd Bodafon on Saturday after receiving multiple callouts to the blaze on Friday evening. Residents of Mynydd Bodafon said they were left without water after the blaze, before supplies were restored on Monday around lunchtime.

As one of our esteemed members is wont to ask.........Ooooooooos gonna pay for it?

Londoners need free public transport to reduce inequality and get polluting cars off the road, Transport for London (TfL) has been told.

The capital's Tube network is already considered the most expensive of any major global city, with fares set to rise by above inflation until 2030. This has prompted concerns that ordinary Londoners are avoiding Tube travel due to soaring costs, potentially increasing the number of vehicles on the road.

TfL says it is mostly funded by passenger fares, compared with other countries which receive larger subsidies from central government. The removal of passenger fares would require billions of pounds to be found from elsewhere.

TfL made £5.24bn from passenger fares in 2023-24, and is expected to take in £5.7bn in 2025-26.

The transport body got £1.6bn in income from advertising and the Ulez scheme, as well as £2.7bn in government grants in 2024-25.

A single Tube journey in London costs from £2.50 to £3.80 using Oyster or contactless, depending on the travel zone and whether it is at a peak or off-peak time.

Tube fares are capped at £8.90 a day for zone 1 and £16.30 a day for zones 1 to 6. The cap for zones 1 to 6 is £16.30 a day and £81.60 for a week.

Cash is not accepted on London's buses or trams, where fares start at £1.75 and are capped at £5.25 a day for adults.

Earlier this month, the House of Commons Transport Committee proposed that everyone aged under 22 in England should be given a free bus pass to help them get into work and education.

Campaigners, including Fare Free London, are urging regional authorities and the national government to extend this proposal to all age groups on all forms of public transport. The group says that a complete restructure of TfL is needed but that capital cities like Tallinn in Estonia and Belgrade in Serbia have shown it is possible.

Simon Pirani, who sits on the organising group of Fare Free London, said free public transport in London would stimulate the economy, reduce inequality and social isolation, and assist with reducing car usage. He said: "In London, the high level of fares is hitting people across all age groups in terms of being able to travel to find work, travelling to and from work and in terms of social isolation. We need a complete rethink about how the transport system is paid for. London has a much better transport system compared to other UK cities, but it's very expensive."

Groups including those aged over 60, children under 18, students, disabled people and jobseekers are eligible for discounted public transport.

A TfL spokesperson said: "The mayor will set out what happens with fares but the government has been clear that the funding in the settlement is provided against an assumed scenario that overall TfL fares will rise by the value of RPI+1% for each year of the settlement."

I can remember the occasional trip on a paddler up and down the Dart in my very young youth.

But there's only one piano.....not tens of sonic devices all blaring at once

Better safe than sorry.   I love the occasional Autumn trip on Waverley on the South Coast and have fond and poignant memories of passing under Tower Bridge into the Pool of London.   You will enjoy either.