The Rainhill trials of the first steam locomotives were held in Lancashire (now Merseyside), from 6 to 14 October 1829.

See Wikipedia for excellent coverage of that historic event.

In September 1808, the Cornish engineer Richard Trevithick exhibited and operated a steam engine called Catch Me Who Can on a circular track of about 100 feet in radius, on a site to the south of Euston Road within walking distance of the British Library. This was the first time in the world that a steam locomotive was used to haul paying passengers on a railway. (It was not the first time that passengers had been carried by steam at all, as five years earlier Trevithick had carried passengers on a steam-powered road vehicle, the London Steam Carriage, and in 1804 had used the world's first steam railway locomotive to haul employees of the Penydarren ironworks in Wales.)

* The Inventor: Taqi al-Din was a famous 16th-century Ottoman astronomer, engineer, and mathematician.
* The Device: In his 1551 book, he described a copper water boiler with a pipe that directed a jet of steam onto a rotating vane wheel.
* The Purpose: The wheel turned a spit to cook meat evenly without manual labor.

M4 junction closures and new Menai bridge in plans to tackle congestion on Welsh roads


The Welsh government has announced plans to tackle congestion in north and south Wales - Image © Getty Images

Junctions on the M4 in Newport could close, and a new bridge built across the Menai Strait, as part of Welsh government plans for two notorious transport bottlenecks.

It will also begin an 18-month project looking at a range of "roads-based" options for the M4, that could include a new motorway or expanding the Brynglas Tunnels.

Ministers are considering whether to close or partially close three junctions, potentially by 2028. However, a review has warned that closing them could cause increased congestion and noise on alternative routes.

It is not clear at this stage how anything would be paid for - the new Menai crossing could cost up to £700m and take up to 10 years to be built.

It is the latest set of proposals to tackle congestion on the M4, after plans for a relief road were developed in the 2010s and axed by former Labour first minister Mark Drakeford in 2019.

The government said that Transport for Wales would provide support to "accelerate delivery" of train stations in Cardiff Parkway, Magor and Undy stations.

Proposed junction closures were criticised by the city's council leader, Dimitri Batrouni, while the Tories and Reform called for the Welsh government to get on with an M4 Relief Road.

In south Wales, the Welsh government is to hold an 18-month study that will look at a range of options for what it says are "road-based solutions" to congestion on the motorway.

Ministers have ruled out the black route previously proposed for the M4 Relief Road - a new motorway south of Newport along the Gwent Levels.  However, it is understood that the study could still include a new motorway south of Newport.

Other options include widening the Brynglas Tunnels - one of the most significant causes of congestion on the M4 in Wales.

The Welsh government also plans a five-year programme of changes to deliver "shorter-term benefits", including "a delivery plan to improve how the motorway is operated and managed".

In a statement, Deputy Transport Minister Mark Hooper said this could include potential junction closures in and around Newport to improve traffic flow.  "The review found that measures such as these offer some of the quickest opportunities to improve traffic flow and resilience on the M4," he said.

The government is considering closing junction 27 - at High Cross, and east-facing slip roads at junction 26 - Malpas, and junction 25 - Caerleon.  However, firm decisions have not been made and ministers want to consider the impact on local roads, and speak to Newport council, before it goes ahead.

The announcement follows a review by transport consultants at ARUP on some of the options that could be implemented along the M4 corridor, which warned that public acceptance of the junction closures was "likely to be low" among their users.  It said: "There is a risk that economic costs would be redistributed rather than reduced, with poorer access for local businesses and increased congestion, noise and delay on alternative routes."

The review put the cost at £14m would reduce traffic by an estimated 3%.  "The capital cost would [be] relatively affordable, but the option would likely provide limited long-term value," the review said.

(BBC article continues)

link to bookings please?

What are the drones going to do?  Drop skyhooks and lift the trespassers off the railway?

From the BBC:

*snip*  the high cost of provision and maintenance of infrastructure on cycles, and to the NHS for the repair of cyclists damaged on the road. *snip*

I didn't follow the first link, in case it was another of grahame 's attempts to drum up trade for an ailing tech giant. But the second link is to a four year old Guardian article which is based on something from the Daily Mail!

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Sounds idylic.  What could go wrong?

Trespass incidents cause almost 10,000 minutes of delays


Trespassers are seen on the tracks at Motspur Park in south-west London in dashcam footage from a train driver's cab - Image © Network Rail

Trespass incidents caused almost 10,000 minutes of delays to South Western Railway (SWR) services for the 2025/26 period.

Data released by Network Rail and British Transport Police (BTP) shows that 9,437 minutes worth of delays were caused, equivalent to about six and a half days.

Across England, trespass, cable theft and obstruction caused more than 3,300 hours of delays during the same period, making it one of the railway's biggest causes of disruption, with a significant impact on customers.

The SWR network had the third-highest rate of vandalism and obstruction across Network Rail's 14 routes, including deliberately placed items such as debris and other pieces of track on the railway.

The rail firm said an additional risk on its network was the fact it uses a third rail as electricity supply.  It carries 750 volts of direct current, which can cause severe or lifechanging injuries, or death.

As part of a new campaign launched by SWR and Network Rail, drones, sensors and smart CCTV are being rolled out to make it easier to catch and prevent trespassers.

The use of drones is a new strategy, which has been trialled at London Waterloo station.  Further drone units have been planned for Clapham Junction, New Malden and Walton-on-Thames.

Tom Desmond, operations director for SWR, said: "Trespass is one of the leading causes of disruption on our network, delaying our customers' journeys and costing taxpayers.  As part of our plan to deliver more reliable journeys, we're working with partners to reduce these types of incidents and improve our response so that we can keep services running."

If anyone's attending who is equipped to sign me up as a member of the WWRUG I'd be grateful.

Mark

People in the UK are terrified today after considering the possibility that high diesel prices could lead to an increase in cyclists.

With diesel prices in the UK rising above £2 a litre for the first time, many in the UK have started to consider the horrifying thought of more people picking up a bike. ...

Cyclists could be made to have registration plates and insurance

Whitehall review is also said to suggest cycling speed limits, along with licence penalty points and fines

By a combination of time, official announcements on the radio, and measured radiation dose rate. In marginal conditions it might be better to sleep/rest in the shelter, but emerge for essential work.

Encouragingly, Network Rail has a planning application in earlier this year to lengthen Bath Spa station's platform 1.

*Edit* It received consent in August.

https://www.bathecho.co.uk/news/planning/network-rail-extend-platform-bath-station-117137/

This is often a risk when a train is in reverse formation.

A train I was on yesterday was bound for Weston-super-Mare but had the first class coaches leading.

There were two parties heading for Yatton in standard class and their seat reservations were in coach B - which would normally be platformed at Yatton (and indeed Nailsea & Backwell) but with the train in reverse they would be off the back.

The train manager spotted it when he checked their tickets and suggested they got out at Temple Meads and walked down the platform to coach G.

At Bath Spa a 9-car unit stops with front and rear door isolated, which means that the doors by the wheelchair accommodation open at both ends.

So this must have been a 10-car train and she must have been in the front carriage as it's the front three doors and rear door that don't open on a 10-car unit.

It would have needed to be drawn forward a coach length, but it would never be authorised because it would mean manually releasing the doors which is what they don't like. 

It's really unusual for it not to be picked up during the journey.  It's not unheard of to delay a train at a station whilst a passenger is moved do a different part of the train.

What's the process for organising the train to set back?

Plymouth, just west of the Hoe.

09:45 Westbury to Swindon due 10:28
09:45 Westbury to Swindon due 10:28 has been cancelled.
This is due to a fault with the signalling system.

11:05 Swindon to Westbury due 11:47
11:05 Swindon to Westbury due 11:47 will be cancelled.
This is due to a fault with the signalling system.

Delays to services between Westbury and Swindon via Melksham
Due to a fault with the signalling system at Westbury disruption is expected until 12:15 06/10.
Train services between Westbury and Swindon via Melksham may be delayed.
Customer Advice
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What has happened??
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There is a fault with the signalling in the Westbury area. The signalling system is how trains are kept a safe distance apart. When there is a fault with the signalling system trains may need to stop at the affected signals so that the Driver can speak to the Signaller to confirm if the track ahead is clear.