It's 10-15 minutes walk from Lelant Saltings to Lelant.  There's a back road.  I did it years ago.

 
In its defence, the one up train of the day from Lelant Saltings, the 9:12, makes a squeaky connection at St Erth into the 9:20 to deliver the traveller to Paddington just before 2:30pm...

Mark

 
Two pictures from today ... if you think Minehead has gull problems ....

 
To me, that conjures up an image of an artillery officer, looking out over the range and shouting "Open fire!  No, that's not an order - it's a warning!! 

 
Could also do with some rain. The plain is very dry and a repeat of previous events in the year https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c70nnnnz0ldo could put the event at risk. Especially the section that goes across the top of the Larkhill/Westdown range to Brazen Bottom and the Lavingtons. The civilian Fire and Rescue Service won't get involved because the risk in military areas. I would imagine with cut backs the nearest MoD fire service will be Boscombe Down, and probably not suited to wild fires on the ranges.

 

The water pistols unfortunately.  The local seagulls seem now to have latched on to the opportunity presented to them at Victoria Quay where the holidaymakers go crabbing when the tide is favourable.  The moment you discard the bait from the net before going home, they're on to it in a flash.

 
I presume that the concentration of parking at St Erth station has led to the decision. Lelant Saltings opened in 1978 as the P&R station for St Ives. That function has now been taken by St Erth.
Whether the decision to reduce services was the correct one is another thing.

 
Heard an anecdote from someone local to the station, checked on a map, and yes, Lelant Saltings Station's adjacent housing might also be served by buses on the main road - said main roads also sever walking routes to the likes of St Erth.

Despite this, the station's timetable (07:52 to St Ives, 9:12 to St Erth and that's it... that is designed simply to ensure that the timetable of their local station does not meet the travel needs of people living within walking distance.)

Then, if you group the station with Lelant - you now have what's listed as a population of nearly 4000 - the rail service there is a somewhat better but heaven forbid that anyone might need, say, an evening train or first train of the day...

Mark

 
The seagulls, or the water pistols? 

 
I flew from Newcastle to Bristol last Wednesday morning....40 minutes from take off to touchdown for £23. Then found myself using the new Passenger terminal it was 5 minutes from aircraft steps to A! bus seat. Compared to my experience in the reverse direction in October 2023 it could not have been more different.
I can also highly recommend Newcastle Quayside Travelodge...a new build, floor to ceiling windows with a great view over the Tyne. Almost opposite a flight of some 120 steps that cuts the journey to Newcastle Central by half for the metro to the airport.

 
From the BBC:

 

And that's how the system works. Under HSE's overall responsibility for how regulation and enforcement is applied, as they say:


The LA inspects general site safety and management, but for rides they check documentation of inspections, the main one being annual and by a member of NAFLIC:

 

I doubt the Local Authority safety inspection would involve a in depth mechanical, electrical inspection, observing full operation by all the operators, setting up etc. More likely it will be an audit of the HS File, inspection, maintenance and repair reports, records of operator training, management of safety policy.  The Local Authority would unlikely have the skill staff, resources and time to carry out a full inspection of every ride and machine.

 

Answered (somewhat) yesterday ...


What ruling gradient you would select and how you would transition to and from level would depend on the type of traffic to be carried.  You would also need to consider the "x" and "y" dimensions - where on a map the ramp structures would go, and whose homes and businesses they would tower above. At this stage - an open and busy M5, a bridge not built to take the weight of a train, and a structure that rises and falls within its length, I suspect adding a rail deck (on top, to avoid reducing ships clearance) is impractical.  Better (IMHO and uneducated and probably just as impractical), a lift / swing / slide bridge at about ///farmer.pool.enjoy with a junction off the `Severn Beach line curving left just after leaving Sea Mills to the left to cross the Severn and after the bridge running pretty much straight into the existing Portbury freight line well before Ham Green.

 
Not being an engineer:

regarding the Portishead line crossing the river to the Severn Beach line,
 how far back down the line to Portishead line would the climb have had to start to get level with the current road bridge
and how far down the Severn beach rail line be to get it level towards Bristol.

 

Ditto The Ferry Inn, Salcombe..... except some of them seem to have a strange habit of going missing after a while.

 
I walked past about 20 mins before it happened. To be honest I'm surprised it doesn't happen more often in that area.

 
Stonehaven, German-style

 
Was staffed and trains calling from 10am AIUI.

 
From the BBC:

 
These fairs have to have a council-led HSE inspection before they are allowed to open each time - the council issues a licence to operate.

I suspect Netley council is holding its breath....

 

I have



and I'm not the only one

 

Plus RAF Ballykelly in Northern Ireland when it was still an active airfield.

 
Very sad, though fairgrounds are known, in general, for a rather flexible approach to safety. Any attempt to improve standards is often considered to be an attack on fairground industry, and on those who run it.