I notice that BP have made bumper profits ... have to wonder where the extra income goes.


A barrel of oil is 159 litres. So at £1.85 / litre (diesel at the place up the road) you are looking at £294 ( = almost $400) per barrel - that's 3.5 times price at the pump that it costs on the world market.    Put the other way round, the world price is still only 50p per litre, marked up in Melksham to £1.85 ...

Facilities on the 08:18 Worcester Shrub Hill to London Paddington due 10:26.
Will be formed of 5 coaches instead of 9. Service full and standing from Oxford. First class is declassified. There are no reservations on this service.

'… and seeing how the residents feel after a while”

I can save RF some time there. They'll continue to be reduced or ex-users of the bus services and will have poorer life opportunities as a result. Some may become 'Disgruntled voters'. Good that the MD of Go-Ahead has met with residents and is moved to investigate suitable vehicles for the route. I hope he comes up with something. Difficult to imagine that they wouldn't be useful elsewhere too - nearest to Mousehole I'm thinking of the 16 Penzance to St Ives via... lanes... that used to use an Optare** too.

Mark

** Apologies if it wasn't and I'm simply calling all small buses 'Optares'...

The crude oil price has now reached $125 ! No significant shortages as yet.
If this carries on, I perceive some risk of shortages, of transport fuel and also of natural gas.

7 pints per day will provide all the B6 needed.  This is excellent news

Clients left 'stunned' as solicitors cease trading

Clients say they have been left "stunned" after a solicitors firm announced its sudden closure after the sale of the business fell through at short notice.

BLB Solicitors, based in Trowbridge in Wiltshire, confirmed in a letter sent to some clients that it will cease trading from midday on Thursday after being placed into administration.

...

BLB Solicitors has offices in Bath, Bristol, Bradford-on-Avon, Swindon, Almondsbury and Trowbridge, and employs more than 40 lawyers across its six locations.

A letter sent by the firm to clients on Tuesday read: "We would strongly recommend that you instruct another firm of solicitors to continue to act on your behalf."

(BBC article continues)

Brand-new battery-electric multiple units will eventually operate on EWR, with an order for a new fleet expected soon.

Urgent repairs needed to city railway station pub


Greater Anglia has applied for permission to the roof of the former ticket office, which is now a pub at the Cambridge station - Image © Getty Images

"Urgent repairs" were needed to ensure the future of a city railway station's pub, a train operator said.

Greater Anglia has applied for permission to Greater Cambridge Shared Planning to make changes to the roof of the former ticket office, which is now a pub at the Cambridge station. It said work would include replacing flashing, slates and improving drainage.

The work was necessary, it said, because of widespread defects in the roof and water damage affecting the toilets and other internal areas of the building.

The Old Ticket Office is part of the original 1845 Cambridge railway complex and was converted into a pub in 2018.

In its application to the partnership between Cambridge City Council and South Cambridgeshire District Council, Greater Anglia said: "As a matter of urgency, Greater Anglia are looking to address any progressive damage such as timber decay and mould to the existing structure."

It stressed the importance of the structure, saying: "Cambridge Station is a prominent building with extensive sightlines from the Station Square and beyond. Failure of the roof materials is resulting in water ingress that is impacting on the existing building structure and operation of the Old Ticket Office public house."

The application stated that the scheme "is to refurbish a section of station roof located to the north of the main station building, over the public house". It added: "The pub is in daily use by the tenant, and they will continue to require access during the duration of the works."

A Greater Anglia spokesperson told the BBC: "We have submitted for listed building consent to carry out essential repairs to the Old Ticket Office pub at Cambridge railway station. These works will address areas of deterioration and are being progressed as a priority to protect the building and support the tenant. Subject to listed building consent, we expect work to begin later this year and take around three months to complete. The pub will remain open during this time and we do not expect any impact on customers using the station."

I have also noticed that you have to re-enter a username/password each time you use it. The login screen is not mobile friendly and probably doesn't meet accessibility guidelines.

GWR also appear to have removed the option to pay via Google Pay/Wallet.

17:35 Swindon to Westbury due 18:19

17:35 Swindon to Westbury due 18:19 will be starting late from Swindon.
This is due to congestion.

Mary McCool
BBC Scotland

I discovered last weekend that the SWR website has been subjected to the same 'improvement'.

Homeworking has increased considerably since COVID too, which may have changed commuter patterns.

Homeworking has increased considerably since COVID too, which may have changed commuter patterns.