please empty your brain below
If relevant, please start your comment with a number from 1 to 28.

(questions will not be answered)

diamond geezer | Homepage | 27.02.25 - 12:00 a.m. | #

20 - i hope he did too.

gruntbuggly | 27.02.25 - 7:20 a.m. | #

20 - a lovely little story

Ian | 27.02.25 - 7:38 a.m. | #

22. Not much consolation, but since your trip to Hartlepool cost not very much, the repay that you didn’t get would have been 50% of not very much.

Malcolm of Kent | 27.02.25 - 7:40 a.m. | #

14 - Perhaps it's worth carrying a pair of disposable gloves if it's something that might happen again.

Trevor S | 27.02.25 - 7:42 a.m. | #

9 - Marble Hill confirmed as opening 23 March (EH) but the Lottery thinks one of its tickets will let you in a week early. As the House is now free entry it is cluttering up the Lottery Open Week list.

JonF | 27.02.25 - 7:50 a.m. | #

22. The Stevenage incident was either track/signalling failure or a "person hit by a train", both of which are regrettably frequent on the ECML.

Ian | 27.02.25 - 7:52 a.m. | #

21. It was this very blog that put me on to Mick Herron's Slow Horses series, and although I've been able to get several from local libraries, the original remains elusive, with more than 20 copies across the county all on loan and reserved when they come back.

Man of Kent | 27.02.25 - 8:03 a.m. | #

10) many years ago I spent a bit of time in West Midlands Today country, where the top story was always 'person who is ill' (or occasionally 'person who was ill but got better'). I assumed they had some research to say their audiences liked that kind of thing, but I wonder if they ever ran out of ill people to feature.

22) 60 minutes is a bit stingy, isn't it? Avanti's delay repay starts at 15 minutes, though I'm expecting them to try to wriggle out of the full refund they owe us for the 61 minute delay we had on Sunday.

martin | 27.02.25 - 8:15 a.m. | #

16. When the tide's very low there, you should get to see the ancient fish traps.

ap | 27.02.25 - 8:21 a.m. | #

1. In Photoshop you can overlay images taken from the same spot to hide people.

3. If Mike (Oysterfares) doesn't hear back, I hope someone goes further, a FOI?

6. I enjoyed Two Temple's topics before covid, but not since.

14. I intend to have wet wipes somewhere for that situation, but couldn't tell you where right now.

16. I'd watch a reasonably short youtube video on their experience.

toby | 27.02.25 - 8:27 a.m. | #

10 - I believe this was a stated aim when they moved “The One” to Salford. It’s now produced by the same team as BBC Breakfast, so potentially you’d have seen the same sulky relatives if you’d tuned in 6 hours earlier or 18 hours later.

Kirk | 27.02.25 - 8:36 a.m. | #

22. I assume you were travelling with Grand Central. If so, they offer a paltry delay repay scheme which as you found out only pays out after an hour delay. LNER pay out after 30 minutes.

Hadders | 27.02.25 - 8:45 a.m. | #

13 and 23..... I applied for the TFL pass last year and I couldn't quite believe such a brilliant benefit hadn't been cut. It's excellent and saves so much money.

Auntie Doris | 27.02.25 - 8:55 a.m. | #

11 ... Agreed. The cat turns this into such a powerful poster.

rogergh | 27.02.25 - 8:57 a.m. | #

1) Bought Cook’s Camden on publication. Would recommend.

22) Agree with martin, Southern’s Delay Repay kicks in after 15 minutes. One only needs a half hourly service to be cancelled and the following one to be scheduled for a minute more or run slightly late to be up for a full refund.

Lorenzo | 27.02.25 - 8:58 a.m. | #

21 You have prompted me to put this on my reading list. But having placed my hold at the library (for the e-book) I see there are 77 people ahead of me in the queue....

IslandDweller | 27.02.25 - 9:06 a.m. | #

25. I'm fascinated by shops that survive for so many years - even if closed. The last two pre-WW2 shops in my local high street have both closed in recent years - Boots, the chemist; and Mayfair, a stationery shop. The current oldest business there is now Marino's, a café established in 1950 according to its menu.

Alan S | 27.02.25 - 9:18 a.m. | #

10 - they are saving money by just regurgitating that morning's Breakfast. But at least you're spared the over-the-top fake concern and sympathy of Naga Munchetty, Charlie Stayt, John Kay and Sally Nugent. Particularly if it's another Rob Burrow story.

MKIan | 27.02.25 - 9:22 a.m. | #

1 - £26.95 for a 'coffee table' book is reasonable, might buy one.

6 - means the elites don't need to engage with them directly.

10 - it's almost as though BBC news is populated by activists following a template.

11 - typical cat, 'can you feed me first?'

14 - your hand 'got mucky' on Valentine's Day.

20 - bit depressing that information becomes rare so quickly, also why isn't there anything within the family (might be political instability though).

21 - interesting guy.

Still Anon | 27.02.25 - 9:25 a.m. | #

9 If only your blog was monetised. Or maybe it is. What do us lot know.

Caroline | 27.02.25 - 9:41 a.m. | #

2 - I really don't understand the Standard's distribution policy. I'd already noticed that it seemed to favour the quietest stations out west (Ruislip Gardens and Ickenham but not Uxbridge) and Roding Valley confirms that pattern. It's almost as though they are setting out to fail.

3 - Every station is likely to have a fire alarm test with the same effect on the gates so it's puzzling that no other station feels the need to put up posters.

Andrew S | 27.02.25 - 9:44 a.m. | #

10. I suspected news-recycling from BBC Breakfast was responsible but I never watch that. Even so there are so many emotional genres other than ‘campaigning relatives of the dead’ and I wish they’d diversify.

diamond geezer | Homepage | 27.02.25 - 9:45 a.m. | #

6. I'm looking forward to seeing the Temple Place exhibition this weekend. It's featuring a number of artists I admire (George Shaw, Chris Killip, Joan Eardley amongst others). I do wonder if anyone would recognise me as once working class. I grew up in a council tower block and have retained the accent of my Stepney upbringing but I suspect that my clothing and manner suggest middle class now. But maybe something gives away the truth that, despite a PhD and shopping at Waitrose, I am, in fact, dead common!

Joan | 27.02.25 - 10:10 a.m. | #

5: Thanks for the Squaredle recommendation. Another word game to add to my list.

G-Man | 27.02.25 - 10:24 a.m. | #

7) I'm reminded of the "Giant Meteor 2024" bumper stickers

8) Sorry for your loss

12) I bet you hate the removal of two magic words from the front cover more!

20) This is lovely, thanks for sharing

TomH | 27.02.25 - 10:30 a.m. | #

5: warning, Squaredle is addictive, and Squaredle Express often seems harder than the full version.

The spelling and vocabulary are American, and some perfectly fine non- US words are not recognised.

Betterbee | 27.02.25 - 10:35 a.m. | #

8) Wondered who the boss you held in high regard was, but searching the newspaper obits online is too hard. A good boss is a wonderful thing.

David B | 27.02.25 - 10:59 a.m. | #

22) That's interesting, as I never realised that the Delay Repay rules weren't consistent across the network. Maybe it's because Grand Central are an open access operator, that they can be much stingier?

Your delay would have been a 50% refund on all the other main domestic operators.

Mikey C | 27.02.25 - 11:45 a.m. | #

13. This may seem like a small benefit now but, as you get older, doctors get more keen to prescribe medicines for you. You may feel fit and healthy but they want to keep it that way.

3. I saw that too - but only at East Croydon. Mind you, there can't be many stations where it would be relevant. I don't think you need to worry too much about the people affected who tap in to catch the Caterham train. Especially as there is an earlier fast train to Purley at 0557.

Pedantic of Purley | 27.02.25 - 11:46 a.m. | #

12) My passport came back equally quickly, it's a genuinely efficient service now.

Mikey C | 27.02.25 - 11:46 a.m. | #

4: Give Grimshaw a listen over on 6 Music.

dg writes: I have, but he hadn't re-started on the 4th.

Taffy | 27.02.25 - 11:51 a.m. | #

13: If you have enough regular items in your prescription to break even (usually 2 regulars on 8 week refill), then the quarterly and annual pre-payment option is worth investigating.

MilesT | 27.02.25 - 12:21 p.m. | #

10, Since the BBC decided to move the news studio from our Capital city and centre of government to Salford the quality of content seems to have gone down. Also extending the lunch time news to an hour is not necessary and might be a reason for more human interest stories to fill in the time. I now just check in after 1.30pm for the London news section

John | 27.02.25 - 1:44 p.m. | #

10. We got 50 minutes through the News At One today, but then they threw in "toxic waste scandal which caused birth deformities has been made into a Netflix drama, let's talk to a mother whose baby died."

Obsessed.

diamond geezer | Homepage | 27.02.25 - 1:53 p.m. | #

20: How lovely. I hope he found it.

23: that's cutting it fine - given the processing time and the vagaries of the postal service in some locations!

25: The 'before' is much more pleasing to the eye than the 'after'

Cornish Cockney | 27.02.25 - 2:22 p.m. | #

1. I will buy this book, given your notoriety you should ask for a referral scheme

11. I checked out the website from the US and incredibly/nicely it provides access/search resources in all countries where there is support

20. My son works at Flickr and I sent him your feelgood story. It is a nice company too.

international reader | 27.02.25 - 2:38 p.m. | #

20. Very moving. Must have felt good to let him know where the poem was located.

Mary | 27.02.25 - 3:02 p.m. | #

10. John, the BBC News studio is still in London at Broadcasting House.

dg writes: not at 1pm it isn't.

mclm | 27.02.25 - 3:41 p.m. | #

28 - thanks for the heads up about the drama. I remember the Moorgate crash as if it was yesterday even though I was only 9 and lived in Bradford. It was probably the first news item I took notice of.

MKIan | 27.02.25 - 4:47 p.m. | #

21. The audiobook of the original is available for free on YouTube, if that’s your cup of tea,

DB83 | 27.02.25 - 5:30 p.m. | #

22. My daughter and I got unexpected Delay Repay, when the train hurtled through Watford Junction. The driver apologised that he'd forgotten it should have stopped, but it probably saved the payment to the 90% of Euston passengers.

Nick K | 27.02.25 - 5:34 p.m. | #

21. Thanks for the suggestion, DB83. Despite enjoying radio dramas, I've never really taken to audio books. But it might be the way to go, only so I don't lose some of the plotlines.

Man of Kent | 27.02.25 - 5:36 p.m. | #

10. Perhaps the problem is having a news broadcast an hour long anyway. There's only so much newsworthy stuff.

Anonymous | 27.02.25 - 5:43 p.m. | #

10. Forcing the 1pm bulletin out of BH in London appeared to be part of the BBC’s attempt to placate the previous government in its “levelling-up” propaganda initiative, for fear of further financial cuts. The dumbing-down of BBC news and over-prevalence of human interest stories has also been apparent to me for quite some time on their website, which is now frequently a haven of clickbait and trails for programmes as much as for genuine news.

Labourer | 27.02.25 - 5:57 p.m. | #

3 - I would be wracked by uncertainty as to whether the last moment of closure would be 06:01:59 or 06:02:59

9 - Ironic that so few people wanted to chat about the topic of "chatty cabins". I'm wallowing in being one of those who did, though

28 - After hearing seven music-heavy trailers on Radio 4 for the Moorgate play, I was in no mood to listen to the broadcast. I well remember the incident though.

cau1khead | 27.02.25 - 7:44 p.m. | #

5 Thanks for the Squaredle recommendation. Have just completed today’s puzzle - instead of cooking supper - so a quick trip to the chippie was called for.

Artieleblanc | 27.02.25 - 10:20 p.m. | #

Days which have not inspired comment:

15 17 18 19 24 26 27
(but the majority have, cheers)

diamond geezer | Homepage | 28.02.25 - 12:00 a.m. | #

28: Page 10. An ASLEF take on the Moorgate tragedy. Not entirely impartial but intriguing…

Taffy | 28.02.25 - 1:35 p.m. | #

20. Hurrah, I've heard back from Algeria...

Hello!

I was able to find the location thanks to your message!

Thank you very much for the time you took to reply to my message my father was really happy to see that it was still there :)

Wish you all the best!

diamond geezer | Homepage | 03.03.25 - 7:57 p.m. | #

6. I saw that "soften up hard lad" poster at Wolverhampton Art Gallery in July 2024. Is this part of the same exhibition? I remember a lot of football related stuff accompanying it.

dg writes: Two Temple Place always draws exhibits from galleries across the country.

anna | 23.03.25 - 8:08 p.m. | #











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