Britain - The Official Thread

[Liquid]

The new Bombardier Aventra series is set to be the train to replace a few of these suburban/intercity units but they won't be delivered till around 2020+.

At which point the stuff delivered in 2000 will be two decades old, never mind stuff delivered in the 1980s, and. thus. the cycle. continues.

 

[Touring Mars]

Our new trains in Scotland should have been up and running by now except the drivers complained about not being able to see out of the curved windows, which now have to be replaced...

I'm no expert when it comes to train driving, but surely this wasn't the smartest design choice - not to mention how fugly they are.

 

[Liquid]

Pig train. That really is fugly. Who the flip thought having small, curved windows in a space like that was a good idea?! There's a reason previous trains with the same 'door on the front' design for multiple workings have flat faces:

 

[Lizard]

We could do with replacing our 125s and whatever that electric thing is that often runs along the same routes. Although at least they are comfy to ride on.

The 158 sprinters aren't too bad. The 153 and 156 though are horrid.

Although funny thing. Virgin spent such a lot of money and time promoting the new class 800 'Azuma' and yet it will run in LNER livery.

 

[Robin]

There's a reason previous trains with the same 'door on the front' design for multiple workings have flat faces:

I loathe the look of 'door at the front' trains in general. I guess they are more useful but so damn ugly.

Although funny thing. Virgin spent such a lot of money and time promoting the new class 800 'Azuma' and yet it will run in LNER livery.

I didn't really like the Azuma livery especially compared to the Pendolino livery. Rest assured the government will mess it up and make the LNER one hideous!

 

[Famine]

Complaining about trains This thread couldn't get any more British.

I'm no expert when it comes to train driving, but surely this wasn't the smartest design choice - not to mention how fugly they are.

Chuffin' crikey, it looks like a Vogon.

 

[TenEightyOne]

Complaining about trains This thread couldn't get any more British.

It's only because the weather's been mostly alright. I heard it's going to get colder though.

 

[HenrySwanson]

British-Iranian woman in prison is told to expect another conviction:

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/...nviction-british-mother-charges-a8361161.html

And we prefer to trust these people over Trump

 

[photonrider]

Our new trains in Scotland should have been up and running by now except the drivers complained about not being able to see out of the curved windows, which now have to be replaced...

They were obviously conned, got vexed and caved in.

Complaining about trains This thread couldn't get any more British.

Hold on. I need to get my cuppa before someone starts on the weather.

It's only because the weather's been mostly alright. I heard it's going to get colder though.

Couldn't wait, could you?

 

[Touring Mars]

They were obviously conned, got vexed and caved in.

👍

Most window related puns are pane-ful, but that was pretty good...

 

[C-ZETA]

Complaining about trains This thread couldn't get any more British.

Mine was 20+ minutes late this evening. My dad's was even later than that. The fresh 'new' Thameslink is back at nearly full strength again and, despite being run incompetently for the most part, was making my lot, Southeastern, look silly. This despite some 'planning errors' (because obviously they didn't have long enough to prepare! Hah) cancelling some trains...

 

[Robin]

It's only because the weather's been mostly alright. I heard it's going to get colder though.

Trains, Weather, Queuing = Britain

 

[ryzno]

This is a sort of yes, but/no, although thing.

So in theory the rule is that you need to have a TV Licence to operate equipment to receive broadcast television, so it's opt in. In practice, almost everyone does it, so it becomes almost opt-out. TV Licensing certainly seems to think so, and will send you threatening letters every few minutes if you dare to say you don't need a Licence.

Basically the opt-outs become a database of suspects.

They have a small number of detector vans (like... six) which go around houses that don't have a Licence to detect if they're operating equipment unlawfully. There are also inspectors who may call to check. However they have no power of entry and you can tell them to do one.

That will generally end up with a prosecution - they showed up at your house for a reason so you're guilty until proven innocent, and it's very difficult to prove to magistrates that you aren't operating equipment unlawfully. It's much easier to prove it to the inspectors, which is why I've taken the steps I have taken to ensure that it's not immediately possible to watch or record broadcast television, or access iPlayer, inside my house with any of my equipment - and any inspector can attempt to do so in their rather uncomfortable visit to my house.

I'll stick to America. I can't understand why ANYONE would want to deal with petty crap like that... Ad revenue isn't enough?

 

[polysmut]

I've been trying to find time to get to a station to buy a London to Edinburgh ticket for July. Most people buy them online but I use cash for everything (my GTPremium is only possible because of a gift) which can hamper me sometimes. The prices vary so wildly that it's quite favourable to get an advance ticket. Based on experience, i'd expect a London to Edinburgh ticket to cost anywhere between 5 and 200 pounds. Which is a daft range.

 

[Johnnypenso]

I've been trying to find time to get to a station to buy a London to Edinburgh ticket for July. Most people buy them online but I use cash for everything (my GTPremium is only possible because of a gift) which can hamper me sometimes. The prices vary so wildly that it's quite favourable to get an advance ticket. Based on experience, i'd expect a London to Edinburgh ticket to cost anywhere between 5 and 200 pounds. Which is a daft range.

Tag me after you make that trip with a little review. I might be making it myself at some point when I hop over the pond to play St. Andrews

 

[mustafur]

I'll stick to America. I can't understand why ANYONE would want to deal with petty crap like that... Ad revenue isn't enough?

TV in America is more Ad then Show though, whats the point you'll forget what your watching lol.

 

[ryzno]

TV in America is more Ad then Show though, whats the point you'll forget what your watching lol.

True. I do enjoy BBC and HBO and our public channels saving the ads for the end on long shows. But I'd rather watch 40-45 minutes with ads than wait 10 minutes between hour shows.
I might pass out lol.
How much does it cost?

 

[ExigeEvan]

I'll stick to America. I can't understand why ANYONE would want to deal with petty crap like that... Ad revenue isn't enough?

There are no adverts on the BBC UK service. Other commercial channels also get some of that money to diversify their content or keep culturally important channels (like S4C the Welsh language channel) going.

I don't have a problem with the fee, it's the enforcement and payment model that is the issue.

 

[Scaff]

True. I do enjoy BBC and HBO and our public channels saving the ads for the end on long shows. But I'd rather watch 40-45 minutes with ads than wait 10 minutes between hour shows.
I might pass out lol.
How much does it cost?

Around £10 a month (some people such as OAPs are exempt), I can't recall the exact figure as mine is a monthly direct debt.

 

[baldgye]

There are no adverts on the BBC UK service. Other commercial channels also get some of that money to diversify their content or keep culturally important channels (like S4C the Welsh language channel) going.

I don't have a problem with the fee, it's the enforcement and payment model that is the issue.

Honestly, the issue I have with the BBC is that it's content is now so horrible, I don't/can't watch it anymore.

BBC used to be the gold standard, it's comedy too was brilliant it also had great documentary's and while it still has David Attenborough, Panorama is a sick joke and News Night/Question Time can't stop giving halfwits like Jacob Reese-Mogg a platform.
And if you miss the live broadcast you've got the totally schizophrenic iPlayer that can't decide how it wants to work or look like, is seemingly different on every platform and who's content phases in and out of being available.

 

[UKMikey]

Honestly, the issue I have with the BBC is that it's content is now so horrible, I don't/can't watch it anymore.

Presumably they still make a ton of educational programmes for schools that a Sky subscriotion model wouldn't quite cover? I assume Radio 3 and 4 are still a thing as well. And I guess they're still running the country's TV infrastructure. If the Beeb went away I think they would need a Network Rail style agency to handle this function.

I think that the point is that they don't just exist for primetime but to make programmes that commercial channels aren't interested in touching.

 

[baldgye]

Presumably they still make a ton of educational programmes for schools that a Sky subscriotion model wouldn't quite cover? I assume Radio 3 and 4 are still a thing as well. And I guess they're still running the country's TV infrastructure. If the Beeb went away I think they would need a Network Rail style agency to handle this function.

I think that the point is that they don't just exist for primetime but to make programmes that commercial channels aren't interested in touching.

I don't think it should be gotten rid off, in fact I think we need the BBC now than ever. It's just that the standard at which it's operating is far below what I think we should expect.

 

[Liquid]

The BBC is single-handedly responsible for the amount of UKIP the 2010s has had to endure.

 

[baldgye]

The BBC is single-handedly responsible for the amount of UKIP the 2010s has had to endure.

And like I said, it only helps perpetuate this by bringing on people who know nothing and inviting them to political discourse.

It still makes me angry that they put out an episode of Panorama talking about if Wi-fi signals can give you cancer, brought on experts who said; "well, there is no evidence to suggest they do or that they could" and to counter that with people who knew nothing saying "well you can't 100% no, so maybe... so we think yes they can".
And the program ended with Jeremy Vine going, well, it doesn't seem very clear, maybe they can, maybe they can't...?

 

[photonrider]

👍

Most window related puns are pane-ful, but that was pretty good...

I do agree with the drivers' (somewhat distorted) view, though, TM. We need to get them all squared up and back on track. Trains transport our lifeblood.

Trains, Weather, Queuing = Britain

I know . . . and yet that was the joke I believe, that it's cliche, too cliche to even be stereotypical.
But Britain has a lot more to offer than just that, of course, or the even more cliche, never-ending yet transient political scene. There's the music, arts, and a huge cultural scene that rarely gets into the news or is spoken about - or even more complex issues like the evolution in food habits, dialects, class-consciousness, literature . . . truly, unless one is a Brit it would be hard to grasp the actual perception of reality that Brits would face on a daily basis.
And, I guess, that is why to hear them complain about trains, or speak about the weather is comforting, in a way - these are familiar Brits.

I've been trying to find time to get to a station to buy a London to Edinburgh ticket for July. Most people buy them online but I use cash for everything (my GTPremium is only possible because of a gift) which can hamper me sometimes. The prices vary so wildly that it's quite favourable to get an advance ticket. Based on experience, i'd expect a London to Edinburgh ticket to cost anywhere between 5 and 200 pounds. Which is a daft range.

You've left me daft.
What?

Tag me after you make that trip with a little review. I might be making it myself at some point when I hop over the pond to play St. Andrews

You lucky blighter.
A hundred puns swing to mind but I'll hole 'em.

______________________

The TV licensing thing is something I am familiar with - having lived with it for some time - and the inspectors, too - but I have a question - what other fees do you pay? There was no internet, and satellites were new when my parents used to pay a licence.

I'm beginning to think I pay a lot more here now than what you do over there for the same services (all in all.)

 

[TenEightyOne]

It still makes me angry that they put out an episode of Panorama talking about if Wi-fi signals can give you cancer, brought on experts who said; "well, there is no evidence to suggest they do or that they could" and to counter that with people who knew nothing saying "well you can't 100% no, so maybe... so we think yes they can".
And the program ended with Jeremy Vine going, well, it doesn't seem very clear, maybe they can, maybe they can't...?

It was a hot topic at the time and the evidence was (and according to some researchers remains) inconclusive. I'd say the point of units like Panorama is to investigate matters in the public interest... one of the things about research is that it's not always conclusive but you still have to say that.

Now then*, if you want to get properly umbraged about BBC investigations then it's the ones they decided not to show that you should be talking about

* Now then

 

[baldgye]

It was a hot topic at the time and the evidence was (and according to some researchers remains) inconclusive. I'd say the point of units like Panorama is to investigate matters in the public interest... one of the things about research is that it's not always conclusive but you still have to say that.

Now then*, if you want to get properly umbraged about BBC investigations then it's the ones they decided not to show that you should be talking about

* Now then

Not being funny, but at the time it was about as inconclusive as climate change is now.

It might be an odd one for me to pick out, but it was when, for me the BBC had totally 'jumped the shark' and their reporting/coverage of Brexit was and continues to be, unsurprisingly idiotic.

 

[TenEightyOne]

Not being funny, but at the time it was about as inconclusive as climate change is now.

And it still is. Some studies show higher rates of certain kinds of cancer amongst heavy mobile phone users, others counter by pointing out that cancers in that part of the head often cause a noticeable impairment to hearing which is more likely noticed in somebody who relies on phone-to-head conversations in day-to-day life.

I don't see what Panorama did wrong in that case. They heavily quoted the WHO (whose advice the government of the time was following) and the government's head of public health who disagreed with the WHO.

It might be an odd one for me to pick out, but it was when, for me the BBC had totally 'jumped the shark' and their reporting/coverage of Brexit was and continues to be, unsurprisingly idiotic.

That's for another thread... but when you have a process underway that's as idiotic as Brexit seems to be (a friend met David Davis the other day to ask about exports post-Brexit and came away with the impression that he still has zero idea) then it's hard to tell a sensible story.

 

[polysmut]

You've left me daft.
What?

Train prices in the UK make absolutely no sense. It seems to depend who you ask, on what day, in what weather what the price will be. Buying in advance is advisable but there are other crazy factors. Sometimes first class is cheaper than standard class and splitting tickets is a weird but fairly common thing now. You can sit in the same seat on the same train for the whole journey but pay less if you have separate tickets for different parts of the journey. For example: London to Peterborough, Peterborough to York, York to Edinburgh could be available for a lot less than the London to Edinburgh ticket. And yes, that's without leaving your seat on the same train.

Tag me after you make that trip with a little review. I might be making it myself at some point when I hop over the pond to play St. Andrews

I've been on every part of that railway line before. There are some nice views between Newcastle and Edinburgh plus the view over Durham, just south of Newcastle, is pretty good with a castle and cathedral visible together. I'll be making the trip for work, not leisure so my outlook may be different from yours. I'll just be hoping to get there as quickly as possible.

 

[Spurgy 777]

Honestly, the issue I have with the BBC is that it's content is now so horrible, I don't/can't watch it anymore.

BBC used to be the gold standard, it's comedy too was brilliant it also had great documentary's and while it still has David Attenborough, Panorama is a sick joke and News Night/Question Time can't stop giving halfwits like Jacob Reese-Mogg a platform.
And if you miss the live broadcast you've got the totally schizophrenic iPlayer that can't decide how it wants to work or look like, is seemingly different on every platform and who's content phases in and out of being available.

Practically everyone on question time panels seem to be halfwits, from the MPs who give vague unhelpful answers to the token journalists and comedians who pretend to know what they’re talking about. There is the odd exception but if you didn’t have any of them on the show would be a bit empty, plus if we have to put up with the likes for Diane Abbott then I’m sure we can live with everyone else they bring on.