1) George Osborne 2) Discomfort with our status as a service economy. 3) Failure to invest, both as a state into infrastructure and as businesses into capital. 4) George Osborne 5) We disrupted our mild recovery in 2015 by doing Brexit, then our stabilisation was disrupted by Covid. 6) Osborne.

Will Jennings📉🗳️@drjennings.bsky.social · 3d ago

Why is the UK stuck in an economic rut? Why have our real wages not risen in two decades? What are the real alternatives? Most people avoid these questions because many of the answers are uncomfortable.

...and almost fully fledged 22/10/26

Daniel Di Mascio@danieldimascio.uk · 5mo ago

Leeds Cygnet watch 12/6/26

I am just not sure the plot is believable or joined up.

Thunderbird testing last night with 68010 and a 225 set, ready for emergency use when required.

Gosh it's Bloody Rubbish

Time for Jimmy's Sunday training session! This picture is from the Harvey Scowcroft collection.

Morning all Photographer Martin Parr. Train station, Epsom, Surrey, 1974.

Today we’re operating 2 Newcastle-Bedford return @lner.co.uk services to provide customers with additional options as our main route is closed for engineering work - I’m pleased to share that the first service arrived into Bedford as planned, closely supervised by members of our planning team!

Great to get out onboard LNERs first diverted train to Bedford today and see the plan come together first hand. Lots of work has gone into this over the past few months and today has been a great learning opportunity before we run a full Bedford timetable in November.

Bittersweet news this weekend on the Zagreb - Split line with the last run of the ICN (InterCity Nagibni) service after more than two decades. ICN was introduced as HŽ's premium product using Bombardier RegioSwinger tilting trains in 2005. They will soon be replaced by Končar 7024 EDMUs hybrids

Whilst this man clearly has excellent tastes in rail, unfortunately that is not matched in his politics or choice of guests.

Chris Ogilvie@ogilvie.org.uk · 2mo ago

Telegraph: “Meet Jeremy Hosking, the rail-mad millionaire with Britain’s only privately owned train. The Chairman’s Set comprises repurposed former Caledonian Sleeper coaches in classic 1950s British Rail ‘blood and custard’ livery.” 🆓 ⬇️ www.telegraph.co.uk/gift/6c5efca...

📈 GREAT CLIMATE NEWS 📈 Renewables keep powering ahead. They now power *a third* of the world's electricity supply. And that number is only going up and up and up.

Does this count as step-free access? Belle Vue, Manchester. Tomorrow I'll be using a station that sees just two trains a week.

The DfT are desperate to hide the fact that one of the trains derailed at Lewes was the first with the GBR livery applied, because they know as well as we do that it would be too obvious a metaphor for their rail policy: big stickers, minimal investment, things get worse.

Can't wait for the massive improvement in the quality and efficiency of our Civil Service this will deliver. UK government to pay KPMG and EY up to £456mn to train civil servants - www.ft.com/content/b9b1... via @FT

UK government to pay KPMG and EY up to £456mn to train civil servants

Deal marks largest contract awarded to Big Four firms in at least a decade

ft.com

BBC’s coverage of Reform’s welfare plans is frankly bizarre. Headlines in Ten, leading on some radio networks. Reform are not even the official opposition and the plans have less credibility than Count Binface. Will BBC News do the same for Lib Dem and Greens policy two years out from an election?

“As Aydin jumps a scooter over ramps set up in the middle of the road, children around him are drawing with chalk, blowing bubbles and kicking a football in a spot where cars are usually driving through.” Good job Leeds. More children should have the chance to play in their neighbourhood like this.

Leeds: The city closing down streets so children can play

In Leeds, streets are being temporarily closed to traffic so kids have more space to safely play - an initiative proving beneficial to both children and adults.

bbc.co.uk

In light of the recent announcement by Transport Scotland, and the total dismissal by most of the rail community, I've written some thoughts on how such a service might work operationally. danieldimascio.uk/a/3msebvhoiv... @offprint.app

Night Train from Scotland to Paris.

danieldimascio.uk

Although I notice they won't actually be able to buy one when they're 18 🤔

Heidi Alexander MP@heidialexander.bsky.social · 3mo ago

We're changing rail card rules so 18-year-olds can get half price train tickets. With £2 fares and kids going free on buses this summer, we're providing families with the little bit of breathing space that we know is needed. 🚆🚌🚏 www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Some thoughts on Open Access, which I do realise sounds a little like 'competition is good except when it is against me'. Very much enjoying using @offprint.app! danieldimascio.uk/a/3mq5matnns...

The Case for Open Access.

danieldimascio.uk

Why these unique trains were ordered I do not know. They should've ordered nine-car 800s identical to those used by LNER.

RMT Union@rmtunion.bsky.social · 3mo ago

RMT strikes over safety on EMR to go ahead Rail union RMT said that 24-hour strike action on East Midlands Railways will go ahead on Saturday August 1 after the company refused to withdraw faulty trains and talks collapsed. rmtunion.org/4pI07R8

Cities dismantled their tram networks to become “motor cities of the future”. The result? You could travel further within 30 mins via public transport in 1957 than you can in 2026. Cities are seeking billions to rebuild networks. Incredible piece of work this.

The Exchange@theexchangeleeds.bsky.social · 3mo ago

If you stood on Briggate at 8am on a weekday in 1957, and stood there again in 2026, in which year could you reach more of the city in half an hour? Samuel Bancroft has crunched the numbers. Since the 1950s, Leeds has got bigger - but the city has effectively shrunk.

Behtash office building in Isfahan, Iran Designed for the Behtash Rail Company, the brickwork is apparently inspired by meandering train tracks. Also provides shade to the spaces behind! Architecture by Omid Shafieie

I once again find myself wanting to learn how to sail. There really is something special about travelling slowly and with little to no direction ⛵ www.ft.com/content/1871...

How to holiday like it’s 1932: sailing the Norfolk Broads on a vintage yacht

James Stewart voyages back in time — at 2mph — to find tranquil waters, endless horizons and a surprisingly sociable escape from modernity

ft.com

I somehow have a newfound respect for baseball.

Justin? More like 🚍tin@justinbai.bsky.social · 4mo ago

Baseball was a transit-oriented development all along

This is a great trait I’ve seen in a number of Swiss apartment designs The shape of the building is formed around existing trees on the site, so none need to be felled By Fiechter + Salzmann, in Bern

Who would think that outsourcing your critical thinking to a computer program would be career limiting?

Lauri Donahue@lauridonahue.bsky.social · 4mo ago

futurism.com/future-socie... lol

A difference between UK and European railways I've only just noticed: four tracked mainlines are the backbone of GBR infrastructure. Yet I can hardly think of any examples in western Europe. Two double tracked routes is always the preference!

One of these is preserved, heritage rolling stock, and the other is still used in front line passenger service. Both photos were taken around Greater Manchester today!