• Review: Britains Favourite Railway Stations

    From Roland Perry@roland@perry.uk to uk.railway on Sun Jan 11 08:57:13 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    First a mild complaint: my voice-activated Fire Stick couldn't find
    the show, and when I switched to my Smart TV's apps instead, it
    transpired I had to open an account. This took about five minutes
    while they gathered lots of personal information (including name,
    DoB, home and email addresses etc) and asked me to pick three
    favourite(sic) programmes from a list, none of which I think I've
    ever watched.

    The show itself had plenty of interesting historical information, but
    rather too many drone-shots of station roofs (by the end I was getting
    a bit tired of the repeated ones at York) and shots of the side of
    Azumas passing. Each of the three presenters was solo, rather than as
    a group.

    We know Siddy has a long felt passion for railways, but Si kept saying
    how he'd never previously given stations even a second glance, so he's
    just a talking head really. The third guy, I know little about, and some Googling just now didn't even throw up his name.

    The Huddersfield segment was also verging on advertorial for Northern
    Power House Rail ("sometimes referred to unofficially as HS3" -
    Wikipedia).

    While all the stations featured in episode one were Quite Interesting
    (tm), it's not clear what the criteria is for *them* being "favourite".
    --
    Roland Perry
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Recliner@recliner.usenet@gmail.com to uk.railway on Sun Jan 11 11:12:59 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
    First a mild complaint: my voice-activated Fire Stick couldn't find
    the show, and when I switched to my Smart TV's apps instead, it
    transpired I had to open an account. This took about five minutes
    while they gathered lots of personal information (including name,
    DoB, home and email addresses etc) and asked me to pick three
    favourite(sic) programmes from a list, none of which I think I've
    ever watched.

    Just curious rCo why didnrCOt you just set your PVR to record the programme so you could watch it ad-free? You might find that less technically
    challenging.
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Coffee@martin.coffee@round-midnight.org.uk to uk.railway on Sun Jan 11 11:50:41 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    On 11/01/2026 11:12, Recliner wrote:
    Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
    First a mild complaint: my voice-activated Fire Stick couldn't find
    the show, and when I switched to my Smart TV's apps instead, it
    transpired I had to open an account. This took about five minutes
    while they gathered lots of personal information (including name,
    DoB, home and email addresses etc) and asked me to pick three
    favourite(sic) programmes from a list, none of which I think I've
    ever watched.

    Just curious rCo why didnrCOt you just set your PVR to record the programme so
    you could watch it ad-free? You might find that less technically challenging.

    That's exactly what myself and most of my friends do.
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Coffee@martin.coffee@round-midnight.org.uk to uk.railway on Sun Jan 11 12:10:01 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    On 11/01/2026 11:50, Coffee wrote:
    On 11/01/2026 11:12, Recliner wrote:
    Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
    First a mild complaint: my voice-activated Fire Stick couldn't find
    the show, and when I switched to my Smart TV's apps instead, it
    transpired I had to open an account. This took about five minutes
    while they gathered lots of personal information (including name,
    DoB, home and email addresses etc) and asked me to pick three
    favourite(sic) programmes from a list, none of which I think I've
    ever watched.

    Just curious rCo why didnrCOt you just set your PVR to record the
    programme so
    you could watch it ad-free?-a You might find that less technically
    challenging.

    That's exactly what myself and most of my friends do.

    I should add that whilst I'm away I transfer a few recordings for
    possible viewing. It was most useful when I was stranded (twice) in
    Somerset during severe weather.

    For Roland's benefit the weather was exactly as forecast. The severe
    weather alerts pushed to my phone were timely and accurate. National
    Grid's information regarding power cuts were more than adequate. We
    also had sufficient warning to especially stock fresh foods to reduce
    the opening of freezers and fridges in case the power went, and it did.

    Roland would dismiss the warnings as an over exaggeration and then get
    upset when the power went off for two days.
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Roland Perry@roland@perry.uk to uk.railway on Sun Jan 11 14:21:31 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    In message <10k02qh$3q22t$2@dont-email.me>, at 11:50:41 on Sun, 11 Jan
    2026, Coffee <martin.coffee@round-midnight.org.uk> remarked:

    Just curious why didnrCOt you just set your PVR to record the
    programme so you could watch it ad-free? You might find that less >>technically challenging.

    That's exactly what myself and most of my friends do.

    Normally I would, but I don't have a satellite or terrestrial feed to
    that TV right now. One of the problems with streaming is that it doesn't
    offer that option.

    The dish is in the process of being moved so that it still has a view of
    the satellite, which for about a year now has been blocked** by tree
    growth. A significant amount of effort expended trying to find someone
    willing to climb up a ladder and move it (I'm too old for that now) has
    only resulted in people who *insist* on selling me an entire new
    installation, despite the fact the dish and its twin LNBs are perfectly
    OK.

    ** It still picks up the programme guide, but none of the actual
    programmes.
    --
    Roland Perry
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Roland Perry@roland@perry.uk to uk.railway on Sun Jan 11 14:28:56 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    In message <10k03up$3q22t$4@dont-email.me>, at 12:10:01 on Sun, 11 Jan
    2026, Coffee <martin.coffee@round-midnight.org.uk> remarked:
    On 11/01/2026 11:50, Coffee wrote:
    On 11/01/2026 11:12, Recliner wrote:
    Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
    First a mild complaint: my voice-activated Fire Stick couldn't find
    the show, and when I switched to my Smart TV's apps instead, it
    transpired I had to open an account. This took about five minutes
    while they gathered lots of personal information (including name,
    DoB, home and email addresses etc) and asked me to pick three
    favourite(sic) programmes from a list, none of which I think I've
    ever watched.

    Just curious rCo why didnrCOt you just set your PVR to record the >>>programme so
    you could watch it ad-free?-a You might find that less technically
    challenging.
    That's exactly what myself and most of my friends do.

    I should add that whilst I'm away I transfer a few recordings for
    possible viewing. It was most useful when I was stranded (twice) in >Somerset during severe weather.

    For Roland's benefit the weather was exactly as forecast.

    It may have been where you live, but not elsewhere. Is that a
    particularly difficult concept to grasp?

    The severe weather alerts pushed to my phone were timely and accurate. >National Grid's information regarding power cuts were more than
    adequate. We also had sufficient warning to especially stock fresh
    foods to reduce the opening of freezers and fridges in case the power
    went, and it did.

    I agree that such warnings are useful, *if* in fact the conditions on
    the day even vaguely reflect that prediction

    Roland would dismiss the warnings as an over exaggeration and then get
    upset when the power went off for two days.

    I don't get upset when the power goes off, because that would be futile.

    The power fails for various lengths of time from ten seconds to a day,
    several times a year. That's a combination of overhead power lines to
    the town, and life-expired cabling under the pavement (usually to the substation from the grid, rather than from the substation to
    subscribers.)

    I have various measures in place to mitigate that, including UPS on the broadband.

    People in cities won't recognise these issues, but that's because they
    haven't experienced them, nor are willing to listen to people who have.
    --
    Roland Perry
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Recliner@recliner.usenet@gmail.com to uk.railway on Sun Jan 11 15:23:54 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
    In message <10k02qh$3q22t$2@dont-email.me>, at 11:50:41 on Sun, 11 Jan
    2026, Coffee <martin.coffee@round-midnight.org.uk> remarked:

    Just curious why didnrCOt you just set your PVR to record the
    programme so you could watch it ad-free? You might find that less
    technically challenging.

    That's exactly what myself and most of my friends do.

    Normally I would, but I don't have a satellite or terrestrial feed to
    that TV right now. One of the problems with streaming is that it doesn't offer that option.

    The dish is in the process of being moved

    As it was when you last mooned about this, in September.

    so that it still has a view of
    the satellite, which for about a year now has been blocked** by tree
    growth. A significant amount of effort expended trying to find someone willing to climb up a ladder and move it (I'm too old for that now) has
    only resulted in people who *insist* on selling me an entire new installation, despite the fact the dish and its twin LNBs are perfectly
    OK.

    ** It still picks up the programme guide, but none of the actual
    programmes.

    This is beyond ridiculous!

    Any normal person could have sorted this out within a week, either by
    erecting a terrestrial aerial or a new, unobstructed dish, or both. You
    might even get away with an indoor aerial.

    And if you had FreeviewPlay, yourCOd be able to watch any programme from the last week straight from the EPG, with no admin at all, and no satellite or terrestrial signal required. I just tried it with that programme, and it worked, no problems.

    IrCOm curious rCo do you deliberately make life as difficult as possible, so you have a constant stream of things to complain about, or are you simply incapable of navigating through the modern world?
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Recliner@recliner.usenet@gmail.com to uk.railway on Sun Jan 11 15:30:22 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    Recliner <recliner.usenet@gmail.com> wrote:
    Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
    In message <10k02qh$3q22t$2@dont-email.me>, at 11:50:41 on Sun, 11 Jan
    2026, Coffee <martin.coffee@round-midnight.org.uk> remarked:

    Just curious why didnrCOt you just set your PVR to record the
    programme so you could watch it ad-free? You might find that less
    technically challenging.

    That's exactly what myself and most of my friends do.

    Normally I would, but I don't have a satellite or terrestrial feed to
    that TV right now. One of the problems with streaming is that it doesn't
    offer that option.

    The dish is in the process of being moved

    As it was when you last
    mooned about this, in September.

    Moaned!


    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Graeme Wall@rail@greywall.demon.co.uk to uk.railway on Sun Jan 11 15:50:35 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    On 11/01/2026 15:30, Recliner wrote:
    Recliner <recliner.usenet@gmail.com> wrote:
    Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
    In message <10k02qh$3q22t$2@dont-email.me>, at 11:50:41 on Sun, 11 Jan
    2026, Coffee <martin.coffee@round-midnight.org.uk> remarked:

    Just curious why didnrCOt you just set your PVR to record the
    programme so you could watch it ad-free? You might find that less
    technically challenging.

    That's exactly what myself and most of my friends do.

    Normally I would, but I don't have a satellite or terrestrial feed to
    that TV right now. One of the problems with streaming is that it doesn't >>> offer that option.

    The dish is in the process of being moved

    As it was when you last
    mooned about this, in September.

    Moaned!



    I really could do without that image!
    --
    Graeme Wall
    This account not read.


    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Recliner@recliner.usenet@gmail.com to uk.railway on Sun Jan 11 15:58:36 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    Graeme Wall <rail@greywall.demon.co.uk> wrote:
    On 11/01/2026 15:30, Recliner wrote:
    Recliner <recliner.usenet@gmail.com> wrote:
    Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
    In message <10k02qh$3q22t$2@dont-email.me>, at 11:50:41 on Sun, 11 Jan >>>> 2026, Coffee <martin.coffee@round-midnight.org.uk> remarked:

    Just curious why didnrCOt you just set your PVR to record the
    programme so you could watch it ad-free? You might find that less >>>>>> technically challenging.

    That's exactly what myself and most of my friends do.

    Normally I would, but I don't have a satellite or terrestrial feed to
    that TV right now. One of the problems with streaming is that it doesn't >>>> offer that option.

    The dish is in the process of being moved

    As it was when you last
    mooned about this, in September.

    Moaned!



    I really could do without that image!

    Yes, me too! I now have this image of Roland mooning at the Moon as he
    tries to fix his TV.

    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Roland Perry@roland@perry.uk to uk.railway on Sun Jan 11 16:20:39 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    In message <MMP8R.16572$s_zc.1086@fx15.ams1>, at 15:58:36 on Sun, 11 Jan
    2026, Recliner <recliner.usenet@gmail.com> remarked:
    Just curious why didnrCOt you just set your PVR to record the
    programme so you could watch it ad-free? You might find that less >>>>>>> technically challenging.

    That's exactly what myself and most of my friends do.

    Normally I would, but I don't have a satellite or terrestrial feed to >>>>> that TV right now. One of the problems with streaming is that it doesn't >>>>> offer that option.

    The dish is in the process of being moved

    As it was when you last
    mooned about this, in September.

    Moaned!

    I really could do without that image!

    Yes, me too! I now have this image of Roland mooning at the Moon as he
    tries to fix his TV.

    It's taken months to find a "handyman with a ladder" to take the dish
    down from its original position. They can't do RF cable joining, and the weather's a bit bad at the moment. So when I've done the electrical
    stuff to extend the cable, I'll then have to find the same or other
    handyman to re-erect it.

    No doubt my anonymous coward keyboard warrier stalker could shin up a
    ladder (have to bring their own of course) for me, but that'll mean
    being unmasked. So it'll never happen.
    --
    Roland Perry
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Recliner@recliner.usenet@gmail.com to uk.railway on Sun Jan 11 16:48:03 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
    In message <MMP8R.16572$s_zc.1086@fx15.ams1>, at 15:58:36 on Sun, 11 Jan 2026, Recliner <recliner.usenet@gmail.com> remarked:
    Just curious why didnrCOt you just set your PVR to record the >>>>>>>> programme so you could watch it ad-free? You might find that less >>>>>>>> technically challenging.

    That's exactly what myself and most of my friends do.

    Normally I would, but I don't have a satellite or terrestrial feed to >>>>>> that TV right now. One of the problems with streaming is that it doesn't >>>>>> offer that option.

    The dish is in the process of being moved

    As it was when you last
    mooned about this, in September.

    Moaned!

    I really could do without that image!

    Yes, me too! I now have this image of Roland mooning at the Moon as he
    tries to fix his TV.

    It's taken months to find a "handyman with a ladder" to take the dish
    down from its original position. They can't do RF cable joining, and the weather's a bit bad at the moment. So when I've done the electrical
    stuff to extend the cable, I'll then have to find the same or other
    handyman to re-erect it.

    No doubt my anonymous coward keyboard warrier stalker could shin up a
    ladder (have to bring their own of course) for me, but that'll mean
    being unmasked. So it'll never happen.

    Of course not. IrCOd just pay a professional aerial erector to supply, fit
    and connect a new one, preferably terrestrial rather than a dish. It would
    be done properly and quickly.

    No wonder your life is so complicated, if you cut corners at every
    opportunity.

    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Clank@clank75@googlemail.com to uk.railway on Mon Jan 12 17:28:33 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    On 11/01/2026 17:58, Recliner wrote:
    Graeme Wall <rail@greywall.demon.co.uk> wrote:
    On 11/01/2026 15:30, Recliner wrote:
    Recliner <recliner.usenet@gmail.com> wrote:
    Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
    In message <10k02qh$3q22t$2@dont-email.me>, at 11:50:41 on Sun, 11 Jan >>>>> 2026, Coffee <martin.coffee@round-midnight.org.uk> remarked:

    Just curious why didnrCOt you just set your PVR to record the
    programme so you could watch it ad-free? You might find that less >>>>>>> technically challenging.

    That's exactly what myself and most of my friends do.

    Normally I would, but I don't have a satellite or terrestrial feed to >>>>> that TV right now. One of the problems with streaming is that it doesn't >>>>> offer that option.

    The dish is in the process of being moved

    As it was when you last
    mooned about this, in September.

    Moaned!



    I really could do without that image!

    Yes, me too! I now have this image of Roland mooning at the Moon as he
    tries to fix his TV.

    In the spirit of dear Nigel in The Archers, I wonder if he ever does
    endeavour to fix his antenna we will be treated to the longest scream
    ever recorded on Usenet...
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Roland Perry@roland@perry.uk to uk.railway on Mon Jan 12 17:10:34 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    In message <10k33uv$2e7j0$1@dont-email.me>, at 17:28:33 on Mon, 12 Jan
    2026, Clank <clank75@googlemail.com> remarked:

    I don't have a satellite or terrestrial feed to that TV right >>>>>>now. One of the problems with streaming is that it doesn't offer >>>>>>that option.

    The dish is in the process of being moved

    As it was when you last
    mooned about this, in September.

    Moaned!

    I really could do without that image!

    Yes, me too! I now have this image of Roland mooning at the Moon as
    he tries to fix his TV.

    In the spirit of dear Nigel in The Archers, I wonder if he ever does >endeavour to fix his antenna we will be treated to the longest scream
    ever recorded on Usenet...

    I might let everyone know when I have fixed it (to the wall).
    --
    Roland Perry
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Recliner@recliner.usenet@gmail.com to uk.railway on Tue Jan 13 13:43:55 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    On Mon, 12 Jan 2026 17:10:34 +0000, Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:

    In message <10k33uv$2e7j0$1@dont-email.me>, at 17:28:33 on Mon, 12 Jan
    2026, Clank <clank75@googlemail.com> remarked:

    I don't have a satellite or terrestrial feed to that TV right >>>>>>>now. One of the problems with streaming is that it doesn't offer >>>>>>>that option.

    The dish is in the process of being moved

    As it was when you last
    mooned about this, in September.

    Moaned!

    I really could do without that image!

    Yes, me too! I now have this image of Roland mooning at the Moon as >>>he tries to fix his TV.

    In the spirit of dear Nigel in The Archers, I wonder if he ever does >>endeavour to fix his antenna we will be treated to the longest scream
    ever recorded on Usenet...

    I might let everyone know when I have fixed it (to the wall).

    Any normal person would have had a working TV a year ago.
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Roland Perry@roland@perry.uk to uk.railway on Tue Jan 13 14:29:41 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    In message <80jcmk9k0in9ilh81ajhdrh58t27eim0te@4ax.com>, at 13:43:55 on
    Tue, 13 Jan 2026, Recliner <recliner.usenet@gmail.com> remarked:

    Yes, me too! I now have this image of Roland mooning at the Moon as >>>>he tries to fix his TV.

    In the spirit of dear Nigel in The Archers, I wonder if he ever does >>>endeavour to fix his antenna we will be treated to the longest scream >>>ever recorded on Usenet...

    I might let everyone know when I have fixed it (to the wall).

    Any normal person would have had a working TV a year ago.

    The TV works fine, just not via satellite.

    Oops, you are supposed be in Coventry, so ignore that.
    --
    Roland Perry
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Recliner@recliner.usenet@gmail.com to uk.railway on Tue Jan 13 15:11:35 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    On Tue, 13 Jan 2026 14:29:41 +0000, Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:

    In message <80jcmk9k0in9ilh81ajhdrh58t27eim0te@4ax.com>, at 13:43:55 on
    Tue, 13 Jan 2026, Recliner <recliner.usenet@gmail.com> remarked:

    Yes, me too! I now have this image of Roland mooning at the Moon as >>>>>he tries to fix his TV.

    In the spirit of dear Nigel in The Archers, I wonder if he ever does >>>>endeavour to fix his antenna we will be treated to the longest scream >>>>ever recorded on Usenet...

    I might let everyone know when I have fixed it (to the wall).

    Any normal person would have had a working TV a year ago.

    The TV works fine, just not via satellite.

    Can it be used via an aerial of any kind? If not, it's monitor, not a TV.
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Charles Ellson@charlesellson@btinternet.com to uk.railway on Tue Jan 13 18:47:07 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    On Tue, 13 Jan 2026 15:11:35 +0000, Recliner
    <recliner.usenet@gmail.com> wrote:

    On Tue, 13 Jan 2026 14:29:41 +0000, Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:

    In message <80jcmk9k0in9ilh81ajhdrh58t27eim0te@4ax.com>, at 13:43:55 on >>Tue, 13 Jan 2026, Recliner <recliner.usenet@gmail.com> remarked:

    Yes, me too! I now have this image of Roland mooning at the Moon as >>>>>>he tries to fix his TV.

    In the spirit of dear Nigel in The Archers, I wonder if he ever does >>>>>endeavour to fix his antenna we will be treated to the longest scream >>>>>ever recorded on Usenet...

    I might let everyone know when I have fixed it (to the wall).

    Any normal person would have had a working TV a year ago.

    The TV works fine, just not via satellite.

    Can it be used via an aerial of any kind? If not, it's monitor, not a TV.

    If you are watching at a distance from the signal origin then it is a television whatever the medium.
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From JMB99@mb@nospam.net to uk.railway on Tue Jan 13 20:01:51 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    On 13/01/2026 14:29, Roland Perry wrote:
    The TV works fine, just not via satellite.



    Some people in North Wales are finding that broadcast TV does have
    advantage over relying on a broadband feed.


    Villagers in 'abyss' without TV and internet for six weeks

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cm2x0y88728o



    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2