• another derailment

    From Clutterbug@clutterbug@andyburns.uk to uk.railway on Fri Aug 14 15:23:30 2026
  • From tony sayer@tony@bancom.co.uk to uk.railway on Fri Aug 14 19:11:57 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    In article <115n8ac$2jgkb$1@andyburns.eternal-september.org>, Clutterbug <clutterbug@andyburns.uk> scribeth thus ><https://www.facebook.com/unitedessex/posts/pfbid02pQ6CuRuWhQ9NssBDyJYhbhnovovqP
    mmwTdXDuxRFnro6Vt49hv3mjUPR47JVp4V4l>


    Just had one of those phone alerts abut wildfires, perhaps the next will
    be advising not to train travel as its a bit dicey of late!..
    --
    Tony Sayer


    Man is least himself when he talks in his own person.

    Give him a keyboard, and he will reveal himself.


    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From JMB99@mb@nospam.net to uk.railway on Fri Aug 14 20:04:17 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    On 14/08/2026 19:11, tony sayer wrote:
    Just had one of those phone alerts abut wildfires, perhaps the next will
    be advising not to train travel as its a bit dicey of late!..


    Heard it on The One Show - was it coming from the mobile phones in the
    studio or is it linked to the fire alarm system in the building?




    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From nib@news@ingram-bromley.co.uk to uk.railway on Fri Aug 14 21:21:40 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    On 2026-08-14 20:04, JMB99 wrote:
    On 14/08/2026 19:11, tony sayer wrote:
    Just had one of those phone alerts abut wildfires, perhaps the next will
    be advising not to train travel as its a bit dicey of late!..


    Heard it on The One Show - was it coming from the mobile phones in the studio or is it linked to the fire alarm system in the building?



    Heard it on the cricket commentary on The Hundred. Really loud from all
    the phones in the commentary box and they said also from the thousands
    of phones in the crowd!

    nib
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Martin@martin.coffee@round-midnight.org.uk to uk.railway on Sat Aug 15 09:13:58 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    On 14/08/2026 19:11, tony sayer wrote:
    In article <115n8ac$2jgkb$1@andyburns.eternal-september.org>, Clutterbug <clutterbug@andyburns.uk> scribeth thus
    <https://www.facebook.com/unitedessex/posts/pfbid02pQ6CuRuWhQ9NssBDyJYhbhnovovqP
    mmwTdXDuxRFnro6Vt49hv3mjUPR47JVp4V4l>


    Just had one of those phone alerts abut wildfires, perhaps the next will
    be advising not to train travel as its a bit dicey of late!..


    We had two alerts within a couple of minutes. The only comment on them
    as from a polidiot who complained the one in Welsh was sent first. As
    if two minutes makes that much difference.
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Spike@aero.spike@mail.com to uk.railway on Sat Aug 15 08:53:26 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    Martin <martin.coffee@round-midnight.org.uk> wrote:
    On 14/08/2026 19:11, tony sayer wrote:

    Just had one of those phone alerts abut wildfires, perhaps the next will
    be advising not to train travel as its a bit dicey of late!..

    We had two alerts within a couple of minutes. The only comment on them
    as from a polidiot who complained the one in Welsh was sent first.
    As if two minutes makes that much difference.

    Two minutes makes a big difference if the warning is about PutinrCOs Zircons and Oreshniks being on the way to UK targetsrCa
    --
    Spike
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From boltar@boltar@caprica.universe to uk.railway on Sat Aug 15 09:23:32 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    On 15 Aug 2026 08:53:26 GMT
    Spike <aero.spike@mail.com> gabbled:
    Martin <martin.coffee@round-midnight.org.uk> wrote:
    On 14/08/2026 19:11, tony sayer wrote:

    Just had one of those phone alerts abut wildfires, perhaps the next will >>> be advising not to train travel as its a bit dicey of late!..

    We had two alerts within a couple of minutes. The only comment on them
    as from a polidiot who complained the one in Welsh was sent first.
    As if two minutes makes that much difference.

    Two minutes makes a big difference if the warning is about PutinrCOs Zircons >and Oreshniks being on the way to UK targetsrCa

    Yup. Sending the welsh one first was just perverse given a only a minority
    in wales speak welsh yet everyone speaks english. Regional politics and nationalism should take a back seat in emergencies.

    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From MikeS@MikeS@fred.com to uk.railway on Sat Aug 15 11:40:03 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    On 15/08/2026 09:53, Spike wrote:
    Martin <martin.coffee@round-midnight.org.uk> wrote:
    On 14/08/2026 19:11, tony sayer wrote:

    Just had one of those phone alerts abut wildfires, perhaps the next will >>> be advising not to train travel as its a bit dicey of late!..

    We had two alerts within a couple of minutes. The only comment on them
    as from a polidiot who complained the one in Welsh was sent first.
    As if two minutes makes that much difference.

    Two minutes makes a big difference if the warning is about PutinrCOs Zircons and Oreshniks being on the way to UK targetsrCa

    Really?
    No doubt the Great British public will be grateful for an extra two
    minutes to think about what death is really like.
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Spike@aero.spike@mail.com to uk.railway on Sat Aug 15 10:56:05 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    MikeS <MikeS@fred.com> wrote:
    On 15/08/2026 09:53, Spike wrote:
    Martin <martin.coffee@round-midnight.org.uk> wrote:
    On 14/08/2026 19:11, tony sayer wrote:

    Just had one of those phone alerts abut wildfires, perhaps the next will >>>> be advising not to train travel as its a bit dicey of late!..

    We had two alerts within a couple of minutes. The only comment on them
    as from a polidiot who complained the one in Welsh was sent first.
    As if two minutes makes that much difference.

    Two minutes makes a big difference if the warning is about PutinrCOs Zircons >> and Oreshniks being on the way to UK targetsrCa

    Really?
    No doubt the Great British public will be grateful for an extra two
    minutes to think about what death is really like.

    How you choose to waste your last two minutes is up to you.
    --
    Spike
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Alan Jones@ajnews@exospan.com to uk.railway on Sat Aug 15 12:27:28 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    On 15/08/2026 10:23, boltar@caprica.universe wrote:
    On 15 Aug 2026 08:53:26 GMT
    Spike <aero.spike@mail.com> gabbled:
    Martin <martin.coffee@round-midnight.org.uk> wrote:
    On 14/08/2026 19:11, tony sayer wrote:

    Just had one of those phone alerts abut wildfires, perhaps the next will >>>> be advising not to train travel as its a bit dicey of late!..

    We had two alerts within a couple of minutes. The only comment on them
    as from a polidiot who complained the one in Welsh was sent first.
    As if two minutes makes that much difference.

    Two minutes makes a big difference if the warning is about PutinrCOs Zircons >> and Oreshniks being on the way to UK targetsrCa

    Yup. Sending the welsh one first was just perverse given a only a minority
    in wales speak welsh yet everyone speaks english. Regional politics and nationalism should take a back seat in emergencies.

    Delivery could happen in the wrong order because one office is faster than another, or the distribution of an embargoed communication is faster to a smaller number of stations, or the Welsh one was triggered a few millisconds before the English and the system inserted a guard delay before the second announcement.

    "Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity."

    Has anyone heard why the UK-wide English announcement was delayed by a few minutes, and who was responsible?

    One past alert was bilingual in Wales, and sent simultenaously, in English only, to the rest of the UK.
    See the test on 23rd April 2023 here:
    https://www.gov.uk/alerts/past-alerts

    Personally, I do not think the message was urgent enough to merit an emergency announcement, but I guess they also wanted to test some part of the system, or keep us used to them.
    However, it did serve to highlight how disconcerting it can be to receive an alert in a language that one does not understand.

    Back to railways, it is a bit like travelling abroad and hearing an announcement in a language that one does not understand.
    Then trying to deduce the content and severity, Sherlock Holmes style, by observing the emotions and behaviour of other passengers.
    This can be especially important when de-training or platform changes are involved.

    Cheers.


    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Graeme Wall@rail@greywall.demon.co.uk to uk.railway on Sat Aug 15 12:57:56 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    On 15/08/2026 11:56, Spike wrote:
    MikeS <MikeS@fred.com> wrote:
    On 15/08/2026 09:53, Spike wrote:
    Martin <martin.coffee@round-midnight.org.uk> wrote:
    On 14/08/2026 19:11, tony sayer wrote:

    Just had one of those phone alerts abut wildfires, perhaps the next will >>>>> be advising not to train travel as its a bit dicey of late!..

    We had two alerts within a couple of minutes. The only comment on them >>>> as from a polidiot who complained the one in Welsh was sent first.
    As if two minutes makes that much difference.

    Two minutes makes a big difference if the warning is about PutinrCOs Zircons
    and Oreshniks being on the way to UK targetsrCa

    Really?
    No doubt the Great British public will be grateful for an extra two
    minutes to think about what death is really like.

    How you choose to waste your last two minutes is up to you.


    Very many years ago (1960s?) The Daily Mirror ran a poll on what you
    would do in the (then) 5 minutes warning of a nuclear attack. Amongst
    all the religious responses and similar, one teen age lad just said he
    would go to bed with his girlfriend.[1] The usual suspects thought this
    was outrageous. I thought it was very sensible!

    [1] This just predated the universal availability of the pill and the
    sexual revolution.
    --
    Graeme Wall
    This account not read.


    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Martin@martin.coffee@round-midnight.org.uk to uk.railway on Sat Aug 15 13:30:48 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    On 15/08/2026 12:27, Alan Jones wrote:
    One past alert was bilingual in Wales, and sent simultenaously, in
    English only, to the rest of the UK.
    See the test on 23rd April 2023 here:
    https://www.gov.uk/alerts/past-alert

    Personally, I do not think the message was urgent enough to merit an emergency announcement, but I guess they also wanted to test some part
    of the system, or keep us used to them.
    However, it did serve to highlight how disconcerting it can be to
    receive an alert in a language that one does not understand.

    Many people only get "personally selected" "news" via social media which
    may not include severity of the fires. They may not even bother to read
    them.

    Unfortunately emergency alerts are the only way to get through to these people. I think this alert was justified. I'm actually thinking the
    bar to these alerts should be lowered.

    The list of alerts in interesting. It is not complete. I've received
    severe weather warnings when in Somerset not included.

    I live less than 200 yards from Cardiff, enough to NOT receive a severe weather warning regarding winds. I overlook the Bristol Channel. I
    remember that event well and in my opinion should have received that
    warning.
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Spike@aero.spike@mail.com to uk.railway on Sat Aug 15 12:43:16 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    Graeme Wall <rail@greywall.demon.co.uk> wrote:
    On 15/08/2026 11:56, Spike wrote:

    [rCa]

    Very many years ago (1960s?) The Daily Mirror ran a poll on what you
    would do in the (then) 5 minutes warning of a nuclear attack. Amongst
    all the religious responses and similar, one teen age lad just said he
    would go to bed with his girlfriend.[1] The usual suspects thought this
    was outrageous. I thought it was very sensible!

    [1] This just predated the universal availability of the pill and the
    sexual revolution.

    I remember that! Caused a slight moral stir at the time.
    --
    Spike
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Graeme Wall@rail@greywall.demon.co.uk to uk.railway on Sat Aug 15 14:08:49 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    On 15/08/2026 13:43, Spike wrote:
    Graeme Wall <rail@greywall.demon.co.uk> wrote:
    On 15/08/2026 11:56, Spike wrote:

    [rCa]

    Very many years ago (1960s?) The Daily Mirror ran a poll on what you
    would do in the (then) 5 minutes warning of a nuclear attack. Amongst
    all the religious responses and similar, one teen age lad just said he
    would go to bed with his girlfriend.[1] The usual suspects thought this
    was outrageous. I thought it was very sensible!

    [1] This just predated the universal availability of the pill and the
    sexual revolution.

    I remember that! Caused a slight moral stir at the time.



    You (and I) are very old obviously :-)
    --
    Graeme Wall
    This account not read.


    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Alan Jones@ajnews@exospan.com to uk.railway on Sat Aug 15 14:44:22 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    On 15/08/2026 13:30, Martin wrote:
    On 15/08/2026 12:27, Alan Jones wrote:
    One past alert was bilingual in Wales, and sent simultenaously, in English only, to the rest of the UK.
    See the test on 23rd April 2023 here:
    https://www.gov.uk/alerts/past-alert

    Personally, I do not think the message was urgent enough to merit an emergency announcement, but I guess they also wanted to test some part of the system, or keep us used to them.
    However, it did serve to highlight how disconcerting it can be to receive an alert in a language that one does not understand.

    Many people only get "personally selected" "news" via social media which may not include severity of the fires.-a They may not even bother to read them.

    Unfortunately emergency alerts are the only way to get through to these people.-a I think this alert was justified.-a I'm actually thinking the bar to these alerts should be lowered.

    Yes, you may be right about the importance of the message getting through to all relevant people.
    I suppose I would prefer a text message or notification for the less urgent cases, perhaps with some highlighting, rather than the emergency alarm.
    I also notice that my older non-smart 2G/3G GSM phone did not receive any message or alarm, even though SMS Cell Broadcast was presumably available.

    Strangely, the link I posted this morning has already been broken. It has just been changed to https://www.gov.uk/alerts/past-alerts

    I wonder what other countries do?

    And if you are a bit out of phone signal range, in the early years of GPS, we used to get 22 character free text messages embedded in the satellite data frame.
    Here are the last few before it became repurposed (for re-keying of P/Y code operational modules?) :

    OldMessage Content "HAPPY HOLIDAYS " lastGPSTime "14:53:22 Mon 3 Jan 94"
    OldMessage Content " " firstGPSTime "15:24:46 Tue 4 Jan 94" lastGPSTime "06:23:14 Sun 9 Jan 94"
    OldMessage Content "6JK457DFCBA/+XTFFRHPTW" firstGPSTime "18:25:26 Wed 9 Mar 94" lastGPSTime "23:38:15 Mon 4 Apr 94"
    OldMessage Content "TEXT/THIS IS A TEST //" firstGPSTime "16:55:56 Tue 5 Apr 94" lastGPSTime "09:28:15 Mon 11 Apr 94"

    Cheers.
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Sam Wilson@ukr@dummy.wislons.fastmail.co.uk to uk.railway on Sat Aug 15 14:51:46 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    Alan Jones <ajnews@exospan.com> wrote:

    Has anyone heard why the UK-wide English announcement . . .

    I didnrCOt get an announcement here in Edinburgh and I donrCOt recall anyone else mentioning it. The past alerts link says it was just E&W rather than UK-wide.

    Sam
    --
    The entity formerly known as Sam.Wilson@ed.ac.uk
    Spit the dummy to reply
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Recliner@recliner.usenet@gmail.com to uk.railway on Sat Aug 15 15:08:09 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    Sam Wilson <ukr@dummy.wislons.fastmail.co.uk> wrote:
    Alan Jones <ajnews@exospan.com> wrote:

    Has anyone heard why the UK-wide English announcement . . .

    I didnrCOt get an announcement here in Edinburgh and I donrCOt recall anyone else mentioning it. The past alerts link says it was just E&W rather than UK-wide.

    Yes, it was just E&W. Scotland hasnrCOt been as hot and dry.

    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From ColinR@rail@greystane.shetland.co.uk to uk.railway on Sat Aug 15 16:49:39 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    On 15/08/2026 16:08, Recliner wrote:
    Sam Wilson <ukr@dummy.wislons.fastmail.co.uk> wrote:
    Alan Jones <ajnews@exospan.com> wrote:

    Has anyone heard why the UK-wide English announcement . . .

    I didnrCOt get an announcement here in Edinburgh and I donrCOt recall anyone >> else mentioning it. The past alerts link says it was just E&W rather than >> UK-wide.

    Yes, it was just E&W. Scotland hasnrCOt been as hot and dry.


    Parts of the UK have had torrential rain - I feel sorry for the
    organisers of local agricultural shows! https://www.shetnews.co.uk/2026/08/08/the-show-must-go-on-despite-the-weather/

    On another note, the Beeb recently reported on the wet summer that Japan
    were having.
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/c69v42kvv9gnt
    --
    Colin

    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From boltar@boltar@caprica.universe to uk.railway on Sat Aug 15 16:02:45 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    On Sat, 15 Aug 2026 16:49:39 +0100
    ColinR <rail@greystane.shetland.co.uk> gabbled:
    On 15/08/2026 16:08, Recliner wrote:
    Sam Wilson <ukr@dummy.wislons.fastmail.co.uk> wrote:
    Alan Jones <ajnews@exospan.com> wrote:

    Has anyone heard why the UK-wide English announcement . . .

    I didnrCOt get an announcement here in Edinburgh and I donrCOt recall anyone

    else mentioning it. The past alerts link says it was just E&W rather than >>> UK-wide.

    Yes, it was just E&W. Scotland hasnrCOt been as hot and dry.


    Parts of the UK have had torrential rain - I feel sorry for the
    organisers of local agricultural shows! >https://www.shetnews.co.uk/2026/08/08/the-show-must-go-on-despite-the-weather/

    Wish it would come here. They were promising rain for the south midweek but everytime I look at the rain radar forecast it gets less and less. No doubt
    by tuesday it'll be the usual nothing and a clear sky. Meanwhile lots of
    rain in the netherlands this morning.

    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Sam Wilson@ukr@dummy.wislons.fastmail.co.uk to uk.railway on Sat Aug 15 16:19:02 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    Recliner <recliner.usenet@gmail.com> wrote:
    Sam Wilson <ukr@dummy.wislons.fastmail.co.uk> wrote:
    Alan Jones <ajnews@exospan.com> wrote:

    Has anyone heard why the UK-wide English announcement . . .

    I didnrCOt get an announcement here in Edinburgh and I donrCOt recall anyone >> else mentioning it. The past alerts link says it was just E&W rather than >> UK-wide.

    Yes, it was just E&W. Scotland hasnrCOt been as hot and dry.

    While that is true, it hasnrCOt stopped the Cairngorms from burning up. A
    few years ago some friends near Ft Bill had 20 ft flames at their back
    fence, and were making tea and sandwiches for the firemen.

    Sam
    --
    The entity formerly known as Sam.Wilson@ed.ac.uk
    Spit the dummy to reply
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Recliner@recliner.usenet@gmail.com to uk.railway on Sat Aug 15 17:33:07 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    Sam Wilson <ukr@dummy.wislons.fastmail.co.uk> wrote:
    Recliner <recliner.usenet@gmail.com> wrote:
    Sam Wilson <ukr@dummy.wislons.fastmail.co.uk> wrote:
    Alan Jones <ajnews@exospan.com> wrote:

    Has anyone heard why the UK-wide English announcement . . .

    I didnrCOt get an announcement here in Edinburgh and I donrCOt recall anyone
    else mentioning it. The past alerts link says it was just E&W rather than >>> UK-wide.

    Yes, it was just E&W. Scotland hasnrCOt been as hot and dry.

    While that is true, it hasnrCOt stopped the Cairngorms from burning up. A few years ago some friends near Ft Bill had 20 ft flames at their back
    fence, and were making tea and sandwiches for the firemen.


    And I notice ArthurrCOs Seat looks a bit charred.

    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Sam Wilson@ukr@dummy.wislons.fastmail.co.uk to uk.railway on Sat Aug 15 17:38:10 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    Recliner <recliner.usenet@gmail.com> wrote:
    Sam Wilson <ukr@dummy.wislons.fastmail.co.uk> wrote:
    Recliner <recliner.usenet@gmail.com> wrote:
    Sam Wilson <ukr@dummy.wislons.fastmail.co.uk> wrote:
    Alan Jones <ajnews@exospan.com> wrote:

    Has anyone heard why the UK-wide English announcement . . .

    I didnrCOt get an announcement here in Edinburgh and I donrCOt recall anyone
    else mentioning it. The past alerts link says it was just E&W rather than >>>> UK-wide.

    Yes, it was just E&W. Scotland hasnrCOt been as hot and dry.

    While that is true, it hasnrCOt stopped the Cairngorms from burning up. A >> few years ago some friends near Ft Bill had 20 ft flames at their back
    fence, and were making tea and sandwiches for the firemen.


    And I notice ArthurrCOs Seat looks a bit charred.

    It certainly does.

    Sam
    --
    The entity formerly known as Sam.Wilson@ed.ac.uk
    Spit the dummy to reply
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From JMB99@mb@nospam.net to uk.railway on Sun Aug 16 11:28:28 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    On 15/08/2026 12:27, Alan Jones wrote:

    Personally, I do not think the message was urgent enough to merit an emergency announcement, but I guess they also wanted to test some part
    of the system, or keep us used to them.
    However, it did serve to highlight how disconcerting it can be to
    receive an alert in a language that one does not understand.



    I suspect it was more a case of Bodybags wanting to appear important,
    like him calling a COBRA meeting.

    Reports this morning were that the ALERT resulted in the 999 system
    being overloaded and a big increase in the number of people disabling
    the ALERT feature on their mobile phone.


    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Recliner@recliner.usenet@gmail.com to uk.railway on Sun Aug 16 15:42:54 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    JMB99 <mb@nospam.net> wrote:
    On 15/08/2026 12:27, Alan Jones wrote:

    Personally, I do not think the message was urgent enough to merit an
    emergency announcement, but I guess they also wanted to test some part
    of the system, or keep us used to them.
    However, it did serve to highlight how disconcerting it can be to
    receive an alert in a language that one does not understand.



    I suspect it was more a case of Bodybags wanting to appear important,
    like him calling a COBRA meeting.

    ItrCOs reported that Louise Haigh, who oversees the Cabinet Office (ie, sherCOs effectively deputy PM), is understood to have approved the nationwide
    alert.

    As we know, she has a particular interest and alerts on mobile phonesrCa
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Charles Ellson@charlesellson@btinternet.com to uk.railway on Mon Aug 17 01:11:39 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    On Sat, 15 Aug 2026 09:23:32 -0000 (UTC), boltar@caprica.universe
    wrote:

    On 15 Aug 2026 08:53:26 GMT
    Spike <aero.spike@mail.com> gabbled:
    Martin <martin.coffee@round-midnight.org.uk> wrote:
    On 14/08/2026 19:11, tony sayer wrote:

    Just had one of those phone alerts abut wildfires, perhaps the next will >>>> be advising not to train travel as its a bit dicey of late!..

    We had two alerts within a couple of minutes. The only comment on them >>> as from a polidiot who complained the one in Welsh was sent first.
    As if two minutes makes that much difference.

    Two minutes makes a big difference if the warning is about PutinAs Zircons >>and Oreshniks being on the way to UK targetsa

    Yup. Sending the welsh one first was just perverse given a only a minority
    in wales speak welsh yet everyone speaks english. Regional politics and >nationalism should take a back seat in emergencies.

    You mean send it in Welsh only ?
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Clank@clank75@googlemail.com to uk.railway on Mon Aug 17 09:51:51 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    On 16/08/2026 13:28, JMB99 wrote:
    On 15/08/2026 12:27, Alan Jones wrote:

    Personally, I do not think the message was urgent enough to merit an
    emergency announcement, but I guess they also wanted to test some part
    of the system, or keep us used to them.
    However, it did serve to highlight how disconcerting it can be to
    receive an alert in a language that one does not understand.



    I suspect it was more a case of Bodybags wanting to appear important,
    like him calling a COBRA meeting.

    I appear to be out-of-date on British playground slang - who is Bodybags supposed to be?

    Corollary: Why is the UK's right-wing so terminally fucking childish?
    Did your mothers not hug you enough or something?

    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From boltar@boltar@caprica.universe to uk.railway on Mon Aug 17 07:13:20 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    On Mon, 17 Aug 2026 01:11:39 +0100
    Charles Ellson <charlesellson@btinternet.com> gabbled:
    On Sat, 15 Aug 2026 09:23:32 -0000 (UTC), boltar@caprica.universe
    wrote:

    On 15 Aug 2026 08:53:26 GMT
    Spike <aero.spike@mail.com> gabbled:
    Martin <martin.coffee@round-midnight.org.uk> wrote:
    On 14/08/2026 19:11, tony sayer wrote:

    Just had one of those phone alerts abut wildfires, perhaps the next will >>>>> be advising not to train travel as its a bit dicey of late!..

    We had two alerts within a couple of minutes. The only comment on them >>>> as from a polidiot who complained the one in Welsh was sent first.
    As if two minutes makes that much difference.

    Two minutes makes a big difference if the warning is about PutinAs Zircons >>>and Oreshniks being on the way to UK targetsa

    Yup. Sending the welsh one first was just perverse given a only a minority >>in wales speak welsh yet everyone speaks english. Regional politics and >>nationalism should take a back seat in emergencies.

    You mean send it in Welsh only ?

    No, send it in Icelandic.

    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From JMB99@mb@nospam.net to uk.railway on Mon Aug 17 08:27:33 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    I suspect that it was not planned and just happened.

    A friend was was involved (some time ago) in setting up a system to send messages to a large number of people. At the time, they spoke to mobile
    phone companies about using SMS but were told that they could not
    guarantee delivery times. Messages might arrive virtually immediately
    but could take minutes, hours or longer to be delivered.

    The alert system is not the same but I suspect that messages are not prioritised and just fed into the system. Someone probably ticks boxes
    on a screen for where they want the alert delivered or perhaps draws a
    line on a map to mark an area. Is each base station flagged with which 'nation' it covers?

    Quite possible the system was planned to send to everyone or discrete
    areas and not 'nations'. It should be targeted to specific areas like
    when they warned one area of gunman in that area.




    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Recliner@recliner.usenet@gmail.com to uk.railway on Mon Aug 17 07:32:56 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    JMB99 <mb@nospam.net> wrote:
    I suspect that it was not planned and just happened.

    A friend was was involved (some time ago) in setting up a system to send messages to a large number of people. At the time, they spoke to mobile phone companies about using SMS but were told that they could not
    guarantee delivery times. Messages might arrive virtually immediately
    but could take minutes, hours or longer to be delivered.

    The alert system is not the same but I suspect that messages are not prioritised and just fed into the system. Someone probably ticks boxes
    on a screen for where they want the alert delivered or perhaps draws a
    line on a map to mark an area. Is each base station flagged with which 'nation' it covers?

    Quite possible the system was planned to send to everyone or discrete
    areas and not 'nations'. It should be targeted to specific areas like
    when they warned one area of gunman in that area.

    I think the areas can be quite small, and the delivery language can reflect
    the phonerCOs language. When I received the first such message, in Iceland, I received it in English.

    So I donrCOt think there was any technical need to separate alerts in English and Welsh. The reason they did it was probably purely political rCo even
    native Welsh speakers probably set their phones to default to English, and
    so wouldnrCOt have seen the Welsh version, and would then have complained.

    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Ulf Kutzner@user2991@newsgrouper.org.invalid to uk.railway on Mon Aug 17 07:37:48 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway


    boltar@caprica.universe posted:

    On Mon, 17 Aug 2026 01:11:39 +0100
    Charles Ellson <charlesellson@btinternet.com> gabbled:
    On Sat, 15 Aug 2026 09:23:32 -0000 (UTC), boltar@caprica.universe
    wrote:

    On 15 Aug 2026 08:53:26 GMT
    Spike <aero.spike@mail.com> gabbled:
    Martin <martin.coffee@round-midnight.org.uk> wrote:
    On 14/08/2026 19:11, tony sayer wrote:

    Just had one of those phone alerts abut wildfires, perhaps the next will
    be advising not to train travel as its a bit dicey of late!..

    We had two alerts within a couple of minutes. The only comment on them >>>> as from a polidiot who complained the one in Welsh was sent first.
    As if two minutes makes that much difference.

    Two minutes makes a big difference if the warning is about Putin-As Zircons
    and Oreshniks being on the way to UK targets-a

    Yup. Sending the welsh one first was just perverse given a only a minority >>in wales speak welsh yet everyone speaks english. Regional politics and >>nationalism should take a back seat in emergencies.

    You mean send it in Welsh only ?

    No, send it in Icelandic.

    Sandawe language only might be more of a problem.
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From boltar@boltar@caprica.universe to uk.railway on Mon Aug 17 07:42:39 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    On Mon, 17 Aug 2026 07:32:56 GMT
    Recliner <recliner.usenet@gmail.com> gabbled:
    JMB99 <mb@nospam.net> wrote:
    Quite possible the system was planned to send to everyone or discrete
    areas and not 'nations'. It should be targeted to specific areas like
    when they warned one area of gunman in that area.

    I think the areas can be quite small, and the delivery language can reflect >the phonerCOs language. When I received the first such message, in Iceland, I >received it in English.

    So I donrCOt think there was any technical need to separate alerts in English >and Welsh. The reason they did it was probably purely political rCo even >native Welsh speakers probably set their phones to default to English, and
    so wouldnrCOt have seen the Welsh version, and would then have complained.

    It was absolutely political. The whole pretense that there are people in wales who don't understand english is farcical at best and could be downright dangerous at times like this. But having worked with the civil service its quite clear that the upper levels don't have a working bollock between them so will genuflect in front of every absurd cause that makes enough noise.

    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Trolleybus@ken@birchanger.com to uk.railway on Mon Aug 17 09:45:27 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    On Mon, 17 Aug 2026 07:32:56 GMT, Recliner <recliner.usenet@gmail.com>
    wrote:

    JMB99 <mb@nospam.net> wrote:
    I suspect that it was not planned and just happened.

    A friend was was involved (some time ago) in setting up a system to send
    messages to a large number of people. At the time, they spoke to mobile
    phone companies about using SMS but were told that they could not
    guarantee delivery times. Messages might arrive virtually immediately
    but could take minutes, hours or longer to be delivered.

    The alert system is not the same but I suspect that messages are not
    prioritised and just fed into the system. Someone probably ticks boxes
    on a screen for where they want the alert delivered or perhaps draws a
    line on a map to mark an area. Is each base station flagged with which
    'nation' it covers?

    Quite possible the system was planned to send to everyone or discrete
    areas and not 'nations'. It should be targeted to specific areas like
    when they warned one area of gunman in that area.

    I think the areas can be quite small, and the delivery language can reflect >the phoneAs language. When I received the first such message, in Iceland, I >received it in English.

    So I donAt think there was any technical need to separate alerts in English >and Welsh. The reason they did it was probably purely political u even
    native Welsh speakers probably set their phones to default to English, and
    so wouldnAt have seen the Welsh version, and would then have complained.

    Political? I think it's legal. Government communications in Wales need
    to be bilingual.
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Martin@martin.coffee@round-midnight.org.uk to uk.railway on Mon Aug 17 09:48:56 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    On 17/08/2026 08:42, boltar@caprica.universe wrote:
    On Mon, 17 Aug 2026 07:32:56 GMT
    Recliner <recliner.usenet@gmail.com> gabbled:
    JMB99 <mb@nospam.net> wrote:
    Quite possible the system was planned to send to everyone or discrete
    areas and not 'nations'. It should be targeted to specific areas like
    when they warned one area of gunman in that area.

    I think the areas can be quite small, and the delivery language can reflect >> the phonerCOs language. When I received the first such message, in Iceland, I
    received it in English.

    So I donrCOt think there was any technical need to separate alerts in English
    and Welsh. The reason they did it was probably purely political rCo even
    native Welsh speakers probably set their phones to default to English, and >> so wouldnrCOt have seen the Welsh version, and would then have complained.

    It was absolutely political. The whole pretense that there are people in wales
    who don't understand english is farcical at best and could be downright dangerous at times like this. But having worked with the civil service its quite clear that the upper levels don't have a working bollock between them so
    will genuflect in front of every absurd cause that makes enough noise.


    My phone is set to English language but I still received the Welsh alert
    as well as the English one.

    I looked at the list of old alert and found one for Cardiff which I
    didn't receive in spite of living 200 yards outside Cardiff.
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Clutterbug@clutterbug@andyburns.uk to uk.railway on Mon Aug 17 11:21:36 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    Clank wrote:

    JMB99 wrote:

    I suspect it was more a case of Bodybags wanting to appear important,
    like him calling a COBRA meeting.

    I appear to be out-of-date on British playground slang - who is Bodybags supposed to be?
    <https://theburnhamprogramme.co.uk/mid-staffs-response>
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2