The Flickr Whitebeard Image Generatr

Brake van and guard's van are terms used mainly in the UK, Ireland, Australia and India for a railway vehicle equipped with a hand brake which can be applied


Their name comes from earlier days when many trains ran with un-braked wagons with only the locomotives brakes stopping the train. One or more brake vans would typically be attached to the rear of the train and the guard would operate a handbrake at the rear to assist the braking power of the locomotive.


West Somerset Railway; Spring Steam Gala 2025.

Team GB entry in this years senior "Haggis wrangling" contest.

West Somerset Railway Spring steam gala - Bishops Lydiard station, Somerset, UK.

In the shadow of the camera.

This week's events will be one of the last big public moments of recognition for the diminishing number of veterans from World War Two.

These veterans are now in their late 90s and older, commemorating an event which took place when many were still only teenagers.
Many of those who cared for others are now reliant on carers for themselves.

It's a different kind of battle.

Joyce Wilding, aged 100, remembered the celebrations in London on VE Day: "We went to Piccadilly where there was a stream of people singing and dancing, there were soldiers up lampposts, it was extraordinary.

"We were outside Buckingham Palace and you could hardly move there were so many people cheering and singing."


"Lest we forget"

For heathen heart that puts her trust
In reeking tube and iron shard,
All valiant dust that builds on dust,
And guarding, calls not Thee to guard,
For frantic boast and foolish word—
Thy mercy on Thy People, Lord!

Source: "Recessional" is a poem by Rudyard Kipling. It was composed for the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria, in 1897.

He waits alone where shadows creep,
On rusted tracks where secrets sleep.
His eyes are fog, his breath is dust,
His suitcase filled with broken trust.

No whistle sounds, no lantern's gleam,
Just silence thick with shattered dreams.
He boards a ghost of steel and grime,
A relic lost to death and time.

The seats are bare, the windows blind,
Each mile peels back a fraying mind.
No end in sight, no soul to care—
The last train rolls through cold, dead air.

He fades like smoke, a name unspoken,
A ticket punched, a man long broken.
No stars to guide, no place to go,
Just wheels that turn, in darkness slow.

--------------------------
West Somerset, steam gala, Bishops Lydiard station, Somerset, UK.

Young boys often want to grow up to be train drivers for a few key reasons:

1. **Trains are big, powerful, and exciting** – Trains are loud, fast, and dramatic. They captivate children's imaginations in the same way as dinosaurs, fire trucks, or rockets.

2. **Simplicity and visibility** – Trains follow tracks, and the role of the train driver is clear: they make the train go. This clarity makes it easy for kids to understand and aspire to.

3. **Media influence** – Popular children's shows like *Thomas the Tank Engine* or *Chuggington* portray trains as friendly, adventurous, and important, often casting the train driver or controller in a heroic light.

4. **Love of vehicles and control** – Many kids are drawn to the idea of being in charge of a big machine. Being a train driver gives a sense of control and responsibility in a very visual and concrete way.

5. **Romanticism of travel** – Trains represent journeys, discovery, and adventure, which are naturally appealing to young minds.

It’s a mix of awe, influence, and a desire for agency. Would you like insights into how this compares to other childhood dream jobs?


West Somerset railway, spring steam gala 2025.

A snack on the run.

West Somerset Railway, Spring "steam gala" May 2025.

And another Cornish pasty disappears forever - Watchet station, Somerset, UK.

A woman from Surrey has become the oldest person in the world, at the age of 115 and 253 days.

Ethel Caterham, who lives at a care home in Lightwater, reached the milestone following the death of Brazilian nun Sister Inah Canabarro Lucas, aged 116.

Ms Caterham was born on 21 August 1909 and is believed to be the last surviving subject of Edward VII.

Celebrating her 115th birthday in August 2024, she said she "didn't know why there was all the fuss".

She said the secret to her longevity was "never arguing with anyone, I listen and then I do what I like".

www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cwy0zxzpdd4o


Seems like a good outlook on life, (who needs megapixels?)

An old man with a beard so wide,
Stood licking his ice cream with pride.
The sun was hot, the scoop was tall,
But gravity came — and so did the fall.

It plopped on his beard with a splat and a sploosh,
Turning his chin into minty mush.
Kids pointed and laughed, "Look, a dessert face!"
He grinned, “Beards are storage — just in case.”


Minehead, Somerset, UK.

Intrigue, mystery and tradition.

The committee that chooses a new Pope is called the College of Cardinals. Specifically, the cardinals who are eligible to vote are known as cardinal electors. When a Pope dies or resigns, the College of Cardinals convenes in a Papal Conclave to elect a new Pope.

The white smoke is famous. When it streams out of a chimney at the Sistine Chapel, it signals that a new pope has been chosen and sets off celebrations among some 1.4 billion Catholics around the world.

I am not sure I live on the same planet as some of these people!

"The army of millions and millions of human beings screwing in little screws to make iPhones - that kind of thing is going to come to America," Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said in an interview earlier this month.

You can see why he is the commerce secretary - - -

Foxconn's Zhengzhou plant in China, a major iPhone manufacturer, employs about 200,000 people. This factory produces a significant portion of Apple's iPhone shipments globally.
(This is a long way from "millions and millions").

Apple does in fact use millions and millions of screws each year, (maybe Howard got screws and people mixed up).

This man approached me while I was walking around Cork City with my camera over my shoulder. We got chatting, and it turns out he was a musician called Jon Bulman and a good friend of a musician from my hometown who had passed away after a fall from a ladder in 2020. They both played the bars in Albufeira, Portugal. After having a good chat, he asked if I would take his picture. This is the result.

The biggest security risk in any system is the user.

"Hundreds of Westminster insiders were added to - and then deleted from - a WhatsApp group set up by shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick to promote his London Marathon run".

In this day and age there should be minimum level of competence with technology to gain access to any position of power or trust, (especially after the U.S "signal app" fiasco).


(As we old techies used to say the problem is "BTKAC" between the keyboard and chair).


The BBC has been told Jenrick is not referring himself to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), which investigates data breaches. (What a surprise!).

Some times you just have to put yourself on the same level to understand.

Early morning, Exeter, Devon, UK.

The phrase "double take" refers to a reaction where someone looks at something, then quickly looks again in surprise or disbelief—like a delayed realisation or shock.

Traditionally following a funeral in the UK, a repast or wake is typically held, providing a time for guests to socialise and remember the deceased.

Commonly, a buffet with finger foods like sandwiches and quiche is offered. Drinks usually include tea, coffee, and soft drinks, with alcohol (wine, beer, etc.) also often available.


Well wine and beer were definitely on the menu this afternoon.
As afternoon drifted into evening I made my excuses and headed home, (It takes me far longer to recover from a "session" than it used to when I was younger).

A good send off and May your God go with you.

You reach an age when funerals become more and more frequent.
It leads to thoughts of mortality and an urgency to get your "affairs in order". R.I.P my friend.

The sky wears gray like mourning lace,
Time moves slow in solemn grace.
Steps are soft on weeping ground,
Where silence is the loudest sound.

Yet in the silence, hope still stays.
A flicker born from funeral days.

Don't blink:
Brinkmanship"Chicken" and "Brinkmanship" are often used synonymously in the context of conflict, but in the strict game-theoretic sense, "brinkmanship" refers to a strategic move designed to avert the possibility of the opponent switching to aggressive behaviour. The move involves a credible threat of the risk of irrational behaviour in the face of aggression.

The trade war between the world's two biggest economies shows no signs of slowing down - Beijing has vowed to "fight to the end" hours after US President Donald Trump threatened to nearly double the tariffs on China.

That could leave most Chinese imports facing a staggering 104% tax - a sharp escalation between the two sides.

With a deadline looming in Washington as Trump threatens to introduce the additional tariffs from Wednesday, who will blink first?
Bad, sad or mad?

Update:
The US will impose 104% tariffs on some Chinese goods from tonight, the White House confirms.

lets hope "trade wars" don't lead to real wars.

Val Kilmer died yesterday - and a little colour drained from the world.

In 2021, Kilmer released a documentary chronicling the highs and lows of his life and career. Val, which debuted at the Cannes Film Festival, features 40 years of home recordings, including him speaking with a voice box post-cancer surgery.

He had continued acting, but his comeback with a cameo appearance as Iceman in the long-awaited Top Gun sequel was particularly poignant.

Today news Wednesday 2nd April 2025.
Top Gun and Batman actor Val Kilmer dies aged 65.

Kilmer died of pneumonia on Tuesday in Los Angeles, his daughter Mercedes told US media. She said her father had been diagnosed with throat cancer in 2014 but later recovered.


I never expected to be older than "Batman". R.I.P

Wellington, Somerset, UK.

Democracy Minister Rushanara Ali is planning a "series of new measures" to protect against foreign political interference.

Tech billionaire Elon Musk, now adviser to US President Donald Trump, caused some concern in the UK when it was reported he could donate as much as £78m ($100m) to Reform UK through a UK branch of his social media company X.

A public petition to remove loopholes that allow wealthy foreign individuals to donate to UK political parties was signed by more than 142,000 people, sparking a debate by MPs.

Is democracy really democracy when you can buy it?