In the latest escalation in the Middle East, a major airport in Saudi Arabia has been atacked, presumably by houthi rebels.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cqy7lxd104xet

Of little direct relevance to to the UK, but increases the risk of regional instability.

EDITED TO ADD that a second attack has occurred.

This week - Monday to Friday (12.10.2026 to 16.10.2026) - there's just one train calling at Melksham each way per day, with the rest replaced by buses from Chippenham, calling at Melksham and Trowbridge, to Westbury. Passengers travelling to / from Swindon will need to change at Chippenham to / from the other trains running from there.

The changes are because the line through Pewsey, normally used by West of England expreseses, is closed for engineering and some of the long distance trains are being sent through the bottleneck of a single line through Melksham, and they are prioritised over local traffic.

Passengers travelling westward - to Bristol, for example, are advised to catch the 271/2/3 bus (and, yes, different fare system / ticket) to Grand Parade, Bath and walk down Manvers Street to the station.

Our mission is to inform people of the climate impact of aviation and inspire people to travel by other means.

Flight Free UK is a charity that encourages people to travel without flying. We educate the public about the climate impact of aviation, and give information and inspiration for travelling by other means. We run the Flight Free Challenge which asks people to take one year off flying to reduce emissions, break a habit and try the alternatives.

There was disappointment in Barnsley last night as, what was at first thought to be a display of the northern lights in the town, turned out to be nothing of the sort.

With the spectacular display visible across much of the country on Saturday night, hopes were high that Barnsley locals were seeing it for the first time as the sky glowed bright over Wombwell.  However, locals were crestfallen when it emerged that the light was coming from a torched 1992 VW Golf.

"It were still good though" one positive Wombwell man told The Bugle "and we get to see it most nights, even when it's raining. You don't get that in Norway."

With the ongoing political and financial shenanigans delaying redevelopment of the wider Firepool Lock area this "Welcome to Taunton" walking and cycling route isn't much of a advertisement for the town. Running by overgrown wasteland peppered with stalled construction. Lovely for a supposed "Garden Town". 

I will wade in with No.16: Chepstow Bridge ...

16. Chepstow

Railwise, I do love travelling around in Ireland, and my "wish list" / "never been there" must include Colraine, Portrush and Derry which ARE UK.

Camborne, midweek. 

4.  Taunton - the new pedestrian and cycle route connecting Taunton station to the town centre and the nearby Somerset County Cricket Ground.  

I think part of the problem with the trolley getting through a train is down to it making a late start.

It often seems to take a long time to check stock after a crew changeover or replenishments being loaded.  I don’t know what is involved in the process but it can seem lengthy.

7. Gun emplacements Needles, Isle of White.

Edit.  I realise that I recognise 11 too but I've had my turn.

The Railway Inn at Westbury ...

Northern Lights illuminate skies across the UK

Residents across the UK were left stunned as the sky was illuminated by the spectacular colours of the Northern Lights on Friday and Saturday evenings.

The natural phenomenon, known as the Aurora Borealis, is the result of increased solar activity.

Such occurrences are mostly visible near the Arctic Circle and northern Scotland, but particularly strong activity levels meant they could be seen across Wales and as far south as Devon, Hampshire and Kent on Saturday night.

The Met Office has said sightings could continue to be possible during clear skies until Tuesday.


And this was the picture-perfect view in south west Wales, from Tenby in Pembrokeshire - Image © BBC Weather Watchers / Lucy

Northern Lights are caused by powerful solar eruptions from the Sun, called coronal mass ejections (CMEs).  Towards the end of last week, the Sun was observed to unleash CMEs directed towards the Earth.

This stream of charged particles can get captured by the Earth's magnetic field and directed into our atmosphere, especially towards polar regions.  When these charged particles collide with oxygen and nitrogen, coloured light is emitted - this is the aurora.

The chances of seeing the aurora vary across the UK depending upon its strength. When activity levels reach 200nT (nanotesla) the aurora would be visible in the north of the UK, but not the south.

On Saturday evening, those levels reached 600nT, meaning it would be visible across the whole of the UK, even in the south, which is a much rarer phenomenon.

Experts have previously said 2026 will be a peak year for aurora-spotting as the Sun has been in a heightened state of activity as part of its 11-year natural cycle.


A purple glow could be seen across the sky in Salisbury, Wiltshire on Saturday - Image © BBC Weather Watchers / Carolyn R

If you missed out this time, the aurora may return on Sunday.  The Met Office has said sightings remain possible across Scotland and similar geomagnetic longitudes during clear skies until Tuesday.

To see them, you need to look northwards, away from bright streetlights, and view the aurora through a mobile phone camera.

The reason you need to use a camera is because in low-light conditions at night our eyes use rod cells to see - these cells do not perceive colour and so we actually see in black and white. Cameras do not have the same limitations.

Good to have an account of the Ship at Brimscombe. I think I'm right in saying that the local authority bought the building and promoted its use as a pub - to safeguard it during the interim time before the navigation is re-established.

The two town centre Wetherspoons in Swindon are not that close to the station, so much so that some people struggle to find them - let alone try any black pudding.   

Slight bias involved?  .  I have visited Nailsea, as friends live there. Would like to visit Tyntesfield again, but there doesn't seem to be a safe walking route between N&B station and the NT site?