Latest news with #CumbrianCoast
BBC News
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Piel Island: Life on a island with three residents and a king
A tiny island half a mile off the Cumbrian coast draws visitors with its quirky set-up and rich history. Only three people live permanently on Piel Island, including its king - who runs the only pub there. There is one way on and off Piel Island and that is a 12-passenger open boat operated by Steve has been the ferryman for the last five years and describes the role as his semi-retirement present."I'm never the last ferry, if there's 13 [passengers], I'll take 12 and go back for the one," he view from the island spans from Yorkshire to the Lake District, even taking in the Blackpool Tower and the Pleasure Beach's The Big One rollercoaster. "It's the best office in the world. I can't complain - but I always do," jokes Aaron Sanderson, the king of Piel was crowned three years ago at the age of 33, in a ceremony which included having a jug of beer poured over his head."It's a bit of an unusual title, to be quite honest," he says. Mr Sanderson, from Barrow, left his job at nuclear submarine manufacturer BAE to take on the role of landlord at the Ship Inn, which also made him king."From shipyard employee to king of an island - it's definitely a step up," he island holds happy childhood memories for him, spent with the children of his now colleague Paul Bibby, who is in charge of the food at the to The Secrets of Piel Island on BBC Sounds"It's just a beautiful, unique place," Mr Bibby is even a seal sanctuary, with 550 seals which live off the end of the nearby Walney Island."They come up and watch you when you're out here - I don't know what they're looking for, they're coming up doing people-watching tours," jokes Mr Bibby. The only buildings on the small island, aside from the 300-year-old pub, are the pilot houses, built for the island's defence, and the 14th Century ruin of a fortified custom post, referred to as "Piel castle" by was built in 1253 under order of King Stephen. He was at war with his cousin Empress Matilda, and he wanted Piel to be fortified in case she invaded from Wales, just across the water."It was run by the monks of Furness Abbey for a long time and then in 1487 this was the last place in Britain that was ever invaded by foreign troops," explains Mr Wilcock. Pretender-to-the-throne Lambert Simnel was said to have arrived at Piel Island aged 10 and, despite being of humble origins, became part of a plot to overthrow Henry VII and replace him as conquered the outpost, his armies headed to the mainland, where he was defeated by Henry VII in one of the final battles of the War of the instead of being punished for being a traitor, he was allowed to work in the royal kitchens, Mr Wilcock drew on his story, and Mr Sanderson is now the 24th recorded king of Piel Island. "It's a great tradition and it's part and parcel of the role, but you do get a lot of attention because of it," he is the custodian of a now rusty crown and sword and a 17th Century throne, which, if someone sits on, they must pay a round of drinks for all the pub customers, tradition for any actual royal credibility, Mr Sanderson is a little doubtful it gives him any powers beyond the running of his pub."I don't even think I'm on their radar - I have no intention of overthrowing the throne anyway," he laughs."Unfortunately, I'm governed by the same laws as everybody else." But Mr Sanderson is one of only three people to have permission to drive to the island - a feat only possible at low tide."You have to know where you're going, you have to have at least a four-wheel drive or a tractor - it's quite dangerous," says Mr Bibby."There are a whole lot of wrecks buried in the sand out there where people used to drive across, you can see some of them on the beach [at low tide]."The beach access is now gated. Because the area sits within a Site of Special Scientific Interest and within a marine conservation zone, vehicles must drive through a set route to avoid any disruption to the environment. Organised walks can get you to the island within 20 minutes, but the drive can take 45 due to the for the Ship Inn, it is the only way of getting supplies in. "It's definitely a unique role and difficult to do, but enjoyable at the same time," Mr Sanderson was chosen as the landlord from a list of dozens of applicants by the now defunct Barrow Borough Council, now replaced with Westmorland and Furness Council, which is the custodian of the 50-acre (20 hectare) landlords' time on Piel has varied from just a few years to up to Sanderson says it would be great to beat that record, but he will "definitely do my 10 years" and take he is no doubt that life on Piel is good, albeit unique."I think it's probably one of the best beer gardens in the world." Follow BBC Cumbria on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
Yahoo
01-08-2025
- Yahoo
Cumbrian Coast Line to remain closed in blow to rail passengers
Cumbrian Coast Line passengers are being advised the railway between Whitehaven and Corkickle will remain closed after recent surveys. Network Rail has been working inside Bransty Tunnel for the last five days carrying out assessments ahead of a full track and drainage renewal in August and September. It involved doing tests to assess any weight limits needed for the heavy plant and machinery needed for the planned renewals. Network Rail inspection team in the tunnel in November 2023 (Image: Network Rail) However, those tests have uncovered some areas under the railway which need strengthening before any work can progress. Specialist engineering teams are now planning exactly how to carry out the extra ground strengthening work. After assessing the initial survey data by specialist expert engineers, Network Rail has closed Bransty Tunnel to all trains until further notice. Rail replacement buses will continue to keep passengers on the move between Workington and Sellafield, with people advised to check for the latest travel information. Darren Miller, Network Rail's North West route infrastructure director, said: 'We're sorry to passengers impacted by this unexpected longer closure of the railway between Whitehaven and Corkickle. 'The preparatory surveys have revealed previously unknown ground conditions which we need to investigate further so we can carry out repairs and get the line reopened as soon as possible. 'We're working closely with train operator Northern and our freight customers on alternative routes and rail replacement bus services. 'I'd encourage anyone planning to travel on the Cumbrian Coast Line to regularly check National Rail Enquiries while we work hard to restore services through Bransty Tunnel.' It's not yet known what has caused the conditions underground, but in recent years the tracks inside the tunnel has been affected by floodwater containing iron ochre, thought to have penetrated the tunnel structure from historic mines in the area. Network Rail is working with the Mining Remediation Authority to determine if these latest surveys have discovered any previously unmapped mine workings beneath Bransty Tunnel. The most recent survey data is now being processed so plans for the extra work needed to strengthen the tunnel floor can be developed swiftly. This must be done before the track renewal can take place, and it's likely that will happen later than expected according to Network Rail. READ MORE: 'Disgusting' damage caused to Warwick Wanderers AFC's pitches | News and Star The exact timeframes for how long these repairs and subsequent track improvements are still being worked through but it is expected that the route could be closed until November. Whitehaven and Workington MP, Josh MacAlister said he shared passengers' frustration and added that he is working with Network Rail to explore running trains as far as Whitehaven instead of just to Workington. Rail replacements buses will not call at Nethertown or Braystones which Mr MacAlister said was 'unacceptable'.
Yahoo
29-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Cumbrian railway station ranked amongst worst for delays over past 12 weeks
NEW data has revealed that a west Cumbrian train station is amongst the worst for delays and cancellations across the country over the past 12 weeks. According to On Time Trains, just 14 per cent of trains arrived on time at St Bees station, with 8 per cent delayed by more than 10 minutes and 5 per cent of services cancelled. St Bees was ranked as the 2,614th 'best' station in the country out of 2,639, making it the 25th worst performing station in England, Scotland and Wales. Other stations on the Cumbria coast trainline were also among the worst performing stations including Workington and Whitehaven, according to On Time Trains. There is a stretch of single track near St Bees station which can cause congestion which leads to delays. Matt Rice, Northern's chief operating officer, said: 'We have been working hard to stabilise performance and cut cancellations in recent months. 'There are green shoots of progress, but we know more work needs to be done before we can deliver lasting improvements for our customers. 'That includes securing a new agreement, so we are no longer reliant on conductors volunteering to work Sundays. 'We are also working to reduce sickness levels by helping staff return to work, introducing state-of-the-art simulators to accelerate our training programme and planning to make the largest ever investment in our fleet by introducing up to 450 new trains.' Cumbrian MPs have called for a 'major upgrade' of the Cumbrian coast railway line to help boost economic growth. Former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak promised to 'upgrade' the energy coast line linking Carlisle, Workington and Barrow after cancelling the leg of HS2 from Birmingham to Manchester. The upgrade would see more space for freight and passenger trains and improve the reliability of the line more broadly – both seen as essential to support inward investment and to meet the needs of businesses and communities along the length of the line and the wider rail network. Labour MP for Whitehaven and Workington, Josh MacAlister, raised the issue in parliament and said investment in the line is 'much needed'. READ NEXT: Plans unveiled for new bar at Carlisle Citadel station | News and Star 'A major upgrade of the Energy Coast Rail Line is critical to our success in West Cumbria and delivering it is a top priority for me,' said Mr MacAlister. 'I'm now working with Cumbria's other MPs, the leaders of both councils and our civil and defence nuclear leaders to secure £5million from the government to get it to FBC - Final Business Case - which is the next and final stage before we can then get a funding decision from government on the upgrade.'
Irish Times
04-06-2025
- General
- Irish Times
‘Simply not good enough': MPs concerned by ‘intolerable risks' at Sellafield site
'Intolerable risks' at the most hazardous parts of the Sellafield nuclear site are being exacerbated by poor performance, substandard equipment and staff shortages that make the facility even more dangerous, according to a report by MPs in Westminster. The UK's public accounts committee (PAC) also raised concerns about the proliferation of non-disclosure agreements to settle staff whistle-blowing complaints about safety and bullying at the site, located on the Cumbrian coast about 170km from Ireland. It said safety concerns and galloping cost overruns were 'simply not good enough'. The committee has released a report on the £136 billion (€162 billion) clean-up job at Sellafield, a former reprocessing and power plant that now essentially operates as a nuclear dump. It said the clean-up of the site is too slow and management keeps missing targets. It highlighted problems at decrepit buildings such as the Magnox Swarf Storage Silo (MSSS), which has leaked hazardous nuclear pondwater into the soil for seven years. The committee said it was enough to fill an Olympic swimming pool every three years. READ MORE The committee accused Sellafield Ltd, the company that operates the site on behalf of the British state, of 'underperformance' by taking too long to clear crumbling old buildings such as the MSSS. Its report said the 'consequence of this underperformance is that the buildings are likely to remain extremely hazardous for longer'. It complained that the timeline given by the company for clearing Sellafield's most dangerous buildings has slipped by 13 years since 2018. The leaking MSSS is being slowly emptied of its lethal material, but the PAC said it needs to be removed 24 times faster than it was last year within a decade, if it is to hit targets. [ Inside Sellafield: behind the razor wire, gun-toting guards and blast barriers at the toxic nuclear site Opens in new window ] 'The intolerable risks presented by Sellafield's ageing infrastructure are truly world-class,' said Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, the Tory MP who chairs the PAC. 'When visiting the site, it is impossible not to be struck by the fact that one can be standing in what is surely one of the most hazardous places in the world.' The PAC found that management needs to 'fundamentally transform how the site functions'. It is already estimated the clean-up of the site will take at least 100 years. Sellafield told the PAC it had made progress in some areas. The report also warned management must do more to 'build a culture where all employees feel able to raise concerns and report poor behaviour'. The PAC was told the company had used non-disclosure agreements 16 times in the last three years when settling staff claims. [ Nuclear accident in UK or Europe could significantly contaminate food in Ireland, EPA told Government Opens in new window ] Alison McDermott, a former executive at Sellafield who fought a legal battle with the company after she made a whistle-blowing complaint about safety and bullying, said the PAC report 'vindicates everything I said' about a 'toxic and dangerous' culture at Sellafield. She said 'Ireland is not safe' due to the way the site is run: 'This is not a British problem – it's a threat to everyone across the Irish Sea. The Irish Government must wake up.' The Irish Government once sued Britain over safety fears at Sellafield. It is believed the State made no submissions to the UK's PAC as part of its latest inquiry into the site.
Telegraph
26-05-2025
- Climate
- Telegraph
Steam trains win bank holiday reprieve as Network Rail lifts fire-risk ban
Steam trains will be able to run on the mainline during one of the busiest weeks of the year after heavy rain eased concerns about the threat of track-side fires. Network Rail lifted a steam ban on popular routes in North West England including the Settle & Carlisle and Cumbrian Coast lines, while the operator of the Jacobite train in Scotland said it would switch back to steam from diesel. Amber alerts indicating a risk of fire across the wider network were meanwhile downgraded after downpours on Friday night soaked lineside vegetation that had been tinderbox dry. An expert on Network Rail's special trains team said that months of minimal rainfall had created 'brown corridors' at substantial risk of being ignited by embers jettisoned by steam engines. He said: 'The entire country has been at high alert, but some routes, particularly in the North West, have been forced to ban steam in recent weeks as the risk has just been too great. 'But with the weather turning and rain arriving Friday night and over the weekend, the risk is reducing and steam can once again run on our metals.' This year has seen the driest start to spring in England since 1956, with half the expected rainfall in April and only a quarter of the long-term average in March.
