Vernon Baseley
@vernonbaseley.bsky.social
Rail operations specialist. Editor of "Outre-Manche" blog.
Reposted by Vernon Baseley
A certain circularity to the journey
If the Daily Mail backs Reform UK at the next election, it will be the first time it hasn't supported the Conservative Party since it came out in favour of the British Union of Fascists
December 14, 2025 at 11:04 PM
A certain circularity to the journey
Reposted by Vernon Baseley
Those who fail to learn and be guided by history are doomed to repeat it
December 14, 2025 at 5:31 PM
Those who fail to learn and be guided by history are doomed to repeat it
Reposted by Vernon Baseley
The real divide in America isn’t whether or not you believe this. Literally no one believes this.
The real divide is between the people who think lying should matter—and the people who’ll make an exception for our Great Leader.
The real divide is between the people who think lying should matter—and the people who’ll make an exception for our Great Leader.
Trump suggests he actually won California last year but it was “rigged”
December 14, 2025 at 6:41 PM
The real divide in America isn’t whether or not you believe this. Literally no one believes this.
The real divide is between the people who think lying should matter—and the people who’ll make an exception for our Great Leader.
The real divide is between the people who think lying should matter—and the people who’ll make an exception for our Great Leader.
Reposted by Vernon Baseley
Mass deportation is a stupid and inhumane policy in its own right but I still think it's important to say, this isn't mass deportation. This is the creation of a national police force that can be sent to anywhere Donald Trump orders under the pretence it is about immigration enforcement
December 14, 2025 at 7:34 PM
Mass deportation is a stupid and inhumane policy in its own right but I still think it's important to say, this isn't mass deportation. This is the creation of a national police force that can be sent to anywhere Donald Trump orders under the pretence it is about immigration enforcement
Reposted by Vernon Baseley
Belgium hits the 100% ETCS target, what an effort from the INFRABEL team. A long way off in the UK.
I personally am looking forward to more and more ETCS as standardisation will make cross border operations so much harder.
For now I’ll keep carrying a hi-vis with two different colours on it…..
I personally am looking forward to more and more ETCS as standardisation will make cross border operations so much harder.
For now I’ll keep carrying a hi-vis with two different colours on it…..
The new timetable year also marks an important milestone for the Infrabel 🇧🇪 network: the whole network is now equipped with the European safety system ETCS.
Only exception is high speed line 1 towards France, which for a few more years will keep the French safety system TVM
Only exception is high speed line 1 towards France, which for a few more years will keep the French safety system TVM
December 14, 2025 at 8:44 PM
Belgium hits the 100% ETCS target, what an effort from the INFRABEL team. A long way off in the UK.
I personally am looking forward to more and more ETCS as standardisation will make cross border operations so much harder.
For now I’ll keep carrying a hi-vis with two different colours on it…..
I personally am looking forward to more and more ETCS as standardisation will make cross border operations so much harder.
For now I’ll keep carrying a hi-vis with two different colours on it…..
Reposted by Vernon Baseley
Someone on Mastodon sent me this brilliant cartoon that sums it up nicely
December 14, 2025 at 8:46 PM
Someone on Mastodon sent me this brilliant cartoon that sums it up nicely
Reposted by Vernon Baseley
The whole document is premised on the Putin-Xi vision of a “multipolar world”
Read @paulmason.bsky.social's column on the US National Security Strategy 👇
Read @paulmason.bsky.social's column on the US National Security Strategy 👇
Trump’s new war on Europe
A new strategy statement from the US makes clear that America is imploding, and that its main enemies are not Russia or China but Europe’s democracies
www.thenewworld.co.uk
December 14, 2025 at 9:00 PM
The whole document is premised on the Putin-Xi vision of a “multipolar world”
Read @paulmason.bsky.social's column on the US National Security Strategy 👇
Read @paulmason.bsky.social's column on the US National Security Strategy 👇
Reposted by Vernon Baseley
Today's GB News TV advertisers include *TrailFinders *RangefordLiving *Boxt *AllClearTravel *CandlelightUK *HousingUnits *TonicSurgery *its.co.uk *HafrenFurnishers *TwistedGifts *PolishTourismOrganisation *Moneyfactscompare *SimplyFactoring *CityMoves *Haltonlifts *ReclaimNation *Freshpet
December 14, 2025 at 9:07 PM
Today's GB News TV advertisers include *TrailFinders *RangefordLiving *Boxt *AllClearTravel *CandlelightUK *HousingUnits *TonicSurgery *its.co.uk *HafrenFurnishers *TwistedGifts *PolishTourismOrganisation *Moneyfactscompare *SimplyFactoring *CityMoves *Haltonlifts *ReclaimNation *Freshpet
Reposted by Vernon Baseley
Negotiations between US & Ukraine have begun. It will be embarrassing for him if Witkoff starts to read his statement in the original Russian.
December 14, 2025 at 4:40 PM
Negotiations between US & Ukraine have begun. It will be embarrassing for him if Witkoff starts to read his statement in the original Russian.
Reposted by Vernon Baseley
Sarah Rogers, the State Department official who hectored Europeans about free speech, is seen here with a far-right German AfD deputy, Markus Frohnmaier, whom two Kremlin documents obtained by @spiegel.de described as "a parliamentarian under our absolute control."
spiegel.de/politik/ausl...
spiegel.de/politik/ausl...
December 14, 2025 at 5:03 PM
Sarah Rogers, the State Department official who hectored Europeans about free speech, is seen here with a far-right German AfD deputy, Markus Frohnmaier, whom two Kremlin documents obtained by @spiegel.de described as "a parliamentarian under our absolute control."
spiegel.de/politik/ausl...
spiegel.de/politik/ausl...
Reposted by Vernon Baseley
On Russian state TV tonight, a headline (until recently) you wouldn't have expected to see. "USA-EU: Cold War." Moscow clearly enjoying tensions between Washington & Brussels, as well as the new US national security strategy that's more critical of the EU than of Russia.
December 14, 2025 at 5:15 PM
On Russian state TV tonight, a headline (until recently) you wouldn't have expected to see. "USA-EU: Cold War." Moscow clearly enjoying tensions between Washington & Brussels, as well as the new US national security strategy that's more critical of the EU than of Russia.
Reposted by Vernon Baseley
Second, Heath was right when he said that Europe was always about much more than trade and, frankly, this is the case that Starmer should be making now. Wilson’s retreat from East of Suez was a recognition that we were a European power. Again that’s even truer now.
December 11, 2025 at 8:52 AM
Second, Heath was right when he said that Europe was always about much more than trade and, frankly, this is the case that Starmer should be making now. Wilson’s retreat from East of Suez was a recognition that we were a European power. Again that’s even truer now.
A bit of water trough action ......
Le passage du train 231.D.584 SNCF effectuant une prise d'eau en marche à Lery-Poses en tête du Paris - Le Havre n° 103, en 1963. Photographie tirée du livre "Trains de France aux couleurs d'autrefois" (1950-1965), aux Editions du Cabri.
December 14, 2025 at 6:07 PM
A bit of water trough action ......
Reposted by Vernon Baseley
LAST NIGHT A BIDET DRENCHED MY WIFE
December 14, 2025 at 4:06 PM
LAST NIGHT A BIDET DRENCHED MY WIFE
Reposted by Vernon Baseley
✝️ "An ethnocentric politics legitimising xenophobia, cultural exclusivism and indiscriminate deportations is fundamentally unchristian, as the late Pope Francis repeatedly underlined."
https://bit.ly/4rK25Bc
https://bit.ly/4rK25Bc
The Guardian view on far-right perversions of the Christmas message: promoting a gospel of hate | Editorial
Editorial: A Tommy Robinson-inspired carol service is the latest sign of a burgeoning Christian nationalist movement. The Church of England is right to push back
www.theguardian.com
December 14, 2025 at 1:20 PM
✝️ "An ethnocentric politics legitimising xenophobia, cultural exclusivism and indiscriminate deportations is fundamentally unchristian, as the late Pope Francis repeatedly underlined."
https://bit.ly/4rK25Bc
https://bit.ly/4rK25Bc
Reposted by Vernon Baseley
Our Paris correspondent @sophiepedder.bsky.social alerted me to this viral French Christmas supermarket ad and now I’m choked up. youtu.be/iLERt5ZkpQ4
Intermarché - Unloved
YouTube video by Romance Agency
youtu.be
December 14, 2025 at 1:17 PM
Our Paris correspondent @sophiepedder.bsky.social alerted me to this viral French Christmas supermarket ad and now I’m choked up. youtu.be/iLERt5ZkpQ4
Reposted by Vernon Baseley
If you’re in the UK and were born between 1970-1990 you can just go to your GP and get revaccinated for MMR because you may have had single vaccines, which are no longer considered valid. I went & did it this summer. Easy way to help protect yourself & your community.
If you are worried this is too big an executive function barrier you can go to a pharmacy and they will probably just jab you. That is what I did.
I'm not saying it's necessarily the right way to do this, that is just how much I am not fucking around with the measles
I'm not saying it's necessarily the right way to do this, that is just how much I am not fucking around with the measles
Go to your doctor and get your measles titers checked to make sure you are still immune and if not get re-vaccinated. It’s more and more likely all of us are going to eventually come in contact with it.
December 14, 2025 at 12:47 PM
If you’re in the UK and were born between 1970-1990 you can just go to your GP and get revaccinated for MMR because you may have had single vaccines, which are no longer considered valid. I went & did it this summer. Easy way to help protect yourself & your community.
Reposted by Vernon Baseley
On December 14, Ukraine honors the Chornobyl liquidators — heroes forced to clean up a disaster born of Soviet lies.
Today, Russia is harming them again: a drone strike hit the Chornobyl New Safe Confinement in February, and a November attack killed a liquidator’s widow.
Today, Russia is harming them again: a drone strike hit the Chornobyl New Safe Confinement in February, and a November attack killed a liquidator’s widow.
December 14, 2025 at 9:20 AM
On December 14, Ukraine honors the Chornobyl liquidators — heroes forced to clean up a disaster born of Soviet lies.
Today, Russia is harming them again: a drone strike hit the Chornobyl New Safe Confinement in February, and a November attack killed a liquidator’s widow.
Today, Russia is harming them again: a drone strike hit the Chornobyl New Safe Confinement in February, and a November attack killed a liquidator’s widow.
Reposted by Vernon Baseley
If your parcel is stolen or never arrives that’s retailer’s responsibility not delivery company’s and it must refund you bit.ly/48BqNwa never nominate safe place or neighbour - that moves responsibility away from retailer. What’s your experience of missing parcels?
How to beat the porch pirates this Christmas
Thousands of parcels are dropped off every minute, which is great news for thieves. Just make sure yours are not left in a ‘safe place’
bit.ly
December 14, 2025 at 10:37 AM
If your parcel is stolen or never arrives that’s retailer’s responsibility not delivery company’s and it must refund you bit.ly/48BqNwa never nominate safe place or neighbour - that moves responsibility away from retailer. What’s your experience of missing parcels?
Reposted by Vernon Baseley
Gold promoting, crypto financed party leader now finds firm he is an ambassador for is being threatened with bankruptcy by @HMRCgovuk over unpaid taxes bit.ly/4abxaaL gold firm says problem was due to an ‘in correct digit’
Gold bar seller promoted by Nigel Farage chased by HMRC
Direct Bullion, which has paid Reform’s leader over £400k, says winding-up petition will be withdrawn
bit.ly
December 14, 2025 at 11:02 AM
Gold promoting, crypto financed party leader now finds firm he is an ambassador for is being threatened with bankruptcy by @HMRCgovuk over unpaid taxes bit.ly/4abxaaL gold firm says problem was due to an ‘in correct digit’
Reposted by Vernon Baseley
Wonder if any heads will roll over this grim editorial blunder?
This is a really appalling editorial error on BBC Question Time
"Apparently one in three children don't speak English as a first language, why does this matter?"
Chair says "have English as a second language"
Caption changes the meaning entirely
"Don't speak fluent English"
"Apparently one in three children don't speak English as a first language, why does this matter?"
Chair says "have English as a second language"
Caption changes the meaning entirely
"Don't speak fluent English"
December 12, 2025 at 7:50 AM
Wonder if any heads will roll over this grim editorial blunder?
SNCF has renumbered TGV Inoui seats overnight to include coach number (as hundreds) in the seat number.
December 14, 2025 at 11:36 AM
SNCF has renumbered TGV Inoui seats overnight to include coach number (as hundreds) in the seat number.
Reposted by Vernon Baseley
Daily Mail tragedy in 3 acts
22 June 2016 (day before referendum): Pro-Leave editorial. One reason: too many immigrants from Eastern Europe.
24 June 2016: Brexit vote outcome means many Poles will decide to return home
13 December 2025: Oh no, where have the Poles gone?
All the signs were there!
22 June 2016 (day before referendum): Pro-Leave editorial. One reason: too many immigrants from Eastern Europe.
24 June 2016: Brexit vote outcome means many Poles will decide to return home
13 December 2025: Oh no, where have the Poles gone?
All the signs were there!
December 14, 2025 at 1:11 AM
Daily Mail tragedy in 3 acts
22 June 2016 (day before referendum): Pro-Leave editorial. One reason: too many immigrants from Eastern Europe.
24 June 2016: Brexit vote outcome means many Poles will decide to return home
13 December 2025: Oh no, where have the Poles gone?
All the signs were there!
22 June 2016 (day before referendum): Pro-Leave editorial. One reason: too many immigrants from Eastern Europe.
24 June 2016: Brexit vote outcome means many Poles will decide to return home
13 December 2025: Oh no, where have the Poles gone?
All the signs were there!
Reposted by Vernon Baseley
Good Christmas card from Ed Davey this year
December 13, 2025 at 9:18 PM
Good Christmas card from Ed Davey this year
Reposted by Vernon Baseley
Wouldn’t I sleep better if I could share this conviction with this level of confidence.
unherd.com/newsroom/mar...
unherd.com/newsroom/mar...
December 14, 2025 at 8:14 AM
Wouldn’t I sleep better if I could share this conviction with this level of confidence.
unherd.com/newsroom/mar...
unherd.com/newsroom/mar...