Expensive Bikes To Be Banned From Cycle To Work Scheme
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article in The Times.
This is the sub-heading.
Rachel Reeves is said to be targeting rich commuters by limiting the amount you can claim for bike gear through salary sacrifice
These two paragraphs add some detail.
Workers could be banned from buying ultra-expensive bikes through salary sacrifice schemes amid government concerns that they are being exploited by “high earners in the Surrey Hills”.
The Treasury is understood to be considering limiting the generosity of the government’s Cycle to Work scheme, which allows employees to buy bikes and accessories through an interest-free loan from their employer.
Over the years, I’ve worked with many, who have cycled to work and in the early 1970s, I regularly cycled to my clients in London.
Rachel from Accounts seems to have a death wish for the electoral chances of the Labour Party.
EV Owners To Pay London Congestion Charge From January 2026
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article in The Times.
I asked, Google AI, who will pay the Congestion Charge and received this answer.
Most drivers of petrol or diesel vehicles must pay the London Congestion Charge when driving within the central zone during charging hours. Exemptions apply to those with specific vehicles, such as motorcycles, emergency vehicles, and breakdown service vehicles, as well as individuals with disabilities who have a Blue Badge and are in the “disabled” tax class. Some groups, like residents who applied before August 2020, also receive a significant discount.
Note that the Congestion Charge will increase from £15 a day to £18 a day on January 2.
I can’t see the Labour Party winning the next London elections.
Ryanair Refuses To Refund Hero Passenger Injured During Cambridgeshire Train Stabbing
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Simple Flying.
These two paragraphs add details to the story.
Ryanair has doubled down on its decision not to issue a refund for a passenger injured while risking his life to stop a mass stabbing assailant. Stephen Crean, 61, suffered stab wounds as he fought a knife-wielding man attacking passengers on a train, leaving his unable to catch his Ryanair flight to Austria.
The Irish ultra-low-cost carrier has responded to the public outrage, insisting that all of its fares are non-refundable and advising customers to pay for travel insurance. However, many are calling on the airline to make an exceptional case for Crean.
I feel Ryanair have been very mean.
In fact, I feel Ryanair could have used the story for a bit of free advertising.
Because of the fact, that my ongoing medical condition; uncomplicated pancolonic diverticular disease could flare up at any time and I might need the toilet urgently, I wouldn’t fly Ryanair, as they might put restrictions on access to the facilities, between my booking and the flight.
CO2 to SAF: A One-Step Solution
The title of this post is the same as that of this article on the Chemical Engineer.
This is the sub-heading,
Oxford spinout OXCCU has launched a demonstration plant at London Oxford Airport to trial its one-step process of turning CO2 into sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). Aniqah Majid visited the plant to investigate the benefits of its “novel” catalyst
One word in this sub-heading caught my eye.
When I was a young engineer in the Computer Techniques section in the Engineering Department at ICI Plastics Division, I did a small mathematical modelling project for this chemical engineer, using the section’s PACE 231-R analogue computer.
He was impressed and gave the 23-year-old self some advice. “You should apply that beast to catalysts.”
I have never had the chance to do any mathematically modelling of catalysts either at ICI Plastics or since, but I have invested small amounts of my own money in companies working with advanced catalysts.
So when OXCCU was picked up by one of my Google Alerts, I investigated.
I like what I found.
The three raw ingredients are.
- Green Hydrogen
- Carbon dioxide perhaps captured from a large gas-fired powerstation like those in the cluster at Keadby.
- OXCCU’s ‘novel’ catalyst, which appears to be an iron-based catalyst containing manganese, potassium, and organic fuel compounds.
I also suspect, that the process needs a fair bit of energy. These processes always seem to, in my experience.
This paragraph outlines how sustainable aviation fuel or (SAF) is created directly.
This catalyst reduces CO2 and H2 into CO and H2 via a reverse water gas shift (RWGS) process, and then subsequently turns it into jet fuel and water via Fischer-Tropsch (FT).
The Wikipedia entry for Fischer-Tropsch process has this first paragraph.
The Fischer–Tropsch process (FT) is a collection of chemical reactions that converts a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen, known as syngas, into liquid hydrocarbons. These reactions occur in the presence of metal catalysts, typically at temperatures of 150–300 °C (302–572 °F) and pressures of one to several tens of atmospheres. The Fischer–Tropsch process is an important reaction in both coal liquefaction and gas to liquids technology for producing liquid hydrocarbons.
Note.
- I wouldn’t be surprised that to obtain the carbon monoxide and hydrogen or syngas for the Fischer-Tropsch process, excess hydrogen is used, so the OXCCU process may need a lot of affordable hydrogen, some of which will be converted to water in the RWGS process.
- The high temperatures and pressures for the Fischer-Tropsch process will need a lot of energy, as I predicted earlier.
But I don’t see why it won’t work with the right catalyst.
The Wikipedia entry for the Fischer-Tropsch process also says this.
Fischer–Tropsch process is discussed as a step of producing carbon-neutral liquid hydrocarbon fuels from CO2 and hydrogen.
Three references are given, but none seem to relate to OXCCU.
OXCCU have a web site, with this title.
Jet Fuel From Waste Carbon
And this mission statement underneath.
OXCCU’s mission is to develop the world’s lowest cost, lowest emission pathways to make SAF from waste carbon, enabling people to continue to fly and use hydrocarbon products but with a reduced climate impact.
It looks like they intend to boldly go.
Conclusion
My 23-year-old self may have been given some good advice.
A Trip To The Northumberland Line – 7th November 2025
On Friday, I went to Newcastle to have a look at the new Blyth Bebside station.
I took these pictures between Newcastle and Ashington stations.
Note.
- The impressive slim bridge over the railway at Newsham station. Other places could imitate this. See Bicester Village Station – 28th May 2025.
- The well-filled car park at Newsham station.
- The large amount of new housing.
- The recently-opened Blyth Bebside station.
- The crossing of the River Blyth.
- The under-construction Bedlington station.
- The crossing of the River Wansbeck.
- The single platform Ashington station.
- The train took 36 minutes for the 18 miles.
- According to staff, there is no hostelry close to the station at Ashington, but there is a good gluten-free pub at Seaton Delaval station, that I wrote about in Seaton Delaval Station – 30th March 2025.
I then returned to Blyth Bebside station and took these pictures.
Note.
- Blyth Bebside station is fully step-free.
- There is a sizable car park.
- The wind turbines of Blyth Harbour wind farm can be seen in the distance from the station bridge.
- I estimate the platforms at the station will take a five-car Hitachi Class 802 train or a pair of two-car Class 158 trains.
These are some further thoughts.
The Platforms On The Northumberland Line Are Long
Consider.
- As I said earlier the platforms in the stations appear to be long enough to handle a five-car Hitachi Class 802 train or a pair of two-car Class 158 trains.
- From what some have said about the line, I suspect four-car trains will be needed soon for Newcastle matches.
- But would this be enough, if a local hero like Sting decided to have a Summer concert on the beach?
- Lengthening platforms is often a pain, if you don’t make them long enough.
So were Network Rail just making sure that the track was fit for all eventualities?
Could The Northumberland Line Be Electrified?
These pictures show Platform 1 at Newcastle station, where Northumberland Line trains usually terminate at Newcastle.
Note.
First Bus To Launch 1MW BESS Unit In Hampshire, Aberdeen To Follow
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Solar Power Portal.
This is the sub-heading.
Bus operator First Bus has launched its largest energy storage facility yet in Hampshire.
These four paragraphs add more detail.
Located at the company’s Hoeford bus depot, the 1MW battery storage unit, with a 2-hour duration, will begin operations next month.
This will be followed by a bigger battery storage unit with 2MW/4MWh capacity at its depot in Aberdeen, which will begin work by the end of the year.
The FirstGroup division said that it will explore opportunities to build more battery sites across the UK in the future.
The new battery storage facilities will be used to store surplus electricity that will be distributed back to the grid during peak demand and help maintain power supplies. It will also be used to power the company’s more than 1,200 electric bus fleet.
Note.
- Hoeford’s 1MW/2MWh and Aberdeen’s 2MW/4MWh are big batteries.
- They will be installed, where there is a predictable need.
- Google AI says that the First Bus UK News “About Us” page lists 65 depots and outstations.
- I suspect some clever data analysis is being used to optimise the size of a battery to the route structure and number of buses at a depot.
The batteries appear to come from a company called Palmer Energy Technology, who are backed by Barclays, First Bus and the University of Oxford.
This is the Palmer Energy Technology web site, which has these two paragraphs.
Palmer Energy designs and manufactures Battery Energy Storage Systems that apply automotive‑grade principles to stationary applications. PETL specifies premium cells, uses liquid cooling as standard and focuses on intelligent control to drive down operating costs for customers in transport, industry and the grid.
Through our 100% ownership of Brill Power, a University of Oxford spin out, we incorporate Brill Power’s patented active loading BMS technology in all our BESS to increase the lifetime of systems, improve safety and remove geopolitical risks by storing all data on UK servers.
These are my further thoughts.
Electric Bus Charging Puts A Strain On The Grid
A couple of years ago, I had a drink with three bus depot managers in London. They said that some depots were having difficulty getting sufficient power from the grid.
This Google Map shows Hoeford Depot where the first battery has been installed.
Note.
- Hoeford Depot is by the water at Fareham.
- The depot is indicated by the red arrow.
- The depot is surrounded by houses and other businesses.
As an electrical engineer, I would expect that a battery of the right size could sort out any charging problems.
Bus Garage Batteries Could Mop Up Surplus Electricity
Consider.
- I would expect bus garages have a predictable pattern for energy use.
- Buses will often be charged at night, when solar power is low.
- Do bus garages get a cheaper electricity rate at night?
- There will be times, when bus garages can accept excess energy from the grid and store it until they need it.
- This will mean that wind turbines won’t have to be turned off so often.
Palmer’s batteries installed in a bus garage seem to be a simple way to increase renewable energy efficiency and possibly reduce the cost of battery charging.
Would A Bank Finance The Batteries?
I am not a banker or an accountant, but I have worked with some of the very best. One banker, who sadly has now passed on, would have surely backed this company if the technology and the forecasts stacked up, just as he backed the company, that I helped to start.
It does look as if Barclays are backing the company.
Managing Earthworks In A Changing Environment
This image shows the train derailment at Shap at 06:10 on Monday.
The BBC and others were talking about the cause of the derailment being a landslide.
So it was perhaps appropriate that the latest edition of Rail Engineer had a sponsorsed feature with a title of Managing Earthworks In A Changing Environment.
It is well-worth a full read.
What Happened To The Toyota Hydrogen-Powered HiLux?
I wrote about this vehicle in Toyota Unveils Prototype Hydrogen Fuel Cell Hilux, but I’ve not heard any more.
So I asked Google AI, the question in the title of this post and received this reply.
The Toyota hydrogen-powered Hilux is currently in the demonstration and evaluation phase and has not been officially confirmed for mass production. Ten prototypes were built in the UK and are undergoing testing, with some being used for customer and media demonstrations at events like the Paris Olympics. Toyota is using this project to gather data, refine its hydrogen technology, and prepare for a future European market that could see the vehicle go on sale around 2028.
A simple Google search produced this YouTube video and this article in the Toyota UK magazine.
I don’t want to drive one, as that would be illegal, but I have just added riding in one of these beasts to my bucket list.
Toyota Have Gone To The Advanced Propulsion Centre For Their Latest Project
In Toyota Leads Multi-Million-Pound Micromobility Research Project, I write about another project, where Toyota have approached the Advanced Propulsion Centre for funding and technical help. So the Advanced Propulsion Centre must be doing something right, to attract another project from Toyota.
In CoacH2 – The Next Generation Coach, I write about how the Advanced Propulsion Centre are helping to develop the powertrain for Wrightbus’s upcoming hydrogen-powered coach.
It certainly looks like the Advanced Propulsion Centre are in the middle of the net-zero transport revolution.
Toyota Leads Multi-Million-Pound Micromobility Research Project
The title of this post, is the same as that of this news item from the Advanced Propulsion Centre.
These five paragraphs introduce the project.
he Advanced Propulsion Centre UK (APC) has announced the latest project funded through the UK Government’s DRIVE35 Collaborate programme.
Toyota will lead a consortium to research and develop a new lightweight battery electric vehicle in Derbyshire.
The project aims to meet the evolving needs of urban populations while accelerating the shift to zero tailpipe emission transport by validating a novel, lightweight battery electric vehicle (BEV) in the L6e category.
Underlining Toyota’s commitment to investing in the UK’s R&D capabilities, it will be manufactured at Toyota Manufacturing UK’s (TMUK) Burnaston site.
The vehicle addresses the growing demand for sustainable micro-mobility solutions and includes an integrated solar roof, increased connectivity, and lightweight sustainable materials supporting recovery and recycling.
Note.
- The vehicle will be light in weight.
- Toyota is investing in UK R & D.
- The vehicle will be built in Derbyshire at Burnaston.
I asked Google AI, what is an L6e Car and received this reply.
An L6e car is a light quadricycle in the EU vehicle classification system, defined as a light, four-wheeled vehicle with a maximum speed of 45 kph}) (28 mph)) and an unladen mass of no more than 425 kg. (excluding batteries for electric versions). It can be powered by small internal combustion engines or electric motors, and vehicles in this category are often used for urban commuting or small delivery tasks.
Note.
- Sir Alec Issigonis’s famous ADO15 Mini, which was launched in 1962, weighed 580 Kg, seated four and had an initial top speed of 75 mph.
- Sir Alec also designed racing cars and high performance Mini Coopers.
- Another partner in the project specialises in urban delivery vehicles.
I always wonder what sort of electric vehicle, the great car designer would have designed.
These are some further thoughts.
Do Toyota Build Microcars In Japan?
I asked Google AI, the question in the title of this section and received this answer.
Yes, Toyota builds microcars in Japan, and the Toyota C+pod is one example. While Toyota previously focused on larger vehicles, it now manufactures ultra-compact electric vehicles like the C+pod for the Japanese market to meet customer demand for small city cars.
The Toyota C+Pod has this Wikipedia entry, which gives these details.
- Two seats.
- 9.2 KW electric motor.
- 670-690 Kg weight.
- 37 mph.
- 93 mile range.
- The car has air conditioning, air-bags and heated seats.
The number of seats, speed and range would appear to be ideal for a city-car.
Could The Vehicle Be Hydrogen Powered?
I asked Google AI, if small lightweight hydrogen fuel cells exist and received this answer.
Yes, small, lightweight hydrogen fuel cells do exist and are commercially available for various applications, ranging from educational kits to power sources for drones and portable electronics.
I wouldn’t be surprised if the project needed a hydrogen fuel cell of a particular weight, size and power, someone could built it, by scaling an existing design.
Could The Vehicles Be Self Driving?
Not probably now, but as the technology gets more sophisticated, I suspect that it will happen.
Could The Vehicles Replace The Invacar?
This article in The Times is entitled Bring Back Three-Wheeled Cars For Disabled Drivers, Reform Urges.
I would expect that, if Toyota, the Advanced Propulsion Centre and their partners did a comprehensive job, then Toyota’s new car could serve the same purpose as an Invacar, much better in a zero-carbon manner.
There Is This Video Of A Toyota C-Pod.
Conclusion
I believe this project could come up with something special.
Beaulieu Park Station – 30th October 2025
I went to Beaulieu Park station this morning and took these pictures.
Note.
The Anonymous Widower 