Trains Delayed Due To Artillery Fire

[Wilts Wanderer]

Last night and this morning parts of Wiltshire have been blanketed by a thick layer of smoke, caused by grass fires on Salisbury Plain. The Army are persisting with live firing exercises despite the distress it is causing downwind. Today the smoke plumes are reaching Bath and Wells, but last night was the worst due to the wind forcing the smoke down to ground level. At midnight Trowbridge looked a bit like London in the 1950s smogs.

This morning, GWR services are being delayed due to Westbury PSB being evacuated as the fire alarms were going off. Some trains cancelled, others severely delayed. (As if we didn't need even more disruption.)

Perhaps we need a new delay announcement - service delayed due to artillery fire.

Cheers British Army! My returning asthma and I salute you.

 

[DarloRich]

Last night and this morning parts of Wiltshire have been blanketed by a thick layer of smoke, caused by grass fires on Salisbury Plain. The Army are persisting with live firing exercises despite the distress it is causing downwind. Today the smoke plumes are reaching Bath and Wells, but last night was the worst due to the wind forcing the smoke down to ground level. At midnight Trowbridge looked a bit like London in the 1950s smogs.

This morning, GWR services are being delayed due to Westbury PSB being evacuated as the fire alarms were going off. Some trains cancelled, others severely delayed. (As if we didn't need even more disruption.)

Perhaps we need a new delay announcement - service delayed due to artillery fire.

Cheers British Army! My returning asthma and I salute you.

while that all sounds terrible I would rather the army practiced in case, you know, we need them to defend us at some point.............................

(OF COURSE I am being factious and it is clear that while practice is important some consideration of the prevailing conditions would be sensible! )

 

[Wilts Wanderer]

True, but they don't have to use live rounds during the longest heatwave in 20 years!

 

[61653 HTAFC]

True, but they don't have to use live rounds during the longest heatwave in 20 years!

Given that conflicts are probably more likely to occur in warmer climes (i.e. where the resources and religious nutjobs are), they probably do gain something by training under similar(ish) conditions.

 

[AlterEgo]

True, but they don't have to use live rounds during the longest heatwave in 20 years!

Artillery perform differently in different temperatures and conditions.

 

[Rail Blues]

Artillery perform differently in different temperatures and conditions.

Yes it essential they keep practicing as you never know when they will be needed to lay waste to a middle Eastern country and act as cannon fodder for US oil interests or the vain glorious ambitions of its President.

The cost of any delays should be recovered from the MoD budget and if that means they can't have their latest needless toy, so be it.

 

[eastdyke]

This morning, GWR services are being delayed due to Westbury PSB being evacuated as the fire alarms were going off. Some trains cancelled, others severely delayed. (As if we didn't need even more disruption.)

Was the fire alarm sounding at Westbury PSB actually related to the Artillery Fire?
Colchester PSB was also evacuated this morning as a result of fire alarms - perhaps they were also firing some longer range missiles?

 

[Kite159]

Was the fire alarm sounding at Westbury PSB actually related to the Artillery Fire?
Colchester PSB was also evacuated this morning as a result of fire alarms - perhaps they were also firing some longer range missiles?

Who burnt the toast this time?

 

[FOCTOC]

True, but they don't have to use live rounds during the longest heatwave in 20 years!

Maybe an enemy will remember that and inly invade in the heat?

 

[DarloRich]

Yes it essential they keep practicing as you never know when they will be needed to lay waste to a middle Eastern country and act as cannon fodder for US oil interests or the vain glorious ambitions of its President.

The cost of any delays should be recovered from the MoD budget and if that means they can't have their latest needless toy, so be it.

If, as you say, the army is mere cannon fodder for US oil interests or the vain glorious ambitions of its President then surely a bit of practice might keep the poor sods alive a bit longer.

 

[Parallel]

That’s what it was last night! There was so much smog in Trowbridge and the smell of smoke kept me from sleeping. Genuinely smelt like someone’s house was on fire. Had to shut my bedroom window and then baked from the heat instead. Also why the trains were disrupted this morning.

 

[PHILIPE]

Was it artillery fire or tank fire ? The latter are common on Salisbury Plain

 

[randyrippley]

Just because the grass on Salisbury Plain is ablaze, it doesn't mean the army is to blame.
Could be a fag end, bit of broken glass, vandals. Or the Russians destroying evidence.....

 

[Monty]

The Army needs to train all year round in a variety of conditions, tin foil hat opinions aside it is vital to the security of the state that our armed forces are well equipped and trained. Since we can't have the former it may as well be the latter..

 

[Bromley boy]

Yes it essential they keep practicing as you never know when they will be needed to lay waste to a middle Eastern country and act as cannon fodder for US oil interests or the vain glorious ambitions of its President.

The cost of any delays should be recovered from the MoD budget and if that means they can't have their latest needless toy, so be it.

This is tin foil hat stuff of the highest order.

Needless toys? Do you not consider defence of the realm important?

 

[AlterEgo]

I’m the last person to cheerlead for our Armed Forces but be assured there is no point arguing with the ungrateful and ignorant, typing their messages safely on their smartphone in their warm houses.

 

[Bromley boy]

I’m the last person to cheerlead for our Armed Forces but be assured there is no point arguing with the ungrateful and ignorant, typing their messages safely on their smartphone in their warm houses.

You’re not wrong.

But, if it wasn’t for pointless arguments, the forum would be a barren wasteland indeed .

 

[Michael.Y]

Why are they bothering? The next big war won't be fought with artillery or tanks, it'll be drones, smartbombs and the rest. Why don't they melt these old rust buckets down and make something useful?

 

[Bromley boy]

Why are they bothering? The next big war won't be fought with artillery or tanks, it'll be drones, smartbombs and the rest. Why don't they melt these old rust buckets down and make something useful?

Artillery has been a cornerstone of many recent wars, and will be again in the future, along with drones, smart bombs and the rest.

If the army think they still need artillery, maybe we should respect their viewpoint?

 

[AlterEgo]

Why are they bothering? The next big war won't be fought with artillery or tanks, it'll be drones, smartbombs and the rest. Why don't they melt these old rust buckets down and make something useful?

There are quite a few current conflicts in the world which require artillery.

 

[xc170]

Or the Russians destroying evidence.....

Whoa...

 

[whhistle]

I don't know why people see the army as military these days.
They're great for national disasters, but war isn't fought like that these days (barring the middle east!).
New war will be digital or nuclear. Not much good for a million men.

 

[AlterEgo]

I don't know why people see the army as military these days.
They're great for national disasters, but war isn't fought like that these days (barring the middle east!).
New war will be digital or nuclear. Not much good for a million men.

War is fought like that. Have a look at Ukraine, for an example outside the Middle East. Yes, there’s a lot of cyber warfare there too, but there’s also a lot of running around with weapons and artillery fire.

 

[Rail Blues]

This is tin foil hat stuff of the highest order.

Needless toys? Do you not consider defence of the realm important?

Other countries of a similar size and stature manage without nonsense like two giant vastly expensive aircraft carriers. Britain could manage with a far smaller military if they could kick the habit of blindly following the US into whatever neo colonial conflict they've involved themselves in.

Okay, so when was the last time the British Isles were under serious threat of invasion Not in my or, I venture, your lifetime.

If it is tinhat stuff to suggest that the Iraq and Afghan wars were motivated by something other that altruism or global justice then you can pass me the bacofoil.

 

[Groningen]

Well that burned area will not burn a second time in/for the next few years. With no rain in weeks (i can not see how much rain came down) than you must know that the ground/earth is dry and capable of causing fire.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Forest fires, grassland fires, moorland fires all occur naturally every so often... and in fact eco-systems depend on this happening.

They also happen due to human actions, but we often (Not always- I'm not advocating a laissez-faire approach!) do as much harm putting them out as we do starting them.

 

[IanXC]

Okay, so when was the last time the British Isles were under serious threat of invasion Not in my or, I venture, your lifetime.

The British Isles is one thing, but, ask yourself when a NATO country last had any part of its territory invaded by a third country?

 

[najaB]

The cost of any delays should be recovered from the MoD budget and if that means they can't have their latest needless toy, so be it.

While I don't share some people's view that the military should have a blank cheque, it's a fact that the world isn't sunshine and flowers and we might well need our ladies and gents in uniform may be called to our service. When that happens I want them to have the equipment that gives then the best chance of completing their mission and getting home alive.

 

[najaB]

New war will be digital or nuclear.

You can't occupy territiry from a behind a computer screen.

 

[Bromley boy]

Other countries of a similar size and stature manage without nonsense like two giant vastly expensive aircraft carriers. Britain could manage with a far smaller military if they could kick the habit of blindly following the US into whatever neo colonial conflict they've involved themselves in.

We already have a far smaller military than we have had in the last few centuries.

Aircraft carriers give an ability for force to be rapidly and effectively projected in any conflict zone world wide. We still have global interests all over the world, we also participate in NATO.

Okay, so when was the last time the British Isles were under serious threat of invasion Not in my or, I venture, your lifetime.

The British Isles themselves were under severe threat and the Channel Islands were invaded during WW2, which is still within living memory (albeit not mine). The Falklands were actually invaded in the early 80s, not very long before I was born.

It has recently been suggested on another thread that Brexit might cause a war with Spain shortly. We’d better get those shiny new F-35s out of their bubble wrap quick smart!

An effective military isn’t just about having a “home guard” to defend our shores, it’s about being able to project force abroad especially when the world is an increasingly fractious, divided and dangerous place.

If it is tinhat stuff to suggest that the Iraq and Afghan wars were motivated by something other that altruism or global justice then you can pass me the bacofoil.

What do you think they were motivated by?

In hindsight they were a bad idea but I don’t think they were “quasi colonial”, or only about oil, which I’m well aware are the default left wing arguments against any form of western military intervention abroad.

I’m also aware that the people making those arguments follow a predictable line that everything bad in the world is the fault of the West, which they claim to despise whilst luxuriating in its freedoms, but are happy to turn a blind eye to appalling conflicts and genocides that don’t suit that narrative. “Stop The War” coalition being a case in point.

Was it George Orwell who said “we sleep safely in our beds because rough men stand ready at night to visit violence on those who would do us harm” (or very similar words)?

Despite what Jezza seems to think, sitting around a campfire and singing kumbaya isn’t the solution to the world’s problems, and won’t keep us safe when we and our interests come under existential threat.