Author | Lightnews

Andrew Bowden 🐀

@andrewbowden.me.uk

130 followers 48 following 2.9K posts

Found where the Metropolitan Elite gather. Mostly Mancunian, bit Londoner, pos British, definitely European. Brews own beer. Likes the radio. Thinks Tony Dibbin works too hard. All views mine, and only mine. He/Him. #RatVerified.

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Andrew Bowden 🐀 @andrewbowden.me.uk · Mar 14

Thoroughly enjoying this photograph of the "food served" at a nearby pub.

A wooden board with food on it. The food consists of a lot of grapes, four small packets of Cathedral City cheese, two Laughing Cow slices, some crackers, a tiny pot of tiny pickled onions, two sachets of butter, and a plastic knife.

Reposted by Andrew Bowden 🐀

Corrinne F @traviata.bsky.social · 2h

Finally, recognition for our ruinous work

Paul Fairie @paulisci.bsky.social · 3h

A List of Things Said to Have Been Ruined by Women

🧵

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Andrew Bowden 🐀 @andrewbowden.me.uk · 11h

It was going to happen. But I just punched in the numbers and for me based on what I drive, it would still be cheaper than the duty on the up to date equivalent of my current car.

Which is still more than the £20 I pay each year for my 11 year old diesel 🤷

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Andrew Bowden 🐀 @andrewbowden.me.uk · 12h

Now COMPLETELY UNOFFICIALLY the guards don't seem to care. Mostly they look at the ticket, and nod. Sometimes they'll check you know the train's not going to the station shown on the ticket. And then they move on. But this stuff being unofficial leaves you at the whims of the train staff.

Andrew Bowden 🐀 @andrewbowden.me.uk · 12h

When I go to the office I get a train/tram ticket to Metrolink Zone 1-2. I can use Imperial War Museum or MediaCity tram stops no problem. The train part? On return I have to use whichever of Marple's two stations I boarded from. This is annoying.

Andrew Bowden 🐀 @andrewbowden.me.uk · 13h

This is good, but it's really time Greater Manchester moved to a zonal train fare system, integrated with Metrolink. Given how close Marple and Rose Hill stations are, it's bonkers tickets aren't interchangeable. Hyde North and Flowery Field also.
www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater...

A huge shake-up of train tickets is on its way - starting in Greater Manchester

The biggest change in decades will see the current 'confusing range' of options removed, meaning cheaper fares for many

www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk

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Andrew Bowden 🐀 @andrewbowden.me.uk · 1d

I am forever mislaying my wired headphones. Wireless ones? Ha. Not going there.

Also nothing says "has a shit phone" to muggers more than wired headphones

fesshole 🧻 @fesshole.bsky.social · 1d

I am on my 17th pair of AirPods because they are tiny and easy to lose.

Andrew Bowden 🐀 @andrewbowden.me.uk · 1d

It looks like the cause is due to the virtual card number my phone uses changing for whatever reason. And they didn't have the new number. But that's answered that.

Andrew Bowden 🐀 @andrewbowden.me.uk · 1d

This morning, touched in on the bus with my physical card. Lo, all my previous mobile phone journeys mysteriously appear on the Bee Network website. The ones that haven't been appearing. Don't think I have the energy to try to explain to them again that they have issues.

Andrew Bowden 🐀 @andrewbowden.me.uk · 9d

Bee Network have a website where you can track your journey history when using tap and go. But when I pay using my phone it doesn't show anything for me. Payment is taken, but they won't show my journey history.

2 months of investigations and their answer is "talk to your credit card company"

Reposted by Andrew Bowden 🐀

Al Dupres @aldupres.bsky.social · 1d

Don't forget it's Brown Leather Jacket Day. Michael's going to safely set off some fireworks to celebrate.

Michael Aspel in two stills from firework safety programme Remember, Remember. He's wearing a light brown leather jacket and holding up a copy of the Firework Code.

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Andrew Bowden 🐀 @andrewbowden.me.uk · 1d

Awaits an even harder and even more doomed push to win over Reform voters which will equally push others to the Lib Dems and Greens.

Andrew Bowden 🐀 @andrewbowden.me.uk · 2d

It continues to amaze me that they don't get this. There are no circumstances at all that these shutdowns should ever happen. It's crazy

Andrew Bowden 🐀 @andrewbowden.me.uk · 2d

I have a current account (not with Nationwide) that I haven't used for at least 15 years. Balance is zero. No transactions, nothing at all. It's dead. The bank has never tried to close it. In fact they make it so difficult for me to close it that I just leave it as is.

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Andrew Bowden 🐀 @andrewbowden.me.uk · 2d

So no extra sleep, and I get to hang around Stockport station and watch the 0723 leave without me. Goodo!

Andrew Bowden 🐀 @andrewbowden.me.uk · 2d

Going to London tomorrow. Normally get the 0723 train from Stockport. Thought I'd have a little extra sleep so booked the 0744.

Didn't check the bus times to Stockport before booking. If I had I would have seen the buses are timed that the later bus arrives after my train has left 🤦

Andrew Bowden 🐀 @andrewbowden.me.uk · 2d

My energy bill's just landed in my inbox, and seeing as I keep hearing about how VAT on fuel may be scrapped, decided to check out how much I'd save if it was. This month? £7.02. Total bill this month? £147.40.

It's a saving, but I don't think it will solve the cost of living crisis.

Reposted by Andrew Bowden 🐀

Michael Shaw @mrmichaelshaw.bsky.social · 3d

It’s fascinating comparing the front page coverage of the Huntingdon train attack (below) with how the British press treated another case 30 years ago.

I’m referring to the 1995 Netto supermarket attack in Birmingham in which a man stabbed 10 people, killing one of them.

7 92 120

Reposted by Andrew Bowden 🐀

pixelatedboat aka “mr bluesky” @pixelatedboat.bsky.social · 2d

I will support any New York mayoral candidate who admits bodegas are just convenience stores and everywhere in the world has them

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Andrew Bowden 🐀 @andrewbowden.me.uk · 3d

Wouldn't surprise me if my experience is related to the system I have to use for work. It has many well let's call them quirks. They say they'll book the same seat but they've clearly not for me.

Andrew Bowden 🐀 @andrewbowden.me.uk · 3d

On the way back I have to change seat in the same carriage. Don't tell me there wasn't a seat all the way from Manchester to London that I could have been given given I booked the journey a month ago...

Andrew Bowden 🐀 @andrewbowden.me.uk · 3d

Split ticketing becoming the norm when you're not even changing train just sums up how broken train fares are. Previously split ticketing was a pretty minor thing. Now it's becoming the default, something done with ease. Yet it also messes up the passenger experience.

Andrew Bowden 🐀 @andrewbowden.me.uk · 3d

Work's train booking system now do split ticketing so when I next go to London I have to change reserved seats mid-journey, or try to get myself on an unreserved seat. Surely this kind of thing is just going to lead to people with seat reservations sitting in the unreserved coach?

Andrew Bowden 🐀 @andrewbowden.me.uk · 5d

It's funny but the replies to this are the first time I have seen people who don't like the new Alan Partridge series. I have only seen praise for it.

Anon Opin @anonopin.bsky.social · 5d

You dullards saying the new Alan Partridge wasn't any good are the reason the BBC doesn't make any comedy anymore. It was funnier than anything else that's been on TV for yonks.

Andrew Bowden 🐀 @andrewbowden.me.uk · 5d

Was it in I'm Alan Partridge where he visited a branch of Tandy? I'm not sure he does know his stuff as well as he thinks he does!

Andrew Bowden 🐀 @andrewbowden.me.uk · 6d

I probably didn't get the edging joke back then either

Andrew Bowden 🐀 @andrewbowden.me.uk · 6d

I wouldn't say I loved it at the time but I enjoyed it. Although I remember getting a little annoyed by the regional news segment going way over the top. I just watched a bit now and thought me from back then was potentially being a bit of an idiot about that.