Ryan's World of Nonsense

Bideford Railway Heritage Centre I was up in Barnstaple back in May 2025 as I was on the gorgeous Tarka Line (or the North Devon Line). It's been a railway line that I've been wanting to go on since my first year in Exeter and finally, I've got a chance to do so. In this post, you'll be joining me on this trip up north to explore North Devon's lost railways.  Tarka Line Map (Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=108960715) The Tarka line runs between Exeter and Barnstaple, serving various towns and villages in between, notably Crediton and Eggesford. It also serves a pub (Portsmouth Arms) and the middle of nowhere (Kings Nympton, with the village miles away from itself). A number of stops on this line are request stops, which means you need to notify the guard specifically if you want to get off, or flag down the driver if you want to get on, like hailing a bus) 158951 takes me to Barnstaple Shoutout to St David's Starbucks for calling me Brian...

Winchester Cathedral Recently, I've been getting quite a bit of questions about my Christian beliefs. While I appreciate the interest and the care behind those questions, my faith is simply not something I'd discuss openly. To me, it's an extremely personal part of my life, which is why I never cover religious topics in this blog before. As the questions keep coming up, I thought it would be helpful to write this once and share it here, so I can gently point people to it instead of trying to explain everything in person or in group settings where I don’t feel comfortable going deep. So, why have I become a Christian? Some of you may know that I went to Christian primary school, and study and memorising verses within the bible didn't actually turn me into a Christian. It's not until a few years ago I realised that how far that I've lost my way and was becoming someone I really didn’t want to be. God, in his mercy, guided me back to where I should be, pulled me up...

A Basic Boost Converter Circuit ⚠️ Important Safety Notice This post is for educational demonstration only. While I have years of experience in electronics, this circuit involves high-voltage switching systems that can be dangerous if mismanaged. Please read the Full Safety Disclaimer at the bottom of this post before considering any practical work. Nowadays, everyone is talking about renewable energies. People can't resist the cool, sleek looking solar panels and massive wind turbines that the government has placed all across the country in order to harvest "clean" energy, albeit only working in certain time or location (solar panels need sunlight and wind turbines need a location that's susceptible to wind) and takes up quite a lot of space (solar/wind farms. One single panel/turbine is not gonna power a country), renewables are still deemed the future of power generation, as fossil fuels are indeed turning earth into a massive rotating sweatbox. But of course, I...