THE journey to the end of the solar system is a very long way, especially if you go by bicycle.

No wonder cyclists view the discovery of the tenth "planet", Sedna, with mixed feelings.

It was Chris Wood, who styles himself the logistics secretary of York's "Portland Street Pedallers", who brought this to our attention.

"Following the discovery of the new 'planet' Sedna, at three times the distance from the sun as Pluto," he wrote, "our team of experts calculates that, in the interests of accuracy, the York-Selby solar system cycle track will now need to be extended to the south side of the forecourt at Doncaster Railway Station."

That's space for you. Always expanding.

Currently the scale model of the earth and its planetary neighbours stretches 10km along the York to Selby cycle path. Opened in 1999 by TV boffin Adam Hart-Davis, it was a Millennium project built with Lottery funding - so will it now have to be extended to Doncaster Station?

"It depends," said Dr Peter Thompson, one of a trio of York University scientists who dreamt up the solar system cycle route after being inspired by Knavesmire Primary School pupils.

"The cycle track isn't quite on a straight line. Where we would end up is quite interesting. I think we would finish by Thorne about nine miles north of Doncaster."

Astronomers are now debating whether Sedna - eight billion miles from earth - is big enough to be classed as a planet.

If they decide it isn't, that could see similar-sized Pluto lose its planetary status, possibly shortening the cycle ride.

But here's a pledge. "If they do decide this thing is now a planet," said Dr Thompson, "I promise you that I will go down to Doncaster Railway Station or wherever and install the tenth planet.

"The cyclists might not thank me for this, frankly, especially those school kids that we take to the end of the solar system and back."

AS Harry the Barman, he made occasional appearances in the Evening Press for his entertaining antics, often under the influence of alcohol.

But Harry has long since left Walkers Bar in Micklegate to start a new life as a computer wizard in Amsterdam. Even in this more sober incarnation, he is prone to accidents.

This week he had to demonstrate an email software package to 20 colleagues. He rigged his computer up to a projector so everyone could see the contents of his inbox.

"Imagine the scene as I open my email inbox to show the integration and five seconds later I get an email from the Amsterdam gay switchboard entitled 'Gay Doctors in Amsterdam'," he says.

"Rule for future reference - never ever project your Outlook inbox to a training room." Incidentally, Harry insists that this was not a pornographic email, although it strikes us as the sort of thing you may find in Clifton Without.

NICE story from the Guardian's obituary to York architect and educator Patrick Nuttgens. Despite being hit by polio in childhood and multiple sclerosis many years later, he refused to let his disabilities get in the way.

"I may be a man of many parts," he said, "but some don't work as well as they once did."

Updated: 12:11 Thursday, March 18, 2004