08:45.

I’m out and about slightly later than planned as for once I didn’t wake up before the alarm clock although looking at the weather that’s probably saved me from a soaking! Having walked down to Sowerby Bridge station I’m now aboard Northern’s 07:59 to Leeds via Bradford. It’s a busy train carrying more than just the usual commuters. There are three young girls from Warrington in the opposite table bay loaded down with rucsacs and camping equipment who’re obviously on their way to a festival somewhere. Now, being an ‘old fogey’ expensive mudbaths listening to bands I’ve never heard of no longer appeal, so I’ve no idea which one it is they’re heading to. The girls have spent their time chatting/gossiping. I’ve not been paying any attention but I did hear the put down ‘she’s everybody’s ex, really’ which raised an internal chuckle. I don’t what weather they’re expecting where they’re going but looking at their footwear wellies may have been a better choice!

Now we’ve reversed at Bradford to make our way to Leeds under leaden skies. I’ll be blogging throughout the day so feel free to pop in later to see what I get up to…

10:30.

That was an interesting trip! At Leeds I realised the train I’d arrived on was a 6-car, not something we normally get on Calder valley services. Now I know why it was busy but not packed! Crossing the bridge to catch my next train I bumped into a friend from Sowerby Bridge. Ian Aberdeen was on a day out walking old railways on Derbys before meeting up with others for a beer later. We sat and chatted on the train to Sheffield. Sadly the Cross-country HST we’d hoped for had been replaced by a single 5-car Voyager, the palindromic 221122.

The set wasn’t as packed as I feared but we did have some ‘interesting’ fellow passengers. In the seat opposite me was a rotund elderly bloke wrapped up in a hoodie yet wearing shorts to display his leg tattoo’s. On one leg he had a Crusader Knight whilst on the other a sailor and a line of world war 1 British battleships. I’m taking a stab in the dark here but something makes me think he voted for Brexit and thinks the Tories aren’t nationalistic enough…

A few rows in front of him was another guy in a hoodie – only he was half the size. When the Conductor came to check tickets he gave her a stream of excuses sbout why he’d not got a ticket. Having established he’d be leaving the train at Sheffield she let him be.

Suitably triggered, the guy got out his phone and started recording himself talking – a torrent of verbal diarrhoea! I suspect he thought he was Russell Brand recording a podcast as his stream of consciousness contained familiar words and phrases ‘paradigm’, ‘patriarchy’ and trite phrases about technology, racism and capitalism. It was a masterclass in talking bollocks.

Thankfully both he and I left the train in Sheffield so I didn’t have to listen to any more of his diatribe. As I disembarked I wished the Conductor and her oppo’ an easier rest of their trip to Birmingham.

As I’d a few minutes to wait at Sheffield I hunted for suitable shots to take and found this. The very first of the BR built Class 150s, in between duties.

10:55.

Arriving at Dore and Totley at the same time as the sunshine I quickly got shots of the Hope valley line upgrade work. The second Hope valley track through the station has been laid but isn’t connected. The new platform’s really beginning to take shape now and the foundations of the footbridge that will connect it to the existing platform are in place.

11:50.

Time for a change of location and scenery. I’m now on the way to Belper via Derby. There’s been no direct trains from the Sheffield direction for many a year. No, the only trains that call at Belper are working the hourly service on the Matlock branch, which involves a change at Derby before doubling back.

15:00.

Apologies for the gap but I’ve been busy. I’ll add some camera pictures showing what I’ve been up to later. I caught the local EMR service from Derby to Belper without a problem There’s quite a change in trains on the route. Last time I was here to take pictures Matlock services were worked by single-car Class 153s (aka ‘Dogboxes’). now the trains are more modern two car Class 170s cascaded from West Midlands Trains that have the luxury of air-conditioning.

I don’t think this will be my last visit to Belper either. I’d forgotten just how many road overbridges there are here which present some interesting photographic possibilities, especially later in the day.

Much as I’d liked to have hung around I retraced my steps to Derby. Now I’m on another tired East Midlands ‘Meridian’ (001 in fact) to get back to Sheffield in plenty of time to meet my old friend Merv…

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