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09:00.

A later start today but I’m on my way, having left Halifax on Northern’s 08:50 to Huddersfield. We’ve another hot, sunny day predicted so I’m dressed accordingly whilst carrying a variety of spare clothing for my tour of England, Scotland and Wales. Oh, and midge spray – just in case, although the West Higland weather is predicted to be wet!

Feel free to keep popping in to see where and what I get up to…

The first train of many…

15:15.

I’m back. Sorry for the delay but I’ve been moving between trains and busy with the camera.

I made it to Manchester Piccadilly with 5 mins to spare before my next connection – a packed Pendolino which took me to Stoke where I joined a blissfully quiet Cross-Country Voyager as far as Birmingham New St. The city (and station was hot and muggy but I wasn’t hanging around. Instead I had chance to sample two new train fleets. An Alstom Class 730 took me to Bromsgrove where I cahnged onto a 4-car, CAF built Class 196 to Worcester. A short visit to Shrub Hill station ensued as it has a fascinating history and retains one of the finest collections of GWR semaphore signals left on the UK mainline.

I was lucky to find this temporary exhibition in the cafe annexe which showcased a photographic history of the railways (and staff who worked) around Worcester.

Right now I’m on a GWR Class 800 crossing the Cotswolds en-route to Didcot.

16:50.

And it was all going so well…

I got to Didcot only to find the Cardiff train was cancelled. Not just the Cardiff one either, Cheltenhams too. It seems that when things go majorly pear-shaped on the Great Western Main Line near London these are the services sacrificed. It’s like the East Coast with trains to Leeds.

Now I’m basking in the hottest weather and intense sun while I wait for a train to Swindon and a connection to Cardiff. Yes, I know there’s other ways I could have done it but I’l trying to show what ‘Joe public’ relies on. Anyway, as well as the sunshine i’ve red kites and Chinnooks flying overhead to keep me entertained. 

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