Today’s been one dominated by the weather which has been a complete contrast to the day we arrived here in Wales. We had very heavy rain on and off throughout the night, which made sleeping just under an old barn roof interesting to say the least!
Upon waking we found the area around us was blanketed in low cloud and fog, so there there was little point in rushing out to sight-see. Instead we had a leisurely morning at ‘home’, giving me chance to catch up on some work emails and Dawn to relax.
Eventually we ventured out to head over to Pwllheli our first stop of the day. Whilst it’s the biggest town on the peninsula and the railhead for the area, it’s hardly the most attractive town. Admittedly it has some interesting buildings but the place has a shabby air redolent of so many faded seaside towns, especially at the end of the season. That wasn’t helped by the fact it was blanketed in fog! We stayed long enough to pick up some fresh hake from the excellent Llyn seafoods and for me to visit the station to see how busy the incoming train from Birmingham was, then it was time to head off to explore further.
The crew of 158830 exchange banter having arrived with 2J07, the 0808 Birmingham International to Pwllheli.
The weather cleared as we headed East, the sun almost managed to break through at one point en-route, but that didn’t last. However, we did manage to beat the same train on its return, which allowed me to get this shot of it leaving Portmadog.
Hello again! 158830 leaves Porthmadog as 2I24, the 1338 Pwllheli to Birmingham International. It will join another set from Aberystwyth at Machynlleth, working forward as a -4-car to Brum.
Porthmadog is a far nicer and more interesting town for a whole host of reasons. There’s much more going on thanks to the two narrow gauge railways which are a huge tourist draw. There’s a far better selection of shops too, including many small businesses. The air is more bohemian and arty and less traditionally touristy. Plus, there’s also the excellent Moose Head brewery, brewery tap and next door shop.
Needless to say, we couldn’t resist calling in to see activity at the Ffestiniog railway station where two of the line’s steam engines were present.
‘Linda’ waits in the sidings with the stock of the ‘Quarryman’ train to Blaenau Ffestiniog whilst ‘Palmerston’ shunts a train of coal wagons.
Sadly the rain arrived not long after we did so we decided not to hand around but risk our luck by heading into Snowdonia to visit Beddgelert. It was a lovely drive due to the changing seasons and colours that have appeared in the trees along the route. Plus, the Afon Glaslyn river which the road follows made a fine, swirling sight due to the heavy rains.
Beddgelert was quiet but still an enjoyable diversion despite the rain. The low clouds meant we played hide and seek when it came to views of the surrounding hills whilst fog on the river added to the climactic effects.
Whatever the weather (and there’s normally no shortage of rain in Snowdonia) the place is always worth a visit.
With the day rolling on and the weather determined to rain on our parade we made our way back West with one last stop. We had a wander around Cricceith, yet another Welsh town blessed with a castle – although I know that’s not how the Welsh saw them at the time! We didn’t stay long as the fog was really rolling in, it was atmospheric but rather wet! I’d love to see it like this at dawn with the colours of the new day illuminating the mist.
Now we’re back at home, toasting in front of the fire. The forecast for tomorrow is vastly improved and we have plans for further explorations. Let’s see…
I’ve a small favour to ask… If you enjoy reading this or any of the other blogs I’ve written, please click on an advert or two. You don’t have to buy anything you don’t want to of course – although if you did find something that tickled your fancy that would be fab! – but the revenue from them helps me to cover some of the cost of maintaining this site (which isn’t cheap and comes out of my own pocket). Remember, 99% of the pictures used in my blogs can be purchased as prints from my other website – https://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/
We’re back at our Welsh retreat after a relaxed morning and enjoyable day exploring the peninsula.
We’re staying near to Nefyn on the North side of the peninsula so it made sense to check out the coast by Morfa Nefyn. This possesses a narrow outcrop of rock jutting into the Irish Sea which contains some interesting archeology, a profusion of wildlife, fantastic coastal views – and a pub (the Tŷ Coch Inn) which is a rare beast. You can’t drive there. You can only visit on foot or by boat.
Having left the car on the beach road (the parking restrictions are much easier this time of year) we walked along the sand and pebnles getting broader with an ebbing tide. The weather even blessed us with unexpected sunshine. On reaching Porthdinllaen we decided to delay a pub visit in order to make the most of the weather and complete a coastal circuit first. The views were glorious. Sadly, there were no sightings of Dolphins or Seals, just Oystercatchers – and this.
Poor Dawn got horribly confused when we arrived back at the pub as she hadn’t studied the map and realised our route traversed a long teardrop of land that was only a few hundred yards long!
The pub’s a bit of a gem. This time of year it’s cosy but not too crowded. The weather’s mild enough to use the large outside seating area to watch over the beach and the antics of the many canines being taken for a walk. Dogs love beaches. There’s so many interesting things to sniff or dead things to roll in!
Moving on we decided to head to Aberdaron which was a 30 minute drive on very quiet roads – although I expect they’re anything but in the height of the tourist season!
Aberdaron’s a curious place. It’s a gorgeous location, with a wide beach surrounded by cliffs, but the village feels like it’s seen better times. A number of shops had closed down – and I’m not sure it was just because the season’s over. St Hywyn’s church on the foreshore’s a fascinating but melancholic place too.
There’s a large graveyard scraped out of the hillside that bears testament to the power of the sea and fragility of humankind. Here’s an example.
Over 100 sailors lost their lives when HMS Stephen Furness was torpedoed and sank before the ships lifeboats could be launched. This poor soul was never identified.
On the bright side, next door is Tŷ Newydd, a large hotel and bar with a huge verandah overlooking the beach. The staff were very friendly, the local ale in excellent condition and the views sublime. We really enjoyed out visit and would certainly return in the future. Now it’s time to call it a day and curl up in front of the log fire in the cottage. The wifi is as fast as a tortoise tonight, so most of this blog’s been typed on my phone.
The weather’s predicted to be wet tomorrow. How wet we won’t know until it arrives, but it won’t stop us exploring the area further.
I’ve a small favour to ask… If you enjoy reading this or any of the other blogs I’ve written, please click on an advert or two. You don’t have to buy anything you don’t want to of course – although if you did find something that tickled your fancy that would be fab! – but the revenue from them helps me to cover some of the cost of maintaining this site (which isn’t cheap and comes out of my own pocket). Remember, 99% of the pictures used in my blogs can be purchased as prints from my other website – https://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/
The pair of us have abandoned Bigland Towers for a few days and decamped to Wales for a break. We’re staying on the Llŷn peninsula, the bit of Wales that sticks out of the top, West of the Isle of Anglesey. It’s gorgeous, but I have to admit I’ve not spent much time around here for very many years. The last time I was in this neck of the woods of back in 2016. Dawn doesn’t know it at all, so this was chance to put that right.
The journey over from West Yorkshire took just over three hours by road, although we added to that by stopping off at Abergele for a break and the chance for me to get a picture or two as today’s weather has been superb. Sadly, the forecast suggests it’s all downhill from here – so we made the most of it.
See what I mean about the weather? One of Transport for Wales new CAF built class 197s passes Abergele and Pensarn with a service from Manchester.
We’re staying in an AirBnB in the middle of nowhere where you really wouldn’t try walking to the nearest pub (it’s *only* a 30 minute walk, down narrow single-track roads with no street-lighting). Not that it’s problem as that’s not why we’re here. We’re here to explore the coasts and byways and enjoy the great outdoors. Here’s a few pictures from today’s explorations.
Don’t tell George Monbiot but we’ve stoked up the wood burner and settled in for a cosy night at our new home.The bedroom. All I have to do is remember to duck when nipping to the loo! Our hosts greeted us with this very thoughtful welcome pack.The view from the back garden of our accommodation. Looking East along the coast from Morfa Nefyn. We’ll be spending more time exploring this area tomorrow. Beautiful, isn’t it?
I’ve a small favour to ask… If you enjoy reading this or any of the other blogs I’ve written, please click on an advert or two. You don’t have to buy anything you don’t want to of course – although if you did find something that tickled your fancy that would be fab! – but the revenue from them helps me to cover some of the cost of maintaining this site (which isn’t cheap and comes out of my own pocket). Remember, 99% of the pictures used in my blogs can be purchased as prints from my other website – https://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/
It may be Sunday but it’s been anything but lazy. Both of us have been busy here at Bigland Towers, finishing off stuff and preparing for the week ahead, which sees us relocate to the Lleyn peninsula in North Wales for a few nights. But before we go there’s been work to sort out. Dawn’s been busy getting ahead of herself with work for her organisation whilst I’ve been occupied getting last weeks pictures out to clients.
Then there’s been a cooking marathon. The pair of us have been fighting over space in the kitchen to come up with creations new and old. I’d plumped for having a crack at a new recipe for pork in a red curry done in a slow cooker, whilst Dee’d decided to bake us one of her fantastic Bakewell tarts to take away. Well, if you’re going to be out walking, what could be better than a sweet sugar rush?
So, today’s pictures are of our joint cooking efforts.
I enjoyed making this but I’d certainly tweak the recipe next time. Our tastes are more Asian, so we can take the spices, whilst the original recipe is a little more pedestrian for Western tastes. Dawn’s divine Bakewell tart, a confection that she’s honed to perfection. It’s Gluten free too…
I’ve a small favour to ask… If you enjoy reading this or any of the other blogs I’ve written, please click on an advert or two. You don’t have to buy anything you don’t want to of course – although if you did find something that tickled your fancy that would be fab! – but the revenue from them helps me to cover some of the cost of maintaining this site (which isn’t cheap and comes out of my own pocket). Remember, 99% of the pictures used in my blogs can be purchased as prints from my other website – https://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/
We’re winding down to the weekend here in Bigland Towers after a week that’s seen us both busy – and even at the same event for a change. Today’s been one where I’ve been housebound in order to catch up with picture editing and writing for a living in order to clear the decks for next week as the pair of us will be having a few days R&R in Wales, basing ourselves on the Lleyn peninsula. Mind you, getting out from home wasn’t that easy today as the contractors who’ve been resurfacing the road outside the cottage have been on the final stretch, laying the topcoat of tarmac and then sealing it with the company’s ‘special ingredient’ which adds durability and waterproofing. Well, that’s what one of the workers whom I had a long conversation told me when I nipped out to get pictures of their activities. To be honest, the folks who’ve been doing the work have been very good and very flexible. They know closing the road and getting people to move their cars can be an issue for some people. But hey, let’s keep this in perspective. We get a brand-new, pothole free road that will last for years at the end of it, so what’s the problem? No pain, no gain as they old saying goes (and this was hardly painful, merely mildly inconvenient). Plus, from a selfish perspective – I got to get some interesting pictures and learned something – and all I had to do was step outside my front door.
Still, more of that when I’ve the pictures downloaded and edited. Right now we’re about to call it a day, having nipped out to see if we can see the ‘Northern lights’. Sadly, there’s no light-show here in Halifax tonight – at least not at 23:00 anyway. Instead, I’ll leave you with a different sky. This was the sunset I saw from a beach on Viti Levu, Fiji, on the 9th March 1999…
I wonder if we’ll get anything to compete with this in Wales next week?
I’ve a small favour to ask… If you enjoy reading this or any of the other blogs I’ve written, please click on an advert or two. You don’t have to buy anything you don’t want to of course – although if you did find something that tickled your fancy that would be fab! – but the revenue from them helps me to cover some of the cost of maintaining this site (which isn’t cheap and comes out of my own pocket). Remember, 99% of the pictures used in my blogs can be purchased as prints from my other website – https://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/
I’ve enjoyed a train-free day today. No delays, no uncertainties – just the ability to have a bit of a much needed lie-in after so many early starts.
Most of today has been spent at home, editing hundreds of pictures from this last week’s jobs. There’s a diverse selection – as you’ll see if you visit my Zenfolio website (just follow this link) and there’s many more to come. Editing aside, there’s also writing to be done. So, whilst Dawn’s been up to her neck in work downstairs I’ve been doing the same upstairs.
Mind you, today’s been a good day to be stuck indoors. Whilst I was casting envious eyes at the sunshine that wasn’t predicted it soon caught up with the forecast. We ended up with heavy rain and a hailstorm, whilst the mercury spent most of the day hiding in the bottom of the barometer.
However, late this afternoon the pair of us knocked-off in order to travel over to Dee’s parents near Huddersfield to share an evening meal. Now we’re back at home having a quiet night in.
Meanwhile, here’s today’s picture which was taken in Nottingham the other day whilst I was waiting for the conference to start. The city’s a big university town so there’s a lot of young people and a lot of street art. Hence this picture catching my eye. Street art and trams summing up Nottingham.
I’ve a small favour to ask… If you enjoy reading this or any of the other blogs I’ve written, please click on an advert or two. You don’t have to buy anything you don’t want to of course – although if you did find something that tickled your fancy that would be fab! – but the revenue from them helps me to cover some of the cost of maintaining this site (which isn’t cheap and comes out of my own pocket). Remember, 99% of the pictures used in my blogs can be purchased as prints from my other website – https://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/
Another early start for me, even though I only got home late last night. This morning I’m travelling down to Bicester to meet up with a small band of fellow specialist media to have a look at progress on phase 1 of HS2 between Calvert and Quainton. But (as usual), first I’ve got to get there, which involves several trains. Let’s see how the day unfolds. This could be ‘fun’ in this neck of the woods at least as we’ve got heavy rain this morning…
06:55.
My walk to the station was damp, but the ‘heavy’ rain failed to materialise. Instead I was treated to the steady drumbeat of persistent but hardly torrential rain on my umbrella as I trudged through the deserted streets of Halifax.
Now I’m aboard the first train of the day, a 2-car Class 150 working the Bradford to Huddersfield shuttle service. It’s surprisingly busy for the time of day, although – as I’m not a regular user I couldn’t tell you if this is normal or not. The main thing is – it’s warm, dry and I’ve got a seat!
Early-bird workers catch the Huddersfield shuttle.
07:20.
We arrived at Huddersfield on time but now I’m in TPE territory so the next few Westbound trains are all running late. One’s 30 down (fault on the train) but mercifully, mine’s shown as just 1 min late – but we’ll see.
The station continues to change thanks to TRU rebuilding. The old tea room had disappeared. The area where it stood has been resurfaced and seating installed, which helps restore space for passngers but there’s no shelter from the cold in the winter.
07:35.
Success! My service was just a minute late! I’ve now got the ‘mobile office’ set up in a Class 185 forming the all stations to Manchester Piccadilly. This is another busy train which I expect to be full and standing by its destination. Dawn’s breaking now and I can see that the Colne valley’s just as wet and miserable as the Calder. Cloud level’s low enough that it’s cut off the tops of the surrounding hills.
07:50.
After traversing the Pennines through the Standedge tunnel we called at Greenfield and Mossley. As I predicted, this train is now rammed! Dozens of soggy commuters were waiting at each location. Most people think of this as an intercity route between Leeds and Manchester (which it is) but it also has a large commuting catchment which hasn’t been best served in recent years. Hopefully, when the TRU upgrade is completed this will be rectified. TRU is becoming more evident on this section of line now. There’s work going on at the lineside with vegetation clearence and mikes of new cable troughs – the first solid sign of action rather than talk. Plus, plans have been published to resite Greenfield station.
What’s still an unknown are any details of the erstwhile ‘Northern Powerhouse Rail’ new line from Liverpool which was meant to magically end at Marsden.
08:35.
Oh, joy! Arriving at Manchester Piccadilly with a 12 minute connection time I thought everything was going well. Then I noticed that the 5-car Voyager I was meant to be catching was sat in platform 4 with engines off and lights out but dozens of folk stood outside waiting to board. Cross-country staff were wandering up and down (inside and out) but the engines didn’t start until after our departure time. With doors released their was a mad scamble to find reserved seats or vacant ones for those like me without a reservation. Still, at least I’ve got one this time.
We’ve left Manchester 9 minutes late which puts our path South in jeopardy and my 12 minute connection time at Leamington Spa at risk. Do Cross-Country ever make any time up on these runs? I’m about to find out.
09:10.
God, I hate this journey. As the only way of geeting between two of the major UK cities (Manchester and Birmingham) this is such a sub-standard product and thanks to that ignorant and capricious fool Rishi Sunak taking it upon himself to cancel phase 2 of HS2 this is the best we have to look forward to for decades to come.
We’ve lost more time, having left Stoke-on-Trent 10 mins late (who-hoo, we pulled back a minute!). The go/no-go point for me will be New St. Then I have to make the decision wether to stay on the train and try and make the connection at Leamington Spa or hotfoot it from New St to Moor St to pick up the train there. The latter could well be the better option.
11:00.
Bugger…
My optimism at making my connection faded just as soon as we left Wolverhampton still 10 minutes down, this rail corridor’s notorious for congestion and sure enough we lost more time and arrived at New St with me having 5 mins to make it across to Moor St. I arrived just in time to see my train pulling out. Now I’m 30 mins behind schedule with no option but to get a taxi from Bicester to the site for a rapid change into PPE.
Oh, I checked what time the Voyager got into Leamington. It was 15 down as that point – with the London train long gone. Just another frustrating day in the railway…
19:00.
An interesting but frustrating day. But first here’s a couple of phone pictures from earlier. I’ll add camera shots just as soon as I’m able.
Looking North along the HS2 trace South of Calvert with the waste incinerator to the left. The view’s from a new bridge being built over the tracks which will eventually number 6 at this location. HS2 will be on the left, the Aylesbury rail link in the centre, plus a pair of sidings for refuse trains to the right.Looking South from further up the trace. This will be a new green bridge with a bat mitigation structure adjacent to it. The route will be four track at this point. Sheephouse wood is seen to the left.
We finished our tour at Calvert, a site that’s seen many changes – and a lot of recent flooding due to heavy rain. Despite that, progress is impressive.
After the tour our merry band were dropped off at Bicester North to begin the trek home. That was fine as far as Banbury, then late-running Cross-Country trains thew a spanner in the works. I should have been heading home via Derby and Leeds. Instead, I’m perched in a luggage rack in a 4-car Voyager heading for Manchester.
Don’t ask how many people are crammed in the vestibule behind me…
21:15.
And breathe…
I’m on the last leg on the way home. The 4-car Voyager from Birmingham to Manchester remained busy throughout. Some seats swapped occupants several times but I gave up trying and stayed wedged in my luggage rack. There was no way I was going to get anything productive done on the train so why bother?
Needless to say, my train (1M61) was delayed arriving into Piccadilly by a series of signal checks due to congestion. We were 19 minutes late on arrival, having clocked up 18 of those from Stockport.
Having walked across a busy but somewhat subdued city centre I treated myself to a pint in the Victoria Tap as I had time to kill before catching the train I’m on now, the 20:57 to Leeds. Made up of a pair of 2-car Class 195s, it’s mercifully quiet after the Voyager – hence me having time to do this update from the ‘mobile office’
Dawn’s kindly offered to pick me up from the station so I’m not going to be back home at too daft a time, but downloading the camera and adding more pictures to this blog may have to wait. I’m looking forward to having a few days at home now to catch up on picture editing and writing before we both head off for a break in a pert of the country I’ve not explored for several years. But more of that another time…
I’ve a small favour to ask… If you enjoy reading this or any of the other blogs I’ve written, please click on an advert or two. You don’t have to buy anything you don’t want to of course – although if you did find something that tickled your fancy that would be fab! – but the revenue from them helps me to cover some of the cost of maintaining this site (which isn’t cheap and comes out of my own pocket). Remember, 99% of the pictures used in my blogs can be purchased as prints from my other website – https://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/
The conference has already begun here in Nottingham.
First up was a welcome video from Lord Hendy, whose full diary prevented him for appearing in person. It was introduced by Simon Huish from the DfT who’s acting as event moderator.
11:30.
We’ve had a busy day so far hearing from a range of speakers, including Jools Townsend, CRN’s Chief Executive, James McGowan, Public Affairs & PR Director for the Rail Industry Association and Emma Robertson, Programme Manager for RAIL 200. Afterwards all three became part of a panel discussion.
17:30.
Another busy day. The conference finished around 16:00 after a really interesting day where people had divided into breakout groups to discuss the subjects that really interested them. Apart from being busy taking pictures of the sessions I ended up being a major part of one as it was a discussion around photography and the law that included model releases and permissions. As you can imagine, as a 25yr long member of the National Union of Journalists I had a few legal perspectives and anecdotes to offer.
A chunk of the CRN staff were heading North together so we walked/caught the tram to Nottingham station where we adjourned for a drink in the station’s micropub before catching trains. The pubs located in the old wooden taxi office which was restored with a grant from the Railway Heritage Trust, so – we were still working, right?
Now we’re on Northern’s 17:17 to Leeds which is worked by a 2-car Class 195. It’s rammed, so it’s standing room only..
19:40.
Thankfully, the train emptied out after Alfreton, which seems to be the limit of Notts commuters on this service. The three of us managed to get seats. After Chesterfield we bagged a table whilst other colleagues joined us. We lost people en-route at Sheffield and Barnsley, leaving Dawn and I alone to Leeds. Now we’re on the last leg aboars a rather more roomy 3-car Class 158 working the Hull to Halifax run.
We’ll be glad to get home as we’ve both got work to finish. Plus, tomorrow I’ll be up early as I’m travelling down to Bicester to join an HS2 media trip looking at structures around Calvert and Southwards – so expect another blog on my adventures.
I’ve a small favour to ask… If you enjoy reading this or any of the other blogs I’ve written, please click on an advert or two. You don’t have to buy anything you don’t want to of course – although if you did find something that tickled your fancy that would be fab! – but the revenue from them helps me to cover some of the cost of maintaining this site (which isn’t cheap and comes out of my own pocket). Remember, 99% of the pictures used in my blogs can be purchased as prints from my other website – https://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/
Today both Dawn and I are heading to Nottingham for the annual Community Rail Network conference which is held over the next two days. It’s familiar territory as we’re back in a venue we’ve used for several years now as – unlike the awards – we don’t need to move location every year.
Community rail staff, officers, and volunteers will be making their way from all around the country to attend. It’s always a great event as it’s a chance to catch up with old friends and socialise as well as swap best practice ideas and learn more about the community rail world and wider rail context in these changing times.
Right now the pair of us are heading to Leeds to catch Northern’s direct service to Nottingham. It’s not the fastest journey in the world but it’s an easy trip that will pick up other members of the team en-route. I’ll blog on and off throughout the day, so feel free to pop back and see what we get up to.
21:00.
Humble apologies for the long gap but it’s been a full-on day. A few colleagues joined us on the train to Nottingham so most of our time was taken up catching up. Once we’d arrived it was a case of hot-footing it to the venue to check in and arrange what happened next. I managed to have an hour to myself to get a few pictures out and about in a very civilised city that more of a European than English feel to it, but that’s partly due to this sensible form of transport. Trams.
The conference kicked off at 17:30 with registration, which is always an entertaining event as Dawn works on the desk, so the humour was flying.
Once in the room people had time for a drink and to network before we were treated to introductory speeches and a run-through of events.
Then came the important part – the food!
This isn’t like a normal conference where the agenda and topics are set beforehand. Here, people are given 45 minutes to talk with others on their tables, then suggest topics to be discussed in tomorrow’s breakout sessions. There was no shortage of suggestions. The most popular were decided on by a show of hands and some great ideas were chosen.
Now it’s time to wind down and let the networking continue, which more some of us means adjourneing to a nearby pub!
I’ve a small favour to ask… If you enjoy reading this or any of the other blogs I’ve written, please click on an advert or two. You don’t have to buy anything you don’t want to of course – although if you did find something that tickled your fancy that would be fab! – but the revenue from them helps me to cover some of the cost of maintaining this site (which isn’t cheap and comes out of my own pocket). Remember, 99% of the pictures used in my blogs can be purchased as prints from my other website – https://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/
Today’s a rather important one in the life of the East Yorkshire port of Goole. It’s actually an important day for London too, as will be revealed later. But – well, you know the drill by now – first I’ve got to get there (and back of course). I’ll be setting off shortly. Let’s see how the journey unfolds…
07:00.
Today’s walk to the station was a lovely one. Daybreak brought some lovely colors to the sky on what’s a crisp, still morning. As usual, Northern has cancelled trains due to staff shortages but my 06:53 to Leeds was running. Formed of a 3-car 195 this is a fairly quiet train carrying early-bird workers, although I expect it’ll fill up en-route.
07:40.
Step 2.
After an unremarkable but comfortable journey to Leeds I’ve swapped a DMU for this beastie, which will push me to Doncaster.
91105 waits to head to London after arriving from Skipton.
08:30.
The railway is behaving itself today! I’m now on the last of three trains needed to get me to Goole. This time it’s a Northern Class 170 which was cascaded from Scotrail a few years ago. They’re good comfy trains that we rarely see West of Leeds as they mostly operate out of Hull. I’ll be adding a few pictures of them on my return.
10:35.
This is why I’m in Goole…
Guests, workers and the media assemble, waiting for the arrival of Transport Minister Louise Haigh and the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan.
11:30.
Louise Haigh addresses the audience.
The speeches from Lou Haigh and Sadiq Khan were interesting. Not because they made any announcements about new train orders, but by the direction they took. Haigh was keen to suggest that the days of ‘feast or famine’ train orders would be coming to an end. She stressed that transport investment was a priority at the heart of the new Government (so I’ll be watching this month’s budget with interest). Khan made it clear that much as these new Piccadilly line trains were very welcome, replacing the life expired Bakerloo line fleet (trains older than Khan himself) was a priority – and that it wouldn’t just be good for London, it would be good for Yorkshire and the economy as a whole. The pair of them (plus Siemens Mobility CEO Sambit Banerjee) gave a round of interviews to national and local TV and radio companies. I had to crack a wry smile at seeing the Mayor of London being interviewed by LBC radio – in Yorkshire!
14:30.
Well, that was an interesting few hours andering around a train-building factory getting pictures of the great and good. I’ll add some camera shots later when I’ve had chance to edit them. Right now I’m on a Northern Class 158 heading for Hull where I’ll have a short interlude before beginning the trip back to Halifax. It’s a lovely sunny day here in the East Riding of Yorkshire, so it would be a shame to waste it.
18:40.
My Hull hiatus allowed me to make the most of the sunshine and catch a few library shots like this.
Rather than catch the slow (but direct) train to Halifax I opted for a TPE service in order to make use of the tables and power sockets to set up the ‘mobile office’ and begin editing today’s pictures. It certainly passed the time. Sadly, congestion East of Leeds meant I missed my connection which pulled out just as we arrived. Now I’m on an old warhorse in the shape of a 3-car Class 158. The irony? It’s the slow train from Hull I flagged earlier!
21:00.
I’m home, so here’s a selection of camera pictures from the event.
The front row guests included Seb Dance, Louise Haigh and Sadiq Kahn,Sambit Banerjee, joint chief executive of Siemens Mobility welcomes everyone to Goole. Secretary of State for Transport, Louise Haigh outlined the Government’s plans for transport. Mayor of London Sadiq Khan, welcoming the new trains. It wasn’t all serious! Of course, no official opening would be complete without a plaque! Louise and Sadiq getting the rundown on construction of the new tube cars. A car in the bays for fitting out. The width of the double doors is evident. The cars are fitted out in a row of bays like this example. One of the bogie-less intermediate cars formed part of the stage-dressing for the event.
Meanwhile, later in the day in Hull…
One of the former Scotrail Class 170s cascaded to Northern that provide services across the East Riding. Yep, it’s that time of year again. The ‘leafbuster’ Railhead Treatment Train (RHTT) takes a break at Hull, top and tailed by 37254 and 37116.
I’ve a small favour to ask… If you enjoy reading this or any of the other blogs I’ve written, please click on an advert or two. You don’t have to buy anything you don’t want to of course – although if you did find something that tickled your fancy that would be fab! – but the revenue from them helps me to cover some of the cost of maintaining this site (which isn’t cheap and comes out of my own pocket). Remember, 99% of the pictures used in my blogs can be purchased as prints from my other website – https://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/
Paul Bigland 