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07:15.

This will be an intermittent rolling blog as I’ll be spending much of the day at GCRE (see yesterday’s blog) with the team from Furrer and Frey before catching trains back to West Yorkshire, which is a long old trip taking almost 6 hours. Plus, phone reception from the middle of nowhere isn’t the best. Still, I’m sure that I’ll be able to keep you entertained. Right now it’s time for breakfast before we head out to the site to have a play with the variable height catenary that F&F have installed. Catch you later…

Furrer and Frey’s area on the GCRE short test track.

18:30.

I’m back!

As predicted, it’s been a long old day, but better than expected due to the weather picking up. The Baltic winds we suffered from yesterday had abated, temperatures were reasonable and the F&F team pretty much had the site to ourselves. The plan was to get a series of still and videos of the company’s project at GCRE whilst we could. The day went well and we managed to wrap up at a sensible time that meant we wouldn’t be heading home into the wee hours.

Part of my job was to put what F&F are doing into the context of the landscape as well as capture work on the OHL with a MEWP* as a prop. I also had time to show the splendid isolation of the site and how it gives excellent views of the nearby Brecon Beacons. Here’s a small selection of pictures.

Now this is what you call a trainset! Former Heathrow Connect units waiting to be used as test-beds once the 7km long circular test track is complete. Track panels which can be used to build it sit in wait…
Here’s an old OS map for context. Many of these pictures were taken around where the lettering saying ‘Nant Helen opencast coal mine’ are.
Looking North into the Brecon Beacons. The lighting was very moody today.
Coal mining may have finished but there’s still several of these massive Komatsu S3000 diggers on site. They’re gradually being resold to mining operations around the world.

Job done, a group of us got a lift to Swansea off a colleague where we went our separate ways. I caught a train to Cardiff where I had a short break to capture more of the changing face of the city’s railways in the build up to rush-hour. The new Stadler bi and tri modes are putting in appearances, such as this one.

Tri-mode 756117 (the last of the class) picks up passengers at Cardiff Central.

19:00.

Right now I’m on a slowly emptying 16:49 from Cardiff Central to Manchester Piccadilly – only this time it’s going all the way. This 3-car Class 197 was packed from Cardiff as far as Hereford, where it slowly started to empty out. Even so, a healthy number of passengers joined en-route as far as Shrewsbury. It’s only now that I have the table bay where I’ve set up the mobile office to myself.

19:50.

We’ve now left Crewe so I’m getting closer and closer to home. One thing I’ve noticed about this CAF built Transport for Wales train is – it’s cold in here. I’m sat in the table bay next to the gangway in the central car. This 197 is like the Northern 195s, there’s no doors sealing off the gangways which means cold air seeps into the vehicles. Plus, you can’t lock out a vehicle if there’s a problem – you have to take the whole train out of service. Now it’s got so cold I’ve had to put my coat back on.

Another day, another delayed train. I was looking forward to getting home but this service has gradually lost time en-route. We lost 6 minutes approaching Prees, leaving us 10 down. Our Crewe stop didn’t help, but then we got stuck at Sandbach to let other services pass, which is now seeing us running even later. At this rate my hike between Piccadilly and Victoria is looking under pressure to catch the 20:57 back to Halifax. I’ve just checked, we’re now 29 minutes down. I’m beginning to wonder if we’re going to get chucked out at Wilmslow again…

20:25.

I’ve no idea what the issue was around Sandbach but a quick look at other services (in both directions) makes our delay look mild. We’re now 36 mins late so I can kiss my connection goodbye. Looks like I won’t be home until late – again. Maybe a day at home tomorrow isn’t a bad idea…

One small mercy, we didn’t get terminated at Wilmslow so we’re now going to make Manchester. Of course – I won’t make my connection – but I can still get home at a vaguely sensible time. And, as I’m ‘on the clock’ I might even push the boat out and get a taxi home!

21:35.

The last (rail) leg. As I arrived late in Manchester I eschewed the chance to buy hot food en-route from Piccadillly to Victoria as i didn’t want to miss my connection so picked up a sandwich instead. Imagine the curses I muttered under my breath when I got to Victoria only to find the 21:21 to Leeds was running 7 minutes late! Of course, that margin increased by the time it left Victoria. But, at least I’m on the way home.

I’m on another CAF built train but as I’m in the front car of this 2-car unit and it’s reasonably busy the ambient temperature’s rather pleasant.

22:05.

The agony and frustration continues. My late-running train followed an all-stations stopper as far as Todmorden which meant we lost more and more time. We’re currently 20 minutes late departing from Todmorden. Now the stopper in front of us has buggered off towards Blackburn leaving our route clear.

*MEWP – Mobile Elevated Work Platform.

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