Tags

, , , , , ,

10:25.

Today’s the only dry and sunny day we’re going to have in the Pennines this week, so I’m off out with the camera. It’s rather appropriate as today the Government have announced massive investment in public transport across the region, including funding for the long hoped for Leeds tram network – amongst other things (more of which later).

Right now I’ve made it to Bradford – which will eventually be on the end of the tram line from Leeds. I’m at Bradford Forster Square heading for Shipley where I’ll take a break to update a few pictures.

12:00.

I’m still at Shipley, the UK’s last remaining triangular station. The reason being, it’s proved to be rather busy. From the May timetable change, LNER began running regular services to Bradford Forster Square, which has added more variety. Plus, charter company West Coast railways  had a Carnforth to Great Yarmouth ‘Northern Belle’ dining train scheduled, which was worth hanging around for. Having had time to mooch around meant I noticed a few other things, like this.

A SPAD (Signal Passed At Danger) repeater. Easily identified by their blue hoods, these signals were once common at locations where drivers were likely to overshoot signals. Most have disappeared.

How’s this for a vintage survivor? Regional Railways Noth East ceased to exist back in the 1990s!

A train from Bradford Forster Square to Skipton calls at platform 5 at Shipley. Whilst the other sides of the triangle are double track, this is nowadays a single line as the opposite track and platform were abandoned in the 1980s.
Former Virgin ‘Thunderbird’ 57314, now named ‘Conwy Castle’ hauls empty stock from Carnforth to Great Yarmouth through Shipley.

13:35.

Having made it to Leeds I’m taking a break to do some admin work whilst considering my next options – which are a little restricted due to Trans-Pennine Route upgrade ‘bustitutions’ and the fact some of the things I’d hoped to photograph haven’t happened. On the plus side, I did find this opportunity as soon as I arrived.

Former Colas but now operated by GBRf, 60047 waits for the road at Leeds whilst working an empty stone train from Hull Dairycoates to Rylstone.

16:00.

I’ve decided to curtail my travels and channel my inner-child by becoming a platform-ender at Leeds. Since I’ve lived in this neck of the woods I’ve explored all the rail lines across Yorkshire, so there’s little for me to discover. Plus, the weather hasn’t quite worked out the way I’d hoped. Instead, I’m going to enjoy a few hours watching the world go by at Yorkshire’s premier railway station (cue squeals of outrage from York). Mind you, half the fun of being here is watching people as much as trains..

I was lucky enough to capture the first of the two Class 150 variants passing each other earlier – whilst a modern Hitachi train looks on. These BR built units are reaching the end of their lives and the process of replacing them has begun.

18:45.

Homeward bound. Well, via Bradford and a stroll twixt Forster Square and Interchange! I had intended to post a few mire pictures from Leeds, but the station wifi decided not to play ball. I’ll add them when I get home. Right now, I’m aboard one of the unique bubble-fronted Class 332s built by Siemens/CAF that you can only find working the Leeds/Bradford/Ilkley/Skipton circuit. Their Class 333 cousins used to work Heathrow Express services from Paddington, but they met their end several years ago. My train’s well  patronised, but then, as it’s the first post-peak fare service that’s hardly surprising.

My train and a sister unit at Forster Square.

19:40.

I arrived at Forster Square just in time to negotiate my way through the ranks of the city’s homeless and poor who were queuing up for hot drinks and second hand clothes that were being distributed by local charities. There’s a lot of money being invested in the cities infrastructure and transport, but decades of poverty, homelessness, and lack of opportunity are not so easy a nut to crack.

Now I’m aboard my last train of the day – a Class 150/2 working the Bradford – Huddersfield shuttle.

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/

Or – you can now buy me a coffee! https://ko-fi.com/paulbigland68312