05:00.

Oh, God, is that really the time? Yep, I’m up and about, packing my kit to head off to Coventry for a job with Community Rail Network. I’ll explain more (with some pictures) later. But first I’ve got to get there and that involves another trip on a 4-car Cross-Country Voyager from Leeds. Deep joy. What conditions will I face this time? But first I have to catch the 06:16 from Halifax…

06:16.

We’re off. The streets of Halifax were deserted this time of morning apart from a handful of early-bird tradesmen waiting for lifts t2o work. Light drizzle arrived half way through my trip but it was so half-hearted it did little other than add starbursts to my glasses.

I had an anxious moment when I arrived at the station to see a cancelled train near the stop of the screen but it was the first Rochdale service, not mine. I’d only just made it down the stairs when a 3-car 158 pulled in. The 06:16 starts here, working the first train of the day to Hull. Now I’m making the most of a coach shared with just 4 other passengers.

06:40.

A delay with the crew changing ends at Bradford Interchange (where the service reverses) has left us running 4 minutes late. It cuts into my connection time at Leeds, but as long as we don’t lose more time I’ll still make the 07:11 to Birmingham. Fingers crossed…

06:52.

Having stopped at New Pudsey and Bramley this train’s really filled up. We’ve also lost another minute. Judging by how gingerly our driver approached the stop at Bramley I get the impression railhead conditions aren’t great. Still, next stop’s Leeds and we’re due in at the same platform (11) that my connection departs from. Let’s hope we get a clear run into the station…

07:30.

Well, I made my connection at Leeds, but there was fun and games at the station. LNER’s 07:08 to Aberdeen was cancelled but blocking a platform, so several trains were delayed as a result, including mine. When it did arrive it was already busy and dozens of people were waiting to board. When I got on I found every unoccupied seat was reserved! I was trapped by folks criwding in the car from either end so there was no oltion but to take what was on offer – an aisle seat reserved from Sheffield.

Putting out four-car sets like this is crazy. This service is going all the way to Plymouth. The other crazy thing? When I was at Derby works yesterday I saw six perfectly serviceable 5 car Voyagers that had come off-lease from Avanti West Coast which were in ‘warm store’. Why are they not cascaded to Cross-Country, the way three of their sisters have? Because of the Dept of Transport, that’s why. They won’t agree to it.

08:40.

Oh well, it was good whilst it lasted. My seat was taken at Sheffield, now I’m reduced to standing in the large luggage/bike area that used to be the shop on Virgin Voyagers. I did try ‘doing a Jeremy Corbyn’ by sitting down in a vestibule but there was a howling gale through the bottom of the exterior door. Only another 30 mins of this to go…

10:55.

Swapping services at New St I managed to get a seat on a Pendolino, even if it was for only 20 minutes!

Now I’m at Coventry, ready for the main event. It’s being held in a community room om the station that I realised is the old Virgin Trains 1st Class waiting room. Ironic. I was commissioned to take photographs of it when it first opened 20 years ago!

13:10.

Here’s a couple of pictures from today’s event hosted by Heart of England CRP and attended by the local MP, Mary Creagh and people from Rail Delivery Group, DfT and the community groups involved in projects on the station, including artwork in the new station building. I’ll add more details later.

15:35.

I’m on my way back via the ‘scenic’ route. Having got fed up of standing on Cross-county Voyagers I saw a train heading for Nuneaton so thought ‘I know, I’ll go by the Trent Valley. It’ll be slower but less busy’. Well, the first part of the plan worked. The 2-car Class 196 I caught had seats aplenty. Then I arrived at Nuneaton. The first Northbound Pendolino was rammed so I deciided to get the North-Western trains service to Crewe following behind it. Bad move. That was just as busy, but the clientele are (how shall I put it) more ‘budget travellers’. It’s all rather sad.

I walked the full length of the train, but it didn’t get any better apart from the fact I managed to find a seat. Sadly, it was behind a father and daughter (both pissed) talking about their life of crime going back to when she was 12 and he had the kids shoplifting for him – like some modern day Fagin.

16:25.

To say I was glad to leave that particular train at Crewe is an understatement! It being Friday the usual chaos and kate running ensues, meaning I couldn’t resist joining a former West Midlands Class 323 working to Manchester via the Airport. It’s blissfully quiet and ‘chav’ free.

21:45.

I’m home via the long way round via Huddersfield, so it’s time to call it a day. I’ve got to be up at silly o’clock again tomorrow to head over to Manchester on final time on this commission – and hopefully catch a rather erratic train. All will be revealed tomorrow.

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