Here’s another in the series of picture blogs looking at the gradual demise of the old British Railways built train fleets. In this case it’s my favourite of the bunch, the Class 365 fleet which was retired (too early in my opinion) in 2021.
The 4 car, 100mph capable Class fleet were the last vehicles to be built at York works. 41 units were constructed at the Holgate Road factory between 1994-95. Part of the ‘Networker’ design (which produced the Class 165 and 465 diesel and electric fleets), these trains were produced for longer distance services. The first 16 originally went to work Network Southeast services out of Victoria before Connex took over what became the South-Eastern franchise. They stayed South of the river until 2004 when they moved to join their sisters working for West Anglia Great Northern (WAGN) out of Kings Cross. Units 365517-541 went straight to East Coast services, operating regional services from Kings Cross to Peterborough, Cambridge and Kings Lynn.
For many years they were the backbone of WAGN and later First Capital Connect express services. They were comfortable trains from a passenger perspective, despite the lack of air-conditioning (they had forced-air ventilation through hopper windows). They had 2+2 seating and tables plus bigger windows, which made them far superior to the earlier Class 317s they shared duties with.
The Class stayed on East Coast services until they were gradually retired from service from 2017 inwards, having been displaced by newer Class 387s. Many units went into store but a stock shortage in Scotland in 2018 (due to defects with the new Hitachi built Class 385 EMUs) saw 10 of the trains leased to Scotrail from April 2018 where they remained in service until March 2019, working services from Glasgow Queen St to Edinburgh Waverley. The final units were retired from Great Northern service on the 15th May 2021. Little fuss was made because of the Covid pandemic which was a shame as they’d served the railways well. After a period in storage most have gone for scrap which is an even greater shame. They were less than 30 years old and could have provided a useful fleet on newly electrified lines such as East West rail if only the Government hadn’t decided not to electrify the line and cut back other wiring plans. An earlier proposal to shift them to GWR services came to nothing as new Class 387s were ordered instead. Still, I’m fortunate to have lived on their route in North London and spent many years travelling on them and photographing them in service. Here’s a look back at their lives and times.
Please note, all pictures are my copyright.
On the 24th March 2002 class leader 365501 is pictured at London’s Victoria station in Connex livery.Sporting the later Thameslink livery and carrying Great Northern branding 365502 is seen speeding towards Kings Cross through Oakleigh Park on the 27th March 2017.365506 passes Denmark Hill on the 23rd November 2002 when the network was still suffering from the panicked rash of 20mph speed restrictions imposed after the terrible Hatfield 2000 rail crash caused by rail defects. To add to the problems a sister Class 365 had been involved in the Potters Bar crash only a few months before this picture. WAGN operated 365510 wears a special advertising wrap extolling the tourist virtues of Cambridge and Ely at Kings Cross on the 22nd December 2005. Towards the end of their careers 10 of the units were sent to Scotland for a year. Here’s 365513 at Glasgow Queen Street on the 30th July 2018.The classic view of the old complex Kings Cross station throat with 365519 and 365514 passing, seen on the 14th April 2017.Here’s a view of the new wheel lathe building at Hornsey on the 7th October 2013 when the building was being used to give 365515 a freshly painted white cab roof. I always thought The First Capital Connect dynamic blue livery and white cab roofs really suited these trains. Seen at Hitchin on the 24th July 2006, 365516 still carries NSE livery but with the addition of First Capital Connect branding on the vehicle sides. Rain, shine (or snow) the 365s maintained services on the East coast. On the 28th February 2018 365517 speeds through Harringay en-route to Kings Cross.365521 was one of 10 sets sent to Scotland in 2018-19. It’s seen here at Glasgow Queen St with a service for Edinburgh on the 17th July 2018.Set 365524 was chosen as the Guinea-pig to test a cab air-conditioning system, hence the odd box on the nose. It’s seen here at Harringay on the 30th October 2001. The tests led to the front end of the units being redesigned which left them with a smiley face, leading to their nickname ‘happy trains’. A not so happy train. Here’s vehicle 65960 from set 365526 being lifted clear of the tracks days after the tragic Potters Bar crash which killed seven people. This was the leading car which had come to rest sideways across the tracks and jammed under the platform canopies you can see to the left. The date is the 14th May 2002. The remaining vehicles from Potters Bar crash victim 365526 seen at Crewe works on the 10th September 2005. They never saw service again. Two ended up being used by the RAF for target practice at RAF Spadeadam in Cumbia whilst the other was stripped for spares before being scrapped. On the 13th December 2016 set 365533 sits inside the new Siemens depot at Hornsey which was built on the site of the former Coronation sidings North of the original depot site.The 365s rarely strayed from their established routes but on the 17th March 1997 365534 and 315803 are seen passing Stratford in East London whilst on their way from Hornsey depot to Ilford depot for attention. On the 25th July 2018 a pair of 365s with 365537 trailing pass Bonnymuir in Scotland whilst working from Glasgow Queen St to Edinburgh Waverley.Seven years earlier on the 27th August 2011 365537 was on more familiar territory. It’s seen here passing the old wooden signalbox at Watlington station on the line from Ely to Kings Lynn. The box carries the station’s former name – Magdalen Rd.Wearing the attractive First Capital Connect livery the last of the class, 365541 pulls out of Kings Cross on the 28th June 2014.The interior of one of the driving cars of 365505 shows why the units were such a pleasant environment for passengers. Spacious and comfortable with a far better ambience than the earlier Class 317s. Seen on the 3rd May 2013.
Most of these trains have already gone for scrap at Newport in South Wales, but at the time of writing several of the sets are languishing at Doncaster Belmont yard, although these are due to follow this month. Here’s the timetable for the first move on the 8th March. There’s speculation that set 365525 may be retained for departmental use but I’ve not seen any official confirmation.
Three vehicles are being preserved. The East Kent railway is taking two driving cars and a trailer from sets 524 and 540 which will be used as a restaurant, an exhibition area and a major events venue.
I’ve a favour to ask… If you enjoy reading this blog, 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/
Thank you!
Next up (when I’ve got time) I’ll be having a look at the Southern Class 455 fleet (in both Connex and Southern guises) as this fleet is expected to be withdrawn by the end of 2022.
The fact we’ve slipped over from February to March didn’t go unnoticed today – mainly due to the gorgeous – almost Spring like – sunshine we were bathed in today, along with mild temperatures. Of course, today would happen to be a day when I spent most of it stuck indoors! Thanks to my recent travels and having rejigged my plans as short notice to accommodate last minute commissions I’m behind on scribbling some articles so enjoying the sunshine’s had to take a backseat.
That said, it’s ben a productive day and I’ve got a lot done so missing the chance to top up my vitamin D levels was a worthwhile sacrifice. Now, if only I can have another day like this tomorrow I might have the end of the week free – just in time for the next band of rain. Damn! Ah, well – maybe working from home for the rest of the week will have some compensations. I’ve certainly enough articles that need words bashing together and there’s always slides to scan…
Despite the forecast, there’s a real feeling that spring is just around the corner. Our garden is springing to life with a mixture of snowdrops and daffodils (plus the odd Hyacinth) and I was amazed to see how much blossom was appearing across the West Midlands the other day. Add in the fact the days are getting longer and there’s a lot to look forward to especially as Covid is slowly fading away. Mind you, that seems partly because some people are simply ignoring the risks to pretend it’s somehow vanished overnight. It’s been overtaken by the awful news from the Ukraine and the madness unleashed by Putin. Noe people are more worried about thoughts of war and nuclear arsenals than they are of microbes. Still, I’ll be wearing my mask in public places for a while longer yet…
Right, enough of such thoughts. What’s today’s picture? To be honest, even I had no idea what it would be when I started typing earlier. But I’ve plumped for this, taken yesterday. In yesterday’s blog I mentioned how passengers are returning to the railway. Quiet scenes like this at Leeds station are fast becoming a thing of the past as folk return to old habits such as socializing and going out. You won’t see it looking this relaxed at the weekend…
I’ve a favour to ask… If you enjoy reading this blog, 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/
Only I wish I wasn’t starting it this damned early! I’m already half way through my first cup of coffee as I prepare to head off to Chesterfield for the day. Still, it’s not all bad, when I opened the living room curtains this morning I could see that the garden and road outside are dry (which makes a pleasant change) so the walk to the station should be enjoyable and I don’t have to swathe myself in waterproofs. I’ll be blogging as and when throughout the day as it unfolds, so feel free to keep popping back to see what I get up to…
06:35.
My walk to the station was rather ghostly this morning as Halifax was deserted. I hardly saw another living soul until I arrived at the town centre. Even the dog-walkers seemed to be having a lie-in today. This changed on arrival at the station where a few dozen folk were waiting for simultaneous departures East and West. I boarded the 06:17 to Hull via Leeds worked by a 3-car Class 158 which had plenty of space available and didn’t fill up until we reached Bradford.
Where is everybody?
08:45.
My trip from Leeds to Chesterfield was uneventful. The Cross-Country Voyager I caught had plenty of spare seats so I had chance to do some work on the train. On a whim I decided to chane at Sheffield and catch the Northern service that was running behind us for the last leg. This turned out to be a 2-car Class 195 and it was rammed! Plenty of people disembarked at Sheffield but dozens joined it, making it rather cozy…
Right, i’m off to find a taxi – more later…
18:00.
Apologies for the long absence but it’s been a hectic day. The client had arranged for me to visit several of their construction projects. What I hadn’t realised was these were spread all over the Midlands! So I ended up spending the day being driven around to visit and photograph a diverse range of construction projects at Alfreton, Tipton, Stoke and a couple more back at Chesterfield. I’ll write about this in detail later when I’m on the train back to Leeds. Right now I’m wating for my connection in Sheffield so decided to get out of the cold and wet in the excellent Sheffield Tap on the station.
18:40.
So much for my cunning plan to blog at length from the train. I’d been waiting for Cross-Country’s 18:21 to Edinburgh to get me to Leeds. Not that I was the only one as dozens of folk lined the platform. Handily, my train was diagrammed to use 1B – right outside the pub! There was just one problem. We were treated to a single 4-car Voyager. It’s like the old days inside. I’m perched on the luggage rack as most seats are occupied and I can’t get near a power socket to plug-in my laptop.
Still, I have to laugh as I’ve just seen a couple of HS2 antis arguing on Twitter that we don’t need HS2 as only the rich use trains! You know that anyone trotting out that nonsense has probably never travelled on the railways at all.
We’re all rich, apparently…
20:40.
I’m back in the warm at home and looking forward to catching up on sleep after such an early start. It’s been a fascinating day that’s allowed me to see so many different things. The inside of a recycling centre near Alfreton (that was a bit ‘ripe’ – even in this weather). A galvanizing factory in Tipton (that was different), a couple of brand new offices and industrial units, a huge business near Stoke employing 280 staff manufacturing meals for M&S that bans anyone bringing in any glass or nuts and finally, the new extension to a huge garden centre – all of which gave me the opportunity to indulge my interest in architecture. Oh, the routes we took also allowed me to view a lot of HS2 construction work around the West Midlands and Birmingham – which is really coming on. Finally, we had a scenic drive back across country through Leek, the Peak District and Bakewell to Chesterfield. So, all in all not a bad day at all – especially as I was being paid to enjoy all this!
Now all I’ve got to do is sort out the pictures – but that’s going to have to wait. Tomorrow I’ve got some serious scribbling to do…
I’ve a favour to ask… If you enjoy reading this blog, 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 hectic pace of last week hasn’t let up over the weekend. I may be based back at home but most of my time’s been spent working. I’ve a haul of hundreds of pictures to collate and edit from Friday which has been made more complicated than it needed to be by a battery choosing yesterday to expire.
My Nikons carry a tiny battery buried away inside the main battery compartment whose sole function is to keep the date/time function ticking over independent of the main (humongous) battery. They last for ages. In fact, this one’s lasted for 6 years despite the Nikon manual suggesting you replace them after 2 years. Maybe I should have listened – or at least carried a spare. Why? Because on my job on Friday this battery decided to finally give up the ghost. Not a problem you’d probably think as the camera won’t stop working. You’d be right. But…
What it does mean is that the EXIF data on every photo is exactly the same. They’re all taken at 00:00 on 1/1/2016 – which means trying to sort them our is a friggin nightmare as there’s absolutely no order to them when you download them from the camera. Collating pictures becomes a game of hide and seek! Still, it’s done now which is just as well.
Despite this added excitement (and extra hours) we’ve had a good weekend. Last night we went out for a meal with a couple of friends who’re stalwarts of the Mytholmroyd station friends group. We’ve known Sue and Geoff for many years now. Pre-Covid we’d regularly meet for drinks and food but the Pandemic put paid to all that – until last night when the four of us enjoyed a lovely meal and drinks at this bar and tapas place in Mytholmroyd. I’m not going to bore you with selfies and food pictures from the night. It’s not why we were there, this was just an evening with friends without pressures.
Today’s seen me with my nose pressed firmly against the grindstone, sorting out my clients pictures from Friday as I’m back on the rails again tomorrow carrying out part 2 of their current commission and calling in to Chesterfield to do so. Plus, I’ve a shedload of writing to do next week and deadlines to meet – deadlines made all the more tight by taking on this last-minute commission! Still, my bank balance will thank me…
So, expect a rolling (or maybe stumbling) blog tomorrow as I make my way from Halifax to Chesterfield and back. In the meantime here’s the picture of the day which is from my expedition trackside on the Haywards Heath blockade which is coming to an end this weekend. The main compound was in the carpark at Haywards Heath station but the worksite was further South in a deep cutting. The only way to get there was to walk through the 249 yard long Haywards Heath tunnel – which is rather wet due to water ingress but at least the juice rail was isolated. Mind you, we weren’t the only occupants of the tunnel as this engineers train took up one road. Not exactly a place you normally get to wander around, is it?
I’ve a favour to ask… If you enjoy reading this blog, 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 been another quiet on here at Bigland Towers. The pair of us have been slaving away over hot computers – with varying degrees of success. Freelance life can be frustrating sometimes when you put a lot of effort into sorting out a potential commission only for the client to change their mind at the last moment and can the project. Such is life, sadly and why you always try to have several irons in the fire. At least I can concentrate on other stuff now. Hopefully the project will morph into a bigger job in the next few months.
Apart from that, the day’s not gone badly. I’ve caught up on paperwork and picture editing, continued writing my next articles and even found time this evening to update a blog on the old Class 317 trains as well as be active enough to get all my exercise routines ticked off (and more). Dawn’s been out with friends this evening which meant I didn’t have to cook so pleased myself with a concoction made from few bits from cupboard and fridge and concentrated on working instead, which gives me a clear run at a few other projects tomorrow as well as continuing keyboard bashing. Tomorrow evening I’ll be more traditional and find (and follow) a recipe rather than freestyle for one!
Hopefully the weather will continue to improve and by next week I’ll have space to resume my travels at some point. As always, things on the railways don’t stand still and a lot of changes are afoot. Plus, as the Covid emergency protocols wind down, many train services are being reinstated, which will make movement both easier and more pleasant.
So, on to the picture of the day, which is another in the series of old slides from India taken in 1995. They’re still in my inbox waiting to be edited so won’t be appearing on my Zenfolio website for a while, but here’s a taster. Yesterday’s was of one of the Portuguese Christian churches in Old Goa, today’s is from the Hindu religion and features the Shri Shanta Durga temple in Kavalem, Ponda district, North Goa. It was built between 1730-36.
I’ve a favour to ask… If you enjoy reading this blog, 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 to cover some of the cost of maintaining this site – and right now (because of Covid), us freelances appreciate all the help that we can get to aid us in bouncing back from lockdowns. Remember, 99% of the pictures used in my blogs can be purchased as prints from my other website – https://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/
I’d planned to be working from home all day today but things changed when Dawn asked if I’d come into Huddersfield with her whilst she checked the Community Rail Network offices in the old water-tower at the station. How could I refuse? Dee also had a meeting at the offices that was still going ahead despite the weather so I made myself scarce for a few hours by nipping over the border into Lancashire to get some pictures and see how the railway’s coping with the torrential rain and storms we’ve been having. I’d had a quick look on Real Time Trains which showed Colne Valley services running with just a few delays, so I wasn’t expecting any real problems.
My first stop was at Greenfield where there’s a rather nice juxtaposition of road and rail to be had. The weather wasn’t as its best, but even so – it’s important to document our rail network in all conditions, not pretend the sun shines 365 days a year. I managed a series of shots but was curious when an Eastbound TPE service hove into sight at a very slow speed before pulling up at a nearby signal despite it showing a green aspect. The Class 802 sat there for a few minutes before moving off – as did I because I was catching the 12:14 further West.
185109 and 185139 thunder past me whilst working 1P66, the 0907 Redcar Central to Manchester Piccadilly.802201 crawls away from Greenfield after being asked to inspect flooding on the line between there and Mossley whilst working 1P23, the 1054 Liverpool Lime Street to Newcastle.
My 185 arrived on time but soon slowed to a crawl. The Conductor came on the PA to announce that Control had reported flooding on the line and asked them to do a slow-speed inspection. Why soon became evident. The massive rainfall we’ve had has left the ground saturated and incapable of holding more water so any extra is running straight off the land and forming streams all over the place. The steep sloping fields on the North side of the line had released several cascades of water which where beginning to flood the line. None of it was above the railhead (the crucial measure) but it was an obvious cause for concern. We crawled on to our next stop at Mossley where we regained line speed before calling at Staylebridge where I disembarked.
Initially, the weather to the West of the Pennines was little better than the East, so I sought refuge in and old haunt – the Station Buffet bar. I’ve known the place for over 20 years. It’s always had a cracking range of real ales and a fascinating collection of railway memorabilia adorning the walls but there’s a personal touch lacking now that it’s owned by the Beerhouses pub chain who also have the West Riding bar on Dewsbury station. The famous pie and peas have disappeared off the menu too, leaving little choice for the hungry traveller.
I stayed long enough for a pint and to gather my thoughts before heading back across the Pennines to Marsden, my next stop. As I’d not planned a day out I hadn’t packed any food so the first thing I did was make a beeline for the town centre, hoping to find a ‘chippy’ and indulge in a rare threat – chips and mushy peas. Sadly, the purveyor of such products was closed so I had to make do with an cold Cornish pasty from a local bakery. On the bright side, the Riverhead Brewery had re-opened after its Covid hibernation so I was able to enjoy a quick pint and a warm before heading back to Huddersfield on a very busy local service, demonstrating that rail passenger numbers are really recovering in this neck of the woods.
21:00.
I’m now back at home with no intention of venturing out again as I’ve too much to do over the next few days. Still it was nice whilst it lasted…
I’ve a favour to ask… If you enjoy reading this blog, 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 to cover some of the cost of maintaining this site – and right now (because of Covid), us freelances appreciate all the help that we can get to aid us in bouncing back from lockdowns. Remember, 99% of the pictures used in my blogs can be purchased as prints from my other website – https://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/
The past 24 hours at Bigland Towers have been dominated by (surprise, surprise) the weather. Fortunately we escaped the worst of Friday’s weather but I made sure of that by staying at home for most of the day, only venturing out in the morning to do some shopping before hunkering down in the office to begin editing the hundreds of pictures that I’d taken over the past few days. It wasn’t until the afternoon that the storm hit us. It’s arrival was announced by massive gusts of wind which stayed with us for most of the afternoon/evening. Luckily, we seemed to dodge the damage that was suffered down in the South-West and elsewhere – although we have lost a few trees. Most fences seemed to escape unscathed. Mainly because all the weak or badly-built ones had already blown away in the preceding storms! There wasn’t much left to flatten…
Today we’ve had a different weather phenomenon – snow. Despite it being Saturday I’ve been beavering away at home trying to get all my new pictures sorted as I’ve a new commission come in at short-notice which has a time imperative, so I’ve needed to clear the decks of pictures ready to go with some of the articles I’ll need to turn around pdq in order to leave time for other work. Oh, the joys of freelance work. Jobs are like the proverbial London bus – they all come along at once!
Thankfully, although the snow’s stuck and left us with a decent dustings across the hills it’s not caused any disruption on the roads or railways. A few hours of the predicted rain will soon see it off which is just as well as we have a lunch to attend tomorrow afternoon over in the next-door Colne Valley.
Tonight we’re having a quiet night at home in the warmth of the cottage. Dawn’s busy cooking industrial quantities of her fantastic Lasagne (as she also supplies her parents and stocks up the freezer at the same time) whilst I’m finishing editing pictures and scribbling this and enjoying the delicious smells wafting out of the kitchen.
So, I’ll leave you with today’s picture which was taken from our bedroom window late this afternoon as the snowstorms took a break and the weather cleared just long enough to be able to see clear across the valley to Sowerby.
I’ve a favour to ask… If you enjoy reading this blog, 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 to cover some of the cost of maintaining this site – and right now (because of Covid), us freelances appreciate all the help that we can get to aid us in bouncing back from lockdowns. Remember, 99% of the pictures used in my blogs can be purchased as prints from my other website – https://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/
After yesterday’s silly o’ clock start I had a lie-in this morning. I’ve only just finished scoffing the full English breakfast provided by my hotel here in Leamington Spa. Now I’m almost ready to face a day of variety. First off is a tour of HS2 construction sites around Warwickshire. Later on I’ll be getting the train into London where I’ll be staying the night with a friend. The weather forecast is looking interesting to say the least, so it may be a fun day. I’ll be blogging throught the day but initially that may be mostly pictures. Feel free to keep popping back to see what I get up to…
09:50.
Whilst I wait for my contact and local guide to arrive I’ve some time to spend getting pictures at the delightful old GWR built station at Leamington where the staff obviously both enjoy their jobs – and have a sense of humour!
18:30.
Now, where was I? Oh yes – abject apologies for the gap in blogging but I’ve had a fascinating day touring Warwickshire in the company of Penny McGregor, whose family have been farming land in Warwickshire for generations. Part of their land at Cubbington has been taken by HS2 Ltd as the fields have been used as part of the mitigation efforts to translocate soil and trees from Cubbington wood which the route of HS2 was unable to avoid. Originally anti the project and a supporter of the protests to stop HS2 Penny came to realise the protesters weren’t telling the truth about the project and became a ‘critical friend’ of HS2. Penny has great local knowledge and is very interested in the efforts made to mitigate the alterations HS2 is making to the landscape and track the success (or failure) of replanting and rewilding efforts. Here’s some of the pictures I’ve taken during the day…
Cubbington wood, showing the trace of HS2 which cuts through the area. This was the scene of many protests back in 2020, all of which proved futile. But then many were little more than publicity stunts. Looking in the opposite direction to the previous picture. Looking back on the last picture from the distance. Not all the new tree planting on either side. Cut down after having over 30 new trees taken from it as cuttings the base of this tree was translocated and is now bursting into life once more. But this is no ordinary tree. This is the 350yr old Cubbington pear tree that the protesters made so much about.
Oh, God, back to early starts again. Still I really shouldn’t complain as today will be a fascinating one and the somewhat cryptic title of this rolling blog will explained later this morning when I do something few people ever get chance to do and that I haven’t done for about 20 years. But first, I’ve got to top up with caffeine then get my arse out of the door and walk to the station in time to catch the 06:17 from Halifax to Leeds. Feel free to keep popping back as I make my way by train to Leamington Spa, after which all will be revealed. Of course I’ve got to get there first, which can always be fun…
06:10.
The stroll to the station was very pleasant this morning even if I did feel like a Sherpa climbing up the cobbled hill to Spring Edge. I’m carrying all my camera kit plus clothing and toiletries for a few nights away but using a rucsac not a ‘wheelie’ suitcase. Still, it got the blood pumping! Thankfully the rain had abated, leaving the roads and pavements glistening but me dry. I passed nary a soul on my way, the only noise was from the dawn chorus as the area’s birdlife sprang into song.
My progress was so swift that I missed catching an earlier train by a minute, I heard the 06:00 to Leeds powering up the incline out of town as I arrived. There’s no rush. I have a nearly 20 minute connection time at Leeds and my train (the 06:17) starts from here as its the hourly service to Hull.
As I typed this the inbound service arrived in the shape of a noisy Class 158. Emptying out a couple of passengers before scuttling off to the reversing siding in order to head back.
06:20.
I’m now enjoying the warmth and comfort (and USB chargers) of 158756 as it trundles towards Leeds.
It’s not a busy service right now. There’s only 6 of us in the first of the three cars but I expect that to change once we reach Bradford.
06:30.
Sure enough, there were dozens of passengers waiting for us at Interchange and the numbers in my car have tripled. The station’s a hive of activity with 3 of the four platforms full with trains for East and West, plus Grand Central’s first train of the day to London Kings Cross.
Oh, I didn’t get chance to post this earlier but whilst I was at Halifax this notice caught my eye. You know when you scan something with half an eye as you know what you expect to read but then your brain says “hang on a minute”!
Why spellcheckers are important…
07:30.
Arriving at Leeds as the station was slowly waking up I had just enough time to grab a couple of pictures and stretch my legs before my next train arrived in the shape of a pair of 4-car Cross-Country Voyagers. Despite the hour the train was already quite busy although enough folk departed at Leeds to allow me to bag on of my preferred seats – the airline ones nearest the vestibule which have extra legroom. I’m settled in with laptop powered up and a flask of coffee as I’m on this train for the next 2 hours 10 minutes. We’re taking the ‘scenic’ route to Birmingham via Sheffield, Chesterfield, Derby and Tamworth. This will allow me to gauge just how busy this trains and the stations we call at are nowadays. Mind you, we called at Wakefield Westgate a few minutes ago where there was no shortage of trade for this train. Most rows of seats have at least one occupant now as we head to Sheffield.
The frustrating thing is that in a couple of decades time we were meant to be able to look forward to this journey’s time being slashed by 58% thanks to the Eastern leg of HS2. Now that’s been mothballed. It will still have to be built because the alternative, the Government’s (dis)Integrated Rail Plan is a fiction. It cannot possibly deliver the time savings claimed without seriously screwing up regional services and capacity on the East Coast and Midland Main Lines. Eventually, the penny will drop (it already has with industry experts) meaning HS2s Eastern leg will have to happen, but yet again we’ve kicked the can down the road in typically British penny-pinching fashion. In the meantime, it looks like I’ll be using Voyagers for some time yet, at least until HS2 as far as Crewe opens anyway…
07:55.
We’ve arrived at (and left) Sheffield, having traversed the rather depressing landscape of industrial and railway dereliction and decay around Rotherham. The gloomy skies and drizzle added to the effect. Some still cling to the fantasy that Brexit and empty slogans about ‘global Britain’ will restore the fortunes of places like this, but fantasies are all they are. The UK’s a service economy nowadays. We’ve not been the ‘workshop of the world’ for a century now and those days are never coming back, despite the nostalgic noises from some quarters. We need to be looking to the future, not trying to bring back the past…
My car lost the majority of its clientele at Sheffield but they were replaced by more people awaiting our arrival. My memory banks seem to remember that the average length of a journey on Cross-Country is between 50-60 miles despite the fact these trains run heroic distances like Aberdeen-Plymouth. I’m going to see how many time the two seats nearest me change occupants. Right now they’re both on their second passenger although the sex has changed from male to female in each.
08:05.
We’re now at Chesterfield and the seat shuffle begins again. Several Sheffield joiners have left, they’ve been replaced by a greater number of newbies so our numbers are still growing. Sadly, the weather’s deteriorating as the clouds have closed ranks to eject a barrage of rain. Once everyone had settled into the seats I took a trip to the loo and counted 32 people in this car which also houses the extended luggage/bike racks where the old buffet counter used to be.
08:30.
We’ve just departed a very wet Derby where the seat shuffle was less acute than before. Quite a few people have joined us but few have left and the two young ladies occupying the seats around me are still bashing away on their keyboards. The train’s obviously filled up as we’ve a constant stream of ‘walk-throughs’ (people walking along the cars looking for a free seat) passing by.
08:40
Having left Derby and turned west towards our next stop the trains really got into its stride. We’ve flown past field after field that have been turned into lakes by days of heavy rain – and there’s no end to it yet. A rapid deceleration brought us to a prompt stand at Burton-On-Trent where we picked up another gaggle of folk, leaving my coach almost full and people electing to stand in the vestibules.
08:51
We’ve made our last port of call before Birmingham. Tamworth, where several people have departed to be be replaced by a bedraggled troupe of newcomers who’ve been getting soaked in the rain which is being made worse by the wind whipping it along. I’m beginning to wonder what to expect when I get to my destination. It looks like I’m in for a soaking when I trek between New St and Moor St stations in Birmingham as I’m not sure my umbrella’s going to be much use in these conditions! We arrive there in 10 minutes so it’s time to pack up the laptop and revert to using my smartphone…
09:25.
Crossing Birmingham was just as wet and miserable as I expected. The rain seemed to have kept people at home which meant I made double-quick time between the two stations so was able to make an earlier train. It makes no difference in the long-run, it simply gives me longer to wait for my ride in Leamington. I’m currently sat on a Chiltern service to Marylebone which is pretty quiet. Or rather – it was until we stopped at Solihull!
A good indicator of how people are returning to work (via the railway) is looking at how busy station car parks are again now. At the height of the pandemic they were deserted. I’ve passed several this morning like the one on this line at Widney Manor where nearly all the spaces are taken.
10:15.
Arrived! The good news is the rain appears to be abating. The bad news is the lovely old buffet on platform 2 at Leamington Spa station has never reopened which is a great shame. It’s still a lovely looking station with its period buildings and beautifully kept garden. But I will miss the buffet. Now I’ve a little time to kill before my lift arrives…
11:33.
Now I can reveal who ‘Dorothy’ is…
This is a model of Dorothy.The real ‘Dorothy’ is in there – and I’ll going on her shortly!
17:20.
Well, that was a long day! The weather when we arrived at Long Itchington was appalling – as you can see from the puddles in the pictures which were taken from the visitor centre before we donned our PPE and headed down into the tunnel with out escort to have a guided tour of ‘Dorothy’. Visitor number are limited for safety reasons so rail engineer Gareth Dennis and I went first. These are amazing machines and you’ll be able to read the full details of my visit in another blogs and magazine articles. Here’s a few pictures to whet your appetite.
Tunnel Manager Axel Carus, our Spanish guide, who has 21 years experience of building tunnels around the world inside the tunnel with ‘Dorothy’ behind him.
Behind the business end of ‘Dorothy’ are 11 of these motors which power the cutting head.
Inside the control room aboard ‘Dorothy’ 8-10 metres under the ancient woodland of Long Itchington.
21:00.
Time to relax after a long day. I’m staying in Leamington tonight as I’m meeting a local farmer tomorrow whose kindly offered to show me around the area and some of the HS2 worksites but also (especially) some of the ecological and mitigation work that’s part of the project. If you listened to some of the projects opponents they make it sound like it’s Genghis Khan and the Mongol hordes sweeping across the landscape, laying waste to everything they come into contact with. The truth is very different and tomorrow’s a chance to see exactly what’s being done on this part of the HS2 route to ensure there’s a biodiversity net gain from HS2. I’ll explain more tomorrow, as the person showing me round is anything but a member of an HS2 PR team!
I must admit to having been a little apprehensive about staying in Leamington tonight as it and I have a long history which includes some bittersweet memories. Truth be told, they weren’t an issue, which surprised me. To be honest, the place feels very different from those days. It’s shabbier for a start and I’m not just talking about the fabric of the town. Genteel is not a word I’d use to describe the place, despite its Spa moniker. Seeing rough-sleepers huddled in the doorway of the old House of Fraser on the High St set the scene. Then overhearing a quartet of young adults in a pub (that wasn’t even a Wetherspoons) loudly broadcasting their attempts to arrange Social Services support over a mobile phone was another. This is not the Leamington I remember, although on reflection, there was always an element of that. Maybe it’s because I’ve been away for so long? The other side of the coin was the fact a lot of the pubs (and I suspect other businesses too) in the centre seem to be kept alive by the town’s student population as they’re the only people out and about on an early weeknight like today.
Anyways, it’s time to draw today’s rolling blog to a close. Tomorrow is another day which will see me exploring around the local area before pitching up in London. Stay tuned – as they say…
I’ve a favour to ask… If you enjoy reading this blog, 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 to cover some of the cost of maintaining this site – and right now (because of Covid), us freelances appreciate all the help that we can get to aid us in bouncing back from lockdowns. Remember, 99% of the pictures used in my blogs can be purchased as prints from my other website – https://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/
Miracle of miracles – it hasn’t rained all day for a change – just all morning! The weather Gods have smiled on Valentines day, not that either of us had anything terribly exciting planned just a quiet night in together with good food and each other for company. Besides, we’ve both been busy working all day, although I did manage to get out and enjoy a brief patch of sunshine during my daily exercise and perambulations though the local woods and park which meant I wasn’t decked-out like I was on an expedition to the North Pole!
There’s only a short blog from me tonight as now I’m busy packing for my next few days away as I’ll be up at sparrow-fart in the morning and don’t want to have to be clumping round at silly o’ clock disturbing Dawn. Everything will be packed and sitting in the living room, allowing me to slink out of the house whilst making as little noise as possible. Hopefully, the fact I’m heading South will mean I’ll be escaping the next severe weather warning – which will make a change. I’m fed up of gales and driving rain. Time will tell. Either way, I’ll have plenty to write about so expect a few different rolling blogs as I traverse the country whilst working on some very different projects.
Right, time to get back to work as I’m also on cooking duty tonight. Our Valentine’s meal is going to be Mussels in a Thai Green Curry – make up your own punchline about having a spicy night! In the meantime, here’s the picture of the day which comes from the latest batch of old slide scans from pictures taken in India. This is the sun setting off the beach in Arambol, North Goa in December 1995 as a group of local fishermen tend to their boat.
See you tomorrow – bright and early!
I’ve a favour to ask… If you enjoy reading this blog, 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 to cover some of the cost of maintaining this site – and right now (because of Covid), us freelances appreciate all the help that we can get to aid us in bouncing back from lockdowns. Remember, 99% of the pictures used in my blogs can be purchased as prints from my other website – https://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/
