Today’s been another one of those days that’s not quite gone to plan due to a combination of weather, technology and impending travel plans. I’ve spent a large chunk of time waiting in for a number of parcels to arrive as I’ve been shopping for various new bits of kit in readiness for heading back to Asia next week. Most have been pretty straightforward. There’s not much you can learn about a new camera bag after all – although my new 100-400mm Nikon Z lens is proving to be rather tasty, I’m looking forward to having some fun with that documenting street life in places like Jakarta. The frustrating thing has been getting a new phone and getting the damned thing to sync with my laptop and with all my different websites, apps and general electronic clutter of 21st century life. I *think* I’m pretty much there. To be fair to Samsung, their phones copy over data and apps very well. The issue is me trying to sync them with a myriad of forgotten passwords! I may have sworn a little tonight…
On the bright side (with fingers crossed) everything seems to be working OK now. Well, all the important stuff anyway. Other bits I can discover later. At least I know have a fully functional smartphone to travel with as my old one was on its last legs. We’ve only a few days left before we travel and there’s still plenty of stuff to sort out in order that we can breeze into a holiday (did I mention a tax return to fill in?). But, come Monday everything in the UK takes a backseat.
One of the other little jobs I’ve been doing is adding more pictures to my Zenfolio website in order to clear space on my laptop. So, today’s picture is one of them.
Here’s the inside of St Mary’s shed at Newton Heath depot in Manchester with 195128 undergoing a bogie and wheel swap. You’ll be able to read more about the past, present and future of the depot in a future edition of RAIL magazine.
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 been a hanging around sort of day, but not in a bad way. We were up early as Dee had some shopping to do for her parents before the pair of us headed over the their home in Huddersfield where I whiled away a few hours editing more old pictures whilst Dawn went off too to do ‘girly’ things, like get her nails done. Afterwards, the four of us went out for lunch. We’d originally planned to head over the Pennines to Delph where there’s a lovey pub we frequent, but with the weather forecast warning of the potential for lots of snow arriving we hedged our bets and went somewhere more local. The weather has already been unkind to the area with the trans-pennine railway through the Colne valley closed due to flooding, so the last thing we wanted to do was get stranded.
We’d eaten at the nearby Olive Branch Inn (just outside Slaithwaite, on the Manchester Rd) for the first time just a few weeks ago and really enjoyed the food, so decided a revisit was on the cards. Having booked a table for 14:30 you can imagine our surprise to find we were the only customers in what’s normally a busy place. The young lady serving us said they’d had several cancellations due to people being put off by the threat of snow. Good for us, not so good for the restaurant. So, we had an excellent meal and the kitchen’s undivided attention!
Both Dawn and I opted for the same meal we’d had during our last visit – beef cheeks. It’s not a dish we’d seen before but the Olive Branch does it superbly. The meat is melt-in the mouth delicious! We’d certainly recommend it.
Beef cheek cooked for 4 hours, with button mushrooms, bacon, shallots and red wine sauce, served with creamy mash and brocolli.
Suitably stuffed and with one eye on the weather we dropped John and Norah back at their house before heading home ourselves. Now we’re relaxing in the warm (it’s Baltic outside), waiting to see what the weather may bring. The forecast keeps changing. Snow was meant to arrive around 21:00, now it’s 23:00. Here in the Pennines we’re meant to be getting between 20-40cm of the stuff, which is why we didn’t want to get caught earlier. Some of the cobbled hills around where we live are bad enough in the wet, add snow and ice and they can be lethal.
Still, I’ve had chance to add dozens of pictures to my Zenfolio website, including this one from a private visit to Toton depot in 2012.
In 2012 DB Schenker had started a ‘Super 60’ scheme, which involved rebuilding long-stored Class 60 locomotives, this included engines, traction motors, bogies, control gear, cabs and electrical systems. 60020 was one of the first batch. It’s seen here on the 7th September 2012, sat inside the depot waiting it’s turn for the work to begin.
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/
One of my favorite authors (Douglas Adams) once wrote that time is an illusion – and lunchtime doubly so. Today’s one of those days when I wish his words were true because time has very much come around to bite me on the arse, for a couple of reasons. January 3rd is always a reflective day for me because back in 2013 it’s the day that my ex-wife chose to end her life. I’m not going to explain that one again as I blogged about it here. Lynn may no longer be with us but I’ve kept her memory alive here. Not just for me but for all her many friends.
What’s added to my reflection is that – with it being a new year – I’ve been trying to consolidate pictures from various different secure hard-drives in order to create space for a new year. That’s involved going back to the days when I first went digital in 2004. Yep, 21 years ago. Where’s the time gone? During that process I rediscovered many old pictures of life-long friends. Some of us have changed, others not. But time certainly isn’t an illusion, as my hairline attests to!
It’s the early morning of the 9th July 2004. I’ve just woken up on the Highland Sleeper North of Glasgow after having enjoyed a few whiskies in the bar car which I shared with various people including Jimmy Savile (yes, he felt as creepy then as we later found out he was). I was posing as I suspected this picture may get used in the article I was writing for RAIL magazine. Well, my body was still, the head still had the ‘whirlies’!
The question for the future is what pictures am I going to fill the remaining space on my hard-drives with (not that it’ll take long, I’ve a new 8TB drive on order). As well as editing/consolidating pictures the past couple of day have been spent looking at flights to various places beyond the reach of rail travel. So, where do I end up next, and for how long?
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/
Whilst I’m optimistic about the new year I have to admit it’s started slowly. Neither of us were out carousing last night. In fact, we both fell asleep not long after welcoming each other into 2025! There’s been torrential rain across the North-West and Yorkshire overnight, so any thoughts of long walks were dashed when we watched the rain bounding off the bedroom window. Instead, we’ve had a home-based day, recharging the batteries in the expectation of a much better year ahead.
That’s not to say 2024 was awful, it had real highs and lows. Dawn look back at it more fondly than I do as the Platt family had some great times together, including celebrating her father, John’s 90th birthday. For me, it was rather more mixed. I certainly covered some ground, although that’s been mostly in the UK. I’ve added 1000s of pictures to my archives, carried out some amazing commissions with some incredible site visits and written dozens of magazine articles. I’ve also hit my own personal milestone by turning 65, although I’m still trying to work out where the hell the years have gone. My Fitbit stats tell the tale. Since I first bought one in 2017 records show I’d walk anything between 4.5 to 5.5 million steps in a year. 2024 has been a new record. I’ve hit 6,051.989. Maybe it’s time to slow down a little, especially now I’ve aggravated an old knee injury I picked up during my cycling commute days in London back in the 1990s.
That’s not going to stop me travelling of course. There’s a lot of places I want to see in the next few years, with (hopefully) the focus switching outside of the UK. Watch this space.
2024 was also a weird year for politics. The highlight was seeing the Tories swept from power in the British general election, bringing 14 years of awfulness to a close. Sadly, they did their best to salt the earth before they were kicked out, leaving the incoming Labour administration with an awful financial landscape and some tough choices, which haven’t been made any easier by an almost universally hostile media. You’d be forgiven for thinking their first 6 months in power have been a disaster, because that’s the message the media have been keen to push, rather than reporting factually and accurately on what’s been going on. Despite all the froth and daily dross from Reform, who pretend they’re really the opposition (despite only having 6 MPs) Labour have over 4 years until the next general election to come good. That stability shouldn’t be underestimated after the dramas of the Tory years.
Mind you, it’s not just the mainstream media that’s guilty of hysteria. 2024 saw social media become more and more poisonous thanks to the likes of Elon Musk’s Twitter (I refuse to pander to him and call it X) and the algorithms of Facebook and others which are pushing contentious content or unreliable and inaccurate AI nonsense. The old axiom of ‘put shit in, get shit out’ has never been more true. Even Google is pushing this nonsense, making it harder and harder to separate fact from fiction, truth from lies. No wonder so many of us are limiting our exposure to social media or switching platforms from the likes of Twitter to Bluesky.
This disinformation helped in propelling Donald Trump back into the American presidency, in what was undoubtedly the biggest political disaster of 2024. On the bright side, the cracks in his administration, (which hasn’t yet come to power) are already showing, infighting between his MAGA cronies and the likes of Musk are already in full swing, which could make 2025 a record market for popcorn sales…
Another potential bright spot on the horizon is the continuing collapse of Putin’s Russia, thanks to their massive and continuing human and material losses in Ukraine and defeat in Syria (the fall of Assad being another bright spot in 2024). I’m loathe to rely on crystal balls but I’ll be watching what goes on in Ukraine with interest. The Ukrainians are rewriting the book on warfare, whilst Russia is rapidly running out of old Soviet era equipment and increasingly relying on Iran (another country that got a kicking in Syria) and North Korea. I have to admit, I never had North Korean troops fighting in Russia on my 2025 bingo card…
So, despite everything, including the increasingly obvious impacts of climate change. I remain cautiously optimistic about prospects for 2025. Plus, I become a state pensioner this year, which is something to look forward to – sort of! After all, it’s not as if I have any choice in the matter and can turn the clock back, so I might as well embrace it!
Hopefully, I can keep you entertained with blogs about politics, travel, life, the universe and everything throughout 2025. In the meantime I hope you all have a fabulous year! In the meantime, here’s a link to my Zenfolio website which has had a huge picture update today. Look out for many more soon. Here’s a sample.
Siemens built ‘Desiro’ number 350237 stands at Stoke-on-Trent whilst working 2K81, the 16:45 Stafford to Crewe on the 30th December. The Class 350/2s are slowly being taken off-lease as they’re replaced by new Class 730 trains from Alstom.
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 Platt family festive southern sojourn is over. I’ve packed the car (fitting everything in was a minor Christmas miracle in itself), and we’ve left the chalet to call at Platt Mansions before beginning the journey North. There’s no room in the car for me so I’ll be heading back from Farnham by train. I’ll be blogging en-route and getting a few pictures as I do – so feel free to pop back later to see what I get up to…
11:40.
After getting a lift from Tilford to Farnham I’ve swopped from the infernal combustion engine to rail and caught the 11:28 to Guildford. There’s still no direct trains to London but that’s OK, I’m in no rush anyway. The weather here’s hardly conducive to photography. In fact, we’ve not seen the sun once since we got down here – just gray skies and fog so my photo opportunities are somewhat limited.
15:07.
Getting into London was interesting due to having to change at Guildford. Apparently, there’s Rugby on at Twickenham today which means the trains were even busier than normal. Clapham Junction was heaving as people changed trains to get to the ground.
Siemens Desiro 450119 arrives at Guildford to carry me and dozens of others to London.
In contrast, the underground’s Northern line from Waterloo to Euston was remarkably quiet. Euston itself soon made up for that. All parts of the station were heaving! Paddington station is closed for the next few days which means 4 GWR trains an hour are running to/from Euston from platforms 15 and 16, along with all the regulars. Plus, nearby St Pancras is shut to East Midlands Railway services, adding to the pressure.
Credit to Network Rail and TOC staff, things are running remarkably smoothly at Euston, despite the influx of bewildered passengers who’re not used to using the station.
I’m now on my way North after getting a few shots of activities at Euston. I’m on a late running Avanti service which is crawling its way North dues to overhead line damage in some unspecified place. We’re still South of Watford Junction and already 16 minutes behind time. What a day for such a problem to crop up…
15:45.
We’ve just left Milton Keynes 28 minutes late after being switched to the slow lines at Bourne End Junction in order to avoid the dewirement at Tring North Junction, which (Sods law) happened this morning. We were put back on the fast lines at Ledburn Junction and soon managed to reach linespeed. Hopefully, we may now be able to make up some time.
16:10.
As expected, we’re gradually pulling back minutes as we speed North through the thickening fog. We’ve left Rugby behind to join the Trent valley route. It’s in conditions like this train drivers really earn their money. 125mph at dusk with added fog is the test of anyone’s concentration, route knowledge – and skill.
16:50.
Our timekeeping went to pot again when we called at Stafford. The station’s far busier than usual as it’s being used to turn around trains in both Northerly and Southerly directions due to the fact Crewe South Junction and the ‘independent’ lines are closed to enable a new signalling system to be commissioned – hence my train having just passed Stone en-route to Crewe via the long way round through Stoke-on-Trent and Kidsgrove.
17:45.
Crewe station was a shadow of its normal self due to the lack of trains – and passengers. Despite this, there was more confusion than you’d expect. Having checked my options on Real Time Trains I knew the best way to get to Manchester was aboard a Transport for Wales train that was running a shuttle service between there and Crewe. The only problem was the information screens were programmed to show it as ’empty to depot’ and neither enquiries with platform staff nor driver provoked a more informed response. However, the sheer weight of people turning up on platform 5 asking where their connection was provoked enough of a response that people were allowed to board. So, here we are, en-route to the rainy city…
19:15.
The last leg…
Whilst Dawn and her parents have beaten me in the car and stopped off in Honley for tapas, I’m still travelling. Well, that said, Dee’s got to get to her mum and dad’s and unpack their kit from car – which (after the way I packed it) may take some time – especially as it includes loads of Xmas prezzies including a dual-drawer air fryer!
Walking across Manchester city centre between Piccadilly and Victoria was entertaining as the place was packed with young people, many of whom seem to have decided to wear clothes in inverse proportion to the weather. It was like Newcastle had been cloned! With the place being so packed and me running late I wasn’t tempted to stop. I headed straight to Victoria and caught the first train heading across the Pennines. Now I’m back in the land where the word ‘No’ has a surplus of Os.
22:00.
Home again – and it’s time to bring the blog to a close with a few extra photos. I’ve added them in the relevant sections. Tomorrow’s going to be a quiet day, catcing up on some work whilst enjoying being at home. But after that…
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’s time to wave goodbye to Bigland Towers for a few days and head South to Surrey to join Dawn and the rest of the Platt family for Christmas. Whilst Dee and her folks drove down I stayed behind with the intention of doing some work but a knee injury put paid to those plans. Instead, I’ve been resting up in the hope my knee will appreciate the inactivity.
Now I’m on the move again, heading from Halifax to Leeds before swinging South to London. Needless to say, trains are very busy. I’m on a delayed service from Chester which was cut back to start from Manchester due to a fatality on the route earlier today.
A message you never want to see…
Sadly, someone’s family are going to be having an awful Christmas and some poor train driver will be left with memories they wished they hadn’t got.
13:15.
So far so good. I’m now on a packed 13:15 to Kings Cross that’s worked by on of LNER’s old warhorses, a Class 91 and Mk4 coach set.
15:15.
Time’s flown. I’ve been busy writing and not noticed the miles getting eaten up. We’re now South of Stevenage but running late, and getting later as we’ve lost our path so got trapped behind a Thameslink service on this two track section of the ECML. The weather here’s very gloomy compared to the sunshine I left behind in Yorkshire! I wonder what it’s like in Surrey? Hopefully the delays won’t impact on my arrival time there.
16:50.
Miracles will never cease – everything’s going to plan – despite hitting London late. As usual at this time of year, the capital’s crawling with people travelling here and there. Dodging families towing kids and suitcases becomes quite a task, especially on the underground. Despite not having lived here for nearly 15 years I still have the knack of negotiating my way through the melee. Having made it to Waterloo on the Northern line there was time to grab a snack before boarding my next train. I’m now on an 8-car SWR service heading for Guildford. The train’s packed but the clientele is mostly single people (no groups) heading home from work. Most are either dozing or staring at smartphones, making it a very solemn journey. The only buzz is the sound of the air-conditioning!
My last sleigh before Christmas. 450075 leads 450066 on a Guildford – Alton service.
19:45.
Journey’s end. Well almost. Dee picked me up from Farnham station, bringing me back to Platt Mansions where the family are preparing food for tonight and planning the next few days festivities, so I’ve been mucking in on kitchen duties. Now, with food almost ready I’ve been able to spend a few minutes downloading pictures to add to this blog.
22:25.
The day’s winding down. We’ve eaten and Dawn’s been busy working her culinary magic to make this gluten free Tiramisu for her nephew, Sam – who has his birthday tomorrow.
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
Today’s not entirely gone to plan, but t’was ever thus. I’ve had a busy month that’s involved a lot of walking – especially when carrying my camera bag which isn’t the lightest of things. The result of which is that I find myself suffering from an old knee injury I picked up from the days when I used to cycle to work across London back in the 1990s. Needless to say, that has cramped my style a bit today. I suppose I’ve only myself to blame. I’ve just passed 65 yet I treat my body like I’m a damned sight younger (because in my mind, I am). Most of the time my body plays ball, but occasionally it says ‘oi! – which is where I find myself now – wearing a knee brace and dosing myself with Neurofen whilst restricting what I do. I’d all sorts of plans for this weekend but the reality is I’m pretty much confined to barracks today and tomorrow in the hope I can recover in time for Christmas. In some ways that’s no bad thing as I’ve a shitload of things on my ‘stuff to do’ list.
This morning Dawn left to drive down to Surrey with her parents for a Platt family Christmas. I hobbled around to help her pack the car and see her off with the intention of joining them on Monday. The rest of the day here at Bigland Towers has mostly been spent in a horizontal position whilst listening to the gales and rain beating on the cottage windows as we suffer from the latest storm to hit us. The weather really has been crap over the past couple of weeks. I’m not sure I ever remember such a prolonged period of high winds. Rain? Yes – as this is the Pennines after all. On the bright side, today was the winter solstice, so we’ve reached the darkest times and the days will slowly start to get lighter – although that’s no guarantee the weather’s going to improve in the era of climate change. All that I can do is keep my fingers crossed that nothing goes tits-up on Monday when I head South myself.
Right now I’ll leave you with today’s picture, which is from yesterday’s journey home. Here’s a look at Kings Cross station, one of London’s most iconic railway termini.
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’m on my way to London again for part 2 of my festive celebrations with friends as a bunch of us are meeting for lunch. Getting there from West Yorkshire’s not as fraught today as the trains are mostly behaving themselves – it’s the people that aren’t! I’m currently on a Cross-Country service from Leeds heading Derby which is running 25 minutes late due to trespassers on the line in the Durham area. Ho hum! On the bright side, this service is a 9-car train the normal 4-car Class 220 is coupled to an ex-Avanti Class 221 which means that (for once) there’s no shortage of seats. Mind you, the holiday season’s already having an impact on rail traffic. Leeds station was strangely quiet this morning due to a dearth of commuters travelling into the city. I can only assume some people are already taking holiday time. I’ll be curious to see how busy London is as I’ve got to get over to Islington on the tube, unlike yesterday when I never strayed from the shadow of Euston station.
09:15.
We’ve left Sheffield considerably heavier than when we arrived due to an influx of passengers, many of whom seem to be young people with suitcases heading home for the holiday. Cross-Country’s passenger profile is always interesting due to the sheer number of University towns it serves and the expansiveness of its network, yet most journeys are (or used to be) less than 60 miles.
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’m on my way to the annual railway Xmas carol concert in London, but as is so often the case, things haven’t exactly gone to plan. I was up before dawn (and Dawn) in order to give myself plenty of time travel, which is just as well. My walk to Halifax station was enjoyable as today’s a lovely morning, although the attraction waned once I arrived at the station to find the platforms choked with people. The information screens told a sorry tale of why. Every train was either delayed or cancelled due to one of several reasons. You could choose from lineside equipment failure, points failure or no traincrew being available. It didn’t really matter as the end result was the same.
Right now I’m on the 07:10 to Huddersfield, which is running nearly 20 mins late. To cap it all, the train thinks its running along the East coast between Middlesbrough and Newcastle via Sunderland!
Whilst the automated system is up the spout the human Conductor’s doing a sterling job of keeping people informed of their options for getting to Manchester as ticket acceptance for alternative routes is in operation.
09:20.
And relax! Having made it to Huddersfield I jumped on a TPE service to Manchester Victoria then walked across a soggy city centre to Piccadilly. The weather’s both damper and colder this side of the Pennines but as I’m not staying the fact the sky is full of threatening and broody clouds holds no dangers for me. Instead, I’m now tucked up in a warm, cosy Avanti Pendolino heading for Euston. It’s a busy train but I’ve a seat, working sockets and wifi which will allow me to be productive en-route.
As I passed through Piccadilly the station was playing host to two of the ex-West Midlands Class 323s which have been transferred to Northern. Here’s 323207 about to leave on 2K16, the 08:46 Manchester Piccadilly to Stoke-on-Trent.
11:10.
Having left Stafford 7 mins down we’ve clawed a couple back on our non-stop run from there to the capital. Time’s flown as I’ve been busy writing an article but we’re now passing through Kentish Town on a lovely sunny day – what a contrast to Manchester!
Not a vintage day at Euston. This service (the 11:30 to Glasgow) was cancelled due to a train failure – only to be reinstated a few minutes before it was due to depart. That’s better! No ads – just information that you need to know.
20:15.
Riiigghhht – let’s try again. The next few pictures should have loaded on my way back up North, but for reasons only known to Gremlins, they didn’t.
The carols concert drew one of the biggest audiences most of us can remember. Maggie Simpson, CEO of the Railfreight Group delivers one of the lessons.The London’s Transport choir belting out some great Xmas carolsRuth Cadbury MP, Chair of the Transport Select Committee was another of the readers.
20:30.
After sherry and mince pies in the church refectory a group of us retired to a local hostelry for further refreshments and the chance to catch up. Eventually, many of us departed to head off in different directions. For me, that meant catching another Pendolino back to Manchester. This one was delayed too but for a different reason – flooding around Macclesfield. Now, having strolled across the city centre to Victoria I’m on the last leg aboard a Northern service to Halifax. Normally, this train would be really busy but this close to Xmas many people are enjoying the festive season and office/work parties so travelling’s spread out.
Me? I’ll be glad to get home as I’ll be doing this all again tomorrow. Expect another blog from my travels to and from London. This time there’ll be no lessons and no carols – but there might be food pictures…
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
We’ve had another thoroughly miserable day (weather wise) here in’t Pennines. The rain beating on the window and the high winds battering the house in the early hours made me decide that discretion was the better part of valour, so I canned my plans to get out with the camera and worked at home instead which gve me chance to edit some of the pictures I’d taken yesterday on a little trip up the West Coast Main Line as far as Carnforth. I should have written a rolling blog but I was too busy trying to keep up with other stuff – hence today’s reprise of events.
My first stop was Preston. An obvious choice as I had to change trains there, but also because the December 15th timetable change has seen Northern’s Class 323 trains working in pairs through the town on Blackpool North – Manchester Airport services. Some of these nippy units have been cascaded from services around Birmingham – hence combinations like this.
Ex- West Midlands 323206 along with original Northern unit 323224 are seen at Preston whilst working 1Y65, the1225 Blackpool North to Manchester Airport. Two pairs of these units were out on this route yesterday, supplementing 3 and 4 car Class 331s.
On the way North I stopped at Lancaster where the station’s having a bit of a revamp. Story rail are refurbishing the station canopies on behalf of Network Rail at a cost of £9.5m. You can learn more here.
Yes, the picture’s taken from the disused platform which was where the electric trains to Morecambe used. It’s not open to the public but an old friend was on duty and very kindly arranged access for me.
Next stop was Carnforth. Home of the famous tea rooms which featured in the classic 1945 film ‘Brief Encounter’. Whilst the tea rooms are remaining open the adjacent museum closed its doors for the final time in October. The tea rooms remain bus and looked rather festive yesterday.
On my return via Lancaster I popped into a rather more modern refreshment room, the Tite and Locke on Lancaster station. It’s a wonderful addition to station bars which can be found on the Northbound platform. Roof restoration means that the outdoor area on the platform’s rather cut off, but the multi-room bar is still as welcoming as ever.
Choose your Christmas cheer…The entrance to the bar and the first of many rooms…
Much as I’d liked to have stayed I had to head home after a ‘swifty’. Hopefully I’ll have more time to explore next year.
Now I’m prepping for the next few days and decamping to Surrey for Christmas, but first I have a couple of days in London. Tomorrow I’m at the annual railway carols service at St Mary’s Somer’s Town, Eversholt Street, London NW1. The lessons will be read by: Ruth Cadbury MP, Chair of the Transport Select Committee; Rob Morris, Managing Director of Siemens Mobility; Elaine Clark, CEO of the Rail Forum; Mark Phillips, CEO of RSSB; and Maggie Simpson, Executive Director of the Rail Freight Group. If you’re in the area, why not join us? There’s mince pies and sherry to be had in the refectory afterwards.
I’ll add a rolling blog tomorrow. But right now it’s time to call it a day…
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Paul Bigland 