Yesterday I wished for better weather across West Yorkshire, but the weather Gods decided to ignore my pleas until the very last moment. Dawn had an appointment over in Ossett this morning and asked me if I wanted to accompany her as today was market day – and I do love a good market (which Ossett has). Sadly, what it didn’t have was decent weather, just miserable temperatures and lots of dull cloud. Still, whilst Dee was busy I had a great time exploring the market and I managed to pick up a few bargains at the same time. The market takes over the square outside the old Town Hall, which would be a really attractive Victorian edifice and backdrop if it wasn’t swathed in plastic sheets and scaffolding whilst it’s being restored.
Even so, the mixture of stalls and wheeled shops that make up the market are well worth a look around. Yesterday I complained about the cost of plants as a well-known DIY chain. Today I found the antidote in the shape of a market stall selling a variety of plants for half the price. Needless to say, I succumbed and bought a selection to fill in some gaps in the garden. That said, I was good. I managed to swerve the fantastic cheese stall and the local beer shop! Here’s a few shots from the market.
I love stalls like this – and their prices…Memory lane models…The bacon butty stall with coffee for £1 a cup. It’s not artisan coffee and there’s not a Barista in sight but it’s a great place to sit and people-watch.
On the way home we decided to lunch out – only we couldn’t decide where to go. There was nowhere we knew locally so we ended up back in the Colne valley. Our first idea was to try the cafe at the Bolster Moor farm shop but the car park was rammed and the cafe appeared to be too. Plan B was to drop down into nearby Slaithwaite where we found our second choice was also packed so we ended up in a place we’d not visited for years – the ‘Vanilla Bean’ near where Dee use to work. Our lunch wasn’t heavy as we chose the soup of the day (Carrot and Parsnip) which came with huge chunks of granary bread. Dawn ordered a side portion of chips which ended up as a Carb overload but what the hell – we worked it off by a walk along the Huddersfield narrow canal before we headed off to our next rendezvous.
Dawn and our Carbfest..
A couple of hours earlier I’d received a phone call from an Irish friend who was over in the UK. He was travelling around by rail and (on the spur of the moment) had decided to head across from Liverpool to Leeds via our neck of the woods and wondered if we were around? We managed to arrange to meet up in Hebden Bridge and took Neil for a drink in the Robin Hood in Cragg Vale, introducing him to the delights of the Calder valley before depositing him (suitably refreshed) at Halifax station to continue his journey to Leeds and on to…Brighton.
No prizes for guessing where Neil and I are…
Afterwards, Dee and I joined friends in our local to take part in the Friday quiz and talk about the next escapade for the ‘5 from the 6’ as we’re off to Istanbul a week today – a trip that we’ve had planned for so long it feels like a surprise that it’s almost upon us! Expect a few different blogs soon!
Now it’s time for me to wind down for the day before another busy day tomorrow which will include both garden and cooking therapy
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We’ve had another mixed day here at Bigland Towers. Considering we’re nearly at the end of April and coasting towards summer the weather feels more like autumn up here in the Pennines. Today we’ve been treated to watery cloud, dull light and temperatures that rarely made it above 10 degrees, although the wind chill made it feel several degrees cooler than that. I’m glad the pair of us were working from home as wandering with the camera wouldn’t have been much fun compared to earlier in the week.
The tow of us have spent most of the day slaving away over hot computers (grateful for the heat source) although we did make it out for an afternoon constitutional through our local woods as part of a perambulatory shopping trip, thus killing two birds with one stone as we saved using the car and got healthier!
On returning home and with me having acclimatised to the cold I decided to spend a couple of hours cleaning up the back garden in the optimistic hope that spring will finally show its face, although (admittedly) many of the seedlings I spent repotting are already convinced that’s the case and are putting on healthy growth spurts. Now I’m praying they’re hardy enough to survive we’ve already had one morning frost this week. Oh, for some sunny days when I can work in the garden in a T-shirt rather then dressing like I’m on a polar expedition! I’m trying to grow more plants from seed and look at reducing what I buy from garden centres and other stores as prices are getting silly. I bought some Sweet Williams 1-2 years ago as part of a deal at B&Q. Then they were 3 trays for £7. This year the same deal cost £10 which is almost a 43% increase. If only I could put my fees up by the same amount! Another plan is to divide up some of the plants I have which are getting too big (Lupins, Hostas, Iris’ etc) and do some bartering to get the new plants I want instead of paying nursery prices. Plus, I’m going to ensure I collect as many seeds as I can from other plants to build up my own seed seed bank. Not only will it save me money, it’ll keep me out of trouble!
Now, back indoors, I’m spending some time updating my eBay account to add a few more old slides for sale. If you’re interested in old rail images from the UK, India and Ireland (starting at as little as £1.99) you’ll be able to find them here after 20:00 this evening.
Now, what to choose for the picture of the day? The camera’s remained in its case these past few days, so here’s something from the archive which brings back memories of sunnier times here in the UK. Here’s looking down on the lovely beach at Slapton Sands in Devon on the 5th August 1994…
You can view – or even buy copies) of my UK travel images such as this one from my Zenfolio website. Here’s a direct link to the UK gallery. With almost 3000 pictures to choose from – taken all around the UK – there’s something for everyone…
Tomorrow we’ll be out and about so I’m hoping for better weather and the chance to add a few more shots to the gallery.
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 not exactly been a vintage Saturday here at Bigland Towers, not that we’ve spent much of the day at home. The weather here in the Pennines has been erratic to say the least with temperatures just breaking into double figures but often reduced by hazy cloud, poor visibility and a cold wind that made you feel like you’d gone back a season.
Still, we’ve been getting about a bit. Having had to pop over to Ossett this morning we decided to take a detour on the way home and go out for a late lunch at the Robin Hood pub in Pecket Well which we’d visited the other weekend and really enjoyed. Today the pub was quieter as we’d arrived between sittings so getting a table was no problem. I couldn’t resist having the giant stuffed Yorkshire pudding again, only this time with a lamb casserole filling. It was a good job I was hungry as the portion sizes are large, especially when you consider the meal comes with a selection of veg as well as the chips which form part of the main meal. Dawn opted for one of the dishes off the specials board and had Sea Bream, which whilst a smaller portion was just what she was looking for. Both meals were delicious and good value for money in this day and age. My meal cost £12.50 and I had a pint of a decent local draught bitter which was on sale for £3 – winner!
Yum!
Rather than stay for another drink we decided to try out another pub in the nearby village of Chiserley called the Hare and Hounds. It’s a great location as it sits high on the valley side above Hebden Bridge with commanding views across the valley as far as Stoodley Pike and beyond. It looks like a typical country pub from the outside (the inside is another matter).
The Hare and Hounds.
The place is a Timothy Taylor’s pub so only their beers were on sale and there were four to choose from. Not a problem as I don’t mind Tim Taylor’s beers although they’re not my favourite. I ordered a pint of Golden Best and a half pint of coke for Dawn. The bill? 8 bleedin’ quid! £5.50 for the beer and £2.50 for the coke! For a minute I though I was back in London! We stood at the bar as the inside of the pub’s far smaller than the outside suggests, a situation that isn’t helped by all the weird and wonderful tat that clutters the place. The places makes a great play of the fact it’s in Yorkshire (easy to forget when you see the prices) and of the pub name – apart from the problem the decor is mismatched? Why’s the bar cluttered with Alice in Wonderland white rabbit models when it’s called the Hare, and why a huge pictures of a stag – but no hounds? Oh, and as for the loud music…
We finished our drinks swiftly and moved on, still in shock at how much we’d paid. Dawn’s parting comment was ‘thank God I hadn’t asked for a pint of Coke!” To restore our equilibrium we called in at a proper pub with proper prices – the other Robin Hood, this time in Cragg Vale. No robbery happens here, despite the name! There’s no loud music either, just decent conversation as it’s a friendly little place. When paying for our our drinks Dee couldn’t help mention where we’d just come from, which sparked an interesting round of comments from others in the pub who’d had similar experiences. Ah well, you live and learn…
Now we’re back at home and settled in the for night. I’m still stuffed from my earlier meal so there’s no need to eat tonight. Meanwhile Dee’s been busy in the kitchen making one of her fabulous Bakewell Tarts as cooking therapy. Tomorrow’s going to be a domestic day, but we might get out for a walk at some point, but I know one place we won’t be visiting!
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It’s a short blog from me tonight as I’m on nursing duty as Dee was truck down by a bad migraine this afternoon.
Today’s been another day of two halves. The morning was spent working from home, wading through yesterday’s picture haul whilst keeping on top of paperwork and household chores. The weather wasn’t brilliant and the temperature distinctly nippy, so much so I wasn’t sure I that was wasting my time when I pegged out a line full of washing. Despite the lack of sunshine I decided to nip out for a few hours to check on the Trans-Pennine route upgrade (TRU) work East of Huddersfield. Dawn was meant to be having an evening out with friends so I thought I’d get out too.
Luckily, by the time I got the train from Sowerby Bridge to Dewsbury the weather had changed and I was treated to some glorious sunshine, even if temperatures were still on the chilly side. I’m going to write about the TRU work in a separate blog as it deserves its own. I saw a lot of changes at the places I visited, some substantial. Here’s a couple of pictures to whet your appetite.
The new station at Morley begins to take shape. It’s being built a very short distance away from the original station which is just out of sight to the right. This view’s looking East.A TPE service races through Cottingley station. Opened in 1988 it’s being replaced by the new £26.5m ‘White Rose’ station built further West and will close as a consequence, probably at the timetable change in December 2023 if the new station’s ready in time. It wasn’t just new railways I looked at as I also stopped off to have a wander around Dewsbury, a town that used to have far more railways than the one it does now. Here’s the (sadly closed) Station hotel in the town centre. To the right was the site of the GNRs Dewsbury Central station which closed in 1964. The course of the railway is now part of the A638 ring road, hence the new bridge behind the hotel.Dewsbury still possesses some very grand buildings that reflect the towns Victorian wealth. Here’s the Town Hall. This Grade 2 listed building opened in 1889.
My day was cut short when Dee texted me to say she was unwell, but I’ve plenty of pictures to add to a blog tomorrow, and all taken in great weather too!
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Walking to Halifax station was enjoyable this morning. No rain for a change, even if the Calder valley was shrouded in mist.
Traffic was light too though dog-walkers were out in force. Having left the house at 06:50 I had time to spare to catch the 07:39. I ended up walking straight on to the 07:20 which was running 7 mins late due to a fault on one of the two Class 195/0s forming this four car train.
This service calls at Low Moor, the new (ish) intermediate station between Halifax and Bradford. I’m rarely on services that call here so I was impressed to see dozens of folk waiting to join us.
After a rapid exchange of passengers at Bradford Interchange and with enough time for the crew to swap ends we’re now on our way to Leeds. Looking around I’d say this car is 50-60% full. I’ve no doubt that’ll increase on our way into Leeds.
0755.
Sure enough, our call at New Pudsey resulted in one departing passenger replaced by seven joining – and that was just in my car. Passengers on this train are a mix of commuters and holiday-makers. I’m sharing a table with a couple in their mid 30s in high-vis cycling jackets and a young lad whom I’m assuming’s on his way to work.
08:45.
Being ahead of schedule has allowed me to get ahead of myself and take the scenic route. I had 6 minutes in Leeds to make a dash for LNER’s 08:15 to Kings Cross which I’m taking as far as Doncaster. Yes, Doncaster. OK, I lied about the ‘scenic’ bit! My trains formed of a 9-car Azuma and the loadings are healthy. Here’s coach H.
09:05.
My visit to Doncaster was brief. I had long enough to grab a couple of pictures and admire the varied collection of stock outside the Wabtec works (an AET ”Networker’ and Chiltern’s 165004 plus sundry Mk3 coaches) before it was time to jog over to platform 0, which I’ve never used before. I’m now on Northern’s 09:05 to Goole which is being worked by a 2-car class 158.
11:40.
S’cuse the gap. As soon as I arrived at RaiseE I was thrown into a round of introductions or discussions with old friends. Sadly, many of the conversations were pessimistic. Wether it’s Brexit or the shambles that’s government policy and rail finances (not to mention internal problems of some major players) the picture’s not a happy one.
However, the event focussed on the positive aspects and opportunities for the future. More of that later..
Harry Hill from Enable Ltd and Lucy Prior from Trough-Tec Systems Ltd with a joint presentation on collaborating with the supply chain to create a greener rail industry.
17:35.
The conference finished after lunch and after saying some goodbyes I left to make the most of the glorious sunshine. I realised I’d never really taken pictures around this way and that my ladt visit was in 2010 so I decided to make amends. The rail network’s a shadow of its former self as the dock lines are disused and the new Siemens factory – whilst rail connected – isn’t generating any traffic.
However, the docks are still used by shipping and the distinctive ‘salt and pepper’ buildings dominate the skyline nearby.
There’s also this rather interesting building that looks remarkably similar in style to certain London Underground stations. I’m guessing they were designed by the same architect.
Having spent an hour exploring I took a trip to the end of the line at Hull to add a few more library pictures. I’m glad I did. The classic view of the station throat is rapidly being closed off by tree growth.
22:00.
I’m now back at home after retracing my steps from Hull to Goole, back to Doncaster and thence on to Leeds and Bradford before arriving back in Halifax. The weather’s been glorious and the travel really interesting. I’ll flesh out more of this blog shortly but for now here’s a couple more pictures from my travels.
158853 works a Hull – Doncaster service past ‘salt and pepper’ the two water towers that dominate the Goole skyline. Hull has become a good place to find the seven members of Class 155. Built by British Leyland in 1988 for Calder valley services they’re rarely seen on their former home turf although they do put in appearances on the Hull – Halifax shuttles. Goole signalbox. It was built in 1909 by the North-Eastern railway to their standard ‘S4’ design. Over the years its lost the external wooden walkways with metal handrails that allowed access to clean the windows. The locking-room windows have also been bricked up which was probably done during World War 2 to add protection from bomb damage.
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Today’s been one of unexpected variety and visits to places I’d no idea that I’d end up in. Because of that it’s now late, too late to write a blog that does the day and the places we visited justice – so this is going to be a very short blog indeed. I’ll explain more in detail tomorrow.
Our impromptu afternoon meant that we ended up having lunch in the Robin Hood Inn at Pecket Well high up in the hills on the road between Hebden Bridge and Oxenhope. This is a lovely pub in a great location and the food is well worth calling in for. Dawn had the fish and chips whilst I enjoyed a huge Yorkshire pudding stuffed with beef and gravy, served with chips and vegetables which I struggled to finish. At £12.50 one can hardly complain about the price. Feel hungry yet?
Dawn’s was a small portion! The exterior of the Robin Hood. They have a beer garden to the right which has some great views across the Calder Valley.
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There’s not much of a blog from me today. Not that there’s nothing to say, rather that there’s too much and I’m not in the mood for polemics. Much of my day has been spent catching up on bits of work and planning my diary, a task made slightly harder when a a press lunch invite is sent out (so entered into the diary) only for it to be cancelled without reason just a few hours later. Ho hum!
My morning was spent glued to my desk, which wasn’t much of a hardship as the weather here in the Pennines has been pretty miserable with lots of cloud, temperatures way short of double-figures and buckets of rain. I did venture out this afternoon as I needed to drop a parcel off at the Post Office in Sowerby Bridge and pick up a few bits of shopping, but it wasn’t much fun walking back along the canal as the rain decided to follow me. Even the dog walkers I passed looked like they’d rather be somewhere else. I know the feeling!
This evening the rain appears to have stopped, but only because the winds sprung up. The forecast suggests we’re in for another wet and blustery day tomorrow so it looks like another day working from home is the best plan. No matter, I’ve got plenty to be getting on with…
With the weather being so miserable I’ve opted for a more colourful picture today so here’s one from the archives. I didn’t really make it to a beach on my recent Asia travels, unless you count stopping off to admire one whilst waiting for a bus on Penang Island. In retrospect I wish I’d had some beach time, but it wasn’t to be. Here’s a beach I used to frequent on a regular basis but I haven’t been back for 20 years now and I doubt it looks this empty anymore. This is the long beach at Arambol, North Goa, India seen on the 31st January 2000.
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On Friday I paid a visit to Stalybridge station to see the result of the engineering blockade that had transformed the stations Western junction. This is been totally remodelled and resignalled. The resignalling has extended to the Eastern side of the station although the track layout here remains unchanged. As well as track and signals a large number of overhead electrification masts and portals have appeared, although there’s still many more to be installed at further weekend engineering possessions before the wires can be extended.
Here’s a selection of pictures showing how the place looks now.
Looking West to Stalybridge Junction from the end of platform 3. This junction was remodelled as recently as 2011. This time some of the switches have been removed and replaced with a flat crossing (just out of sight around the curve). The formations been expanded by the removal of the old ATO oil siding in the far left, which has allowed tracks to be slewed. The remodelling appears to remove conflicts and certainly allows for faster line speeds across the junction. Bi-mode 769424 pulls into the bay platform 5 with a Southport-Stalybridge service. 185151 approaches platform 3 working 2E73, the 1158 Manchester Piccadilly to Huddersfield.185151 sits waiting time in platform 3. The newly installed portals are very much in evidence. 802208 approaches from the East whilst working 9M10, the 1006 Newcastle to Liverpool Lime Street. The new portals have usurped the signal gantry that was installed (at great expense) at this location in 2012. And there it was – gone! The substantial signal gantry that was installed as part of the original Trans-Pennine electrification scheme but (apparently) was now in the way of the revised scheme for some reason. It’s no wonder many rail improvements cost so much money when plans constantly change and investment like this is wasted. It’s seen here in 2016.New signalling and OLE masts that have been installed at the East end of the station between platforms 3 and 4.Looking East along platforms 5 and 4 with new masts and portals in place where the former through tracks were situated. Looking along the railway viaducts by Waterloo Road. The bracket where the 2012 signal gantry was fixed to the side of the piers remains. 185107 calls at platform 4 outside the famous buffet bar whilst working 1K23, the 1354 Liverpool Lime Street to Hull.
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Only a short blog from me today, but I hope you enjoy it. Today was another one of those that didn’t quite go to plan as I was busy slaving away in the office this morning then thought ‘bugger it, this weather is too good to waste’ so I packed my kit and headed over to Manchester via the Calder Valley to catch some of the last Stalybridge blockade diverts and also visit Stalybridge itself – which was a bit of a time-consuming faff on rail replacement buses. On the bright side I got to see parts of Manchester I’ve never seen before – and some that I never want to see again!
I’ll write more about this at a later date. But the most surreal part of the trip was when I stopped off at Todmorden on the return. As I wandered along the Leeds bound platform I heard a quacking noise from the other side of the platform fence. When I looked I realised I was being accosted by two ducks. Said ducks then stuck to me like glue all the way along to the end of the platform. They wouldn’t leave me alone and even started pecking at my boots through the fence. I get the impression that some kind soul has been feeding them and now any passenger is seen as a meal ticket! In all my time travelling the railways I’ve never seen anything like it! So, here’s a short video of my two feathered assailants…
If you ever go to Tod’ – take food!
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/
Hooray! The rain’s stopped here in the Chilterns. Instead (according to the forecast) we’re in for a day full of dull cloud and no sunshine. Looking out of the skylight in my room in the pub we stayed in last night that certainly seems to be the case. Even so, there’s plenty of HS2 sites to see in the area and as we travel Northwards so I’ll post a few pictures through the day as we visit places. But first, it’s time for breakfast then to find somewhere to charge up Penny’s electric car. Charging EVs is a logistical exercise in itself and adds a whole new dimension to travel planning.
As well as HS2 construction sites one thing we’ll be looking at is the ecological work and mitigation planting. If you believed the scaremongering nonsense the opponents of HS2 put out tree planting either doesn’t happen or the ones planted are all dead. Nothing could be further from the truth. Here’s a (large) site on the South edge of the West Hyde construction site that we visited yesterday. Do these look imaginary or dead to you?
I’ve many more close-up shots of the impressive growth of this recently planted (2017) wood that I’ll add to my Zenfolio gallery on HS2 construction.
11:10.
Well, we’re not doing much exploring righ now but I am learning a lot about the pros and cons of electric cars! We’re currently in the car park at Morrisons in Aylesbury, waiting for the car to charge. There was no charging point at the pub, so we couldn’t charge the car overnight so we only had 30 miles left on the battery. Not enough to get anywhere. The nearest chargers were in Aylesbury. Then it’s a question of finding a fast (50kw) charger and pray no-one else is using it. So, you spend a lot of time faffing around because the last thing you want to do is run out of juice in the middle of nowhere. You can’t exactly walk with a Jerry can to the nearest garage for a bucket of electricity! Penny’s car is currently charging at 1 mile oer minute. There’s another complication. This charger has 3 charger cables. Only two are compatible with the car and one of them (the fastest) is knackered. It’s a common problem apparently. So, if you don’t want to suffer ‘power anxiety’ – buy a hybrid. This car (a Renault Zoe) has a real maximum range of +/- 200 miles so 100 miles range out and back before you need to think about finding a charging station. Oh, and that’s without driving too fast or using stuff like heaters etc..
Time to sit and compose a few emails and blog whilst watching the miles build up.
19:30.
Another day that didn’t quite go to plan but was still an excellent one anyway. Well, until I ended up on a train full of pissed-up Stoke City fans on their way back from Coventry (but more of that later).
Having charged up the car enough to do what we wanted to do (with a margin of error) we headed back to the infamous Jones’ Hill wood, scene of some of the most dishonest anti HS2 protests. I’ve blogged before about the lie that the wood had anything to do with Roald Dahl. This area (between Wendover and Great Missenden) is ‘nimby central’, not that any of their scaremongering achieved anything but it’s very interesting to compare the reality with the hype.
Whilst a Western edge of Jones’ Hill woods has been sliced off to make way for HS2 there’s a huge amount of new tree planting to the East which is doing really well. This will link the isolated Jones’ Hill with nearby woods to create a much larger wildlife habitat.
One of two ponds on the new mitigation planting site at Jones’ Hill woods with the wood in the background and new planting in the foreground. Behind me is another wood which the planting will link to Jones’ Hill. The HS2 trace is below Jones’ hill to the left .The Southern edge of Jones’ hill wood. Part of the wood had to be taken to build HS2. This picture was taken from the middle of the haul road. A footpath crosses the road and security staff let you across when it’s safe to do so. Looking North from Bowood Lane along the route of HS2 towards Wendover. So much for the ‘outstanding natural beauty’ of the Chilterns! To the left is the noisy A413 whilst the row of ugly pylons stretches the length of the valley. In contrast, when HS2’s completed most of it will be hidden from view.
Ironically, the ‘eco-warriors’ who were supposedly ‘protecting’ Jones’ hill woods have left their abandoned camp cluttering the woods.
Moving on from Jones’ Hill we headed back to Wendover to look at HS2 construction work nearby. Quite how HS2 was meant to cause so much disturbance to the village when it’ll pass in a green tunnel with the incredibly noisy A413 and Chiltern railway in-between has always been one of life’s mysteries. At the moment work isn’t as advanced as on other parts of the route so it’s hard to make out the trace of HS2, although this will change over the course of 2023. Funny, the local Nimbys have never complained about the unsightly line of high-voltage pylons that parallel the HS2 route in these parts!
Odd how those who tell us the Chilterns AONB is pristine and stunning fail to mention this row of plyons that dominate the valley between Gt Missenden and Wendover – or mention the persistent traffic noise from the A413! Here’s the view from above Wendover (off to the left) looking South towards Great Missenden. The trace of HS2 is starting to take shape. It will pass between the two nearest pylons, having crossed over the A413 and Chiltern railway at the bottom of the valley here.
Another place we visited was the small Wendover memorial wood for people who passed away at a local hospice. You may remember HS2 antis and media opportunists exploited this place in a disgraceful attempt to smear HS2 for desecrating a “childrens memorial” when it was nothing of the sort.
To be honest, it’s a sad, neglected place that looks pretty much abandoned. The memorial trees are too densely planted and look awful as no-one ever looked after them once they were planted, which is why many have their protective sheath still wrapped around them long after they matured. The place is unkempt, overgrown and covered with litter and other detritus. There’s little sign of the work HS2 carried out there, other than what likes a narrow path through some of the trees. The place doesn’t look like many people visit.
Moving on we bypassed Aylesbury and headed towards Quainton, stopping en-route to admire another mitigation site where (on first glance) tree- planting appeared to be less successful than other sites. On closer examination this proved to be untrue as many trees had been replanted, they simply hadn’t stuck their heads above their protective tubes yet! The trace of HS2 was very evident at this point.
North of Quainton we crossed the former route of the Great Central railway which (until recently) carried waste trains and HS2 construction trains as far as Calvert. Now the sites been transformed into a construction site as the old road bridge is being replaced and the road diverted (pics later).
The view from Whitehills bridge looking towards Quainton. The Calvert binliners and HS2 materials trains used this part of the old Great Central until recently. In the foreground excavations have begun for the piles for the replacement for the bridge I’m standing on. Whitehills bridge looking North towards Calvert.
Our final visit was to Calvert itself. The place has changed a lot since my last visit with the E-W rail line embankments taking shape either side of the HS2 overbridge. Several other E-W bridges are being replaced as part of the same contract whilst roads are being diverted and the site of the HS2 Infrastructure Maintenance Depot (IMD) is being laid out. Whilst we were here we were blessed with some lovely low sunlight whic made a real change from the dull day we’d had up to that point.
The site of the old Calvert station looking South. HS2 tracks will occupy this site in a few years time. Looking North from the same bridge. This site was a major railhead for bringing HS2 construction material in by rail. The new E-W rail overbridge at Calvert under very moody skies.The site of the Calvert HS2 Infrastructure Maintenance depot is beginning to be laid out. To the right is the route of E-W rail whilst the new bridge in the background is the remodelled Addison Rd.
Both of us would’ve loved to have lingered longer but when I checked train times back home we realised we’d need to make a dash for Banbury in time for me to make a sensible connection. This got a bit fraught when we got into Banbury as their was traffic chaos because the police had the main road towards the station blocked off. Instead Penny drove back to Leamington where I made my train by the skin of my teeth – but only because it was running five minutes late.
I was breathing a sigh of relief and considering staying on this Cross-County service all the way to Manchester until we pulled into Coventry where my coach was invaded by Stoke City fans. Their behaviour was appalling. They kept up a stream of foul-mouthed, misogynistic and borderline racist chants all the way to New St, at which point I’d had enough of too much testosterone and too few brain cells (as had many others in the coach). I baled and caught my original connection, the 19:03 Cross-Country service direct to Leeds. This is much quieter and far more pleasant – and neither sight nor sound of a football bore.
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Paul Bigland 