After a hectic and much-travelled week I’ve had a relaxing day here at Bigland Towers. Well, when I say relaxing, static is probably a better word as much of my day’s been spent staring at a computer screen as I continue to edit hundreds of pictures that I’ve taken over these past few weeks. That said, there’s quite a variety, so I’m never going to get bored! One minute I’m looking at the Duoro valley in Portugal, then conference attendees in Nottingham and the next – lots of us dressed in PPE as we wander around a rail training school in Swindon!
Most of the important pictures are now done, which allowed me time to nip up to my local pub to indulge in the Friday quiz with friends – a luxury I’ve not had for a while. Now I’m back at home to spend some quality time with Dawn and enjoy the latest series of ‘Have I Got New For You’ on TV.
The weekend will see us both travelling. A while ago Dawn booked tickets for us to see former UK astronaut Tim Peake giving a lecture in Chester on Sunday afternoon. We’ve decided to make a weekend of it so we’ve booked a hotel in the town for Saturday and Sunday night. Expect a blog or two whilst we’re there…
For now, I’ll leave you with today’s picture, which was taken in Swindon on Wednesday.
800314 arrives at Swindon whilst working 1C18, the 1430 London Paddington to Weston-super-Mare.
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/
Well, that’s it. We’ve hit the shortest day of the year – the winter solstice – although with the latest storm (Pia) having hit I can’t imagine many faux Druids were standing around Stonehenge this morning to greet the dawn! Storm Pia arrived here in the Pennines yesterday evening and never went away. I’m sitting in my office scribbling this whilst listening to the wind rattling the bins and anything else that’s not nailed down outside. The gusts kept waking the pair of us up during the night and when we opened the curtains this morning I half expected to see a scene of carnage outside as we have a copse of trees opposite the cottage. As it was, the local woodland ha proved remarkably resilient. Mind, you, that may be because the most vulnerable trees have already been taken out over the past couple of years as it certainly feels like storms are more frequent. Add gales to sodden ground and it doesn’t take much to bring down trees.
Thankfully, none affected us which was just as well as this afternoon was spent supermarket shopping in Huddersfield and Halifax in order to pick up the goodies needed for our ‘plan B’ Xmas dinner – as well as get shopping for John and Norah who’re confined to barracks right now. To be fair, the supermarkets weren’t as awful as we both suspected they’d be. The carnage was in the carparks, which were chokka and the haunt of people with vehicles that are far too big that they don’t know how to drive, after all, this is the era of the ‘WankPanzer’.
Having survived the road trip to the Colne valley and dropped off Dee’s folks shopping we made our way home to buy our own amidst another rain-storm. Now, with our bank accounts a lot lighter but with shopping bags bulging we’re having a quiet evening at home in the warm and dry. Tomorrow’s another day…
I didn’t even bother taking the camera with me today as the weather was so appalling so today’s picture is from the archives. I mentioned Stonehenge earlier. I used to know it well as I for many years I attended the Stonehenge free festival back in the 1980s-90s when we’d be allowed into (and onto) the stones. Those days are long gone, but here’s how the mighty sarsen stones looked on a visit in the summer of 1999. But not a Druid or hippy in sight…
Talking of Stonehenge, this open letter from archeologists which was published today regarding the campaign to stop a road tunnel being built near the site is well worth a read as it adds valuable context.
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 going to be a long one! I’m currently enjoying a coffee in my room whilst checking my kit and making sure everything’s charged up and cleaned whilst keeping one eye on the TV weather reports. Today’s going to be mixed to say the least with a mixture of sunshine and heavy showers forecast, which should make things ‘interesting’ to say the least. The trainees on the electrification course are going to get a taste of what it’s really like working trackside in all weathers! Then, when we’re finished I’ve got to head back to West Yorkshire ready for another interesting event tomorrow.
I’ll blog throughout the day as I can so feel free to pop back and see what I’m getting up to.
08:35.
We’re kicking off here at the Jane Austin training scholl with a classroom lesson on OLE. The first briefing’s being given by Gary Keenor, who’s literally written the book on OLE.
Here’s the plan. Looks simple, doesn’t it?
Here’s some technical jargon for you.
One of the things I enjoy about jobs like this is that I get to learn things, in this case about the intricacies of overhead line engineering. It’s fascinating – especially when you have such knowledgeable trainers as Gary.
13:00.
Having enjoyed lunch and chance to dry out from the rain, it’s time to go back to training.
17:00.
We might have had a soggy morning but that was nothing to what arrived in the afternoon! The forecast was well out and none of the sunny periods expected arrived. Instead we had rain. Lashings of it! Thankfully I’d anticipated these conditions by packing a waterproof housing for my camera. Without it I’d never have been able to get pictures of the group working together to roll out and tension a cable run. I’ll add a couple of camera pictures later. The conditions mirrored those that rail staff face when they’re working, but it was a baptism of fire for trainees where many had never even been trackside before. The day finished early as there was no point in starting another activity after the cable run. So, whilst the rest of the gang made their way back to the hotel to dry off (on the outside, anyway) I hotfoot it to the station to get an earlier train. I’m now on the 16:40 from Swindon to Paddington. This is a busy train but I’ve managed to find a table bay in one of the rear coaches which had free seats. Now I’m enjoying watching the flooded Wiltshire countryside flash by as I head back to the capital.
19:10.
yet again my time in London was brief. I dived off the train at Paddington having chosen the best coach for the quickest route to the Metropolitan underground station (benefits of being an ex-Londoner) so made it to Kings Cross with a couple of minutes to spare in order to catch an earlier train. I’m now on the 18:03 to Leeds which will get me home nearly an hour earlier than I was originally expecting.
Admittedly, the train’s packed, not helped by the fact it’s only a five-car Azuma to Skipton where the first stop was Peterborough. I’ve been resident of a vestibule since the ‘Cross as the seats vacated by ‘posh’ commuters were soon filled by others joining form points East.
22:00.
I’m home and dry – literally! Dawn was good enough to come to the station to pick me up so I’m now letting my PPE air. The weather here in West Yorkshire’s damp but nowhere near as wet as Wiltshire was which is a relief – especially as I’m out and about again tomorrow, only this time on a rather different event – all will be revealed as it happens!
I said I’d post a couple of camera pictures from today – so here they are…
Putting those earlier plans into practice…
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/
Paul Bigland 