It’s another short blog from me today. After yesterday’s day out I’ve been very much home and office based trying to catch up on stuff. I’ve been threatening to get back to selling surplus slides and other railway memorabilia on eBay but having let my account lapse over the past year that’s been made even more complicated by the fact I’m starting from scratch. I’m having to relist everything, which is a major PITA, but it’s allowed me to be more organised this time when it comes to record keeping. In theory I’ll benefit in the long run as I’ll find it easier to keep track of stuff. Well, that’s what I keep telling myself anyway!
I’ve managed to reload a couple of hundred surplus slides so far and hope to at least double that over the weekend before getting into all the memorabilia. All this stuff’s been sitting in cupboards for years so it’s time it went to new homes. I’ll be adding the occasional link to stuff in the future, bit for now, the picture of the day is a slide that’ll be on eBay very soon.
I took this shot in Limerick, Ireland way back in 2003 when Irish Rail was still using locomotives and coaching stock on a lot of services. This meant many locations had station pilots – engines who’s only job was to shunt empty coaches around the place. Like this one.
‘Baby GM’ 146 prepares to haul a rake of the old ‘Cravens’ coaches out of Limerick station whilst a brand new railcar sits in the opposite platform. Their introduction would lead to the demise of scenes like this.
As well as UK railways going back to 1990 I’ll be putting pictures up for sale from other countries (like Ireland) that will include Sri Lanka, Malaysia and also the last days of Indian steam trains. Watch this space…
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It’s a gloriously sunny day here in the Pennines – albeit a tad chilly at the moment due to a breeze that’s knocking a good few degrees of the ambient temperature. As I’d a lunchtime appointment at Milnesbridge in the neighbouring Colne valley I’d decided to make a day of it and head out early with the camera to get some pictures at the same time. Having strolled into Halifax to catch the train I’d just arrived at the station when my phone rang and the people I was meant to be seeing called off the meeting due to staff sickness. Ho hum! So, I’m now at a looser end…
The weather’s far too good to go back to the office. Instead, I’m on a half-full 3 -car Class 195 heading to Manchester whilst plotting what my next move is going to be. Feel free to keep popping back to see what I get up to and where…
11:00.
I arrived in Manchester without a plan but one soon came together after 10 minutes of checking the internet and social media. I was torn between a couple of ideas but the fact a friend from Ireland who’s travelling the UK on a railrover ticket had a visit to Wigan on his itinerary swung it for me. I’m now sat on a rather pedestrian Class 150 heading west to Southport.
The Stygian gloom of Victoria’s through platforms under the Manchester Arena is hardly a place you’d want to linger on a bright sunny day. Thankfully, I didn’t have to. The train approaching is the 10:50 to Southport, which has whisked me away from here. It’s about to pass 150003, one of Northern’s reformed sets made up by adding an extra car to a 2-car set to emulate the first 2 prototype Class 150s.
The service I’m on is an ‘all shacks’ stopper which calls at every blade of grass en-route. Stations with exotic names like Moses Gate, Kearsley, Westhoughton, Hoscar and Meols Cop. It passes from areas once dominated by the old coalfields, power stations and cotton mills to cross the West Lancashire plains and rich farmland to reach the coast. It’s actually a fascinating trip through time and one day (when I finally have enough time) I’m going to write a historical route guide as it really deserves one. Nowadays you’d have no idea what it used to like like when I was a boy. Even I struggle to remember sometimes!
12:35.
I’m now enjoying Wigan (or Wiggin as the locals pronounce it). No – seriously! I know I’ve been somewhat unkind about the place in the past as (like any old industrial town) it has its problems, but it is a friendly place and certainly has its recent upsides if you’re a fan of real ale. The area around the stations is graced with two cracking pubs. The restored and reopened Swan opposite North Western station (you can see it from passing trains) and ‘Wigan Central’ in the arches underneath North Western. Plus, the local Community Rail Partnership has commissioned a local artist who’s decorated the station subway with an attractive guide to the local lingo…
Ironic, I keep mentioning how glorious the weather is but all my pictures are taken underground! Here’s on taken above ground at Wigan North Western to redress the balance.
A Euston bound 9-car Pendolino calls at Wigan North Western earlier today.
20:00.
Apologies for the interregnum in blogging but it’s been a busy day. I arranged to meet my Irish friend in ‘Wiggin’ after which we explored local lines familiar to but unfamiliar to him. Hence us ending up in Rainford. on the Wigan – Kirby line. Unless you knew about this route’s history you’d never guess it was a former main line – unless you understand how railways were built and notice there wasn’t a single level-crossing on the route which also has some heroic earthworks and structures in order to make it as level as possible.
We stopped off at Rainford to get some shots of trains, admire the work of the local station friends – and have a pint at the adjacent local hostelry. Well, it would’ve been rude not to! The pub has some wonderful photographs from the 1960s when Rainford was a triangular junction – an era long gone.
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It’s been another mixed but productive day here at Bigland Towers. The pair of us have been busy beavering away at home and enjoying the fine weather which is gracing us once again. Well, when I say ‘enjoying’ I mostly mean looking at it through windows as we’ve both spent most of the day staring at screens of one sort or another. Still, I can’t complain. I’ve occupied my time alternating between writing and preparing surplus slides ready to restock my eBay account after a years break from selling. As well as old railway slides I’ve still got a selection of railway memorabilia to put up for sale – all of which will appear over the next week or so as it’s a labor-intensive process when you have hundreds of unique items to catalogue and add, but more of this anon.
Away from screens I did manage to get out for a daily constitutional later in the afternoon, which was glorious as the sun was really starting to show its strength. I don’t mind having to take vitamin D tablets but I’d much rather top up my levels by basking in the sun – something I’ve missed terribly over the pandemic years…
Tomorrow I’ve an appointment over in Huddersfield, so I’m looking forward to having some time out and perhaps a bit of rolling blogging, depending on events. In the meantime, here’s the picture of the day which come from the end of another old slide album which I’ve finally completed. This is the penultimate one remaining from my 1990s years and the final one before my world changed when I gave up working as a Housing Officer in London to travel the world for 18 months. Little did I know then what the future would hold…
Today’s picture dates from August 1997 when Lynn and I were cycling around Norfolk on a long weekend. We’d often load our bikes onto a train and head off into East Anglia. North Norfolk was a favorite as it wasn’t as flat so had more of interest – as well as a great coastline. On this trip we discovered the Slipper Chapel in Little Walsingham, which has a fascinating history.
Our bikes are resting outside a chapel built in the mid-14th century that’s dedicated to Saint Catherine of Alexandria. The chapel served pilgrims on their way to England’s Nazareth (Walsingham). Saint Catherine was the patron saint of pilgrims to the Holy Land and her knights kept open the road to Nazareth during the Crusades. Her tomb lies in the Mount Sinai Monastery, in the Basilica of the Annunciation. As on Mount Sinai where Moses took off his shoes because he was on holy ground, pilgrims to England’s Holy Land used to remove their shoes and walk the Holy Mile into Walsingham from the Slipper Chapel – hence its name. After the Reformation the Chapel was used variously as a poor house, a forge, a cow shed and a barn. It was restored to the Catholic Church in 1896.
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With the bank holiday out of the way along with Dawn’s week off work it’s back to the grindstone for the both of us today. I’m making a concerted effort to up the ante with my energy and exercise levels, hit all my Fitbit targets – and be productive at work. To that end there’s been little time for blogging, but I’ve a new tranche of old slide scans that have allowed me to supply a new picture of the day. It’s one of the last in my series of pictures from India. Having them all scanned has made me realise that I’d got the date wrong by a year (I blame the absence of my old notebooks) so I’ll be correcting those as time permits. What I’d thought was 1995 was actually 1996, but then the memory dims somewhat after so long…
Anyways, here’s a shot taken on the beach in Arambol, Goa, India from January 1997. In those days locals and the more active travellers would gather on the beach at sunset to play volleyball. Admittedly, more people watched the sunset than took part, but it made for some interesting pictures. Here’s one…
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Only a short blog from me tonight. It’s been a quiet day here at Bigland Towers with the pair of us making the most of the bank holiday to catch up on jobs around the cottage rather than try and compete with all the others who’re trying to ‘get away from it all’ which normally means prices rise as you’re all competing with each other!
Instead, we spent the day enjoying the warmer weather here in the Calder Valley. Dee was busy indulging in some DIY whilst I spent the day cleaning windows, tidying up the garden, repotting and planting lots of seeds and cuttings. Not exactly the ‘rock and roll’ lifestyle admittedly, but who cares! I find gardening really therapeutic and it makes a change from staring at computer screens.
So, without further ado, here’s the picture of the day, which is one of the series I took yesterday. I found this plaque at Wigan North Western station. It’s new (well, nearly new) as it was only installed last year. Installed by the British Transport Police History Group outside their offices on Wigan North Western station it commemorates an officer of one of the precursors of the BTP, Detective Sergeant Robert Kidd who was murdered at Wigan on the 29th September 1895 by a gang stealing from railway wagons in the nearby sidings. You can read about the events and subsequent trial here.
I’ve a 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/
After my enforced absence due to Covid I’m back on the rails today for the first time in a couple of weeks. It’s nothing terribly exciting – I’m taking a trip over to my birthplace to drop something off for my niece’s husband, but there’ll be time for a few pictures and the change of scenery is certainly appreciated. And who know what might happen?
Right now I’m crossing the Pennines on Northern’s 08:05 from Sowerby Bridge to Wigan North Western which is worked by a pair of Class 158s. Once the ‘top flight’ units in Northern’s inventory these 90 mph trains have been relegated to the 2nd Division by the newer, faster and more nippy CAF built Class 195s. With it being Good Friday there’s no commuters aboard, merely a few family daytrippers and people dragging suitcases who’re away longer. I’ll be interested to see what the footfall looks like at other stations en-route.
Feel free to keep popping back to see how my day unfolds…
08:40. My train’s the ‘all shacks’ stopper which calls at every station on the line, most of which have been very quiet. Having crossed the Pennines I’ve lost the sunshine as Lancashire’s covered in wavy low grey cloud. Add in the fact it’s a chilly start to this bank holiday and I can understand why not many people are venturing out right now – it’s a day for a lie-in! Our stop at Rochdale did manage to generate an extra dozen passengers, many of whom seemed less than enthusiastic to be travelling so I’m assuming they’re shop workers!
10:00.
As expected, Manchester Victoria was busy with day-trippers making the most of the bank-holiday but I didn’t stop as I was changing trains at Salford Crescent in order to pick up a Southport Service. There were few students about so the station was quiet. The heaviest traffic was for the bird-feeders that station staff have hung up on a station sign. These saw a stream of Pigeons, Tits and Jays taking advantage of the feeding station!
Feeding station…
I’m still getting used to seeing electric trains on this route which is a far cry from how it was in my youth. The feeling of oddness is compounded by seeing old friends in the form of ex-Thamelink trains converted to bi-modes plying the route. One of which formed my train to Southport.
100mph capable trains to Southport. Who would have thought?
Our route was via Bolton where we successfully swapped from electric to diesel power, a transition that doesn’t always go smoothly but teething problems seem to have been ironed out nowadays, reducing the numbers of failures.
Having changed traction we continued to Wigan, calling at the beautifully tended stations of Westhoughton and Hindley bothe of which have gorgeous station gardens maintained by local volunteers.
Wigan Wallgate provided plenty of custom for the train as large groups of families and friends were waiting to take a trip to the seaside. Buckets and spades may be in order, but any suntan lotion will be surplus to requirements!
11:30.
My neice was waiting for me at the station so the Tux’ was handed over in double-quick time. I didn’t want to stay long but I gave myself long enough for a quick lap of the town centre just to see what had changed. It was all a bit depressing. Many more shops are empty and shuttered, as is another old haunt – the ‘Coronation’ pub opposite the market which has been dying a death for years gas finally expired. I did pop into the indoor market which has changed completely. All the tradional stalls are gone. Instead, a large bar surrounded by tables occupies much of the space. Fast food stalls line two sides whilst on sode’s been opened up to encompass outdoor seating.
I have mixed feelings about the redevelopment. None of the food outlets appeal, it’s all bog-standard, uninteresting stuff (pizza, tex-mex etc) not world cuisine or Asian street food and it’s displaced specialist food stalls – one of which sold a fantastic array of Lancashire cheeses. I’ve no idea where to go to buy those now. Still, Ivwish it well and hope the new market prospers – even if I’ve no reason to visit anymore.
Taking my leave via the same train I arrived on I stopped off at Burscough Bridge to get a couple of pictures. After being derelict for years the old station building’s being renovated. It was a private residence so I’m assuming its finally been bought by someone. It’s a fine old building that’s very much in need of some TLC – which it’s now receiving.
14:30.
My next stop was at Wigan, a town that was really buzzing as it was match day. Not that I have the faintest clue what sport that involved. To be honest, portly blokes wandering around in very tight copies of team strips was never going to engage my attention. It might be football, it might be rugby, but to be honest, I don’t have a ‘Scooby Do’!
What was nice was the fact the atmosphere was quite relaxed (but then, it’s early doors and no-one’s lost yet). Whilst in Wigan I called in to a hostelry I’d always meant to visit but never got around to. Wigan Central is a large, railway-themed bar that fills two arches under Wigan North-Western station. The bar spills out onto the pavement to give a large outdoor seating area which copes well with events.
14:45.
I really enjoyed my visit to Wigan, a place I’ve not always flattered (sorry Sheila!) but on this occasion I found the people whom I met and talked to lovely.
Right now I’m heading back to Yorkshire. The weather didn’t pan out quite how I’d have liked so some of the photos I wanted were non-starters. Even so, I’ve ideas for the future. I’ve not expored the old Lancashire and Yorkshire main line via Walkden for years. I’ve always meant to but it’s never been prominent on the list.
22:30.
Time to bring some closure! I stayed on the train from Wigan all the way home – ish. Lulled into a false sense of security by the fact I was on a Class 195 I ignored the stopping pattern I knew in my head until we pulled out of Sowerby Bridge when the PA announced the next stop as Brighouse, not Halifax. Bugger! On the bright side – I was able to retrace my steps with a 20 minute delay – and there’s a real ale pub right next to the station…
Having met up with Dawn at home the pair of us adjourned to the ‘Big 6’ pub to join friends and enjoy the quiz. As usual our quizmaster bans me from answering the geography questions – much to everyone else’s amusement. It’s not that I’m that encyclopedic (honest), but I have travelled a bit! Dawn and I had a lovely night laughing and joking as you bounce humor off friends – the stuff you miss when you’re isolating. Hopefully, this is the precursor for the Bank Holiday…
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Apologies for the lack of blogging this week. This is due to several reasons. One is enjoying my new found freedom now that I’m Covid free. Dawn’s had the week off work so the pair of us have been extremely sociable, having eaten out several times already this week. First with Dee’s family, then last night we were invited round to friends for a home cooked meal of delicious Greek meatballs. Today we’ve been out for a pub lunch and a few drinks with another couple who’re the powerhouses behind the friends of Mytholmroyd station. We’ve really enjoyed these short-notice events which are such a refreshing change after all the lockdown protocols when the levels of planning involved in getting to see someone was like a military operation. Being able to share spontaneous quality time with friends again is brilliant.
This hectic social whirl has meant I’ve simply not had time to blog, but I’m sure I’ll be able to make up for that shortly. Tomorrow I’m taking a trip over to Southport to drop off a Tuxedo for my Niece’s husband to borrow, so I’m sure there’ll be blogging involved in the trip.
Until then I’ll leave you with today’s picture which is another from the latest batch of old slides from India. This is Sravanabelagola in the Southern state of Karnataka, seen in January 1997. It’s famous for its Jain temple and statue of Bahubali which is the tallest monolithic statue in India. As you can see, it’s quite a surreal landscape.
I’ve a 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/
Finally, after what seems like an age, my morning Covid test was negative – which was a great start to a new week. Time seems to have dragged over the past 10 days, but at last I’m in the clear. All I want to do now is one last test tomorrow to make sure the result wasn’t a fluke and then my mind’s at rest. Mind you – so’s Dawn’s mind. She’s been hugely supportive whilst I’ve been a (sometimes temperamental and impatient) patient.
Dee’s off work this week so the pair of us celebrated by going out for a long (ish) walk. Rather than going local we drove over to Todmorden to explore the hills to the North of the town. We’ve been walking on the tops of the valley to the North of the Todmorden to Burnley railway several times. There’s some great walking around there as the views are fantastic. Add in the fact there’s some fascinating old buildings and wonderful rock outcrops and it’s a winner. But today we tried somewhere different and explored the opposite side of the valley and the area known as Todmorden moor. Our experiences were mixed. On an O/S map the area teems with footpaths but when you’re on the ground it’s obvious many of them are so little used they’re almost impossible to find. That said. the views across the valley were superb, as was looking down from on high into the valley around Lydgate and the A646 road to Burnley. I’d certainly come back with the camera sometime, but if it’s the quality of walking we’re after we’d stick to the North side of the valley. What was interesting was finding out that Todmorden moor was once the site of industry. Collieries and a tramway once graced the area which must have been a desolate place to work. Imagine tramping all that way uphill from Todmorden only to return 12 hours later?
Having enjoyed our wanderings we headed back via an old haunt that we realised we’d not visited since before the first Pandemic lockdown. We used to walk from home to the Robin Hood pub in Cragg Vale above Mytholmroyd several times a year but Covid put a stop to all that. Our last visit was in 2019 so today we thought ‘why not’? and dropped in for a drink at this brilliant local boozer. It still retains its character (and characters) despite everything that’s happened in the last few years. It was lovely to be able to sit at the bar, enjoy the heat from the fire and join in the banter and laughs between the bar staff and regulars. It’s something I’d really missed in isolation.
Now we’re back at home preparing for the week ahead which is looking a lot more optimistic – and far busier! But for now I’ll leave you with the picture of the day which was taken from our walk.
A pair of Northern Class 150s (150149 and 150127) cross the viaduct at Lydgate whilst working 2N98, the 12:53 from Kirkby to Blackburn. As you can see, it’s not exactly flat around here! The bizarre thing? This is the first picture I’ve taken in 10 days…
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Right, I’m bored now. I first tested positive for Covid last Thursday. I felt shit for several days, then bounced back, but I’m still testing positive – including this morning! Unlike many people Dawn and I are taking this seriously and not putting anyone else at risk so I’ve had no close contact with anyone since I first tested positive. Well, apart from my wife – obviously! Oh, I’m tempted, there’s a few people who I’d quite happily give the Rona to but as they’re nowhere near me the chances of that happening are minute! I’m frustrated as I’ve no idea when I’ll start testing negative again. In the meantime it’s really cramping my style and the things that I can do.
The pair of us are feeling frustrated as there’s so many things we’ve had to put on hold – including family gatherings. So, to lighten the mood the pair of us had a long amble around the streets of Halifax today, exploring side-streets and areas we’ve never visited before. I find the town fascinating to wander around as the architecture is so diverse. It ranges from huge mansions to back-to backs and with a timespan that covers centuries. Many building have changed form and purpose over the years which leads to the opportunity for some detective work, trying to guess what the places were used for originally. There’s also some impossible building footprints too as properties have been squeezed on to odd plots of land, leading to some very oddly shaped structures which must be almost impossible to furnish well.
Back at Bigland Towers we’ve enjoyed another quiet night in. Dawn decided to take over the cooking tonight as I prepared last night’s meal, which leads to the picture of the day. I really enjoy cooking but it’s once in a blue moon we cook red meat at home. Maybe it’s the result of the ‘Rona’ but yesterday I fancied trying something different and found an Asian recipe for a beef Red Curry which sounded delicious so I gave it a go. When I cook I like to have everything prepared beforehand and laid out in a selection of bowls we’ve brought back from our travels in Thailand and Vietnam. So, here’s last night’s meal broken down into its constituent parts. Vegans, look away now…
I’m hoping that tomorrow I’ll finally test negative and can start to come out of my shell as (potentially) we’ve both got a lot on in the next week or so. Time will tell…
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Bugger, despite my gradual return to form as I shake off the ‘rona’ I’m still testing positive for Covid, which is cramping my style good-time as I’m avoiding everybody and everything (bar the great outdoors) until I start testing clear. I’m the last in the family – both my Father and Mother in law are now in the clear and Dawn’s never contracted it. I should be past the infectious stage now but I’m not willing to put anyone at risk – so no Friday quiz night for me…
Instead, Dawn and I managed to get out for a reasonably long walk through our local woods, although that was touch and go at one point as the weather really wasn’t playing ball. We had glorious sunshine this morning but the temperature was anything but spring like. By the time we’d finished up the work we were doing the sky had changed and kept dumping hail and snow upon us at regular intervals. It certainly made for some dramatic skies but Baltic conditions. Undeterred, we headed out for an hour to get some exercise. The beauty of the weather was bugger-all people were around apart for a few hardened dog-walkers, so I wasn’t too perturbed. Plus, if Covid can hang around long in the cold, windy and wet conditions we were out in then it deserves to survive!
So, for us it’s a quiet night in watching the TV, having enjoyed a glorious sunset as the skies cleared at an opportune moment and let the setting sun illuminate the undersides of the high cloud that decided to hang around. Dawn’s been busy in the kitchen, rustling up a prawn stir-fry so we’re certainly not going to starve – which means it’s time for me to bid adieu and leave you with the picture of the day, which is another old slide from the latest batch of images of India that I’ve been scanning. This is another from my favourite Indian city of Mysore. The city has an excellent market although there’s one area that vegetarians should certainly avoid – and meat-eaters who are so divorced from the food-chain that they think that everything every carnivore eats comes in cellophane wrapped polystyrene trays! Sanitation, hygiene and animal welfare are not high on the agenda…
You get an idea what this area of the market might be like when you look up and notice that many of the surrounding buildings are crowded with Raptors who sit there, eagle-eyed just waiting for the opportunity to snatch scraps as the butcher’s shops are open to the street. In fact, some butchers deliberately throw scraps into the street to allow the birds to swoop down and feed. It’s quite a sight to watch an Eagle do this – and it certainly makes a change from Pigeons!
Not an easy thing to capture on the slow slide film that I was using at the time (January 1996) but I did manage this after a few practice runs. I’d love to go back with a modern DSLR and try my luck again.
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/
