Rolling blog. Weather-wise…

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09:30.

Make hay whilst the sun shines is the old saying. Only in my case it’s make pictures! After yesterday’s climatic shenanigans we’ve a warm(ish) but sunny day, so I’m off to Manchester once more. Today’s trip is complicated by the fact the railway is severed at Castleton, where the bridge over the M62 is being replaced. This means I’m taking the scenic route. Right now I’m waiting for a train from Sowerby Bridge to Mirfield where I can pick up a Trans-Pennine service through the Colne Valley to Manchester Piccadilly. Let’s see how the day goes…

10:00.

The diversion was painless, and actually – rather useful as it gave me chance to check on TRU progress. I had less than 10 mins at Mirfield but that gave me time to document progres on the new island platform and  other work, which includes an extention to platform 3 in order to move the entrance to it, plus new vistas opened up by vegetation clearence.

The view from platform 3 looking across to the island and the new platform 2 face. It seems a string of rails are in place just waiting for the sleepers to arrive before the new platform track is laid.
An extension to the extension on the East end of platform 3.

Passing Deighton station I could see I need to pay another visit. The cutting has been widened with a lot of muck moved to accommodate a realigned slow line track – a short section of which has already been laid and ballasted.

12:00.

That’s two more stations of the list, one of which is the delightful Woodsmoor near Stockport. The station friends do an excellent job looking after it with planting and artwork. Plus, I do like a good local history board.

A local service to Hazel Grove calls at Woodsmoor.

Now for my next challenge. A station with no trains today…

14:00.

Three more stations down, including Reddish South which only sees one return train a week (Saturdays).

All dressed up with no trains to go…

A surprise for me was Brinnington, where the ticket office doubles as a charity shop.  The walk from Heaton Chapel through Reddish to Reddish North was fascinating and depressing in equal measure with some excellent examples of community spirit but government indifference or downright destruction. I’ll add more pictures later. Right now I’m heading back into Manchester Piccadilly on a positioning move.

16:00.

Things started to go wrong at Piccadilly. Several services on lines I was intending to use were cancelled due to staff shortages. Main line trains were getting disrupted too so it was time for plan B. A cheeky loco-hauled (or rather – pushed) train to Stockport saw me ready to head down the Buston line.

Bizarrely, Stockport had an entire platform out of commission due to staff shortages. Platform 0, but as that’s isolated from the rest of the station you kinda see why.

Right now I’m having a swift pint outside a pub called the Royal Oak in the nearby village of High Lane, just 15 minutes walk along the Middlewood Way (a cycle route on the abandoned railway from Macclesfield to Marple) from the station of the same name. The train service is two-hourly, so a walk to a nearby hostelry made sense as there’s bugger-all by the station!

17:40.

Time to call it a day and head home. I’ve ticked off some of the most difficult stations access-wise. Now I’m heading home via Huddersfield. I’ll add some camera pictures later.

Right now I’m on a rammed 17:30 all-stations to Leeds worked by a 3-car Class 185. I’ve made someone turf their bag off a seat so that I can sit down and free up more standing room in the vestibule. Some people are far too polite and let folk seat-hog.

20:50.

I’m home after a really interesting day. I said I’d add a few more pictures, so here they are.

Artwork (and a statement) on Woodsmoor station.
South Reddish station only sees passenger trains (one return trip from Stalybridge to Stockport) on a Saturday morning, but it’s still an important freight link. Here’s Freightliner’s 66604 passing through on a light-engine move from Leeds to Crewe.
The station building at Brinnington isn’t just a ticket office. It’s also a local history picture gallery and home to Brinnington Station Swap Shop – a community hub where people can leave unwanted items and take items they need all free of charge.
Middlewood station looking towards Buxton. The bridge carries the Middlewood way, a footpath/cycle route along the old railway from Macclesfield to Marple.
A scene that’s becoming rare on the railways nowadays. A train from Buxton passes the Distant signal outside Middlewood. Fewer and fewer of these signals (especially working ones) survive. This one protects Norbury Hollow level crossing further up the line.

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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/

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12th September picture(s) of the day…

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Bloody hell, who turned the temperature down! Today’s felt more like October than September. This morning we woke up to temperatures in low single figures. I guess an Indian summer’s out of the question then? To top it all we’ve had weather conditions that have veered from the sublime to the bleeding ridiculous!

Much of my day has been spent type-swiping for a living, writing the second part of my round Britain odyssey for RAIL magazine, so the weather was moot. I was tucked up in the warm and dry here at Bigland Towers. It was only when I ventured out for my daily constitutional that I realised the weather forecast was about as accurate and reliable as Donald Trump. I’d not bothered taking an umbrella with me – which was a big mistake as these are the sort of weather conditions I encountered atop the valley.

This afternoon Dawn had an appointment over in Marsden in the Colne valley so I went with her, riding shotgun and taking the opportunity to get a few shots around the station.

Marsden station when an afternoon Manchester – York service calls…

That job done I popped into the revamped Riverhead brewery Tap for a pint whilst waiting.

Afterwards we spent the evening at Dawns parents where we prepared fish in vermouth* along with a vegetable medley. Simple (ish) but very tasty. Now the pair of us are back home. Bugger waiting until October – the heating’s been turned of for half an hour. I may not be a pensioner yet – or have to worry about winter fuel allowances, but there comes a point at which I’m not prepared to sit and type with blue fingers!

*like the sound of the recipe? Let me know and I’ll pass it on….

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Or – you can now buy me a coffee! https://ko-fi.com/paulbigland68312

Rolling blog. Border reiver…

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06:30.

God, aren’t the days getting shorter fast? I could swear it was still light this time last week! Now, when I opened the living room curtains dawn was only just beginning to break. Right now it’s time to pack a lunch, guzzle some coffee and prepare to head off to Newcastle for the start of today’s adventure which takes in a border crossing for a brief foray to Scotland and short turnaround in Edinburgh. Feel free to pop back to see how the trip unfolds before I return home tonight.

08:00.

I’m on my way…

The weather in the Calder valley’s cold and wet this morning so Dawn kindly offered to give me a lift to the station on her way into work. I was in plenty of time to catch my train – only to find it was running 20 late due to problems at a level crossing en-route. Having looked at my options I decided to avoid the packed next service to York and catch the local shuttle to Huddersfield which arrives a few minutes before a TPE service to Newcastle. Winner! 

 

Hmm, rammed 195 via Bradford or far less busy 158 to Huddersfield? The end result’s the same.

Plus, going this way gives me chance to see progress on the TRU upgrade work.

08:35.

Well, that plan didn’t work! Late running and defensive driving meant my Northern service pulled into Huddersfield just as the TPE was leaving!

On the bright side, I was ahead of schedule anyway and another TPE to York was 12 mins behind. Plus, I had time to get a few shots of the station. The main part of the roof is now hidden by scaffolding and the old wooden cafe and waiting room’s completely disappeared.

09:00.

We’ve departed Leeds, where this 3 car 185 emptied out, leaving me with a table bay to myself. Looking at the TRU work en-route its clear there’s been an awful lot of muck moved since I last passed. There’s even a short section of new track outside Deighton, although it’s not connected to anything. At Ravensthorpe, where a new embankment and bridges will be built there’s a lot of ground stablisation going on. Dozens of concrete piles have been driven into the existing ground level. I need to have another wander with the camera when time permits.

10:10.

My time at York was brief, with nothing worth photographing as the station was empty of anything of interest and the weather gloomy. Timekeeping wasn’t great either. Cross-Country and LNER services were due in a few minutes apart. Either could take me to Newcastle. As it was the LNER ran to time so won. Having watched rainstorms scud over the vale of York the weather here around Darlington’s brightened up. I’m optimistic that it’ll stay dry all the way to Scotland now.

18:15.

Right, where was I? Sorry about the gap but it’s been a very busy day where I’ve been doing something different to my usual. I’ve been working for a certain open access operator, filming vox pops at Newcastle, aboard trains and at Edinburgh. It’s a little out of the ordinary for me as I’ve been wielding a microphone not a camera, but a change is as good as a rest as the old saying goes. I’ve actually rather enjoyed it, but stopping random members of the public and asking them questions about rail travel isn’t to everyone’s taste. I had the advantage of working with a very experienced cameraman (Sean) who seems happy with the results, which bodes well.

Now I’m back at Newcastle. I’ll blog more later when I’m on the train home.

19:45.

Homeward bound, and it’s a gorgeous evening that makes me wish I was lineside somewhere, but you can’t have everything.    Newcastle station was interesting as we weren’t the only camera team there. Far fom it – the place was awash with them due to filming in progress for a TV series called ‘Piano’. A boom camera and 5 roving cameras were filming participants and crowds alike, with host Claudia Winkleman centre stage.

20:45.

Almost home. I did stop off on the way for a swift pint in the station bar at Durham between trains. It’s a lovely place with lots of outside seating under the station roof  if you fancy a bit of trainspotting with your beer. Inside is a great place to while away a winter’s eve.

Having caught  TPE service back to Leeds I’m now on the last leg aboard a Northern 158 from Hull.

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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

9th September picture of the day…

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It’s been another day slogging away over a hot computer here at Bigland Towers. My timetable slipped slightly due to the fun and games at yesterday’s Green party conference and the vote to back building HS2 which required a blog all of its own. Having penned that it was back to picture editing, sorting out station images for a client and planning how I’ll get to the last dozen plus locations – some of which only see trains once a week! The logistical challenge is an interesting one, but it should keep me fit as well as give me the opportunity to visit some places I’ve never been before. But that’s going to have to wait until the weather’s right – hopefully later this week.

Tomorrow I have another, rather different assignment up in Newcastle (and Edinburgh), but more of that after it’s happened. First, I’ve got to get to Newcastle tomorrow morning, ready to meet up with the cameraman I’ll be working with. Yep, it’s not me doing the filming on this little adventure! No doubt I’ll have some time to blog tomorrow, even if it’s not going to be a full running commentary on the day.

In the meantime, here’s today’s picture, which is from my recent prowls around Manchester. I love the little nooks and crannies or unexpected turns you find at some railway stations as the builders tried to cope with the topography and meeting between road and rail. Here’s one from Davenport station, just outside Stockport on the route to Buxton.

I’ve always been interested in the architecture of the railways and have a gallery dedicated to railway stations (good and bad), so if you want to see more examples from across the network, follow this link.

I’ve a small favour to ask…
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Or – you can now buy me a coffee! https://ko-fi.com/paulbigland68312

The green party vote to support building HS2.

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The green party of England and Wales that is. The Scottish greens (who already support building HS2) are a separate party.

This policy change came about yesterday at the party’s conference in Manchester, when a vote (previously delayed by several years) was held. The motion to support was passed by 52 to 48%. (hmm, where have I heard that ratio before? Ed). You can read the full details of the motion passed and the amendments agreed here on the Greens for HS2 website.

The motion ends 15 years of the party’s hypocritical opposition to building a new green railway which had left the party looking very silly. It simply wasn’t credible to say that they supported building high speed rail ‘in principle’ but then vehemently opposed it in practice.

The change is a credit to the hard-working members of the party who’ve spent years trying to get this policy altered and give the green party its credibility back when it comes to railways.

Now, a cynic might say that it’s funny how this has come about now that the opposition to HS2 in the wealthy South (where a lot of Green members live) is moot as the project is well on its way to completion, but that shouldn’t detract from the success of the pro-rail party members.

What effect will this policy change have? In some ways very little. Yes, it give the party its credibility back, but as the Greens now have 4 MPs in Parliament it adds another pro HS2 group to the Commons. This could put pressure on the new Labour Government to begin to undo the disastrous decisions by the previous Tory government to cancel the 2nd phases of HS2 that render what’s being built unable to deliver the capacity increase our railways so desperately need to get modal shift from road/air to rail. This chart sums things up in a nutshell.

This is why (despite my strong criticisms of the party in the past) I welcome the party’s change of heart.

However, I still have some concerns. It’s clear that some of the old guard in the party aren’t taking this well – especially those members in the Lords (Natalie Bennet and Jenny Jones) who’ve been such avid and intransigent opponents of HS2. They’re bound by party rules to support party policy but Bennett has already gone on record in saying she won’t do so on HS2. Not that it really matters as HS2 has massive support in the Lords so Jones and Bennett are in a tiny minority, but it does pose a problem for the party’s internal discipline. What matters more is that the green party leadership and its MPs support the policy. of course, there are the more ‘but, trees!’ eco-fundamentalists and the old hard-left who saw HS2 as an extension of fighting the class-war still in the party, but I’m optimistic that the Greens per se are starting to appreciate that the party’s position on HS2 was unsustainable.

All in all this is a very welcome move.

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

8th September picture of the day…

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I felt sorry for the Rushbearers this morning. After having topped up the deficit to my sleep bank these past couple of days I was in the office at 8am – even though it’s a Sunday. The lack of light due to the gloomy skies outside would have convinced me that it was before dawn. Then the heavens opened – and stayed open for quite some time. I’d planned to do some work outside the cottage but there was no chance of that. Instead, most of the day’s been taken up stuck in the office, editing hundreds of the pictures I’ve taken over the past week. There’s far too many to post links to individual galleries, so here’s one to the ‘recent’ section of my website which will show you which galleries have been updated.

Finally, the rain eased but the clouds never released their grip on the valley. By this evening I was goggle-eyed so I sought refuge in cooking a new Indian vegetarian recipe, then getting out for a walk and a quick pint in my local – hence today’s picture.

Tomorrow’s the start of another week. Whilst Monday may be more of the same, on Tuesday I’ll be doing something completely different and a first for me. Watch this space…

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

Sowerby Bridge rush bearing festival 2024.

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This weekend is the annual rush-bearing festival here in Sowerby Bridge. So this afternoon I headed down into the valley with the cameras to document the event, which I’ve not been able to attend for the past couple of years. Here’s a small selection of pictures.

The event concludes tomorrow when the rushcart takes a more rural route. You can find all the details form the official website, which is here.

You can find the full selection (in hi-res) in this gallery on my Zenfolio website. Oh, what I should’ve mentioned is I’ve reactivated my old gallery of pictures from the festival that go back to 2010. You can find those by following this link.

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

Rolling blog. Colne valley completion…

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05:50.

And no, I’m not talking about the Colne valley at home in Yorkshire, I’m talking about the one North of London where for the past few years High Speed 2 Ltd have been building a rather stunning viaduct which I’ll be visiting later this morning. Thankfully, the forecast we had for heavy rain all this morning has changed, so the day looks rather better than was predicted. But first, I’ve got to get there from my overnight base in Clapham.

See you later…

07:30.

I’ve made my way from Clapham and across London to Marylebone with time to spare. I was wandering up the platform when I came upon this sad soul – which I wasn’t expecting..

Talk about a fish out of water!

08:55.

No prizes for guessing where I am…

Here we are on site as the last section is moved into place.

12:50.

It fits!

Despite the weather, that was an amazing event. The rain arrived whilst we were waiting for the last section to be brought into position but it cleared before the main event. I’ll add some camera pictures later. We had a grandstand view of proceedings, which was excellent.

It’s ‘selfie’ time for just some of the many women who’ve worked on the site.
Time to revel in a job well done. HS2 workers who’ve been involved in building the viaduct have chance to celebrate their achievement.

Afterwards, Richard Bowker kindly gave me a lift into Denham. Now I’m drying off on a train to High Wycombe.

15:30.

I’m well on the way to home. Having changed at High Wycombe, Banbury and Coventry I’m now on a Glasgow bound Pendolino as far as Warrington Bank Quay where I can catch a direct train to Halifax. My Chiltern trains were quiet. The Cross-Country Voyager from Banbury to Coventry was anything but, leaving me to listen to the latest excellent ‘Green Signals’ podcast in the vestibule. My train was late into Coventry, pulling in just before the Pendolino I’m on now, so there was no time to get pictures. Besides, conditions are hardly conducive as the sky’s a uniform gray. 

16:20.

I’d hoped to have done some work on the train but after Birmingham it was absolutely rammed. I had just enough tome to download today’s pictures from the camera but as the wifi was on the blink and tethering my mobile was proving troublsome I gave up trying to upload any more pictures here. Maybe when I get to Warrington as I have time between trains.

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

Rolling blog. Two city travels…

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11:10.

I’m on the move – again. I have to be in London tonight in order to get to a rather special HS2 railway media event tomorrow morning, but more about that nearer the time. Right now I’m waving goodbye to the Calder Valley as I’m on my way to Manchester in order to ‘tick off’ another couple of stations that are on my commission list before heading down to the capital. As usual, I’ll be blogging on and off throughout the day so you’ll be able to see what I get up to – and where.

Today I caught the train from Sowerby Bridge rather than Halifax, which made a pleasant change as it’s downhill all the way! Now I’m on a Northern 3-car 158 running the Leeds – Brighouse – Manchester route. There’s no power sockets on these sets and the tables double as leg-clamps as they’re that low, but at least it’s running on time.

11:45.

Bugger! We’ve crossed the Pennines and the sunshine we’d been enjoying in Yorkshire has vanished. Instead we have a collection of ominous looking clouds that appear ready to bombard us with rain at any moment. Ah well – at least I’m equipped with a brolley and waterproof as the forecast for tomorrow’s event is even worse! 

12:20.

After a dash across Manchester city centre from Vic to Picc I have a different type of conveyance. One of Washwood Heath’s finest..

14:15.

My Manchester jaunt took me out to Davenport station which is the first stop on the route to Buxton. I had 30 mins to explore and found it an interesting place. Mainly due to the fine old elevated ticket office and the passage underneath (pic later). I’d have like to hang around but the weather was looking distinctly ‘iffy’ so I returned to Piccadilly via Stockport. In doing so I found the latest of the ex-West Midlands Class 323s which have been cascaded to Northern. It’s seen between trips to Stoke-on-Trent.

Talking of Stoke, that’s where I’m headed now. I’d have headed on but the Pendolino I’m on has no working power sockets so I’ll catch the one behind.

15:45.

My brief sojourn at Stoke was useful in that I managed to get a couple of good pictures. I also bumped into an old friend and fellow Community Rail awards judge (Andy Savage), who pointed out to me the additions and restorations to the WW1 memorial that forms the entrance to platform 1. Now I’m aboard another Euston bound Pendolino with the full range of services (power sockets and wifi). Now that I spend so much time up and down the East Coat I’d forgotten how much fun tilting around the curvaceous West Coast Main Line in a Pendolino is!

Whilst on the train I’ve had chance to catch up on the news. It seems that the man who insisted that a mural in a child asylum unit be painted over as it was ‘too welcoming’ is front runner to lead the Tory party. Figures. www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-poli…

18:15.

I made it to London without incident. Having arrived at Euston my first mission was to explore a station I’ve known since the 1970s and examine it under a critical eye considering recent accusations that it’s ‘unsafe’. My impression? It’s far better than it used to be 20 years ago (excerable LED main board aside). But, it’s clear passenger numbers have outgrown the original design and the station needs rebuilding for the future. The rest is just down to crowd management, just as it has been at many London underground stations like Victoria, Covent Garden and Camden town. No-one claims they’re ‘unsafe’.

Right now I’m enjoying people-watching on the piazza outside Kings Cross. It’s another London station I’ve known since the 1970s and my – how it’s changed in the past 10 years.

19:30.

Meanwhile, on the opposite side of the Thames, these old beasts are soldiering on…

23;45.

It’s time to say goodnight. I’m embedded in Clapham Junction for the night at an old friends, but normal service will be resumed at roundabout 06:00 as tomorrow should prove to be an interesting day…

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

Rolling blog. More Mancunian travels…

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07:00

Morning has broken here in the Calder valley and I can actually see the other side today, which is nice. However, the forecast for Manchester is even better, meaning today’s going to be spent exploring more stations on the city’s East side as I’ve a lot to tick off but little time to do it now my diary’s getting crowded.

Expect pictures and details of my explorations to appear throughout the day whilst I’m out and about.

08:55.

I’m on my way aboard the modern mainstay of Northern’s train fleet through the Calder valley – a Class 195 bound for Manchester Victoria. This one’s only a 2-car, but I’ve managed to find a spare table seat in order to set up the ‘mobile office’ on the way. Now to get some work done…

With the famous sweet factory as background 195006 arrives to carry me from Halifax to Manchester.

10:30.

My first proper station stop is at Fairfield between Gorton and Guide Bridge. I’ve not been here since the 1970s. In those days it boasted four platforms as well as being the junction for the Fallowfield loop and line to Reddish depot and workshop. Now only the the masts remain of the loop, hidden in the bushes.

11:50.

I’ve never stoppe here before. Woodley station is a junction for a freight only branch which still sees regular waste trains to Bredbury. The station build’s been converted into homes.

12:20.

I’m now at Romily, which possesses the most substantial station on the lines around here. It’s also the junction for servives via Guide Bride or Bredbury. It’s the latter route I’ll be exploring next. Trains are only hourly, so there’s time to have a wander and grab a sandwich as I exxoect to be doing plenty of walking on this next section.

13:45.

Two more stations ticked off the list. One name is eponymous with speedway, the other with – not a lot really! Ryder Brow is a basic station with no facilities at all beyond a couple of (mostly) wooden platforms. Waiting shelters are promised, but right now there’s no shelter, no seats, no ticket machines – nothing. Although thanks to the inclines from the main road it does (almost) have step free access.

19:50.

Another busy day! I fitted in several other stations after Ryder Brow but the walking I exoected to do to a couple of lineside locations never happened as the view from the train allowed me to see the flaws that a map didn’t. Mind you, If I’d had a drone…

Right now I’m heading home across the Peenines aboard a pair of Class 158s – which are unusual traction via Halifax nowadays. I’d have stayed longer but clouds rolled in and the nights are drawing in. Those long summer evenings are already history. I’ll had a couple of camera pictures later if I have time.

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