Huw Merriman MP. Never trust a Tory…

10 Wednesday Apr 2024

Posted by in Hs2, Huw Merriman MP, Politics, Railways

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I’ll be honest, when I first heard that Huw Merriman the Tory MP for Bexhill and Battle since 2015 had been appointed Minister of State for Rail and HS2 back in October 2022 I was prepared to give him the benefit of the doubt. After all, He’d been a member of the Transport Select Committee since September 2017 so was well versed in the issues. Then, in January 2020 he’d been appointed Chair of the TSC and seemed to make a pretty good fist of it. He was intelligent and balanced, grasped the issues and managed to keep idiots like his fellow Tory MP Greg Hands (the virulently anti HS2 MP for Bucks) under control.

Sadly, as soon as he was appointed to the Government, the Tory Borg chip was implanted and he was assimilated.

Merriman in 2022. Enthusiastically backing HS2 all the way right until his boss did a volte face – and so did Merriman…

Telling the truth gave way to Owellian ‘Truthspeak’ – as today’s example shows. Merriman attended the opening of the rebuilt Dore and Totley station on the Hope Valley line which has being rebuilt. Here are his utterly BS tweets.

Jesus, where to start? Success? The December timetable has been delayed. There are no extra trains. When there are they’ll be limited to one extra train per hour because further work needs to be done at Manchester and Sheffield to provide capacity. The irony? Both of those locations were due to have capacity added by the very thing Merriman’s boasting about funds being diverted from – HS2.

Oh, the diverted funds bit is utter horseshit too (and Merriman knows it). You see, the Hope Valley upgrade was given funding in 2021, something that seems to have slipped Merriman’s mind – despite his time on the TSC. Here’s the DfT’s press release from that year announcing the work.

Claiming this is a ‘Network North’ project is complete bollocks. A fag packet would be embarrassed to have had this so-called plan drawn up on it. A ‘plan’ which dates from November 2023 – when Rishi Sunak unilaterally decided to cancel HS2 phases 2a and 2b. Y’know – the bits that were meant to deliver ‘levelling up’. The claim that this fictional money (which wasn’t due to be borrowed until 2029) has funded a project started in 2021 shows how Merriman and his boss (Sunak) are gaslighting people – and how Merriman is happy to promulgate a lie. Yeah, I know – he’ll pull the usual pained face he does when he’s caught out. But make no mistake, this is a lie.

Oh, I forgot. Electrification of the Hope Valley? Dream on! That was never a priority in anyone’s plans. It was added to ‘Network North’ ‘cos whoever wrote on the back of that particular fag-packet hadn’t checked real priorities. Of course, it’s pure co-incidence that some of the projects that did get a mention (like the Stocksbridge branch) go through Tory marginals and ‘red wall’ seats, honest! By the way, remember, this is written on the bottom of page 24 of the NN fag-packet plan.

So, what’s the business case for Hope Valley electrification? There isn’t one. And, if there was, it’s been hopelessly compromised by the scrapping of HS2 East and West.

How are any of Merriman’s boasted about improvements going to be delivered before the next general election? They’re not. Nothing’s going to happen at all. The Tories are taking you for fools. Are you going to fall for it again? I won’t. I gave Merriman the benefit of the doubt. As the old saying goes, ‘fool me once’…

A pair of East Midlands Railway DMUs pass through the Hope Valley in September 2023

I’ll leave you with this famous quote from a Russian writer and dissident which sums up the state of Tory politics right now.

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9th April picture of the day…

09 Tuesday Apr 2024

Posted by in Food and drink, Musings, Picture of the day, West Yorkshire

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Today’s been another miserable, wet and windy day here in the Pennines, so the pair of us have hardly left Bigland Towers. Both of us had work to occupy ourselves with so it was no loss. An unexpected reply from a client kept me occupied digging through my archives to find the pictures they were after, which kept me tied up long enough that I missed the window for getting out for a walk in the dry. I ended up donning full waterproofs to prevent me getting soaked as I did a circuit of our local woodlands, which are getting very soggy underfoot. Still, it could’ve been worse. I see other parts of the country have taken an even worse battering with Cornwall being badly hit and railways in Northumberland and Wales flooded or washed out.

There’s no sign of these conditions letting up either, which is bad news for farmers trying to cope with flooded fields in the sowing season. My recent travels have made me appreciate just how much of the countryside remains sodden after record rainfall. Hopefully, I’ll be able to get out with the camera later in the week if conditions improve. In the meantime, there’s always work to do at home – although some of it can be more of a pleasure than a chore. Like today’s picture. I haven’t posted one of these for a while but tonight I took over the kitchen from Dawn to assemble a spicy dish that’s become a staple dish for stocking up or freezer – Chana Masala. Here’s the raw ingredients, prepped and ready for cooking…

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

7th April picture(s) of the day…

07 Sunday Apr 2024

Posted by in Food and drink, Photography, Railways, West Yorkshire

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We’ve had a fairly low-key weekend here at Bigland Towers, partly because of the weather but also because it’s good to take your foot off the pedal sometimes. On Saturday the pair of us headed over to Ossett as Dawn had an appointment. Me? I couldn’t resist the opportunity to visit the ‘Beer Huis’ which has an excellent selection of bottled beers from around Europe and the UK.

Afterwards we went out for lunch at a place we’d passed many times but never called in before. The Rams Head Inn at Denshaw, on Saddleworth Moor. Getting there was fun as the latest storm had kicked in and the winds were epic high up on the moors. But the Rams Head was cosy and the food very good. The menu wasn’t huge but all the better for it as what they had they did very well. For once the two of us plumped for the same thing, the home-made pie – which was excellent, as were the trimmings. It came with chips, a mixture of vegetables and gravy, but this was real gravy – not stuff made out of something from a jar. The pie was equally excellent, with no doubt that the pastry was home-made and the filling was full of meat. The staff were lovely too. If I had one complaint it’d be the fact they only had one real ale on (Tim Taylor’s ‘Landlord’). Even so, we’d certainly be visiting again.

Today (Sunday) we’ve been battered by the weather yet again – which is getting rather tedious. The land around here just can’t hold anymore water. Roads and footpaths are regularly becoming streams and the damage that’s causing is very visible – and not much fun to navigate. So, apart from a quick visit to the supermarket and me getting rained off during a walk we’ve both stayed busy at home. Dee’s been the hostess with the mostest – cooking up some fantastic veggie food whilst I’ve kept busy editing all the pictures I’ve taken over the past few days. Here’s one of them.

After 50 years of neglect and retraction the lineside lineside at Crow Nest Junction had become overgrown. Now, with electrification on the way the land inside the boundary fence has been cut back to prevent accidents in the future.

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. Dodging the weather…

05 Friday Apr 2024

Posted by in Food and drink, Lancashire, Rail Investment, Railways, Travel

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10:20.

After another night of heavy rain today’s threatening to brighten up. So much so I’ve decided to risk venturing out to the Wigan area to document progress on electrifying the line between there and Lostock Jn near Bolton. However, I’m taking no chances. I’ve a golfing umbrella strapped to the side of my camera bag – just in case! Right now I’m more likely to need it as a parasol, but the weather’s so unpredictable nowadays I doubt that will last…

I’m currently on Northern’s 10:03 from Sowerby Bridge which will take me directly through to Hindley. It’s running 7 minutes late. Apparently, there’s overhead line problems in Leeds, where the service started from. The railways are having a torrid time of it at the moment with many delays down to equipment failure or the weather. Our Victorian era network wasn’t designed to cope with the climactic conditions we’re seeing due to Climate Change – especially the amount of rain and associated flooding. Still, the Tories have cancelled a large part of our new rail spine (HS2) that IS designed to cope, so that’s alright then…

I’ll try and blog throughout the day but this isn’t going to be a long trip. I’m on shopping/cooking duty tonight so I want to be home at a sensible time!

I crossed the River Calder on my way to the station. It’s swollen but nowhere near as bad as when Sowerby Bridge flooded. Then, the lower floor of this old mill was underwater, as was all the land to the right.

11:20.

Having traversed the Pennines and made it to Manchester I noticed another change kn the approach to Victoria station. Across yo the right is the site of the famous ‘Red Bank’ sidings. These were once the stabling point for rakes of parcels and newspaper vans which fanned out across the country overnight, carrying papers like the ‘Manchester Guardian’ and others that were printed in the city. That traffic disappeared in the 1980s and the sidings wete closed and lifted long ago. Having lain derelict since the site is now a black earh scar as it’s terra-formed whilst being prepared for a housing development. I can see a picture trip in the offing…

Right now I’m on the direct route to Wigan via Walkden, which was once the Lancashire and Yorkshire railways four-track main line. Sadly, the weather’s closing in again. I may need that brolley for its proper purpose after all…

14:30.

S’cuse the interlude but it’s been hectic at Hindley! Thanks to the powers of the internet and the everyday access we have to maps via our mobile devices I found some backstreets and footpaths that took me out to Crow Nest Junction which is to the East. Here I had an interesting hour playing bingo with the sun/rain and railway timetable. I’ll add proper pictures later. For now, here’s one off the phone.

Difficult to believe now but this was once a meeting of four track lines with all the complex pointwork that entailed. As you can see, there’s been a lot of vegetation clearence as the line from the left (Bolton) is being electrified.

16:45.

Homeward bound. After moving location to replicate some of yesterday’s shots I move on up to Westhoughton, a station I’ve never visited before but always promised myself I would. Like Hindley, it has an active station friends group who’ve worked wonders with the steep cutting sides the station nestles in. There’s a couple of footbridges to the West which make for decent photographic perches but not for long as piles have appeared in the cess for future overhead wires. I fell foul of a rainstorm whilst I was here but luckily there was a refuge. Google had alerted me to the presence of this place. The beer school.

I stayed long enough to dodge the rain and enjoy a quick pint of IPA. I’d have been tempted to linger longer as its a friendly place with good beer but I have other things to do. Plus, the weather’s not getting any better. Instead I joined the throng at the station for a train to Manchester. Looking at some of the skimpily dressed and implausibly tanned young women boarding the train for a night out you’d be forgiven for thinking it was midsumner!

20:45.

I’m now back in the bosom of West Yorkshire, putting my feet up at home whilst editing a last few pictures for your delectation. I didn’t hang around after leaving Westhoughton. I’d got the pictures I needed and besides – it’s Friday! Dee had rung me to say that I was off the hook when it came to cooking as she fancied doing one of her specialties (spicy prawns) so who was I to argue? Besides, we’re out and about again tomorrow. OK, here’s today’s selection.

Looking back towards Hindley station from the overbridge by Crow Nest Junction. This was once a four track main line. The express tracks (via Walkden) which occupied the space to the left were added by the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway in 1888. They lasted less than 75 years. As you can see, there’s been a huge amount of tree and vegetation clearance to make safe space for the overhead wires.
A long lens shot looking West towards Hindley station which can be seen in the background. The course of the old fast lines is evident.
Crow Nest Junction looking East. The line to the right with the Class 158 approaching is the express route via Walkden. The line to the left is the original 1848 route to Bolton. It’s this section (as far as Lostock Jn) that’s being electrified.
Here’s bi-mode 769450 passing Westhoughton with a service for Southport. There’s little sign of electrification progress here unless you know what to look for. The piles for all the overhead masts are nearly all in place.

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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

More rail changes. This time it’s Lancashire and Merseyside.

04 Thursday Apr 2024

Posted by in Lancashire, Merseyside, Photography, Rail Investment, Railways, Travel

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I’ll get into trouble for this title. Some people still can’t face the fact the town I grew up in (Southport) was moved from Lancashire to Merseyside way back in 1974, but there you go..

I’d been working from home this morning to put the finishing touches and picture captions to my latest article for RAIL magazine after they’d sent me over the proofs. Then I logged onto the internet and noticed that the Merseyrail route into Southport was closed between Southport and the suburb of Hillside to allow the platforms at Chapel St to be extended into the station in order to fit 8-car trains. This caused me a wry smile. I remember the old Chapel St station. The very same platforms were shortened in the 1970s when the original station was demolished by BR so developers could build a God-awful shopping centre facing the main street in its place. How the world turns!

So, I decided to play a flying visit as the work is due to finish tomorrow. Here’s a few pictures of the work inside the station. As you can see, all three Merseyrail platforms are part of the possession, hence trains from Liverpool being turned back at Hillside.

Now I’m heading back with one more stop in mind. Well, if the weather holds…

19:00.

I stopped off but the weather got the better of me! The idea was to have a look at progress in electrifying the railway from Wigan to Bolton. I’d noticed real signs of progress on my way in so decided to make a stop at Hindley, where a diverse range of work’s going on. Despite threatening skies I made it as far as the famous bowstring footbridge a few minutes walk to the West of the station before the heavens opened – hence the lack of sky in this pic.

An interesting mix, a former 25kv electric unit now converted to bi-mode (diesel and overhead electric) pulls away from Hindley past the recently installed 25kv electric masts.
Looking in the opposite direction towards Wigan, the masts march onwards…

As you can see, the ‘march of the masts’ is getting closer to Wigan. It’s hard to believe now but until the 1960s there were at least 8 tracks here. The area was awash with colleries and ironworks. All are gone. A huge amount of lineside vegetation’s been cleared along the line which has opened up vistas not seen for 40 or more years. Once we have some better weather I’ll be popping back to visit a few more locations to show how work’s progressing.

Squelching back to Hindley along flooded footpaths and in the pouring rain I took refuge in the pub by the station until my train was due. Now I’m Manchester bound under dank depressing skies and downpours.

22:00.

I’m now home and drying out after a very wet evening. As I walked uphill torrents of water were flowing downhill after another downpour. Thankfully it’d just passed so I managed to avoid a complete soaking. As I was stripping off at home our ‘Alexa’ bleeped with a notification for a flood-warning for Halifax. Tomorrow could be an interesting day. Maybe I’ll stay at home…

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

Trans-Pennine (TRU) changes in West Yorkshire. 3rd April 2024.

03 Wednesday Apr 2024

Posted by in Photography, Trans-Pennine Route Upgrade, West Yorkshire

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Today I had a little job to do in Huddersfield, which I managed to combine with a look at some of the Trans-Pennine Route upgrade (TRU) work as well as a meander from Huddersfield to Dewsbury. To be honest, the weather wasn’t exactly promising. But tide and tide – or in this case a 10 day rail blockade wait for no-man! Huddersfield station was closed to all rail traffic so the first leg of my journey was by the dread rail replacement bus service. Only in this case it was rather easy. The buses left from right outside the station where there were plenty of staff on hand to point you to the right one. I caught a coach as far Deighton, the first stop up the line. This was no battered old vehicle, instead, Star of Batley provided a brand new Volvo. Shame there was only two of us passengers!

I’d come to Deighton as major work was underway to reprofile the railway embankment on the Northern side of the line. Deighton station’s going to be completely rebuilt as this section of line will regain four tracks. Here’s what I saw.

The Flannery machine in the foreground’s working on what will be the new Fast lines.
As you can see, there’s some serious earth-moving going on! Meanwhile, the workers behind the platform fence are cutting back the vegetation.
Looking East from the footpath down to the Huddersfield bound platform at Deighton. The arch was over the former Kirkburton branch which left the main line at this site. The branch closed to passenger traffic in 1930 and freight in 1965, although traffic ran for a mile along the branch to an ICI works until 1971. As I had time to kill before the bus arrived I ventured down a rubbish strewn path off the main road to check out this – the old seven arch Whitacre Mill viaduct.

Hopping aboard the following RRB an hour later I turned out to be the only passenger for the trip as far as Mirfield, travelling along a route that often followed the existing railway whilst passing the remains of many others.

Was it something I said?

This area was once rich in local lines all of which (apart from the Trans-Pennine route) are history. On the bright side, the journey did show me a few new photographic locations which I’ll do my best to exploit over the course of the year.

Rejoining the railway at Mirfield I had time to check-out progress around the station, which has seen more of the former platform 2 fall to bulldozers as the site’s slowly cleared to allow the new station and track layout to take shape.

Catching the next available train I moved up to Ravensthorpe, an area which is also undergoing major changes. The station here will be moved to the West of the existing junction to the site you see in this picture.

.GBRf’s 66769 hauls TRU engineers train 6G88, the 1353 from Heaton Lodge East Jn to Belmont Down Yard over Thornhill LNW Junction and the site of the new Ravensthorpe station.

Rather than wait for the next train I decided to stretch my legs and walk from Ravensthorpe to Dewsbury. It takes 45 minutes, but it’s hardly the most scenic of trips. This is not a rich area. It’s a mixture of old and new industrial sites, shops and homes. Like much of post-industrial West Yorkshire, it’s seen better days. There’s a distinct lack of civic pride all along the route, with litter-strewn streets, unkempt building and closed and empty shops.

Empty and disused shops on Calder Rd on the way from Ravensthorpe station.

Despite the roughness, you still come across some interesting architecture. This unusual building caught my eye. It’s part of Our Lady & St Paulinus church on the way into Dewsbury.

That was as good as it got! I took a detour off the main road down to the River Calder which I followed into town. Well, I say footpath. It was more of a linear rubbish dump and really quite depressing. Then again, you could say that it’s a good preparation for Dewsbury itself!

There was one ray of sunshine, although today wasn’t my day for sampling it. The excellent West Riding refreshment room on the railway station is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. It’s well worth a visit – even if you swerve the rest of the town and never leave the station. Although, if you did, you might be pleasantly surprised when visiting the old Calder and Hebble Navigation canal wharf in Savile town and the Leggers Inn. There’s also some good cycle routes on the old railway nearby which is part of the Spen Valley greenway.

Sadly, the weather closed in once I’d reached Dewsbury so there was little left for me to do but return home. However, this won’t be my last visit by any means. I’ll do regular (irregular) updates on the TRU work and nearby sites of interest as the work progresses.

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

Some political spleen-venting…

02 Tuesday Apr 2024

Posted by in Politics

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I don’t do this very often nowadays, mainly because British politics is in such a dire state that once I’d started I’d never stop! There’s only so much invective I could use before one can come up with before you’re tempted to resort to some good old fashioned Anglo-Saxon verbal shorthand!

However, Easter has given me time to think about what’s happening now that Sunak has bottled out of calling a May election. Truth be told, his utterances give the impression that he’d like to not call one at all. I’m beginning to think the unthinkable, that he may actually try and hang on until the last possible moment, which would mean a general election in January 2025. The more I see of the man the more I feel his absolutely no idea what he’s doing, other than desperately hoping things might pick up with the economy, the weather might stop a few more boats, and that he just might manage to get some people on a plane to Rwanda. I’m also suspecting one of the reasons he’s not keen on calling an election is he’s no idea what to put in an election manifesto. He and the Tories are so out of ideas they’ve nothing positive to sell to people. It’s no wonder Labour are keeping their policies and initiatives close to their chests as chances are the Tories are that bereft of ideas they’d nick them.

Every time I see Sunak on TV or hear him on the radio I cringe (and resist the temptation to throw things). His inane laughter and cheesy perma-grin just grates. No matter how serious the question he’s asked he laughs – as if the whole thing’s a joke. Not that voters are laughing. Judging by the polls it seems most people gave up believing the Tories quite some time ago. Here’s one from pollster Redfield Wilton, who are (themselves) regularly more optimistic about the Tories polling numbers.

From this it’s clear that Labour are holding their vote, but the Tories are hemorrhaging, with support draining away to Reform. This makes for some interesting scenarios – none of them good for the Tories. Mind you, they’re not good for Reform either because their polling numbers aren’t going to translate into seats won. Reform aren’t polling quite as well as UKIP did in their heyday. And how many seats did UKIP actually win before they crashed and burned? One (for a year).

What Reform are doing is help destroy the Tory party by dragging it further to the right. They’re not alone in this. The Tories (having lost the plot) are also influenced by another echo-chamber – GB ‘News’, the TV channel that’s really little more than a money-laundering operation that allows its millionaire owner to syphon off money in ridiculous salaries to Tory MPs on his books. The Tories, caught up in this hothouse, are falling for the idea they only way they’re going to win is by tacking ever further to the right to fight ‘woke wars’ as a smokescreen to avoid talking about what a shitshow they’ve made of the economy. As history has shown time and time again, the winning ground is neither left nor right, it’s in the centre. Still, if the Tories want to continue down this road, that’s fine by me. I can see where it’s leading even if they can’t. Some projections put the Tories on as little as 98 seats after the election, with many prominent Tories losing their seats. Notice I say prominent, not talented? After the shenanigans of the Johnson years, when the party was defenestrated by him with many of the intellectuals and ‘One nation’ old guard being thrown out, they were left with talentless horrors in their place – especially some of the ‘red wall’ intake (Gullis, Cates and Anderson) to add to the likes of Braverman, Patel and Jenrick. I wouldn’t trust some of these people to run a whelk stall, never mind a country.

I’ve a strong suspicion that the Tory party will split after their election hammering. No-one believes they can win (even many of their own MPs) the only question is just how bad a drubbing they’ll get. The ‘lucky’ ones who hold onto their seats will fight over the soul of the party (that’ll be difficult, it hasn’t got a soul: Ed) and the likelihood is the swivel-eyed right-wingers will win and drag it ever rightwards, making it untenable for any moderates who may survive. To add to the fun. If the remnant of the Tory party does split there’s every chance that the SNP would become the official opposition through sheer weight of numbers! This recent Survation polls for the Times/Sunday Times put the cat amongst the pigeons by outlining a possible seat scenario. But remember, these polls can’t take into account tactical voting, which has the potential to make the numbers even worse for the Tories.

How is Sunak going to pull this back? No-one believes he can. All he can do is hang on and pray. The longer he does, the more dosh he and his friends make as they wreck and asset-strip the country. What will be interesting to see is the result of the Mayoral and local elections on May 2nd when 107 local authorities across England go to the polls with just over 2000 seats up for grabs. If this turns into another Tory rout, will the Tories turn on Sunak?

Whatever happens and whenever he calls it, the next general election is going to be a popcorn event. I’ll certainly be ensuring I have a well-stocked fridge and the next day off – and I won’t be alone! The Tories are a dead man walking. The only question remaining is just how much more damage they’re going to do and how many more £bns they’re going to trouser/waste before they have their cold, dead hands prised away from the door of No 10…

All of which means Labour are going to have a mountain to climb once they’re in power. The Tories seem determined to leave scorched earth behind them. They don’t give a shit (literally) about the state of the country – all they care about is clinging on to power and a ticket for the gravy train. We may rejoice at them getting kicked out and adults being back in charge, but that’s when the hard work begins…

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

Back from the Easter break…

01 Monday Apr 2024

Posted by in Food and drink, Musings, Photography, West Yorkshire

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S’cuse the lack of blogging recently but I’ve taken time off over Easter to concentrate on other things. However, the break is almost over, so normal service is about to resume. The pair of us have stayed at home over the holiday. Partly because we’d only just got back from a few days in West Yorkshire, but also because getting away over Easter can be expensive and a pain in the arse! Instead, we stayed local, but we were hardly inactive as we’ve been out and about in our local area and indulged in some good food. On Friday, after Dee had finished sorting out the end of the financial year for her work the pair of us walked into Halifax in order to get some exercise and explore. Despite it being the holiday, the place wasn’t as busy as we’d expected, but this became a common theme through Easter. Saturday saw us pottering around at home before the pair of us got ‘dressed up’ for meal with my in-laws over in Honley, near Huddersfield. It’s a pretty little village with a variety of places to eat/drink. We’d booked early evening at Punch, a tapas bar we’ve frequented several times before as the food’s always good. The place was packed when we first got there but by 20:30 it was almost deserted, which really surprised us. Staff didn’t even bother resetting the tables as they had no second sitting booked. Is this a new phenomenon nowadays – people coming out earlier rather than later, then going home afterwards? We enjoyed our night regardless as the food was plentiful and tasty.

Yum! Prawns to the fore…

As the weather remained good on Sunday we decided to stretch ourselves physically by walking all the way from home to the Robin Hood pub in Cragg Vale, high above Mytholmroyd. Normally we’d eat there after our exertions (the food’s fab) but with it being Easter we decided to be flexible and take sandwiches instead.

The cosy bar…

It was a wise move as the restaurant area was busy as was the bar, with a constant stream of dog-walkers passing through. By the time we’d walked back along the canal and uphill our Fitbits told us we’d completed 33,000 plus steps (or over 15 miles).

Industrial heritage and ruins along the Rochdale canal at Luddenden Foot

Such a stroll meant we’d earned the lamb shanks Dawn had put in the slow-cooker before we left, which we enjoyed with a healthy selection of vegetables. Well, if you can’t have lamb at Easter…

Today the weather’s been typical for a bank holiday. Miserable! We’ve had rain and low temperatures for most of the day. You couldn’t even see the other side of the valley for most of it. So, our plans – which originally included various home and DIY tasks became more of a ‘duvet day’ – at least for the first part! Now, with the bank holiday almost over it’s time to prepare for another hectic week. I hope my readers who’re celebrating Easter have had an equally enjoyable time.

Next week sees me resume my travels around the rail network as there’s a lot to catch up on. A tak made easier by the fact the clocks have changed with the days getting longer. Expect a few more rolling blogs and pictures. But for now, good night!

28th March picture of the day…

28 Thursday Mar 2024

Posted by in Grand Central trains, London, Photography, Picture of the day, Railways

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Today’s been a quiet one here at Bigland Towers. Both us us have been at home working away in our respective office spaces. Poor Dawn’s feeling frazzled as it’s coming up to the end of the financial year – which always leaves her buried under a mound of invoices and other paperwork. This year it’s coincided with an early Community Rail Awards, and now – Easter, so the midnight oil’s ablaze. Whilst Dee’s been busy bashing the keyboard I’ve tried to keep her topped up with coffee in-between tackling my own paperwork and picture editing. Still, the holidays start tomorrow, which means work will wind down – even if it doesn’t stop completely. We’ll at least have the opportunity for some quality time together, although if we have nothing in the way of exciting events or days out planned, which is probably just as well because the forecast is predicting just the sort of weather you associate with Bank Holidays. Wet! Maybe we’ll have one of those DIY and cooking sort of breaks. I’m quite happy staying away from the roads and railways over a holiday like Easter as it’s much more relaxing than joining the throngs all trying to get away at exactly the same time. We’ll see…

Right now, whilst Dawn’s still wading through papers, I’ll leave you with today’s picture, which was taken yesterday at London’s Kings Cross station. I’ll bet it doesn’t look this quiet tomorrow! Here’s two of open access operator Grand Central’s small fleet in-between duties. On the right is one of their Alstom built Class 180s, which form the (temperamental) backbone of their fleet. In fact, GC are the sole operator of the class nowadays. On the left is one of the two Bombardier built ‘Voyagers’ the company has leased to cover for unavailable 180s. Seeing them side by side gives the opportunity to compare and contrast the styling of the two different 125mph fleets, both built at the same time (2000-2001). Of course, the Voyagers were built as tilting trains so the bodyshell profile is rather different to the non-tilting 180s.

Having arrived from Bradford Interchange, 221143 rests between turns, keeping company with 180103 which had worked in from Sunderland earlier that morning.

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. A capital day out…

27 Wednesday Mar 2024

Posted by in London, Photography, Railways, Rolling blogs, Travel

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07:30.

I’m on my way to London for the day to catch up with an old friend from Singapore, who’s over in the UK for a few days. I’ve known Nicholas Lim for around 10 years. Having first met up in Thailand we’ve kept in contact through the power of social media. Our last meeting was in Singapore almost exactly a year ago, so it’ll be good to see him again and look at some changes to the capital’s rail network.

Sadly, the wet and grey weather we’re still suffering from in the Pennines is going to be replicated in London. Still, there’ll be plenty to see and do…

Right now I’m on Northern’s 06:53 from Halifax to Leeds to catch my onward connection to London. I was tempted to catch Grand Central’s 07:11 direct service to Kings Cross which is being worked by one of their leased Class 221s today, but this way I get there ahead of it, giving me chance to get pictures of it arriving.

Feel free to pop back later to see how the day unfolds…

07:50.

Of course, there’s another compensation of travelling to London via Leeds rather than direct. My capital bound service is LNER’s 07:41 which originates in Skipton. It’s diagrammed to be worked by one of the company’s loco-hauled sets and true enough (albeit running 7 minutes late) I’m now being pushed to London by this machine. 91111, named ‘For the fallen’. There’s a second bonus. The old Mk4 train sets have a ‘quiet’ coach at the very rear, behind the engine. You can almost always get a table seat here.

09:20.

Today’s not been a vintage one when it comes to timekeeping. We’re currently speeding towards our next stop at Peterborugh 15 minutes later than scheduled as we’ve accrued further delays en-route. Still, the weather’s picked up. There’s sunshine, blue skies and cumulus clouds filling my window – and I have coffee – so I’m not complaining!

18:55.

Well, that was a crap rolling blog, wasn’t it? The day started so well too. Nick and I met up at Kings Cross as soon as I arrived in London. After getting a few pictures the pair of us headed for St Pancras where we caught a Thameslink service to Farringdon in order to board a ‘Lizzie line train Westwards to Ealing. That’s when things started to fall apart. Lizzie line services towards Heathrow were either cancelled or delayed. We decided to make our way to Paddington, then await further instructions. Problem was – the instructions we got after an enquiry at Paddington meant we wasted time. TfL staff directed us up to the mainline station, where a member of GWR staff denied all knowledge of trains to Ealing and brusquely directed us back to the TfL station. That’s when I spotted this.

Bugger…

By the time we returned to the Lizzy line station information (and trains) had been updated, enabling us to get a packed service to West Ealing in deteriorating weather. Then another disappointment kicked in. The battery train wasn’t running. It’d been replaced by a two-car diesel. As Nick had never travelled the route we completed an out and back trip anyway. Bad move! By the time we got back to West Ealing there’d been a power failure which led to many TfL and GWR services being cancelled. After hiding from the rain for 25 mins whilst we weighed up our options a London-bound service arrived from Heathrow, so we made our way back to Paddington. After grabbing a few pictures we swapped to the Underground for the short hop to Euston Square. It was time for lunch, so I took Nick to an old haunt. The ‘Ravi Shankar’ Indian veg restaurant in nearby Drummond St, where we both consumed one of their excellent ‘Mysore thalis’

Suitably stuffed and with the weather brightening up I gave a brief tour and explanation of the stalled HS2 construction work before we headed to Euston so that Nick could exprience the train transition between the ‘old’ Siemens built class 350s and new Alstom built Class 730s – which I consider the best of the company’s new trains.

By now we’d eaten into most of my day so it was time to head to Kings Cross and routes home – until our next meeting…

Right now I’m heading back to Leeds on a packed LNER service whilst Nick’s headed South of the river.

I’ll add the few pictures I’ve managed to get to my Zenfoilo website tomorrow.

I’ve a small favour to ask…
If you enjoy reading this or any of the other blogs I’ve written, please click on an advert or two. You don’t have to buy anything you don’t want to of course – although if you did find something that tickled your fancy that would be fab! – but the revenue from them helps me to cover some of the cost of maintaining this site (which isn’t cheap and comes out of my own pocket). Remember, 99% of the pictures used in my blogs can be purchased as prints from my other website –  https://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/

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