Rolling(ish) blog. Best laid plans…

22 Monday Apr 2024

Posted by in Manchester, Photography, Railways, Rolling blogs, Travel, West Yorkshire

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11:15.

I was full of good intentions today. Dawn’s away on Platt family duties down in Surrey whilst I’m at home in West Yorkshire, so the idea was I’d be up and out at ‘sparrow fart’ and exploring with the camera. Then, last thing last night, I saw the weather forecast and thought ‘uh-oh!’. Still, I set my alarm for 06:45 with the optimism that things might get better. Only my alarm didn’t go off. I was woken at 07:00 by a phone-call from Dawn, who’d been woken early by the sunlight streaming through her window. In contrast, I was woken up to this view from our bedroom window.

Sowerby Bridge, literally under a cloud…

Bugger! Why didn’t I go with Dee when I had the chance?

So, instead of being out and about I’m having a morning at home, catching up with some bits and picture editing. I was out yesterday when the weather was very different – as this shot from Todmorden shows. Blue skies and cherry blossom. What more could you want?

This afternoon I’m going to head over to Manchester regardless as I’ve arranged to meet up with an old friend (Hassard, who you’ll have seen mentioned in many previous blogs) who’s up her from London for work. Hopefully, I’ll be able to get a few useful pictures and find a few things to blog about. Feel free to pop back later to see what I get up to…

13:05.

Finally, I’m on my way. As you can see from this picture, the weather hasn’t improved here in the Calder Valley. The Wainhouse Tower in the background (we live just beneath it) is disappearing into the clouds. I can only hope traversing the Pennines does it’s usual trick to bring better weather.

14:10.

I stopped off at Todmorden en-route in order to grab something to eat before catching a different train. To be honest, ‘Tod’ as it’s known to locals, deserves a blog all of it’s own. It’s a curious little place full of contradictions that I haven’t got time to describe now. I nipped over to the market but as it’s Monday the only things that were open were the coffee shop and this little bar, which looks to have amazingly cheap prices. I’ll revisit soon.

The Market Tavern, inside Todmorden market hall.

Managing to source a sandwich from a local supermarket I made it back to the station in time to catch the 13:54 towards Manchester. It should have been working Headbolt Lane (Kirkby) to Blackburn was was terminated at Todmorden due to late running. Apparently, there’s been a bridge-strike somewhere which is causing quite a few delays.

This is a Class 150/156 lash-up. The Class 150 has been cascaded to Northern from another operator. You wouldn’t know unless you’re sharp-eyed as there’s one tell-tale in this picture.

16:10.

Sadly, the trick of crossing the Pennines into better weather has failed today. There’s rain-filled, leaden skies here too. Even so, I decided on a little side trip to visit a station I’ve been meaning to stop off at for years. Bromley Cross, on the line from Bolton to Blackburn. I’d have got there yesterday, but the train from Blackburn was rammed with pissed football supporters. Testosterone, Tribalism and alcohol’s a heady mix, so I decided to wait for another day. Unfortunately, that day’s been a rainy one!

As well as retaining one of its old station building Bromley Cross possesses one of the few working signalboxes in the North-West. Nowadays it’s kept to protect the station’s foot-crossing as there’s no footbridge.

21:20.

Homeward bound. Having returned to Manchester to meet up with Hassard the pair of us had a fun few hours catching up whilst sampling some of Manchester’s ale houses. Like this one in the Northern Quarter.

Now I’m heading back across the border into West Yorkshire to prepare for another adventure tomorrow. Hopefully, one where the weather plays ball…

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

OK, who’s going to tell them?

21 Sunday Apr 2024

Posted by in Aircraft, Fake News, Mediawatch, Photography, Social media

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As a photographer and journalist I’m used to seeing bloopers of various kinds in print. You’d have thought that nowadays, with people having access to the sum total of human knowledge via the click of a button and access to the internet, it would be easy to find what you wanted. But, that requires having a rudimentary knowledge of the subject, an enquiring mind and the ability to say “really”?

Today, the Manchester Evening News failed on all those front. Whoever was doing their picture research for this puff piece will have outraged the country’s aircraft enthusiasts, historians and general anoraks in one go. Earlier, as I was checking news pages, this flashed up on my screen.

A ‘Spitfire‘? Really? Umm, no. That’s an equally famous but very different four-engined heavy bomber called the ‘Lancaster‘. Still, it’s from the same era (World War 2) so that’s alright then!

Actually, it gets worse, as David Wilding pointed out on Twitter (Bugger you Musk, there’s no way I’m calling it X).

Oh dear! Quite why a ‘court reporter’ is churning out puff-pieces like this is a mystery. But then so many newspapers have such limited staff these days people are expected to produce copy that’s why outside their experience. In many cases they’ve little knowledge of the subject that’s meant to be their specialism. Is it any wonder the public are so let down by the media nowadays? If those tasked with informing us can’t get the basics right, what chance do their readers have?

Oh, for those who know nothing about aircraft, here’s what a Spitfire really looks like. As you can see *cough* – it’s very easy to confuse with a 4-engine heavy bomber!

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 TRU travels…

17 Wednesday Apr 2024

Posted by in Photography, Railways, Rolling blogs, Trans-Pennine Route Upgrade, Travel, West Yorkshire

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09:30.

Today we have blue skies and sunshine – and little threat of rain. So, having finished the paperwork that I needed to do I’m heading out with the camera to have a look at more progress on the Trans-Pennine Route upgrade. I’ll blog throughout the day (easier as I’m only going local) so feel free to see what I get up to and where. Right now it’s time to pack my kit and head down to Sowerby Bridge station…

11:35.

Having caught the train from Sowerby Bridge my first stop was at Mirfield where I had to change trains anyway. For once TRU work was in full swing during the day.  I’m assuming that’s because the work in question was sheet piling – which is an activity that’s best carried out during daylight hours if you want to be a good neighbour!

Mirfield piling work.

Right now I’m taking my ease at Ravensthorpe as there’s a couple of interesting train workings due – and I have time to admire TRU progress before strolling on to Dewsbury. Here’s how the site of the new Ravensthorpe station looks as more of the old embankment’s removed.

14:00.

Whilst it was sunny at Ravensthorpe the wind was less than kind. Whilst I was there an old chap turned up with his video camera and stepladder. Apparently, a steam train was due (I didn’t know as I don’t pay the preserved world much attention). He plonked himself in the worst possible location on the bridge, leaving the TRU staff having kittens as part of the road bridge is closed whilst the one lane open has a steady stream of HGVs coming on and off the TRU construction site. Having sympathy and understanding I  stayed out of the way, but even so one member of staff came and tried to persuade me what was a public right of way wasn’t. I gently stood my ground and pointed out that – as I was stood behind a lampost on a pavement if my safety was in danger they need to look at the quality of their HGV drivers rather than me!

(evening update)

On checking various websites I’ve found that Ravensthorpe Road and the bridge are indeed officially closed to traffic until June 10th, although pedestrians are allowed to cross for now. So, I’d advise any photographers to stay away from the area until then as there’s a lot of HGV traffic and there’s other locations that can be used in the meantime.

Still, I can sympathise with their concerns. I wouldn’t have dreamed of glueing myself to where ‘flat cap’ did and assured the chap I’d be out of his way soon. Here’s what I snapped whilst I was there.

The empty Preston – Lindsay oil tanks hauled by 70814 pass Thornhill LNW Junction at Ravensthorpe.
Rebuilt ‘West Country’ Pacific 34046 ‘Braunton’ working a Northwich – York charter.

Moving on I caught a train to Huddersfield to see how the ongoing roof removal’s impacted on the station.

Roof in retreat. The first few spans of the main trainshed roof have been removed at the West end of the station.

Having grabbed the shots I wanted I caught a train across the Pennines to the other part of the TRU work, where the overhead wires are now in place in Stalybridge. Here’s the view looking West towards Manchester.

Stalybridge looking East. This is as far as electrification will get for the foreseeable future as little work is taking place between Stalybridge and Huddersfield and there’s no timetable for the wires to be extended.

21:15.

I’m now home and it’s time to bring this blog to a close. By late afternoon the clouds closed in, leaving me playing ‘tig’ with the sunshine (and the rain). There seemed little point in battling out with the weather as it always wins! Instead I nipped into central Manchester to pick up some edible supplies from Chinatown before heading back home via busy rush-hour trains on the Calder valley.

Tomorrow’s another (different) day which will see me in DIY rather than photographic mode as we’re back to rainy days. Still, it’ll keep me out of trouble – and the wet!

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

16th April picture of the day…

16 Tuesday Apr 2024

Posted by in Flora and Fauna, Musings, Photography, Picture of the day, The USA, Travel, Weather, West Yorkshire

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I know April is renowned as the month of showers, but this is getting beyond a joke! It’s been more like four seasons in one day here in the Calder valley. After yesterday’s little jaunt I had a full diary for working from home, which was just as well as low temperatures and a chilly wind really didn’t encourage one to venture far. That said, when the sun did break through the skittish clouds you could feel the warmth there, it’s just that it was fighting a losing battle with the elements. As the pair of us had a productive and profitable morning we’d arranged to go for a walk just after lunch but the weather had other ideas! One minute there was glorious sunshine streaming through the windows, the next they were being assailed by hailstones! Thankfully, our walk was merely postponed rather than rained off. Conditions soon changed, allowing us to venture out to complete a two-hour circuit which also encompassed a bit of shopping. All the while I kept a wary eye on the skies as we could see storm clouds dropping heavy rain all around us. Fortunately, they kept away from our little patch right up to the last moment, allowing us to make it in the front door before the next onslaught. One of the beauties of living where we are is that when we’re out walking locally we’ve panoramic views around all points of the compass, which gives us time to run for cover if needed.

We survived, but I worry that some of my poor plants may have taken a battering from the weather. Ironic really as only the other day my mother-in-law was telling me I’d planted stuff out too early. So, that’s me for another ticking off then!

Tomorrow the weather may stay dry – although temperatures will be anything but balmy. We’ll be lucky to escape a frost tonight. I’ve some more paperwork to do tomorrow, but if we get the sunshine levels predicted I may venture out with the camera whilst I can. If nothing else, the cherry blossom’s putting on a wonderful display right now and worth pointing a camera at. Although it’ll struggle to match this famous display which forms today’s picture. I took this shot in Washington DC, a city famous for its cherry blossom. Here’s how it looked on the 3rd April 2007.

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. Stormy weather…

15 Monday Apr 2024

Posted by in Climate Change, Photography, Railways, Rolling blogs, Travel

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12:00.

What a contrast to yesterday when we enjoyed a country walk uninterrupted by rain. Today we’re back to climatic conditions that can best be described as Baltic with torrential rain! If I wasn’t popping over to Preston to meet up with some friends for an hour I’d have quite happily stayed home at Bigland Towers, watching the rainstorms sweep across the valley from indoors. As it was, Dawn gave me a lift to the station under approaching clouds that were black as Hades. No sooner had I arrived at the station and got under cover before we were hit by two amazing cloudbursts where the rain was sweeping across Halifax in sheets. I’ve seen rain like this many time in Asia, but rarely in the UK.

Right now, after being caught by the tail end of such a burst I’m drying off aboard the 11:30 to Preston whilst watching more cloudbursts sweeping across the Calder valley. Hopefully, I might be in the right place at the right time to get some pictures later as the mixture of sunshine, black skies and rain ir really rather dramatic. I can honestly say I’ve never known a year so changeable or so wet. It looks like 2024 will be setting weather records for all the wrong reasons.

22:00.

Sorry, that was a pretty crap rolling blog. Mainly because the rolling that was done was with laughter once the gang was all together in the wonderful Black Horse pub in Preston.

Our merry band ended up talking about everything railways and a few other subjects in between, all leavened with lots of humour and lubricated with some great beers.

When we left I realised there was little point in trying to do much photographically so I made my way home to Halifax, arriving just in time to walk home before the arrival of the next deluge. Here’s the sky that greeted me as I reached the summit of Spring Edge and began the drop into the Calder Valley.

I’ve a busy day at home tomorrow so the weather’s not going to bother me either way, but let’s see what Wednesday brings…

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

14th April picture of the day…

14 Sunday Apr 2024

Posted by in Photography, Picture of the day, West Yorkshire

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We’ve had another relaxed Sunday here at Bigland Towers, although it’s not been a day without either exercise or achievement. This morning Dawn was busy with her knitting needles, enjoying a productive hobby she’s rediscovered. Me? I was busy at an old hobby – gardening. All the bedding and other plants I’d purchased over the past week are now in situ in window boxes and flower beds at both front and back of the cottage. This afternoon we decided to continue the ‘feeling virtuous’ theme by going out for a walk in the country. Admittedly, it wasn’t as long as some but we did explore an area where we’d never walked before. Rather than staying local we drove over to Pecket Well to walk to a nearby waterfall at Lumb Hole. Considering how hilly this neck of the woods are there’s surprisingly few waterfalls so we were pleasantly surprised to find this one. It’s off the beaten track and not the easiest place to get to. The approach is down a bridleway that’s seen better days. The path’s badly eroded and overgrown. I doubt a horse has been down it for a very long time as even Shetland ponies would struggle to fit under the trees that have encroached along the route!

Still, it’s worth it when you get there…

Another bonus of the day was the fact it didn’t rain once – an event that’s as rare as rocking horse shit nowadays!

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

13th April picture(s) of the day…

13 Saturday Apr 2024

Posted by in Food and drink, Huddersfield, Photography, Rail Investment, Railways, Trans-Pennine Route Upgrade

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Today’s very much been a mixture here at Bigland Towers. Yesterday evening I was sat outside in the garden, enjoying a beer and soaking up the rays of the sun for the first time this year. This morning? We were back to rain, miserable temperatures and low cloud, so a lie-in seemed like the only sensible course of action. This afternoon was different. The weather was still diva-like, but we decided to ignore its strops and have a day out, heading over to Huddersfield for lunch. Whilst the town doesn’t have the attractions that it once did there’s still an oasis and reflection of how things used to be. We ate at Arcade, in the Byram arcade on Westgate. It’s a lovely little cafe that has a Bohemian feel and clientele in an arcade which has its own vibe due to the arts and craft shops the cafe rubs shoulders with. We both plumped for the same dish, Turkish eggs – with added Chorizo.

It was delicious! Whilst Dawn had a coffee I indulged in a Vocation brewery Hazy Pale beer.

Afterwards, whilst Dee checked out the nearby woolshop I wandered up to observe the Trans-Pennine Route upgrade at the station. There’s another blockade on the line this weekend as major work’s started on the station roof.

This section of the trainshed roof is scheduled for demolition as the whole area is going to be redeveloped due to the addition of two more through platforms.
This is why the line’s closed! You can’t get heavy plant in without closing the railway entirely!

Bidding adieu to Huddersfield we headed back from Colne to Calder valley for an expensive side-trip to Garden centres, DIY stores and supermarkets – all in the midst of another downpour. Well, that’s the gardening taking a rain-check then!

Back at home Dawn decided to get stuck into baking whilst I nipped out to get my steps in and have a ‘swifty’ in the Big 6 where this range of beers was on offer.

Now the pair of us are enjoying a quiet night in with the hope of better weather 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

Rolling blog. Meandering my way to some Merseyside manoeuvres…

11 Thursday Apr 2024

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

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11:25.

Having spent the early part of the week working from home it’s time to get out and about on the railways again, despite the weather. At least it’s not rained today. Well, yet! I’m currently on a train from Sowerby Bridge heading for Manchester in order to head over to Merseyside for another meandering visit. The Merseyrail Class 507 fleet’s hanging on by the skin of its teeth and ‘celebrity’ BR blue/grey liveried 507001 is working Ormskirk line services today. But first, I’ve got to get over there.

I’ll blog throughout the day, so feel free to pop back and see what I get up to….

12:25.

As I drift Westward the weather’s improved and I’m beginning to think I may be a tad overdressed fot the conditions! I’ve changed trains at Salford Crescent where I swapped my pair of diesel 158s for   electric 331s heading for Blackpool North. I as going to catch the elderly Class 156 working to Southport via Bolton, but the 331s are running late so it’s been hd to let them past. It’s a sensible bit of regulation as you don’t want the 331s to introduce delays on the West Coast Main Line (WCML) at Preston,whilst a few mins on a Southport services causes no problems anywhere.

12:40.

My ekectric dash to Bolton gave me a few minutes to get some pictures before joining the Southport bound 156 I’d fkagged at Salford Crescent. Having stopped st intermediate stations en-route it ambled in 8 minutes late.

With the through tracks long gone and now occupied by OLE masts a pair of 331s stand at Bolton station with a Blackpool North – Manchester Airport service.
What kept you? The Southport bound train calls at Bolton’s platform 5, which was only reinstated during electrification work.

13:45.

Having travelled from Wigan Wallgate to Headbolt Lane I’ve now swapped diesel for battery power. Well, as far as Kirkby anyway!

16:30.

Apologies for the break but I’ve been busy with the camera at Kirkdale. As it’s the Grand National weekend Merrseyrail has put out 3 sets of 2x507s on the Ormskirk services. I only found out as I arrived at the station, so the past couple of hours have been spent getting pictures in the area.

Only a few weeks left in service…

I’ve never seen so many rail enthusiasts on Merseyrail. I even bumped into James, an old friend from Chorley who’d had the same idea as me.

507001 leads 507014 past Kirkdale depot on a return working to Liverpool Central from Ormskirk.

Now, having managed various shots including ‘celebrity’ 507001 I’m heading into central Liverpool for a little while. I’m fascinated by the amount of redevelopment going on around the old dock between Sandhills and Liverpool. It’s such a contrast to the dereliction I remember as a youth – and wonderful to see.

19:15.

My visit to Liverpool was brief for two reasons. The weather deteriorated and the place was packed due to the Grand National. Still, it made for some great people-watching as I made my way between Central  and Lime St stations. On the way I traversed Gt Charlotte St which has become ‘murder mile’. Why? Well, it’s now wall to wall bars, many with open fronts. 99% have live music (competing with each other) and most of them are killing cover versions of popular songs!

Spot the obligatory ‘plastic Paddy’ pubs – and a Wetherspoons.

19:30.

I retraced my way to the end of the Merseyrail network at  Headbolt Lane as there really wasn’t much point in hanging around. I’d have like to have got photos of racegoers in their finery but it was far too late in the day for that – even if the weather had stayed dry. It’s a lesson I learned 20 years ago when I was working for ATOC (the Association of Train Operating Companies) and covered rail travellers heading to Ascot. What goes out can look very posh. After a day on the drink what returns is often anything but.

Right now I’m heading for Manchester aboard Northern’s service from Headbolt Lane to Blackburn via Manchester and Todmorden worked by an elderly but refurbished pair of Class 150s. They’re not my first choice of train but there’s no point in stopping off/changing en-route to Manchester due to the weather. A pity really as I’ve noticed some real progress with electrifying the line around Hindley – which isn’t bad considering I was there last week!

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

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.

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

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…

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