06:25.
04:15, what a time to be alive! Well, half asleep really as that was the time my alarm clock went off this morning. Dragging my bones out of bed I had an hour to prepare and get myself out of the door before beginning my walk to the station. To be honest, it was one of the best strolls I’ve had for a while. I was in no hurry and the weather was mild (3 degrees) and dry. Whilst strolling up the hill to Spring Edge I looked back across the Calder Valley and the lights of Sowerby Bridge which looked lovely and peaceful. I was momentarily confused when I saw the lights of a 6-car train wending its way below me as nothing should have been running. Then it revved up its engines and the distinctive deep roar reverberating across a sleepy valley gave away the fact this was a pair of Trans-Pennine Class 185s on a diversion. I didn’t pass a soul on the way into town. Even the dog-walkers and their pets were still abed. Even the roads were quiet with just the occasional motorist around. Actually, it really was a good time to be alive…
Now I’m on Northern’s 05:59 to Leeds. Despite the hour it’s a busy train. Dozens of folk were waiting to catch it at Halifax and many more have joined at Bradford Interchange. Of the 15 seats in the back of the rear car 11 are occupied. I suspect they may fill up before Leeds…
06:50.
My Hebden Bridge – Leeds train was early into Leeds, a rare event as normally you expect to be held outside waiting for a platform, but at this time of day there’s less chance of delays having accrued. This was fortunate as I managed to get ahead of myself by 20 minutes as I made a connection with LNER’s 06:40 to Kings Cross. I’ve now got the mobile office set up in a table bay ready to catch up with the day. At this point I’ve realised the flask of coffee I made to bring with me is still sitting on the kitchen work surface back at home. Bugger! Off to the on-board shop it is then…
08:25.
The arrival of dawn coincided with us passing Peterborough at speed. Supposedly, the days are getting longer but that’s not how it felt today. Now we’re bowling along South of St Neots in half-light past flooded fields that bare testament to just how much rain we’ve been having these past couple of months. The sun’s doing its best to break through the low, patch cloud so I’m optimistic we might get some good weather in Wendover by the time I get there. In the meantime, it’s warm and cosy aboard this train for the next 20 odd minutes before we reach London…
08:30.
I’m always fascinated by the way the weather works. After passing Hitchin we crossed into what’s obviously been a cold front. Everywhere (houses, cars and fields) is coated in a layer of frost so thick you could almost mistake it for a light dusting of snow. What a difference to the mild weather I had on my walk this morning!
08:40.
We’re in the North London suburbs. Having broken through the layer of cloud bordering the capital we’re once more enjoying clear blue skies.
09:55.
On arrival at Kings Cross I transferred to the ‘tube’, or in this case the old Metropolitan line which isn’t a tube at all. An uncrowded train deposited me at Baker St, a station whose architecture and detail I’ve always admired. I was in no hurry so whilst humming Gerry Rafferty’s musical homage I took pictures of the remnants of a more genteel and less rushed age.
Now I’m at Marylebone, waiting for my train to depart, having swum against the tide of incoming commuters. Marylebone has always been the odd one out of London’s termini. It still is today as it’s the only one that’s purely diesel powered – with no sign of electrification in sight…
10:40.
Almost there. The journey onChiltern’s been fine but by God their old ‘Thames Turbo’ fleet is looking tired. The seat coverings are threadbare, vestibule doors are missing and the whole train needs a damned good clean.
17:00.
Apologies for absence but it’s been another busy (if Baltic) day looking at the start of the Wendover viaduct deck push-out. I’ll describe it in more detail later, right now I’m on a train from Banbury into Birmingham have explored a couple of other HS and E-W rail sites with a friend (Chris Howe). In the meantime, here’s a couple of pictures to be getting on with.
I’ve a small favour to ask…
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