Tag Archives: life

15th December picture of the day…

15 Monday Dec 2025

Posted by in Calder Valley, Musings, Photography, Picture of the day, West Yorkshire

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Another (wet) week begins here in Bigland Towers as the Calder valley remains sodden and often shrouded in mist and cloud. We may be getting closer to Christmas but there’s little likelihood of us having a white one. Daily temperatures have been hovering around double figures and well above what they should be by a minimum of 2-3 degrees. We even hit a ridiculous 14 degrees last Tuesday. With such unseasonably warm weather it’s hardly surprising we’re getting so much rain, which isn’t encouraging me to get out and about with the camera very much.

That said, on Saturday the sun Gods smiled, which was just as well as it was the official opening of the restored and repurposed Mytholmroyd station building. Dawn and I have been involved on the periphery of the project so it was lovely to be invited to see the finished building. I’ll write up the day in a separate blog once I’ve dug out some of the old photo’s which show what the interior used to look like. It was a lovely event and chance to catch up with old friends and colleagues from the world of community rail and the wider rail industry. Then on Sunday, it was back to normal with rain, rain, rain!

I’ve another couple of days working from home before heading down to London for a couple of days starting on Thursday. Looking at the forecast this crappy weather’s due to follow me South, but I don’t mind too much as Thursday is the Railway Carols service so most of my time will be spent indoors anyway. I was hoping to maybe catch up with the few remaining Class 455s working for SouthWest Railways but I may have to take a rain-check on that – literally!

Friday’s a more social event, after which I’ll be heading North ready for the last weekend before Christmas, although that won’t be a frenetic as previous years. We don’t have to tour farm shops as it’s going to be (mostly) a meat-free Xmas – which is easy on the wallet as well as the stomach! We’re intending to get out walking too as the weather’s looking more promising, so it may prove to be one of the healthiest festive seasons we’ve had for a while.

In the meantime, I’ve a few projects to fill the next few days with, which will keep me occupied whatever the weather. In the meantime, I’ll leave you with today’s pictures which was taken with a long-lens from our bedroom window this afternoon. Here’s how the Calder valley’s looked for much of the day.

Now you see it, now you don’t…

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

Cheers!

27th November picture of the day…

27 Thursday Nov 2025

Posted by in Musings, Nepal, Photography, Politics, Travel, West Yorkshire

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There’s been another quiet day here at Bigland Towers. Whilst Dawn has ventured out to see an old friend and work colleague I’ve stayed close to base in order to get some blogging done whilst the weather’s miserable, although not as cold as it has been, which is a small mercy as scraping ice off the car wasn’t needed.

In between type-swiping and resizing pictures for the blog I’ve been keeping and eye on the political arena, although it more resembles a bear-pit nowadays. The right-wing media worked themselves into a frenzy in the run-up to the budget as they convinced themselves and their listeners/readers that it would be an economic disaster. The reality was very different. Reeves is no Liz Truss! By the end of the day the bond markets were intact, the FTSE100 had risen by 0.85% and people’s mortgage rates remained unchanged. It wasn’t what the right had been hoping for. I’m always amazed how these ‘patriots’ seem to want the worst for the UK and its citizens. They spend all their time trying to pretend we live in an economic disaster area with a capital city so overrun with crime and foreigners it makes 1970s New York look like paradise. Here’s a good example, from the Brexiter and bankrupt Allison Pearson who writes for the Telegraph.

Actually, no – we don’t pray for such a thing as we remember what happened last time with ‘Lettuce Liz’ Truss…

The far-right and their cheerleaders in the media are an odd bunch. One minute they’re saying we should ‘look after our own’, then when Reeves lifts the two-child benefit cap, increases the minimum wage, freezes rail fares and taxes the rich more they hyperventilate that now we’re ‘rewarding the feckless’! But then hypocrisy runs through these people like the letters through a stick of seaside rock.

It would be tempting to go on to talk about the ‘fagash Fuhrer’ Nigel Farage and the latest revelations about his fascist past and his halfhearted denials, but I have other things to do. All I will say is – I’d be fascinated to know how you sing ‘gas ’em all’ so it’s not in a “hurtful or insulting way”? Then there’s the small matter of his buddy and fellow UKIP MEP Nathan Gill being imprisoned for 10.5 years for being a traitor…

Funny old thing, this ‘patriotism’ malarkey…

Anyway, I’ll leave you with today’s picture, which has nothing to do with politics or economics. In fact it’s a world away from matters temporal. Some of you may have wondered where the header picture for my blog front page comes from. I took it in Kathmandu in Nepal way back in 1992. It’s a cropped version of this picture of the Buddhist stupa at Bodnath.

This amazing place is both a temple and a world heritage site. I’ve not been back to Nepal since 1998 but for some reason it keeps cropping up in my imagination. Maybe it’s time to revisit…

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

Cheers!

17th November picture of the day…

17 Monday Nov 2025

Posted by in Musings, Photography, Picture of the day, Railways

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Another week begins here at Bigland Towers, and it’s turning rather nippy. The balmy weather we’ve enjoyed for so long has deserted us, leaving us with a pronounced chilly spell and even (allegedly) the threat of snow – although I’ll believe that when I see it.

I’m not too perturbed as I’m back on my travels for the next couple of days. Tomorrow I head down to London in readiness for a press visit on Wednesday, but more of that nearer the time. I’m looking forward to getting out and about, making my way to the capital and having time to catch up with the dwindling suburban train fleets built in the 1980s-90s by British Railways. As an ex-Londoner, they’re very familiar to me and I’ll miss the 455s and 465s when they’re gone. Mind you, I’ll be heading to London via the West Coast Main Line where another, later fleet is also being retired. Owned by Porterbrook leasing, the 37 Siemens Class 350/2s were built between 2008-09, the majority have already gone into store with no firm future, which seems a criminal waste of such a good train. I’m hoping to catch one or two on my trip. Today’s picture is of the first of the fleet and one that’s still left in service for now.

350241, still wearing London Midland Livery but carrying London and Northwestern branding is pictured at Wolverhampton on the 18th August 2018.

Expect a rolling blog from tomorrow’s travels…

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

Cheers!

21st October picture(s) of the day…

21 Tuesday Oct 2025

Posted by in Flora and Fauna, Musings, Photography, Picture of the day, West Yorkshire

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Another day that didn’t quite turn out to be as expected. The day’s plans were changed by two events which diverted my time. Firstly, I’ve been invited to be a judge in a photographic competition run by one of the UKs train operating companies. They contacted me at short notice, asking for a biography and a mugshot. Having sorted those out I then received a phone call from a magazine asking for potential pictures for their next cover. Searching through my archive for the subject matter and sending them links kept me busy for a while. Still, it should help my bank balance! As I sat at my computer I was enviously watching the sun breaking through the racing clouds to send rays of light scudding across the valley like searchlights hunting for a fugitive. The scene would have made for some great moody photographs. Sadly by the time I was free to pick up the camera the sun had lost its battle with the clouds which swamped the valley with more mist and rain. Bugger!

When I did manage to get out for a walk conditions were less than ideal as light levels were set to full dull, but – I did manage to find something of interest which gave me chance to exercise my 105mm micro lens. Here’s the results.

If anyone can ID these two types of mushroom, feel free to drop me a line.

I’m no mycologist, so I’ve no idea what types of mushrooms I’m looking at here (all I know it – don’t be daft enough to try and eat ’em). A single old tree stump in our local woods is home to several different types which attracted my attention.

As the rain worsened I retreated back to the cottage to dry out before preparing food for this evening. Poor Dawn had a dental appointment to fix her tooth where she lost a filling last week. Now the hole in her tooth’s fixed, but there’s an even bigger hole in her purse! Our dentists are excellent and have managed to save the tooth, but have recommended Dee gets it crowned to ensure there’s no further issues. Both filling and crown will set her back over £1000 in total. Even so, it could have been a lot worse (and more expensive) if the tooth couldn’t have been saved. After the fun and games with the car, it’s been an expensive month. Fingers crossed the rest of the year is more of a breeze…

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

15th October picture(s) of the day…

15 Wednesday Oct 2025

Posted by in Flag shaggers, Huddersfield, Photography, Picture of the day, Politics, Railways, Travel, TRU, West Yorkshire

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Another day that didn’t quite go to plan – although that was more for Dawn than me. Dee’s outbreak of the lurgi meant she had a restless night and felt crap this morning, so her dental appointment was the first thing to be cancelled. Then a phone call to Honda about the fun and games with the car meant they came and collected it within an hour, taking it away for diagnostic checks. So, with no car, no Dawn and me still with a dental appointment it meant I was bound for our dentists in Huddersfield by bus!

That was no big deal, I had plenty of time and managed to get in a long walk to a bus stop that was convenient for some railway shots whilst I waited. As chance would have it, one of the seasonal railhead treatment trains was due just before my bus. Hence this shot.

A pair of Colas Class 66s top and tail the RHTT over Dryclough Junction. This train began its journey in Grimsby and ended it in York after going around the houses to reverse at Halifax. The spray from the powerful water jets mounted on the rear wagon is evident.

My dental appointment was a breeze. I’m not one of these people who’s frightened of visiting dentists, so it’s not a stressful experience at all. The dentist gave me a clean bill of health and the hygienist confirmed his view after giving me a clean, so that’s me done for another 6 months!

As I was close to the centre of Huddersfield I decided my walk to take in a detour to the station to see how the place looks now it’s reopened after the month-long blockade. The answer is – very different!

150007sits in the extended Sheffield bay platform whilst a TPE 185 calls at the widened and extended Westbound platform. The Northern side of the station has vanished. Both platforms and tracks have disappeared with the area becoming a building site.

Catching the bus back we passed through Elland, where the ‘flag-shaggers’ have been busy. Most lamp posts on the main road have had flags cable tied to them. Let’s face it, nothing says ‘patriotism’ more than cheap Chinese-made Union or England flags draped like limp rags around the place. Still, it’s a good indicator of places to avoid. Elland’s always been a shithole with a reputation as a place where the far-right hang out. The flags merely confirm it. I’m sure they’ll do wonders for house prices…

Back in Halifax (where flag-shagging is very much a minority sport) I strolled home, finding Dawn feeling better. Her car had been returned, complete with new rear offside wheel sensor as the old one had failed, causing all the problems. Fortunately, the £280 cost was covered by the extended warranty Dee had been smart enough to take out. Sadly, the fun and games weren’t over! No sooner had we eaten supper than poor Dawn had a large filling drop out! Today of all days!

Looks like the dentists haven’t seen the back of us yet…

Tomorrow I plan to spend the day working from home. Hopefully there’ll be no more excitement and I’ll be able to catch up on blogging and picture editing. 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

14th October picture of the day…

14 Tuesday Oct 2025

Posted by in Musings, Photography, Picture of the day, Transport, Travel, West Yorkshire

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Tuesday’s the new Monday here at Bigland Towers, at least for this week due to a long weekend. I’ll blog about our final day in Chester and environs tomorrow. I’d hoped to have written it up today but I’ve been up to my eyeballs in picture editing, paperwork, fixing lights in the house and keeping an eye on a poorly wife! Poor Dawn’s coming down with some form of lurgi, so I’m dusting down my nurses uniform…

To add insult to injury, her car is playing up too. We started getting error messages from its computer yesterday, but they cleared and we drove back without an issue. This afternoon they returned – with a vengeance! Everything that could flash red did – and then some. Yet again, they mysteriously disappeared and we were able to complete our mission of picking up a new light-switch to replace the one that had blown the other day. But tomorrow the phone line to Honda is going to be buzzing. Dee’s only spent over £1600 on a new timing belt and other gubbins for her Honda Civic but it’s been a PITH ever since and had to go back for rectification once already after it started burning so much oil you’d have thought someone had elected a new Pope! Ho Hum…

We have another ‘treat’ in store for tomorrow – a trip to the dentist and hygienist, so it won’t just be the car getting some attention. So, as you can see, today’s not quite gone to plan…

I’ll leave you with today’s picture, which is from yesterdays explorations. I’ll leave you guessing where this was taken until tomorrow. Unless you want to post a guess?

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

Ready, steady…

04 Thursday Sep 2025

Posted by in Photography, Portugal, Travel, West Yorkshire

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Today’s been a tying up of loose ends sort of day here at Bigland Towers, as tomorrow the pair of us head off for a much-needed break in Portugal. Dawn’s been busy sorting out stuff for her employer, Community Rail Network, whilst I’ve been busy editing pictures, getting others out to clients and chasing paperwork and potential jobs. To be honest, it’s not been a bad day to be stuck at home as the weather’s still deteriorating and there’s a distinct autumn chill beginning to creep in – which I’ll be happy to leave behind for warmer climes. It’s a much nicer 29 degrees in Faro tomorrow!

We’re in no panic to pack as we don’t fly from Leeds/Bradford until tomorrow evening, which gives us a relaxed morning. I should even have time for some blogging! But right now it’s time to enjoy our last evening here in the UK for a while. I’ll leave you with a picture from our last trip to Portugal, which we may get to reprise. Lisbon’s old trams are a delight to both travel on and watch pass by for entertainment value – especially as many people would ‘tram-surf’, like these three young women…

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

22nd August picture of the day…

22 Friday Aug 2025

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

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Here we are at the end of another working week with the August bank holiday looming. It’s been an odd week here at Bigland Towers, the classic curate’s egg. I’ve enjoyed getting out and about to see the latest High Speed 2 railway construction milestone in Birmingham (a full blog and pictures to follow shortly). The weather’s been rather indifferent and the nights are certainly drawing in, heralding next month’s change of season. I’d have liked to have got out more but there’s been a lot to do at home, partly because Dawn’s had a tough week so I’ve been on hand to offer tea and sympathy. Oh, and breakfast lunch and dinner as required!

On the bright side, I’ve also booked a fortnight in Portugal for the pair of us, starting in the first week of September. This will see us exploring the Algarve, Lisbon, Porto and the Douro valley, travelling by train. We’re both really excited about the trip, we just need to bottom out a few details – like where we’re actually going to stay! That will be one of the tasks this weekend as we’re not planning to go far over the bank holiday – although there will be some walking involved – somewhere.

Right now it’s time to sign off and relax. I’ll leave you with today’s picture, which is one I’ve been meaning to use for a few days. I have a 105mm micro lens which really doesn’t see much use nowadays (I’m hoping to put that right in Portugal), but I couldn’t resist digging it out when I saw this opportunity 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

Lost in translation…

18 Friday Jul 2025

Posted by in Malaysia, Photography, Travel

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I’d an intention to write another reservoir blog today as Dawn and I were out exploring recently, looking at locations across Yorkshire and Derbyshire – but that’s going to have to wait until tomorrow as today’s proved to be a busy one – and the sun’s re-appeared (despite the threats of thunderstorms).

Having made the most of the day and called into our local to enjoy the sun and a pint in the packed beer garden we’re now back at home and I’m slowly copying more pictures of that infamous (by now) recalcitrant hard-drive. Today I’ve been moving old slide scans off it, which has prompted today’s picture. I have tens of thousands of pictures in my archive, going back nearly 40 years, so it’s easy to forget what I have sometimes, so the act of copying them over can jog my memory. This picture was taken in Georgetown, Malaysia back in 1992. I’ve always loved the fact we can be brought together or separated by the same language depending on circumstance – or spelling. Poorly translated menus have always been a favourite, but sometimes the humour is more basic. Here’s an example. I walked past this shop in Georgetown, Malaysia in May 1992 and immediately did a double-take.

If it was a delayed delivery, did you get to ask him where’s your fook hing coffin?

Sadly, this place is no longer there. He’s made his last coffin. Maybe it was his own – who knows?

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

10th June picture of the day…

10 Tuesday Jun 2025

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

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I know, I know – I’ve been abysmal at blogging these past couple of months. The worst I’ve been for years. It’s been caused by various reasons I won’t go into but I’m hoping to put matters right soon.

Right now, I’m typing this from home in the Pennines after another varied day. We’ve had a lot of wet weather this past week or so which has been one of the reasons I’ve not been out with the camera. Another has been trying to finally make sense of some of my picture databases and indulge in some consolidation after two decades of digital photography where files started to get a bit random. I’m now copying many of those odd files to one hard-drive in the hope that I can finally get rid of duplicates and realise exactly what it is I’ve got. Oh, then there’s the few 1000s of old slides which never got scanned which I’m desperately trying to whittle down to see what keeping and what isn’t!

In between all this I’ve sandwiched social events with Dawn’s family (and mine) plus work – and trying to make something of the sunny days when they re-appear. Then there’s plans for the future…

I’ll be back in London (albeit briefly) at the end of this week, combining business with pleasure – and the chance to catch up with some old friends. Now it’s the summer season my diary is looking increasingly busy but I’ve got to the stage where I’m going to pick and choose as I can’t do everything. There’s something to be said for slowing down and enjoying a less frenetic life – although there’s a lot of places I want to explore and things that I want to see – so watch this space.

According to some weather forecasts we’re due to have a bright sunny and very warm day here tomorrow. If so, expect a rolling blog as I head off for the day – although I’ve no idea where as yet. In the meantime, here’s today’s picture. Have a pigeon, travelling ticketless on a train, but clearly on the look-out for Inspectors…

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