Tag Archives: London

Rolling blog. HS2ing and froing…

20 Tuesday Aug 2024

Posted by in Hs2, London, Photography, Railways, Rolling blogs, Travel

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09:30.

Another day, another adventure!

I’m currently en-route from Marylebone to the Chilterns to vist a couple of HS2 railway construction sites after a convivial night in London where I joined in the celebrations for an old friend’s daughter’s birthday.

Both of us had to be up early this morning as Hassard had a meeting in Birmingham and me an appointment in Bucks. Getting across Lond was made slightly more difficult (for Hassard especially) as the Victoria line had suffered a ‘one under’ earlier. We ended up parting company at Waterloo where I caught one of the capitals oldest tube trains (Bakerloo line) to Marylebone. It wasn’t a bad journey as at that time of day I was swimming against the tide.

The Bakerloo line is fine – when you’re heading in the opposite direction to everyone else!
Marylebone with one of a pair of Class 68s that have brought morning commuters into the capital.

I’m ahead of time, so I’ll be able to get a couple more shots of Chiltern line services before I meet up with the small gang of press people for today’s visit. I’ll blog throughout the day as and when I can, because the plan is to get a lift with a friend and colleague on the return so that we can stop off at another couple of locations en-route. Stay tuned…

10:15.

A quick teaser shot. Here’s how the HS2 trace West of Wendover looks now.

17:00.

I’m back!

Sorry I’ve not had chance to blog before now but we’ve been rather busy climbing up and down stairs and admiring the HS2 viaducts South of Wendover. We visited both the Small Dean and Wendover Dean viaducts which are in various stages of construction – as you’ll see from the pictures I’ll be uploading shortly.

After our visit Chris Howe and I drove up to Calvert to see progress and East-West rail and HS2 before heading off to Winslow, where we took some pictures of the new EWR station, which is complete and waiting the start of passenger services

Chris dropped me off at Banbury, where I caught a Cross-Country service heading for Birmingham. Now I have some time to download pictures and begin blogging again, so expect more updates shortly. The weather’s been kind so there’s plenty of pictures to show you.

The steel structure of the Small Dean viaduct is being assembled on site. It will be pushed out over the supporting piers next February.
The Southern pier of the Small Dean viaduct under construction.
Looking South along the course of the Small Dean viaduct. In the picture are the Chiltern railway to Aylesbury with the A413 beyond
The Wendover Dean viaduct bridge push is complete. Here’s the view looking North.
Winslow station. Just waiting for services to start…

19:00.

I’m well on the way home now. Having changed trains at Birmingham New St I swapped a Voyager for an Edinburgh bound Pendolino which will carry me to Warrington Bank Quay. The train’s very busy in the booked coaches but unreserved coach U only has a handful of travellers. I’ve grabbed a table bay, set up the mobile office and managed to upload some pictures from today’s adventures for your delectation. I’ve had to use my phone data connection as the onboard wifi isn’t up to the job. Any job!

19:18.

The curse has struck again, and we were doing so well! My train is currently stuck in Crewe station for some unknown reason. We were due to leave at 19:09 but it sounds like there’s a failed train ahead of us, so we’re being kept in the station. Ho hum…

20:45.

Plan B. I abandoned the idea of connecting with a Halifax train at Warrington as getting off at Crewe seemed like a better idea than tempting fate on the tow track main line towards Weaver Junction. A look through my options suggested that heading for Manchester would be a better bet. I’d opted to catch Avanti’s 20:10 to Piccadilly but even that’s running 15 down. Still, I’m on the move again and heading in the right direction! When will I get home? Who knows!

My enforced sojourn at Crewe wasn’t entirely wasted as the place was full of trains new and old. Avanti had a number of their Class 805s hanging around – either on services or training, so that was useful. West Midlands were the same with some of their new Class 730s. It’s allowed me to get a few extra pictures in the library anyway.

This Avanti service is much busier than the Edinburgh train I abandoned, but it does have one advantage. The wifi’s working. That said, it’s swings and roundabouts. On the last Pendolino the sockets were working but the wifi wasn’t. On this set that position’s reversed!

21:45.

The last leg…

Having hot foot it across a rainy Manchester and having just missed a train by a couple of minutes I’m now on Northern’s 21:36 to Leeds which will take me home to Sowerby Bridge. Worked by a 3-car Class 158 it’s hardly the busiest of trains this time of the week, but It’ll do me! Dawn’s offered to pick me up from the station so I don’t have to make the final slog uphill by foot. I’ve walked just under 10 miles today so I’m happy to bank that and get home without receiving a soaking.

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. On the move again…

19 Monday Aug 2024

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

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13:00.

Having enjoyed more of a home life of late I’m back on the rails again. Today I’m on a ‘positioning move’. Heading to London for an overnight stay in readiness for an HS2 construction site visit tomorrow. Right now I’m heading to Manchester aboard a Northern service bound for Chester formed of a 2-car class 195. This should have been a 4-car. A chat with the Conductor elucidated the information that there *should* be a set swap for a 4-car car at Manchester Victoria as this train’s normally a busy service – as it is today.

Cosy!

I’ll be working on the trains down to London but will update this blog as and when I can, so stay tuned…

14:30.

Well, it’s progress…

After getting wet walking across a grey and drizzly Manchester I found things weren’t running smoothly on the West Coast Main Line due to a points failure somewhere. Avanti West Coast services were either running late or cancelled. The 13:35 to Euston was late in and didn’t leave until 14:07. The next service (the 13:55 departure) was cancelled. I decided to leap ahead slightly by catching Cross-Country’s 14:03 departure towards Bristol as far as Stafford. That way I have other options.

Manchester Piccadilly is suffering a lack of capacity anyway as two platforms at a time are being taken out of service to allow roof repairs to be undertaken. Right now it’s platforms 3 and 4.

I’ve looked at the National Rail Enquiries website, which tells me the points failure was at Willesden Junction in North London. However, overhead line damage at Stafford has added to the problems. Oh, if only we had modern infrastructure like HS2. Oh, wait – the Tories cancelled it…

16:10.

The Stafford idea turned out to be a good one – ish.

Following not too far behind was meant to be the 15:14 Avanti service to Euston, which was formed from a pair of the company’s new Class 805s. Only it was 25 minutes late leaving Crewe where the 2nd set was attached. We’re now 28 minutes late speeding South, but at least we’re non-stop to London.

This is my second time on an 805 and the first where I’ve managed to get a seat. I’m in the front set and there’s plenty of free seats so I’ve managed to blag a table bay and set up the mobile office. Having the camera on the table attracted attention (as it often does) so I ended up in a conversation with a young woman who’s a photography student. As I often do, I let her have a play with the Z9. People are frightened to drop it, so what I say is ‘it’s fine, just put the strap around your neck so that you can’t’.

The mobile office…

16:50.

A few minutes ago we passed the wonderfully named ‘Cow Roast’, South of Tring. The weathr down here in the South isn’t much better than up North, although I’m sure the outside temperature will be a few degrees warmer. My trip on this 805 hasn’t been bad. The ride’s good, the table facilities are very good (plenty of sockets, USB ports and passive phone chargers) but the PIS system is up the spout. The outside screens say ‘this train is not in service’ and the internal LEDs proclaim ‘reservations are currently unavailable’. Not dissimilar to my first trip on one of these units.

Having used the toilet I noticed the age-old problem. We can get men on the moon but we still can’t design train toilet paper dispensers that don’t turn the paper into confetti…

Plus ca change…

22:30.

Time to bring this blog to an end. I’ve had a lovely evening here in London out with a very old friend and his family, celebrating his daughter’s 15th birthday at a local Italian here in Clapham. But tomorrow’s another day…

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

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

12th August picture(s) of the day.

12 Monday Aug 2024

Posted by in Environment, London, Photography, Picture of the day, Railways

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It’s been a long day here in West Yorkshire as I clear the decks of various things and prepare for a busy time ahead. I’ve had another office clearout, with lots of stuff going off for recycling as ‘not wanted on voyage’. The amount of stuff one accumulates in a lifetime is sometimes surprising. Things that ‘will come in useful one day’ – only never do. Plus, all those books and magazines that you’ll get around to rereading ‘one day’. Now they’re off to either charity shop or recycling…

Beside the clearout and researching some future plans I’ve also been editing the pictures from my RAIL rover, ready to use as an aide-memoir and background to writing the articles themselves. Whilst doing this I came across a pair of photographs that show just how much the railways and the environment around them have changed since I started doing these rovers, 20 years ago. The pictures are from Raynes Park in the West London suburbs, on the London and South Western main line. I’d not ben back there for sometime but I always remember it as having good views into London as the railway’s on an embankment at that point. Here’s the first picture, taken on the 3rd April 2005.

The picture was taken from the station footbridge. Here’s a shot I took from the same footbridge on the 1st August.

The signal gantries give it away as the same location, but that’s all. London has now disappeared behind dense woodland growing along the embankments either side of the line, plus a new housing development.

I feel old…

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. Daytripper…

05 Wednesday Jun 2024

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

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09:00.

Typical! Today – after a short shower – the weather’s turned sunny here in the Calder valley. So, where am I off to? London, for a Siemens Ltd press lunch. Today’s merely a day trip to attend the lunch. This is an opportunity to chat to Siemens Senior management team, learn about what’s going on with the company in the UK right now – and meet up with fellow industry Journos for a couple of hours. After which I’ll get a few library pictures and head home.

Right now I’m on Northern’s 08:43 from Halifax to Leeds. Today this is made up of a pair of 2 car Class 195s. It’s not as busy as usual so I’ve blagged a table seat and set up the mobile office to get some work done en-route. I’ll be blogging throughout the day, so feel free to pop back to see what I get up to…

09:45.

My stay in Leeds was brief. We pulled into the platform adjacent platform 9 where LNER’s 09:45 to Kings Cross was waiting. Within minutes I’d transferred to an empty 9-car Azuma where I set up the mobile office on a vacant table bay in Coach C.

801213 sits at Leeds this morning before heading to Kings Cross.

Now it’s time to relax and enjoy the trip. That said, I feel sorry for anyone trying to head down the West Coast Main Line this morning. A fatality South of Watford Junction had closed all lines in and out of London Euston earlier. They’ve now reopened but it’s going to be a rough day out there…

11:00.

What a lovely day for heading South – although we seem to be heading into cloudier weather. For once, it’s grim down South! I’ve been busy clearing my email inbox and sorting out some picture editing, but I have had chance to check-out social media and the responses to last night’s ‘debate’ between Starmer and Sunak. It looks like Sunak walked into a trap.

The phrase ‘never interrupt your enemy when he’s making a mistake’ seems rather appropriate. Last night Sunak lied. More than once to be honest, but the one that’s coming back to haunt him is the claim Labour will cost everyone in the UK £2000 in raised taxes. Anyone who’s economically literate and follows these things already knows it’s a lie, but Sunak’s following in Boris Johnson’s (lying) footsteps and hoping to get away with it. This is Sunak’s £350m on the side of a bus moment.

There’s only one problem. The Chief Secretary to the Treasury has exposed Sunak’s lie in a letter that was sent a couple of days ago. So, Sunak was in no doubt he was lying. Starmer was in no doubt Sunak was lying, but Sunak did it anyway and then doubled-down on it today. But Labour have released the letter…

I’ve said for some time that this was going to be a dirty election with the Tories and the rest of the right-wing leaving no lie unturned in a desperate effort to win. The good news is that they’re not moving the dial (exactly the opposite). It seems so many people now see them as liars, they’re expecting it!

11:12.

We’ve just left Peterborough after our brief stop at the city. The bank of cloud on the horizon doesn’t seem to have got any closer so I’m optimistic that today’s going to be a good day. I’ve an hour to get from Kings Cross to today’s venue in Shoreditch in London’s East End so my plan is to take the scenic route. Well, as much as being underground is ‘scenic’!

18:15.

Sorry for the interlude but it’s been a busy day. As soon as I arrived at Kings Cross I spotted something other than trains at the platform ends – an old friend and colleague in the form of Rob Pritchard, Editor of Today’s Railways UK. The pair of us joined forces to travel over to my old ‘Manor’ in the East end via Thameslink, the ‘Lizzie’ line and London Overground which deposited us just a block away from where we needed to be in Shoreditch. Boy, has that area changed since I first got to know it in the mid-1980s!

Rob, myself and several other old faces from the rail press plus one or two from the national media then had a very pleasant and informative couple of hours chatting informally to Siemens Mobility’s senior management team for the UK. It’s rare that you get that level of access or the time to chat to people from a company. In truth, a couple of hours wasn’t enough, as much as people try and circulate between courses.

I’ll add a couple of pictures later.

Right now I’m heading back North (well, I did say it was only a day trip!). I’d have loved to have made more of the weather but I’ve things to do. Plus, Dawn’s away for several days from tomorrow. The journey home’s been made more ‘interesting’ by the fact the train I’d intended to catch – the 17:03 to Leeds has been cancelled due to a fatality – so that’s both East and West coast main lines afflicted by tragedies today. Instead, I’m on an Edinburgh bound service as far as York, where I can change and still get home earlier than if I’d hung around at Kings Cross.

20:25.

Changing at York turned out to be a good plan. I’m now at Bradford Interchange en-route to Halifax, having clawed back 15 mins. Not a huge amount in the scheme of things but at least I nanaged to add a few more libray pictures to the collection. The sun’s still shining in Yorkshire, but by heck – it’s cold!

22:30.

Time to call it a day. I’m back at home, spending an hour editing a few pictures before day’s end. So, as promised, here’s a small selection from the day…

A study in Azuma front ends at Kings Cross…
It looks underground, but this is very much overground. The interior of the elevated Shoreditch High St station.
It’s a tough job, but someone’s got to do it. Sitting down to lunch with Siemens senior management to talk about all things Siemens (and much more)…

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. It’s fun Friday…

31 Friday May 2024

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

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08:45.

It’s a bit of a busman’s holiday for me today. I’m travelling to London for lunch with an old friend, then heading back later as both Dawn and I have another (railway related) appointment tomorrow.

On my walk to the station I couldn’t resist taking a detour past the Big 6 to see what the film crew were up to. The surrounding streets are now clogged with trucks and vans whilst the pub itself has disappeared behind scaffolding which is holding the blackout curtains in place.

The front…
…and back.

Right now I’m on Grand Central’s 08:13 from Halifax to Kings Cross. There’s been a last minute set swap which has led to the service being worked by one of their hired-in Class 221 ‘Voyager’ trains rather than the expected Class 180. This has caused some confusion amongst passengers as the seat reservations are all mixed up!

A sea of reservation labels aboard this GC service.

I rarely travel by GC nowadays so it was lovely to bump into an old friend working the train. Javid is one of the original West Yorkshire crews. Most have left or (like Javid) been promoted. He’s gone from a Customer Service Assistant to Train Manager (Guard in old money). Quite a few of his contemporaries are now Drivers with GC or other train companies. We had time for a catch up after leaving Halifax and before the train filled up even more at Brighouse. GC is a real success story. Their passenger numbers have grown massively with most trains being fully booked (one of the reasons I don’t use them as much) so it’s good to hear they’ll soon be introducing a 5th West Riding service.

I’d planned to do some work on the train but on unpacking my bag I realised I’l left my laptop lead at home! I’d been sneaking around this morning in order not to disturb Dawn so hadn’t checked. The battery won’t last there and back, so I’ll take it easy, save it for later and enjoy the journey instead.

09:00.

We’ve just left Wakefield Kirkgate, which is a busy exchange stop for GC because many people use the train to get there from Bradford and Halifax. They’re replaced by other passengers for Doncaster and London.

En-route I had chance to observe TRU progress. The most noticeable changes are the massive mounds of earth being moved at Ravensthorpe where the ‘dive under’ junction is being created. I need to pay another photographic visit soon. The abandoned marshalling yard at Healy Mills is seeing some changes too with many of the old sidings being lifted to create space for the new TRU construction yard.

09:55.

Having found the wifi wasn’t working on my GC set, and having something I wanted to get shots off at Doncaster I opted to change trains. This gave me just long enough to photograph what I was after, grab some library shots of the GC train and crews swapping over, then board the following LNER service. I’m now chasing the Voyager which I’ll catch up at Kings Cross! The 10-car LNER service (ex Harrogate) is the train I was originally aiming for at Leeds. It’s packed full of families and groups en-route to the capital although I have managed to bag an unoccupied seat that had been reserved from Wakefield. The wifi’s working, so I’m quickly blogging from my laptop and catching up on some work before switching off again.

11:15.

We’re now South of Stevenage and the weather’s rather disappointing. I’ve left behind sunshine in Yorkshire for the grey and dismal South! Hang on, isn’t it meant to be grim up North? Apparently (according to the Met Office) my Southern sojourn may be enlivened by heavy showers and even thunderstorms. Ho hum…

11:40.

Arrived…

21:30.

Mind the gap..

Sorry about that but I’ve had a lovely time in old haunts in North London with a group of friends from the industry where Chatham House rules (and more) apply. Gosh, did we all cover some territory – from both ends of the political spectrum – but, as old friends we still remained civil. Now I’m back in’t North, aboard a train from Leeds to Halifax.

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

Community rail week. Day 2…

21 Tuesday May 2024

Posted by in Community rail, Community Rail Network, London, Photography, Railways, Rolling blogs

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07:30.

The team are preparing for today’s event in London. I can’t say anything about it until afterwards but we had a great planning session with some of the local station friends yesterday evening, so we’re looking forward to what’s going to happen. Why not pop back later to see what it is we’ve been up to?

13:05.

Phew, sorry for the gap but it’s been a busy morning. I can now reveal that we’ve been kept busy at Alexandra Palace station with an event that included a long visit by Shadow Rail Minister Stephen Morgan MP, who spent time with local MP Catherine West, Community Rail Networks Chief Exec Jools Townsend and many of the local station friends and visitors from as far afield as Gipsy Hill. Here’s a few pictures.

The whole group get the message across…

I’ll add more details later. Right now my main task is to get the pictures edited – and begin my journey back North…

13:45.

Having got the pictures out to where they need to go I’m footloose and fancy free again, soI’m beginning my journey back North. I’ve really enjoyed being back in my old stamping ground – even if the weather’s been iffy (at least it didn’t rain in any meaningful way) but now it’s time to hunt for some sun and the chance to get a few more libray shots in the can. Right now, the next stop’s Stevenage…

16:50.

Stevenage proved to be quite literally a washout, thanks to the weather so I boarded the next available train to Peterborough – and old haunt from the 1990s. I did manage a few more library shots but whilst the weather stayed dry the skies were dull in the extreme. Now I’m on my way to Doncaster, although I don’t know if I’ll stop off as despite my moving North sunshine’s proving to be elusive.

17:00.

Doncaster was a bust, although clouds are lifting and every so often there’s a tantalizing glimpse of blue sky. Unfortunately, the works yard is empty and the station’s just as quiet, so I’ll stay on board until York where there just *might* be a couple of worthwhile shots to be had under the station’s magnificent roof. Plus, I can get a direct train to Halifax from there, which makes life easier.

19:30.

Like most plans, mine didn’t survive long. Whilst the weather had picked up many services were running from platforms oufside the trainshed, so less photogenic. Then my direct train to Halifax was cancelled, so I had to get a TPE to Leeds and pick up a late running Halifax service

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. Community rail week – day 1…

20 Monday May 2024

Posted by in Community rail, Community Rail Network, London, Manchester, Photography, Railways, Rolling blogs, Travel

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10:45.

Community rail week has begun, and I’m off on my travels again as part of it. Right now, I’m on Northern’s 10:23 from Sowerby Bridge to Manchester in order to pop in on an event being held at Piccadilly station before making my way down to London this evening. After yesterday’s wall to wall sunshine the weather’s a bit of a disappointment as the Calder valley’s full of low cloud but I’m hoping things will improve as I drift South stopping off on the way. Feel free to pop back later to see what I get up to…

No 1 on day 1 to carry me to Manchester…

11:05.

Before I get to Manchester I’ve stopped off at Rochdale where the Calder Valley CRP are having an event in the station garden. There’s music – and cupcakes, so if you’re in the area feel free to pop in…

12:30.

My tour continues. On reaching Manchester I hot-foot it over to Piccadilly station where several CRPs (Community Rail Partnerships) and their friends have stalls today. There’s a lot of interest in the line and walking guides, along with the other goodies on offer. Both the Bentham and Glossop lines had sent delegations..

Now I’m on the move again, slowly heading South. Today I have a treat as far as Crewe in the shape of one of Transport for Wales locomotive hauled (or in this case, pushed) Mk 4 sets.

13:55.

I’m currently taking the scenic route as plans went slightly awry on arrival at Crewe. There was plenty of variety of traction on view – from old TfW single-car ‘Scuds’ working the Shrewsbury shuttle to brand new Hitachi built Class 805s on test before taking over from Avanti Voyagers later this year. Oh, and the nostalgia-fest that is LSL’s loco depot, which is a real 1980s throwback. Unfortunately a number of services were late or delayed, so I’m now heading for Stoke on a sideways shuffle aboard one of LNWs Class 350s. This one’s a former Trans-Pennine Express unit that used to work between Manchester Airport – Glasgow/Edinburgh before being displaced by more modern (and longer) trains.

14:50.

And relax! On arrival at Stoke I had 10 minutes to wait for a Pendolino to arrive which would whisk me to Euston via one stop at Nuneaton. There’s no more community rail events within my reach now so the rest of the day is purely a positional move. As I head South the weather’s improving. There’s clear blue skies and fluffy cumulous clouds instead of the grey I’d been used to, so now all I have to do is decide where I’m going to visit to get some library shots after hitting London.

15:33

Bugger! Just when I thought I was back on track! We’re currently running 26 minutes late (and being diverted via Northampton) due to – as the onboard screens inform us – a ‘safety inspection of the track’. Ho hum. Now I won’t reach Euston until 16:07 – and counting. We’re not the only service affected either. I’ve just had a quick look at ‘real time trains’ to check out Euston departures/arrivals. It’s not good. I expect it’ll be carnage on the concourse when I arrive.

16:40.

Carnage has been averted at Euston due to many departures leaving on time, which will keep passengers happy and the concourse uncrowded. But it’ll come at a price. Many trains will have been ‘stepped up’ (turned around quickly and reallocated to different services). Train crews bear the brunt when this happens as their dockets aren’t worth the paper they’re written on so hours get extended. Juggling the trains has issues too as some will have been heading to certain depots for maintenence to take place. They’ll end the day somewhere very different unless train controllers can get them back to where they need to be.

       

Euston. It could be a lot worse…

17:45.

Wandering down the Euston Rd from Euston to Kings Cross I bumped into Ndy Savage, an old friend and fellow Community Rail Awards judge. It’s what I love about London. You’re never far away from someone you know. Now I’m back in old haunts in Harringay, heading to tonight’s hotel…

23:30.

Time to bring this blog to a close. I’m kicking back at my hotel in Wood Green after meeting up with the rest of the CRN team ready for tomorrow’s big event. I’ll leave you with a few more pictures from today, with many more to follow tomorrow.

Manchester Piccadilly earlier, with people interested in details of some of the walking guides on offer.
Stoke station dominated by LNW Class 350s, including the former TPE unit I arrived on.
It could have been an awful lot worse. Despite the WCML disruption Euston station passenger flow remained in tolerable levels.
Buddleia’s not part of the station friends plan, but like many locations it’s encroaching on the lineside here at Alexandra Palace in North London.

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. Homeward bound…

10 Friday May 2024

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

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07:00.

My time away has come to an end. Today I head home for a while until the next adventure. But first I’ve got to get there. Thankfully, the main rail strikes are in abeyance today, but last minutes changes are still possible. Let’s see hoe things go. First off it to get across London to begin the journey North. Today I’m taking that trip via the Midland Main Line…

08:15.

The pair of us are now speeding up the Midland Main Line on a very empty (and very dirty) Meridian, the first of the class in fact. Talk about tired – the train that is – not me! This one has the new seat mocquette but the quality of the fitting leaves a lot to be desired. The carpets are still threadbare and the paintwork inside and out is in a terrible state.

Not exactly London’s busiest rail service…

11:45

I said goodbye to Hassard at Derby. He went off to his meeting whilst I stayed to make the most of the good weather to get some library shots before catching an onward service to Sheffield. Here’s a couple of camera pictures.

The Meridian I’m on now (set 13) is lucky for me as at least you can see out of the windows in this train. We weren’t so lucky in the last one…

Still, it’s swings and roundabouts. The wifi doesn’t work on this set – unlike the last one!

13:15.

Well, that was fun. I joined a 4-car Cross-Country Voyager bound for Edinburgh for the leg between Sheffield and Leeds. It was rammed! I was ‘lucky’ enough to find a space to stand opposite the disabled toilet in the rear car. It was taking a hammering due to the amount of drunks sat in the same vehicle (and others elsewhere). I have to give full credit to the Train Manager, despite the obstacle course he needed to navigate he still managed to make a full ticket check!

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. Building bridges on HS2…

09 Thursday May 2024

Posted by in Hs2, London, Photography, Railways, Rolling blogs, Travel

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07:00.

In contrast to the past couple of days which has been mostly about new trains, today’s visit is going to be about building bridges – HS2 style. I won’t say just where yet, but all will be revealed soon. But first I’ve got to to to where I’m going, which means a cross-London journey from here in Clapham then a trip along the Chiltern line…

07:42.

The weather’s so good this morning I was up and out early in order to bank some time (and pictures en-route). Here’s how the changing skyline of Clapham Junction looks.

08:40.

Having arrived at Victoria I took a trip on the tube line of the same name as far as Oxford Circus where I changed to the antique line – sorry – the Bakerloo line, which operates the oldest and most decrepit trains on the network.

Now I’m at Marylebone, waiting for my next train. The station’s celebrating its 125th birthday this year so is decked out with bunting as a consequence. Not that many in the constant ebb and flow of passengers seem to notice!

At least the trains aren’t 125 years old…

14:30.

Mind the gap! Sorry about that. I’ve only just left the HS2 Thame valley viaduct site. My tour of the structure was extensive so and I was so engrossed in taking pictures and writing notes there was no time to blog.

This particular viaduct is 880 meters long. It’s a low lying structure that will carry HS2 over a flood-plain. I was here ladt year to see some of the first prefabricated concrete beams being installed. There’s been a lot of progress since.

One of two central piers in the viaduct. the poles and pile cap are far bigger as it from here the viaduct is tensioned and dynamic forces transferred. The 880m long viaduct can expand up to 450mm in each direction from these points.

Now, large sections of the viaduct are in place and progress is being made with installing the prefabricated concrete plants which form the bed of the deck. I’ll describe it in far more detail later.

15:15.

On my way back to London I couldn’t resist making a quick stop at Wendover, where the station is very close to some of the HS2 trace. Despite the claims of some residents HS2 construction doesn’t dominate the village as it’s on the opposite side of the noisy and busy A413. Since my last visit there’s been a number of changes.   One road which is at the Northern portal  of the ‘green’ tunnel’s been diverted over a new bridge spanning the trace. This bridge privides an excellent vantage point to follow construction of the route Northwards.

The bridge
The view from the bridge.

A short walk away is a footpath and the infamous memorial woods that anti HS2 protesters like Mark Keir lied about, claiming it was dedicated to dead children (it wasn’t) and it was being torn-up up by HS2 and ‘desecrated’ (it wasn’t). I covered their disgraceful, lying campaign in this blog at the time. In fact, the wood’s in rude health. I popped in and took this shot.

Meanwhile, the footpath to the South just past the memorial wood affords this view which is looking down the valley to the viaducts that cross the A413 and also Wendover Dean. Notice how the scenic nature of the valley has been ‘destroyed’ by HS2. Oh, hang on – what are those metal pylons – and how long have they been there?

23:00.

Time to bring today’s blog to a close. The weather here in London’s been lovely. Eating alfresco has returned to the streets of Clapham and the place has been buzzing. It seemed a shame to waste the eveing so the pair of us nipped out for a couple of beers to enjoy the atmosphere, but now it’s time to prepare for tomorrow which includes another early start with the pair of us travelling North together as far as Derby. 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

Rolling blog. The Surrey shuffle…

24 Wednesday Apr 2024

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

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11:30.

I’ve had a leisurely morning at home sorting out some paperwork and chores so there’s been no early start today, much as that would have been tempting in order to make the most of the improving weather. But now I’m on the move again, heading from Halifax to Leeds before taking a trip down the East Coast Main line to London.

Leg one was far less glamorous. I took a trip on this old thing which is working the Huddersfield to Bradford Interchange shuttle.

 

All aboard…

Now I’m on something a little more modern in the shape of a CAF built Class 195. It’s running slightly late but no big deal as I wasn’t planning to get to Leeds before 12:00 anyway.

12:45.

Getting to Leeds was in fits and starts dues to my train being delayed by late running services (often a problem at Leeds, a station with too many trains and no spare capacity) however, it didn’t stop me making the Harrogate-Kings Cross service, whose departure was also delayed for the same reason! We’re now speeding South towards Doncaster. I expect the few minutes we’ve lost should be made up along the way, unless something dramatic happens on the ECML. This trains a 9-Car ‘Azuma’ and reasonably quiet, so I’ve been able to colonise a table bay in order to set up the mobile office and start the task of editing all the past few days pictures…

13:45.

Time’s flying! I’ve had my head buried in my laptop as I edit pictures and declutter my email inbox. I’m now signed up to several press events that’ll see me rather busy at the beginning of May. These include a press trip to Germany and some more HS2 visits (watch this space). The picture editing’s gone well too. So much so that I’ve ony just noticed how the fields of rape along the railway have burst into bloom. The countryside’s dotted with yellow, marking the change of seasons. It’s ages since I’ve been able to get out to photograph at the lineside this time of year. Will I find time in 2024? I hope so, but blue skies remain elusive. There’s the odd patch here South of Peterborough but hardly wall to wall.

14:05.

I was right about making up time. Say what you like about the ‘Azuma’ trains but they can’t half shift. Our 2 minute late departure from Leeds has morphed into passing Hitchin 2 minutes early! Shame the weather’s not been as scintillating as we seem to be heading into a mass of clouds…

17:15.

S’cuse the gap but it’s been a hectic few hours. I didn’t hang around for more than a few minutes at Kings Cross. only long enough to grab a couple of pictures before making my way across to Waterloo via Thameslink and London Bridge, thence SoutheEastern to Waterloo East. The reason for my haste was that the ‘celebrity’ BR blue liveried Class 455 was in traffic and due to pay a visit on the country end of a service. Here it is.

Shiny! Well, the paint job is. The train underneath it is a different matter!

I didn’t stay for a ride, instead I caught an earlier service to Clapham Junction so that I had a second bite of the photographic cherry.

Frustratingly, the sun remained hidden behind clouds until the last few minutes before I had to leave. What a difference a bit of sunshine makes.

Now I’m heading to Farnham on a packed 17:02 off the Junction. Today’s obviously not the day people are working from home!

20:20.

And relax!

I’m now at Platt mansions in Tilford and it’s time to relax with Dawn for the evening. Tomorrow we drive back to Yorkshire so there’s no trains for me – although there may just be chance to take a look at an HS2 worksite on the way back. We’ll see…

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