My time here in London’s come to an end. It’s been a lovely break. Staying with a dear friend whilst having the opportunity to visit HS2 construction sites and just enjoy being back in a city that I loved living in. The trip’s not entirely over yet. I’m booked on a train out of Euston later this afternoon so I’ve still some time to explore, but right now I’m helping out by waiting in for a parcel whilst Hassard’s off at an event. As soon as said parcel arrives I’ll be off on my travels again.
I did manage to nip out earlier to grab some shots at Clapham Junction. It feels very strange nowadays, the old Class 455s which dominated suburban services when I first moved here (they were new then!) have all disappeared. Now the South-West Railways ‘Arterio’ Class 701s have taken their place whilst Southern services have gained a variety of ‘Electrostar’ type units transferred in from GWR and GTR, which adds some livery variation at least.
A Waterloo bound Arterio wends its way through the maze of tracks outside Clapham Junction station.An Alstom built ‘Juniper’, Class 458/4 calls at Clapham Junction. The skyline is constantly changing here. You can see a crane building the lift tower of yet another high-rise block in the background.
14:00.
Hassard’s son Dante has arrived to take up parcel duties, so I’m off to meander across the city. In some ways the timing couldn’t have been better as a magazine’s contacted me about a cover picture – of London’s railways! Right, back to Clapham Junction is is then. The sun’s shining and conditions are ideal for what they want…
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I’m here in South London, preparing to start the day. First up (after coffee, of course) is a trip across the capital to Willesden Junction where I’ll be meeting up with an old friend and colleague, Andy Roden of Modern Railways. We’re off for a visit to the HS2 station construction site at Old Oak Common. I’ll blog more about that later, but you’ll be able to read the full details of the visit in a forthcoming edition of Modern Railways.
But first, I have to get there…
09:18
And getting there has proved to be fun! Having arrived at Clapham Junction I’d intended to get the Overground direct to Willesden Jn, only to be greeted by PA announcements telling me the service has been suspended for some unknown reason.
So, plan B it is. I’ve caught a train to Waterloo where I’ll jump on the Bakerloo line. I was hoping to avoid the tube on a warm day like this but hey ho…
On the bright side, my train to Warerloo is a Class 458, which are in their final weeks of service.
09:40.
At Waterloo I had a surreal experience. A young nember of security staff spotted me taking a picture of the 458 and accosted me from the opposite platform, telling me my mirrorless camera was ‘too big’ and that I needed permission to take pictures so needed to sign in. I explained I was only there for a minute as I was catching another train, her her next line was that I could only take a picture with my phone! I politely but firmly declined, took my pictures and walked away…
Well, that’s a new one!
I’m now rattling and screeching my way to Willesden. Well, not me personally, but the ancient underground train I’m on is! We discussed these trains at the Siemens lunch yesterday. Soares are impossible to come by, so a machining shop has been established at Stonebridge Park depot to make any metal parts needed. If the part takes weeks to make, the train remains out of service until it has been.
15:15.
I’m back! Our visit to the HS2 site at Old Oak Common was a really full tour. Not only dis we descend into the HS2 station box to see how progress on constructing the 6 platform station is progressing, we also visited the Western approaches to the new station on the Great Western Main Line (GWML) where tracklaying has already taken place. Here’s a couple of shots.
Myself and Andy Roden pose for a picture on platforms 5-6 of the new HS2 station. We worked out that the last time we worked together on a similar project was HS1 at St Pancras way back in 2004!Looking towards Paddington from the new tracks being laid for the GWML station. The tower cranes in the background will be involved in constructing the roof for the interchange station. The new track on the Right will be part of the slewing of the existing GWML in order to create room for platforms 1-2 of the new station.
18:00.
Watching England play in the world cup in a pub in London with two Scousers and an Irishman…
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I’m off on a journey I’ve not done for ages but once did almost weekly, taking Grand Central’s service from Halifax to London. GC started running this route in the same year that I moved from London to Halifax – 2010. It was a godsend in those days as it allowed me to commute to the capital for work.
A lot’s changed in 17 years. Nowadays I’m semi-retired so the pressures aren’t the same. The railways have changed too. I’ve just traversed the section of line from Mirfield to Wakefied which is being rebuilt as part of the Trans-Pennine route upgrade. The recent blockade’s seen a lot of progress with civils work and the appearence of overhead electric masts.
Now we’ve swung off onto the route to Doncaster via ‘Pontycarlo’ (as Pontefract is often known). A line once thriving with coal traffic that’s a shadow of its former self. Knottingly depot’s a great example of this. Once it was an important base for freight locos that boasted a modern 2-storey office building and shed that housed a fleet of locos. The office building’s been demolished, many staff ‘let go’ and the tracks see more weeds than locos.
Unfortunately, the wifi on this GC Class 221 isn’t working, so I’m reduced to blogging via my Smartphone which is a bit of a bugger. Never mind…
09:20.
I’m speeding through the Cambridgeshire countryside on a train that’s been packed since Doncaster. A bright side is that the passenger who booked the airline seat next to mine from Mirfield to Lobdon was a ‘no show’.
The fields North of Peterborough are full of cereal crops that like ripe for harvesting. The golden glow of wheat spreads for miles around. Very different to the grasslands of the Pennines.
17:00.
Well, that was fun! This year’s Siemens press lunch was held in Wood Lane in West London at a venue called the Broadcaster, which is right outside the old BBC television centre where many programmes from my childhood were made (including ‘Blue Peter’). These events are an informal chance to chat with Senior leaders of Siemens over lunch. We always cover a wide range of subjects. Today, that was widened to include the performance of the German football team in the World Cup match last night!
Heading back in to Central London I stopped off at Euston station which is not having a happy time due to cattle on the West Coast Main Line near Lichfield earlier. You couldn’t moo-ve on the concourse!
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Having recovered from the exertions of ‘3 peaks by rail’ and caught up on my sleep, I’ve been spending the past couple of days editing the 1000s of pictures from the three days to get them out to the Railway Children asap so that they’re available for publicity purposes. Some have already bee used in a short video on Facebook. With that job done I’ve been concentrating on what happens next. In my case, that’s heading down to London tomorrow as I’ll be based in the capital for the next few days for a series of events.
Tomorrow I’m attending the Siemens press lunch before heading off to update library shots of the capital’s railways. On Wednesday I’ll be visiting one of the main HS2 railways construction sites in West London, whilst Thursday will see me visiting several other HS2 sites, this time in Northants. They’re of special interest as this will be the first time a press trip has visited them. After that I’ll be heading back to Southport for a while as I have a couple of articles to write as well as attend to family matters.
So, with all this going on, expect several rolling blogs to appear, starting tomorrow.
In the meantime, here’s a few pictures from the madness of the 3 peaks…
It’s 04:00 on Friday morning and 57311 waits to pick up walkers returning from their climb up Snowdon at Bangor. Our special train was double-headed on ‘lil Ratty’ Our lead loco, ‘Whillan Beck’ on the turntable at Dalegarth. Climbing Scafell on the Friday when the conditions were brutal. Our fabulous on-board team pose for a picture on the return from Scotland. They’re a mix of new and long-standing volunteers. Journey’s end for me this year. 45118 stands at Preston.
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A factor in Scotland is that our extra Peak (45118) has weight restrictions over certain bridges on the line to Fort William.
512Meanwhile, there’s nothing to do but sip coffee and enjoy the rugged scenery as it rolls by whilst trying to pick out deer in the gloom.
Right now the operations and safety teams are discussions on options…
We’ve woken up in Scotland to very different weather we gad on Scafell. There’s low grey cloud snd half-light as we head along the West Higland line some 90 minutes late. A delay that was mainly caused by signalling issues at Sellafield which caused our late departure from Ravenglass.
10:25.
Sorry for the gap but we’ve been busy getting walkers up Ben – and now down again! The first five have crossed the finish line, an incredible effort.
The medals…
13:29.
We’ve done it! By delaying the train leaving Fort William and with Global Challenge being super efficient at logging people onto the mountain many people made it to the summit, which really lifted spirits. Not only that but we had no-one turning back with injuries, and no-one missed the train back. In the past, late teams have had to be taken to Crianlarich by road to catch up with the train.
Now the walkers can relax. The onboard cre have been busy. The train’s been cleaned, food’s being prepared and the bar will soon be open. My job’s not over yet. Having taken photos of teams at the finish line I still have pictures to get onboard before we get to Glasgow where I can start to relax.
20:10.
And relax! We’re now South of Carlisle and my job’s done. Well, until it’s time to start editing the pictures! But for now I’m enjoying the view from my seat after saying goodbye to friends who’ve already left en-route. Next stop is Preston, where I bail out.
The weather South of the border is a real contrast to Scotland. I’m told it’s chucking it down in Inverness right now. Here in Cumbria/Lancashire the weather’s both sunny and humid. The atmosphere in the train’s wound down as crowds thin out and tiredness and/or imbibement catch up with the remaining travellers.
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The adventure begins! Despite the weather I had a decent night’s sleep last night, which is just as well as that’s a commodity that’s going to be in very short supply for the next few days.
Having packed all my kit – including stuff to cope with all the vageries of the British weather I’m on my first train of the day. As many services have been cancelled across the network I’m giving myself plenty of time to get to Crewe. Dawn’s been a star and given me a lift down to Sowerby Bridge station in time to catch Northern’s 10:20 to Manchester Victoria, so I’ve not started the day off hot and sweaty!
This train’s pretty empty. It looks like many folk have heeded to call not to travel. The few who have are dressed for the weather with shorts being de rigueur!
158843 has carried me across the Pennines to Manchester Victoria.
12:00.
I can breathe easy now. I’ve made it as far as Manchester, a city baking in the sun. A condition which is ruining its reptation! There’s no shortage of trains from here to Crewe so I can take time to get a few pictures here before heading off again for the final leg to Crewe where I don’t need to be until later this afternoon as when registration starts. The train itself doesn’t leave for Bangor until this evening.
13:05.
Nothing’s stopping me now! Having hung around in Manchester to enjoy the sun, do a bit of work* and get some pictures I’m now aboard a vintage Class 323 to Crewe. This is one of the former West Midlands units transferred to Northern, who’re now the sole operator of these 1990s built trains.
My chariot awaits…
Now I’ll be in Crewe before temperatures reach their zenith. The information screens at Piccadilly bore witness to the cull of train services that have already taken place due to the weather. Some already planned, others not.
On the bright side (ish). I’m on an old train with opening windows and no air-conditioning, so there’s nothing to break down!
16:45.
The teams from all corners of the country are gathering at Crewe. It’s great to see so many old friends and familuar faces amongst them.
*the work I was doing means thay you’ll be able to read about the 3 Peaks challenge in a future edition of RAIL magazine.
19:30.
We’re on our way! We’ve already had fun as a short notice loco change has meant our train in now being hauled by a Class 45 ‘Peak’ locomotive 451118. Now the 3 peaks has become the 4 peaks!
Ready to leave Crewe.
23:00.
Sorry for the gap. We’ve had a few technical issues with tge train’s power supply which has meant I had to take time off to power up my laptop and phone.
We left Crewe on time but ran into problems on the North Wales Coast whilst the volunteers were serving the walkers a cooked dinner followed by cheesecake. A failed train ahead meant we had to work ‘bang road’ (wrong line) between Mostyn and Rhyl, so any hope of a spirited run to Llandudno Junction were dashed. Even so we were only a few minutes late into Bangor where the teams departed by bus to get to Snowdon. I stayed on the train with other volunteers who were busy cleaning the train and also preparing food so that everyone could eat when the train arrived at Holyhead. It may have been an ’empty’ train but it was still a hive of activity!
Now we have a little time to relax before we bed down for a few hours sleep. We’re due back in Bangor around 0400 tomorrow to pick up the weary walkers. Let’s see what happens. But for now, good night!
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/
It’s the end of a baking hot day here in the Calder valley with another one in prospect tomorrow – although I won’t be around to see too much of it.
These past couple of days have seen me transition from Southport to Halifax once more, although this time by car, not train as on Monday night Dawn joined me at the coast so that we could both attend my sister in law Bev’s funeral on Tuesday morning. Funerals are never exactly joyful events, but Bev’s last wishes were for something short, sweet and colourful. So, no dark suits or dresses, instead, we were invited to dress for the summer – which was just as well as the weather was scorching! Bev got the funeral she wanted (with one minor deviation as her daughter Hayley read one of the poems that made up the service) and people left feeling uplifted rather than sad.
After a short family gathering for tea and cake Dawn and I drove back. Sadly the journey dragged out due to the weather, traffic jams and idiots on the roads, so we arrived too late to get a train back into Manchester to attend a leaving do. Just as well perhaps, as some other friends struggled to get back due to trains being cancelled.
Now, after a day at home where there was no let-up from the hot weather, I’m preparing to head off again, this time to volunteer on one of the hardest and maddest events in the rail calendar, the annual ‘3 Peaks by rail‘ charity event which raises money for the Railway Children. I’ve been volunteering since 2017, although I was forced to miss the event last year. Now I’m back, so expect a series of blogs from the event as we traverse the rail network to get teams to Snowdon, Scafell and Ben Nevis and back. As if the mountains themselves aren’t enough of a challenge for the teams, this year the rail logistics team and volunteers have to cope with problems with closed rail routes and extreme heat. There’s never a dull moment and each year presents different problems to be overcome.
Here’s a selection of pictures and behind the scenes look at the 2017 adventure.
I’ll see you tomorrow with the first of the rolling blogs…
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/
Yep, after time in rolling Devon and a brief sojourn in the hills of West Yorkshire I’m back in the coastal flatlands of Southport for the next few days. Only this trip is tinged with sadness. Whilst I was away in Devon I received the tragic news that Bev, my sister in law had lost her brief fight with cancer. There’s so many thoughts and memories about the time we all had together before I moved down to London in 1986, but a blog is hardly the best place to express them. So many of the people we knew then have passed away – but there is one memory I’ll mention. A birthday party at the flat they occupied in the early days. Lots of friends were there and various people provided food – including my mother, who’d made a trifle. As the evening wore on (and the more senior members of the family had taken their leave) things got out of hand. If I remember rightly, Angie threw the first bit of trifle. After that all hell broke loose and we ended up in a full on food fight of the sort that you’d have seen in a 1960s comedy! The next morning those of us who’d stayed overnight ended up trying to clear up the mess, scraping trifle and other sticky foodstuffs off walls, pictures and carpets. Not to mention what was stuck to us! So, Bev, I’m so sorry to hear of your passing, but I will never, ever forget you – or the fun that we had in those distant days.
Right now I’m passing time by getting fit (no really!). Staying with my sister Anne has enabled me to do a lot of walking as well as taking advantage of the exercise equipment in a local park. What I’m finding helpful with this is what was my old Fitbit. Now, Fitbit was great for keeping track of your movements and giving you feedback on some of your health metrics, but it was passive. Now it’s been absorbed into Google and they’ve added an AI coach. I’ve always been cynical about AI – for lots of reasons – but I find this AI coach really helpful. It’s both motivational and informative, it’s not passive at all. It doesn’t always get things right (but all you have to do is correct it) but it gives me lots of useful information unprovoked that inspire me to improve my exercise.
Mind you, that’s not all. Our friends in Devon (along with Dawn) have inspired me to go on a low-carb diet. I’ll be interested to see how that pans out over the next couple of months, but as I’ve just cleared 3 million steps in 2026 I’m feeling positive!
Meanwhile, I’ll be enjoying splitting my time between walking, exercising and working as the weather here in Southport’s been pretty good – although we’ve had some threatening skies
Thankfully, the rain stayed out to sea.
Tomorrow I hope to be doing some more exploring, so watch this space….
Our last day in Devon saw us breaking up into different camps. Clive had to go off to Northamptonshire for work, so the four of us only had the morning together before he left. Dawn and Ann arranged to enjoy a sunny day at home in the garden but I had something more adventurous planned. As much as we’d enjoyed walking the Tarka trail there was a gap in the route which we hadn’t closed, so I planned to go out and complete the section between Bideford and Instow. Dawn decided to accompany me as far as Bideford in order to get her walk in for the day, only to find the shops she was hoping to browse whilst she was there were all closed. Bideford isn’t exactly a hive of activity on a Sunday, to say the least!
I had better luck as I managed to get shots of the old station and its museum in far better light than on my previous visit, which was a bonus. After that I pounded the tarmac on the Tarka trail all the way to Instow. It was a lovely walk as the trail follows the River Torridge all the way. Plus, the sun was in the right position for me to get shots of many of the old ships that litter the riverside as well as the shipyard at Appledore. This yard’s had a mixed history over the years but seems to have gained a new lease of life. In 2024 it was bought by a Spanish company Navantia. Now it’s building Royal Navy ships again, this time supply ships for the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (link).
Arriving hot and sweaty (but happy) at Instow I had an hour to wait for the tide to come in so that the ferry across the river to Appledore could start running, Admittedly, sitting on a pier watching the world go by whilst the sun beats down upon you is hardly a hardship!
Once across I had another 90 minute walk ahead of me through Appledore and the quaintly named Diddywell before getting home, where the girls were still chilling in the garden. Still, 27,000 steps on a hot day with a camera bag on my back was an achievement!
Here’s a few pictures from the day…
I did say the weather was better in Bideford!The Tarka trail looking North form BidefordBuilt in 1946 and preserved at Bideford, the SS Freshspring is a former RFA ship and the last of her kind. Appledore shipyard at low tide.The Tarka trail on the approach to Instow from the South.
And so ended our last day in Devon. We’d had a fantastic time exploring places neither of us had seen before and others we’d not visited for yonks, none of which would have been possible without the superb hospitality of Ann and Clive. Thank you!
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With the weather having picked up dramatically day 6 saw us off on another grand tour thanks to Clive, who spent the day driving us around Devon and into Somerset.
Our first port of call was Chelfham, a small village on the route of the old Lynton and Barnstaple railway. The landscape here is dominated by the impressive old viaduct.
Cafe and viaduct
Underneath it nestles an old mill and the ‘crafty cafe’ which is run by a community organisation called the growforward project. They serve great breakfasts as well as other food and drink and regularly hold music events, yoga sessions and all manner of community focussed activities.
Whilst the reborn Lynton and Barnstaple railway hasn’t reached here yet the station’s been beautifully restored and is open on a regular basis.
Pretty Chelfham station.
Our next stop was at the railway proper. The current base for the railway is at Woody Bay. The old station building contains a ticket office, cafe and shop with the rest of the site containing the line’s loco depot and carriage shed. It’s all beautifully kept and a real credit to the volunteers. Trains run along the former line as far as Killington Lane which is roughly a mile away. The trip offers some fantastic views of the Devon coastline – and what better way to see it than in some superbly restored railway coaches hauled by a steam locomotive which is a carbon copy of one of the line’s original engines?
No 762 is a modern recreation of one of the original engines used on the Lynton and Barnstaple before its closure in 1935.One of the beautifully restored old coaches.Clive enjoying 1st Class luxury!
I wish the L&B every success with their ambitious plans to extend the line in each direction as it really is a little gem of a railway.
Our next port of call was the coastal town of Lynton, where we took the funicular railway down to Lynmouth. The funicular has the distinction of being the highest and steepest water worked railway in the world. Lynmouth itself is a pretty little harbour with a torrid past. In 1952 the village suffered a terrible flood which killed 34 people and left the place buried in mud. There’s little sign of the event now other than a small museum which tells the story of the tragedy.
Joining the funicular car at Lynmouth for a trip up to Lynton.When they said the funicular was steep, they weren’t kidding!Lynmouth harbour
Having explored and filled ourselves with ice cream we set off again, this time to Exmoor , where we crossed the border into Somerset. There’s some fantastic views to be had from the moors. You can look across the Bristol channel to South Wales, or along the Somerset coast to spy places like Minehead and Hinkley nuclear power station.
Looking along the coast from Exmoor towards Minehead, with Hinkley nuclear power station in the distance
Having driven back to base the day ended with an evening out at Westward Ho! where we enjoyed a few drinks by the beach before tucking into fish and chips. Well, what else should you eat besides the sea!
Low tide at Westward Ho! with the wind driving the sea onto the rocks.In the opposite direction, surfers hope to catch a few waves.
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/
Paul Bigland 