Here’s a slightly different blog today. These past few days the road outside the cottages and the rest of the street is being resurfaced. We’re not talking endlessly filling in potholes here, we’re talking proper resurfacing where the tarmac is being stripped back to the cobbles – where they still exist – or the surface beneath them. It’s a major operation as I reckon there’s about a mile of roadway that’s being done. Needless to say, I’ve been distracted by the work as it’s fascinating to watch. Here’s a few pictures.
The planing machine at work, stripping back the old tarmac. How it looks from the cottageWithin a few hours of stripping back the old tarmac these guys were busy laying the base for the new road surfaceA complex but well done job, especially on a road that keeps changing shape…
Of course, we could have complained about the ‘inconvenience’ of having to move cars, the noise etc, only none of us did. Instead the workers were offered tea and biscuits by people! It can’t be an easy job as the workers are constantly on the move, and whilst many of them are young (ish) there was one chap who’s 75 and still working. I won’t be around to see how far they get tomorrow as I’m working away, but I’ll get some more shots before they go – and hopefully get a personal story or two.
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/
Whilst there’s not been the deluge that we had yesterday the weather here in the Costa del Calder is hardly balmy, more like barmy if I’m honest! Still, it hasn’t got in my way as I’ve been tied to a hot computer for most of it, picture editing and/or writing. One of my tasks has been to gradually rationalise the number of picture galleries on my Zenfolio website as I drag some back for their archive status to merge them with others. Here’s an example – USA railway images. If you enjoy the New York subway you might like some of the shots it contains. Today’s picture is a sample. Here’s a 2007 image which can’t be captured today.
A Line 7 train calls at the elevated (split level) station at Queensboro Plaza on the 7th April 2007, with the Queensborough bridge in the background. Due to redevelopment in the area this shot’s no longer possible. I went back in 2018 to try and recreate it but the car park I’d climbed up to the top floor of had disappeared.
I’ve dozens more galleries I’ll be amalgamating but it’s going to take some time. The end result will be a more streamlined website where it’s easier to find pictures by country, category or event.
Tomorrow’s meant to be another iffy day weather-wise. it seems October’s continuing where September left off so I’ll be spending another day working from Bigland Towers. Of course, that doesn’t mean I won’t come up with an interesting picture of the day – just don’t ask me what it’ll be yet!
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/
I’m sat in the office typing this whilst listening to the sound of the heavy rain falling outside. It’s never stopped since this morning. God knows how much has fallen, but the whole area is absolutely sodden. The only good news is that the River Calder hasn’t flooded, why I don’t know. Perhaps the recent flood remediation works around Mytholmroyd has made a difference, maybe because the rain’s been heavy but steady all day. Either way, we seem to have escaped the problems other parts of the country are experiencing – although rail services through the valley have been disrupted by events elsewhere.
September has been a pretty miserable month weather-wise, despite odd days of sunshine here and there. The amount of rain we’ve had has broken several records. Climate Change is real – and it’s here (although the denialists still pretend otherwise). I only hope things improve in October. I’ve a lot of things I want to do and I need sunny days to do them.
In the meantime I’ll be keeping myself occupied in the warm and dry – like today, where most of my time’s been spent picture editing, writing and counting raindrops! However, I’ve a press trip on Thursday which will be interesting – as you’ll see nearer the time.
For now I’ll leave you with today’s picture. I still managed to get out for my daily constitutional, but I was in full waterproofs (boots, jacket, trousers and gaiters) and with a golfing umbrella to boot! Here’s how the Calder valley looked from the Albert Promenade above where we live.
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/
This morning I decided that I would have some time out in order to head over to Liverpool in order to see the last two West Midlands Class 323s on their Branch Line Society farewell railtour. Of course, they’re not disappearing from North-Western metals, or even Liverpool (where they’re likely to be more common) but it is the end of an era for the Midlands.
Getting there is proving to be ‘fun’ as Northern’s timetable is in disarray. Services on several routes have been cancelled completely whilst others are very hit and miss – like the one I’m on now, the 10:21 from Sowerby Bridge. This should be a service to Chester, yet all the electronic information shows it terminating at Manchester Victoria – well, except the onboard PIS (Passenger Information Screens) which still show it as final destination Chester. Oh, it’s also running 11 minutes late due to problems with crewing at Bradford Interchange. Northern have a wonderful excuse for these SNAFUs. They say it’s due to a ‘short-notice timetable change’. It’s infuriatingly meaningless, a catch-all that could cover anything but that imparts no understandable reasons for late-running or cancellations whatsoever. I hate it. It’s such an insult to people’s intelligence.
Despite the lateness, I *should* still make my connection at Manchester Victoria. Trans-Pennine Express are running a truncated service from Huddersfield to Liverpool. I just hope the weather on Merseyside is drier than last Sunday!
Watch this space…
11:35.
Changing trains at Victoria was painless. The station was very quiet, no doubt due to the combination of the weather and reduced services. My TPE service was waiting for me in the next platform, leaving me plenty of time to board and set up the mobile office in the almost empty front car of the train.
12:35.
Here’s what all the fuss is about.
Journey’s end. The units rest at Liverpool Lime St.Of course, the farewell wouldn’t have been complete without the attendance of Hunslet bear!The return working with 323222 in the lead storms through Liverpool South Parkway.That’s all folks…
16:00.
The loitering’s over and it’s time to head home. I’d considered a number of side trips whilst I as here but the levels of cancellations and late-running made me change my mind. Transport for Wales and Northern were busy cancelling services and/or entire routes, whilst other operators had trains running very late. East Midlands Railway were a good example of why people get frustrated with the reliability of information. EMR had a 14:51 from Liverpool to Peterborough advertised (this would normally go on to Norwich, but hey ho). 15 mins before it was due to depart there was a platform change, with people traipsing from platform 8 to 9. The info screens showed it was ‘on time’ right up to the moment of departure. Only it couldn’t have been. The inbound service had left Nottingham 52 mins late at 12:35. As Class 158s aren’t fitted with warp-drive there was no way the driver could have made up that amount of time. At departure time the train was still at Hunts Cross on the outskirts of the city. It finally arrived at Lime St 43 minutes late and left 28 mins down. All this was known to the railway powers that be, so why were passengers lulled into thinking it was on time until the last minute? We have the technology to keep passengers better informed, so why aren’t they? The railways really need to do better.
Right now I’m aboard a train that is on time. TPE’s 15:51 to Huddersfield which I’m using to get to Manchester. I’m making the most of the warmth too. Whilst it was sunny in Liverpool temperatures were less than kind. Autumn is very much in the air.
19:45.
I’m back home, having beaten the rain and enjoyed a comfortable trip to Manchester I waited at a very despondent Manchester Victoria for a train back across the Pennines. There was a distinct dearth of both services and passengers – until the Leeds train arrived, when people appeared out of the woodwork and filled the three-car train.
As I headed back to Yorkshire I pondered on Northern’s poor performance and reflected on the fact the company has been ‘nationalised’ since 2020, yet its performance has got worse, in that time, not better. An inconvenient fact for people who see things through ideological lenses and insist that public ownership of our railways is the solution to all its problems…
I’m going to bring this blog to a close with a couple of extra pictures. One from Lime St and one from home.
331108 passes through Lime St cutting whilst working 2A97, the 15:29 Liverpool Lime Street to Wilmslow.
Whilst I’ve been out and about Dawn’s been busy at home cooking up yet another storm. Firstly, batch-cooking a massive amount of Lasagne for ourselves and her parents. Then there was our evening meal. Lamb with a medley of vegetables…
Yum!
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/
Bloody weather – you just can’t trust it! This morning we had wall to wall sunshine here in the Pennines. It was one of those crisp days where visibility was excellent due to a lack of haze. As we had to nip over the the Colne valley next door to pay a visit to the Bolster Moor farm shop and call in at Dawn’s parent I thought I might have the chance to get some decent pictures. Train services were running normally through the valley rather then being truncated due to the route upgrade work. Even freight services were running. So, whilst Dee was helping her parents sort out some household bills I wandered out from Crosland Moor to a spot high above Milnesbridge with an excellent view of the railway viaduct that traverses the village.
All was good, until the particular train I was interested as due – a Liverpool to Drax power station train of biomass wood pellets. At that point the weather decided not to play ball and the clouds appeared. Thankfully, they were more of the light, wispy kind rather than the ones that look like they could herald the arrival of the apocalypse, but they were just as annoying! As usual with sods law – just as soon as the train had passed, so did the clouds! Ah well. The day didn’t get any better weather-wise. This evening the apocalyptic variety put in an appearance, along with yet more heavy showers – as if we haven’t had enough rain this month…
Anyway, here’s the picture I did manage to capture.
GBRf’s loco no 66729 heads across the viaduct at Milnesbridge with 6E09, the 0720 Liverpool Biomass Terminal to Drax power station loaded biomass.
The weather forecast for the beginning of next week is looking just as sodden around the country as today. Looks like Monday’s going to be a good day to sit at home writing. Tomorrow? Well, maybe just a short trip out somewhere to see something special…
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/
Today would’ve justified a rolling blog but it wasn’t to be as I was moving around too much and at short notice. I’d intended staying at home but the weather picked up and Dawn had an appointment over in Marsden, so I thought ‘why not’? and hitched a lift over to the Colne valley where I could catch a train Eastwards to have a look at progress on the Trans-Pennine Route Upgrade (TRU) around Deighton. There’s some major civil engineering going on here to allow four-tracking to be reinstated and the station to be relocated.
However, it’s not a place with a great reputation. A legal friend of mine has always been grateful to the area as it’s provided him with plenty of work. To put it another way, it’s (allegedly) so rough even the XL bully’s walk round in twos! But I couldn’t resist the opportunity to get the shot below.
Here’s the view from a local (renewed) footbridge to the West of Deighton looking back to the station. The embankment around the station’s gradually being stripped back to make room for the relocated platforms which will be on the Slow lines, whilst the first part of the new alignments been laid – even though the short length of track’s completely isolated from the current running lines.
To give a bit of perspective, here’s a shot without the zoom.
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/
This week sees the end of passenger operation across the West Midlands by the Hunslet transportation built Class 323s which have been a feature in the region since the early 1990s when 26 of the 43 built 3-car trains were allocated to the area by British Railways.
Numbered 323201-323222 and 323240-243, the units have slowly been replaced by the newly built Class 730s from Alstom (nee Bombardier). The last of the 323s will run this Sunday when a Branch Line Society railtour will take them along routes they served for so many years, but ending up in Liverpool Lime St!
Here’s a selection of pictures documenting their service over the years. But fear not, whilst some of the units will be going to store, others are being transferred to the North-West where they’ll join their sisters who work for Northern. The distinctive whine of the 323s electronics will be heard for many years yet!
Whilst many photographers have ignore the West Mids 323s (until now) I’ve been taking pictures of them for over 20 years. Here’s a small selection from different locations along the routes they’ve worked.
The first of the class, 323201 seen with a sister unit at Bromsgrove (the end of electrification) on the 16th June 2021. It’s the 2nd May 2012 and 323203 sporting London Midland livery arrives at Sutton Coldfield with a service from Four Oaks.323204 is seen through the tunnels on the approach to Birmingham New St on the 23rd March 2008. 323205 calls at Wylde Green on the 23rd April 2024 whilst working 2R39, the 1446 Four Oaks to Redditch..Here’s 323206 at journey’s end in the bay platform at Wolverhampton after working a stopping train from Birmingham on the 8th August 2013. 323207 is at the rear of 323212 with a service leaving Longbridge on the 7th August 2013. Whilst working a shuttle service from Birmingham to Birmingham International on the 7th September 2005, 323209 is seen at the latter destination before returning North. Having terminated at Lichfield City the crew change ends before working back towards Birmingham on the 1st May 2012. 323212 approaches Sutton Coldfield from the Birmingham direction on the 2nd May 2012. On the 14th January 2014, 323213 crosses the junction at Bescot stadium with a service from Walsall. Here’s 323214 waiting to depart Bournville on the 25th February 2019.323215 arrives at Stechford on the15th January 2014 whilst working the 12:47 to Birmingham International. The previous day (14th January 2014) 323216 was captured crossing the junction outside Aston station with a service to Lichfield. The end of the line. Here’s 323218 at the single platform station at Redditch on the 7th August 2013. Taken a year earlier, this is the London Midland interior of 323218, seen on the 1st May 2012. 323219 approaches Tame Bridge Parkway station near Bescot with a service from Walsall on the 14th January 2014. On the 2nd May 2012 323220 arrives at the Wolverhampton’s bay platform 1 with a service from Birmingham.323221 has become a ‘celebrity’ after its repaint into the old ‘Centro’ livery. Here it is the first time around, seen in the turnback siding at Longbridge on the 21st February 2007.An interior view of one of 323222’s driving cars after the seating had been re-upholstered by West Midlands Trains. Seen on the 23rd April 2024. 323240 picks up passengers from the impressive station at Sutton Coldfield whilst working 2R41, the 1516 Four Oaks to Redditch. The date is the 23rd April 2024.On the same day, 323241 and a sister unit arrive at Four Oaks with 2P31, the 1229 Bromsgrove to Lichfield Trent Valley.323242 calls at the rebuilt station at Alvechurch on the 24th February 2019. It’s the 16th December 2006 and the last of the class is seen at journey’s end (Coventry) before working back to Birmingham.
If you want to find pictures of other members of the fleet (I have them all) simply visit my Zenfolio website and enter the unit number in the search bar at the top right hand side of the screen.
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/
Well, it’s been a very dull, cold and miserable day here in the Pennines. So much so I’ve taken the first day off in 46 straight days and not even bothered to try and get my daily 5 mile walk in. Instead, I’ve been glued to the office, editing picture after picture, sorting out paperwork and invoicing clients (the ‘fun’ bit of paperwork!) plus researching options for trips to sunnier climes. Looking at tomorrow’s forecast I doubt I’ll be doing much differently – apart from being back in the walking treadmill. I’ve still plenty of editing to do as well as writing part 3 of my round Britain trip for RAIL magazine. Once that’s done and the weather shows signs of recovering I can think about stretching my wings once more.
One series of photographs I did manage to sort out were those from a press trip to visit the HS2 tunnel construction site at Bamford in North Warwickshire. You can find the full selection of pictures by following this link. One of them is today’s picture. Here’s a peek inside the Northbound of the twin-bore tunnels which will stretch 3.5 miles to Washwood Heath in Birmingham.
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/
There’s no blog from me today. Merely a picture. There’s no prizes for guessing where it was taken, merely the opportunity to bask in being right!
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/
No travels for me today as I’m up to my neck in picture editing and sorting out the diary for the next few weeks now that some jobs have been put to bed. It’s frustrating, as normally I’d be at the vast Innotrans rail fair in Berlin right now, but this year various things have conspired to prevent me attending.
Instead, the day’s been spent staring at a screen as I go through the hundreds of pictures I’ve taken over the past couple of weeks. Some have already gone out to clients, others are about to. I reckon I’ve at least two more days of editing to get through. Oh, then there’s another 4000 words to type-swipe that’ll be the 3rd part of my round-Britain trip for RAIL magazine.
Mind you, with all the yellow weather warnings for the UK being stuck at home’s not necessarily a bad things right now. The weather’s been pretty dismal here in the Pennines but we’ve managed to swerve the torrential rain that was forecast. So much so I’ve even managed to get all my daily steps in without getting wet once!
Over the next few days I’ll be adding links to all my Zenfolio galleries that will have been updated. Right now I’ll leave you with today’s picture which is one from last week’s visit to Alstom in Derby.
This is ‘G’ shop at Derby. It’s rather quite at the moment but soon it’ll be full of new trains being built. The bay to the right is where the next 10 ‘Elizabeth line’ trains will be built. In a couple of years time the bays to the left will be full of trains for HS2. The bodyshells will be brought in from Hitachi in Newton Aycliffe whilst the bogies will be built at the Alstom plant in Crewe. All the different components will be brought together to make a complete trainset here.Another view of the area which will be full of HS2 trains in the future.
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 