Tag Archives: Picture of the day

19th May picture(s) of the day…

19 Sunday May 2024

Posted by in Food and drink, Musings, Photography, Picture of the day, West Yorkshire

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Today’s been a very domestic sort of day here at Bigland Towers but it’s also one that’s allowed me (if not Dawn) to enjoy the stunning weather. Finally, it feels like summer is on the way. We’ve had wall to wall sunshine and temperatures in the low 20s – which is a bloody miracle around here so far this year! Whilst Dee was cooking up a storm with a production line of batch cooking for us and her parents I was busy on the cottage roof, giving it an annual clean and sorting out some minor repairs after the battering it’s received over the winter. My job was complicated by our new lodgers. Several years ago I put up a number of nesting boxes under the sheltered eaves at the back of the cottage. Until now they’ve always remained vacant, despite the fact the adjacent bird-feeders resemble Piccadilly Circus. This year a pair of Blue Tits have taken up residence in one of them. Only it’s the one where I normally put up the ladder to allow me to clamber onto the roof. Bugger! Their residence has meant I’ve had to access the roof from our neighbour’s backyard, which is rather more challenging. That’ll teach me! Mind you, once I scrambled up I thoroughly enjoyed myself. The views are stunning!

Having removed bags of crap from over and between the stone flags I felt I deserved a beer and adjourned to our local pub for a while. The Big 6 beer garden was doing a roaring trade and having chance to wash the dust from my mouth whilst soaking up yet more sun was much appreciated.

I did feel slightly guilty as Dawn was still busy in the kitchen. I made amends on my return by disposing of the mound of washing up Dee had generated with her Lasagne production line. Some were for us whilst a different (gluten-free) line were for her parents. That’s the freezer restocked then!

Now it’s time to relax before another busy few days. Community Rail Week begins tomorrow, which means I’m going to be out and about a lot. I’ll be heading down to London on Monday morning ready for a special event at on Tuesday at one of my old local stations in North London.

I’ll be blogging about all my travels and the various events I’ll be attending which means there’ll be plenty to see and read about this next week. In the meantime here’s a couple of pictures from our activities today.

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

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

14th May picture of the day…

14 Tuesday May 2024

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

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Apologies for the lack of blogging but I’ve been kept busy at home playing nurse as well as wading through hundreds of pictures from my recent travels that require editing and captioning. Thankfully, Dawn, my patient – is on the mend, so I can put away the nurses uniform again. Besides, it clashed with the chef’s hat I’ve been wearing, which has been another of my duties. It’s not been too onerous as Dee’s been a good patient but I’ll be glad to see her up and about again. On the bright side, the jumper she’s been knitting has really come on!

Today I managed to finish the majority of the editing and get the pictures onto my Zenfolio website. There’s several hundred, which you can find in the following galleries.

Siemens

German railways

German Travel

Southwest Railway

Southern Railway

SouthEastern Trains

Chiltern Trains

Railway people

GBRf (freight company)

London Underground

and finally, HS2.

Tomorrow, with Dawn on the mend and picture editing almost finished I can concentrate on other things which includes organising my next tranche of travels as well as some scribbling for a living. Sadly, the weather’s reverted to type here. We had a couple of days of sunshine but now the rain’s returned. We’ve had some very heavy showers today with more predicted, so I can’t see me getting out with the camera just yet. Never mind, some of the travel I have to arrange involves places with plenty of sun!

In the meantime I’ll leave you with a picture from Germany taken last week which shows it’s not just the UK that’s been wet! This was the view from the 17th floor of our hotel as a rainstorm crossed Dusseldorf.

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

29th April picture(s) of the day…

29 Monday Apr 2024

Posted by in Derbyshire, Manchester, Photography, Picture of the day, Railways, Travel

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Today should have been a rolling blog sort of day, but to be honest, my heart wasn’t really in it. So, although I’ve been on my travels this afternoon after working from home this morning, I gave myself the afternoon off. Instead of blogging, I simply enjoyed getting out and about – even though the weather did a volte face. Recently, we’ve had wet morning and lovely afternoons/evenings. Only – as I was travelling – the weather Gods pulled a fast one on me and reversed that!

Not that it mattered too much. I’d headed over to the South-East side Manchester to check out some locations for future pictures. This took me out on the Buxton line as far as New Mills Newtown where I walked across the village to New Mills Central to head back along the route via Romily. It was just as well I wasn’t planning to head further into Derbyshire as the line From New Mills towards Chinley and on to Sheffield has been closed for several days due to track defects. This means trains from Manchester are terminating at New Mills Central, then running ‘bang road’ (wrong line) back to Marple where there’s a crossover that allows them to access the correct running line.

Having deposited me at New Mills Newtown a pair of Class 150s continue their journey to Buxton. As you can see, spring has very much sprung here in Derbyshire.
All change! A pair of Class 156s from Manchester wait time at New Mills Central before running ‘bang road’ back to Marple.
Haven’t I seen you somewhere before? One of the former West Midlands Class 323s that are being cascaded to Northern is seen at Manchester Piccadilly before working a service to Crewe.

Maybe I’ll have better luck with the weather next time…

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

25th April picture(s) of the day…

25 Thursday Apr 2024

Posted by in Flora and Fauna, Photography, Picture of the day, Surrey, Tilford

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We made the trek from Surrey to West Yorkshire this afternoon, but beforehand we took a walk around the village where we’d been staying. ‘Tilly’, the Platt family’s dog needed walking which was a great excuse to get the two of us out and about around the leafy lanes and golf course in Tilford. The weather was mild, the paths mostly dry and the rain held off. We even got some sunshine – which made our four mile stroll rather enjoyable – as did knowing there was time for coffee and cake at the lovely ‘little latte’ cafe in the grounds of the Barley Mow pub on our return.

Here’s a few pictures from the ramble.

A new family on the River Wey in Tilford. Like green bottles, there were once 10 ducklings. There’s now 8…
Tilly the Cairn Terrier enjoying being let off the leash. She’s 10 now, so less likely disappear like a rocket chasing squirrels.
I found this little patch of Star of Bethlehem (Ornithogalum umbellatum) growing alongside a footpath opposite Tilford Church.

Having enjoyed getting out in different surroundings it was time to load up the car and drive back across country. Sadly, the weather deteriorated. The first part of the journey wasn’t much fun for Dee as she had to drive through persistent rain which only dissipated when we hit the M4. The rest of the way along the A34/M40/A43 wasn’t as bad but the pictures I’d hoped to get of the HS2 construction work had to be canned due to poor weather and heavy traffic. I did manage one rail related shot – in the unlikely place of Watford Gap services on the M1 motorway where we stopped for a break. Just as we were leaving I spotted the load on this HGV.

A pair of newly overhauled locomotive bogies for a vintage Class 37 (or 55) locomotive heading North to an unknown location.

The rest of the trip up the M1 was a chore due to heavy traffic and roadworks which added an extra hour to the trip. Still, the weather improved, which was something! Now we’re back at Bigland Towers, having amused ourselves en-route from the motorway to home by picking out which country pub we’ve never visited we fancy sampling for our next lunch date. Simple pleasures!

See you again tomorrow…

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

16th April picture of the day…

16 Tuesday Apr 2024

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

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I know April is renowned as the month of showers, but this is getting beyond a joke! It’s been more like four seasons in one day here in the Calder valley. After yesterday’s little jaunt I had a full diary for working from home, which was just as well as low temperatures and a chilly wind really didn’t encourage one to venture far. That said, when the sun did break through the skittish clouds you could feel the warmth there, it’s just that it was fighting a losing battle with the elements. As the pair of us had a productive and profitable morning we’d arranged to go for a walk just after lunch but the weather had other ideas! One minute there was glorious sunshine streaming through the windows, the next they were being assailed by hailstones! Thankfully, our walk was merely postponed rather than rained off. Conditions soon changed, allowing us to venture out to complete a two-hour circuit which also encompassed a bit of shopping. All the while I kept a wary eye on the skies as we could see storm clouds dropping heavy rain all around us. Fortunately, they kept away from our little patch right up to the last moment, allowing us to make it in the front door before the next onslaught. One of the beauties of living where we are is that when we’re out walking locally we’ve panoramic views around all points of the compass, which gives us time to run for cover if needed.

We survived, but I worry that some of my poor plants may have taken a battering from the weather. Ironic really as only the other day my mother-in-law was telling me I’d planted stuff out too early. So, that’s me for another ticking off then!

Tomorrow the weather may stay dry – although temperatures will be anything but balmy. We’ll be lucky to escape a frost tonight. I’ve some more paperwork to do tomorrow, but if we get the sunshine levels predicted I may venture out with the camera whilst I can. If nothing else, the cherry blossom’s putting on a wonderful display right now and worth pointing a camera at. Although it’ll struggle to match this famous display which forms today’s picture. I took this shot in Washington DC, a city famous for its cherry blossom. Here’s how it looked on the 3rd April 2007.

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

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

14th April picture of the day…

14 Sunday Apr 2024

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

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We’ve had another relaxed Sunday here at Bigland Towers, although it’s not been a day without either exercise or achievement. This morning Dawn was busy with her knitting needles, enjoying a productive hobby she’s rediscovered. Me? I was busy at an old hobby – gardening. All the bedding and other plants I’d purchased over the past week are now in situ in window boxes and flower beds at both front and back of the cottage. This afternoon we decided to continue the ‘feeling virtuous’ theme by going out for a walk in the country. Admittedly, it wasn’t as long as some but we did explore an area where we’d never walked before. Rather than staying local we drove over to Pecket Well to walk to a nearby waterfall at Lumb Hole. Considering how hilly this neck of the woods are there’s surprisingly few waterfalls so we were pleasantly surprised to find this one. It’s off the beaten track and not the easiest place to get to. The approach is down a bridleway that’s seen better days. The path’s badly eroded and overgrown. I doubt a horse has been down it for a very long time as even Shetland ponies would struggle to fit under the trees that have encroached along the route!

Still, it’s worth it when you get there…

Another bonus of the day was the fact it didn’t rain once – an event that’s as rare as rocking horse shit nowadays!

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

13th April picture(s) of the day…

13 Saturday Apr 2024

Posted by in Food and drink, Huddersfield, Photography, Rail Investment, Railways, Trans-Pennine Route Upgrade

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Today’s very much been a mixture here at Bigland Towers. Yesterday evening I was sat outside in the garden, enjoying a beer and soaking up the rays of the sun for the first time this year. This morning? We were back to rain, miserable temperatures and low cloud, so a lie-in seemed like the only sensible course of action. This afternoon was different. The weather was still diva-like, but we decided to ignore its strops and have a day out, heading over to Huddersfield for lunch. Whilst the town doesn’t have the attractions that it once did there’s still an oasis and reflection of how things used to be. We ate at Arcade, in the Byram arcade on Westgate. It’s a lovely little cafe that has a Bohemian feel and clientele in an arcade which has its own vibe due to the arts and craft shops the cafe rubs shoulders with. We both plumped for the same dish, Turkish eggs – with added Chorizo.

It was delicious! Whilst Dawn had a coffee I indulged in a Vocation brewery Hazy Pale beer.

Afterwards, whilst Dee checked out the nearby woolshop I wandered up to observe the Trans-Pennine Route upgrade at the station. There’s another blockade on the line this weekend as major work’s started on the station roof.

This section of the trainshed roof is scheduled for demolition as the whole area is going to be redeveloped due to the addition of two more through platforms.
This is why the line’s closed! You can’t get heavy plant in without closing the railway entirely!

Bidding adieu to Huddersfield we headed back from Colne to Calder valley for an expensive side-trip to Garden centres, DIY stores and supermarkets – all in the midst of another downpour. Well, that’s the gardening taking a rain-check then!

Back at home Dawn decided to get stuck into baking whilst I nipped out to get my steps in and have a ‘swifty’ in the Big 6 where this range of beers was on offer.

Now the pair of us are enjoying a quiet night in with the hope of better weather tomorrow…

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

9th April picture of the day…

09 Tuesday Apr 2024

Posted by in Food and drink, Musings, Picture of the day, West Yorkshire

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Today’s been another miserable, wet and windy day here in the Pennines, so the pair of us have hardly left Bigland Towers. Both of us had work to occupy ourselves with so it was no loss. An unexpected reply from a client kept me occupied digging through my archives to find the pictures they were after, which kept me tied up long enough that I missed the window for getting out for a walk in the dry. I ended up donning full waterproofs to prevent me getting soaked as I did a circuit of our local woodlands, which are getting very soggy underfoot. Still, it could’ve been worse. I see other parts of the country have taken an even worse battering with Cornwall being badly hit and railways in Northumberland and Wales flooded or washed out.

There’s no sign of these conditions letting up either, which is bad news for farmers trying to cope with flooded fields in the sowing season. My recent travels have made me appreciate just how much of the countryside remains sodden after record rainfall. Hopefully, I’ll be able to get out with the camera later in the week if conditions improve. In the meantime, there’s always work to do at home – although some of it can be more of a pleasure than a chore. Like today’s picture. I haven’t posted one of these for a while but tonight I took over the kitchen from Dawn to assemble a spicy dish that’s become a staple dish for stocking up or freezer – Chana Masala. Here’s the raw ingredients, prepped and ready for cooking…

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

7th April picture(s) of the day…

07 Sunday Apr 2024

Posted by in Food and drink, Photography, Railways, West Yorkshire

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We’ve had a fairly low-key weekend here at Bigland Towers, partly because of the weather but also because it’s good to take your foot off the pedal sometimes. On Saturday the pair of us headed over to Ossett as Dawn had an appointment. Me? I couldn’t resist the opportunity to visit the ‘Beer Huis’ which has an excellent selection of bottled beers from around Europe and the UK.

Afterwards we went out for lunch at a place we’d passed many times but never called in before. The Rams Head Inn at Denshaw, on Saddleworth Moor. Getting there was fun as the latest storm had kicked in and the winds were epic high up on the moors. But the Rams Head was cosy and the food very good. The menu wasn’t huge but all the better for it as what they had they did very well. For once the two of us plumped for the same thing, the home-made pie – which was excellent, as were the trimmings. It came with chips, a mixture of vegetables and gravy, but this was real gravy – not stuff made out of something from a jar. The pie was equally excellent, with no doubt that the pastry was home-made and the filling was full of meat. The staff were lovely too. If I had one complaint it’d be the fact they only had one real ale on (Tim Taylor’s ‘Landlord’). Even so, we’d certainly be visiting again.

Today (Sunday) we’ve been battered by the weather yet again – which is getting rather tedious. The land around here just can’t hold anymore water. Roads and footpaths are regularly becoming streams and the damage that’s causing is very visible – and not much fun to navigate. So, apart from a quick visit to the supermarket and me getting rained off during a walk we’ve both stayed busy at home. Dee’s been the hostess with the mostest – cooking up some fantastic veggie food whilst I’ve kept busy editing all the pictures I’ve taken over the past few days. Here’s one of them.

After 50 years of neglect and retraction the lineside lineside at Crow Nest Junction had become overgrown. Now, with electrification on the way the land inside the boundary fence has been cut back to prevent accidents 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/

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

28th March picture of the day…

28 Thursday Mar 2024

Posted by in Grand Central trains, London, Photography, Picture of the day, Railways

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Today’s been a quiet one here at Bigland Towers. Both us us have been at home working away in our respective office spaces. Poor Dawn’s feeling frazzled as it’s coming up to the end of the financial year – which always leaves her buried under a mound of invoices and other paperwork. This year it’s coincided with an early Community Rail Awards, and now – Easter, so the midnight oil’s ablaze. Whilst Dee’s been busy bashing the keyboard I’ve tried to keep her topped up with coffee in-between tackling my own paperwork and picture editing. Still, the holidays start tomorrow, which means work will wind down – even if it doesn’t stop completely. We’ll at least have the opportunity for some quality time together, although if we have nothing in the way of exciting events or days out planned, which is probably just as well because the forecast is predicting just the sort of weather you associate with Bank Holidays. Wet! Maybe we’ll have one of those DIY and cooking sort of breaks. I’m quite happy staying away from the roads and railways over a holiday like Easter as it’s much more relaxing than joining the throngs all trying to get away at exactly the same time. We’ll see…

Right now, whilst Dawn’s still wading through papers, I’ll leave you with today’s picture, which was taken yesterday at London’s Kings Cross station. I’ll bet it doesn’t look this quiet tomorrow! Here’s two of open access operator Grand Central’s small fleet in-between duties. On the right is one of their Alstom built Class 180s, which form the (temperamental) backbone of their fleet. In fact, GC are the sole operator of the class nowadays. On the left is one of the two Bombardier built ‘Voyagers’ the company has leased to cover for unavailable 180s. Seeing them side by side gives the opportunity to compare and contrast the styling of the two different 125mph fleets, both built at the same time (2000-2001). Of course, the Voyagers were built as tilting trains so the bodyshell profile is rather different to the non-tilting 180s.

Having arrived from Bradford Interchange, 221143 rests between turns, keeping company with 180103 which had worked in from Sunderland earlier that morning.

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