Tag Archives: Picture of the day

23rd December picture(s) of the day…

23 Saturday Dec 2023

Posted by in Photography, Picture of the day, Railways, Trans-Pennine Route Upgrade, West Yorkshire

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All change!

I’d originally planned to head over to my old home town of Southport but an early morning email and the appalling weather made me change my plans. I’ve been arranging to get the asthmatic cooling fans in my laptop replaced by a very helpful guy in nearby Brighouse who runs Smile Computers but it’s been difficult to make our dairies sync. Today they did so I hastily re-arranged things. Dawn was a trouper as usual and rejigged her diary so she could drive me over there – with the added bonus of us having more time together. Plus, I can arrange to go to Southport another time when more of my family are around.

Having dropped off the laptop the pair of us went exploring. As I’ve mentioned in a previous blog, I’ve been keen to check-out the Trans-Pennine Route Upgrade (TRU) work in the Mirfield – Ravensthorpe corridor which is one of the most important areas. So, here’s a couple of pictures from Ravensthorpe which shows what’s happened in the past few months. If you want to see how this corridor will look in the future, this Network Rail video recreation will show you.

Here’s looking towards Ravensthorpe station (which is going to move behind the camera) and the junction between the line to Dewsbury on the left and Healy Mills on the right. This was the view in April.

Here’s how it looks today with all the lineside (and more) vegetation cleared.

The area to the right of the footbridge will be the site of the flyover where two extra fast line tracks are added heading left towards Dewsbury. The existing Up/Down lines will be separated to accommodate the new lines whilst the whole formation towards Dewsbury will be moved to the right as a new 4-track bridge over the Calder will need to be built, then the original bridge and formation will be abandoned. That means the road bridge I’m standing on to take this picture will disappear – along with almost everything else in the picture.

Here’s looking the other way from the bridge at what will be the site of the new Ravensthorpe station to the right, whilst the fast lines will be to the left. It’s early days yet so the most noticeable change is the way the lineside has been denuded of vegetation.

Here’s the same location (Thornton LNw Junction) but looking from the opposite side of the bridge. The flyover carrying the fast tracks will be built to the left of the existing tracks whilst the site behind with the yellow plant will be the new car-park and entrance to Ravensthorpe station which will be accessed by a footbridge cutting right across the centre of the picture.

As we had a few hours to kill, and despite the crap weather we headed back via Mirfield, which is also going to see some changes. Here’s the view East from the Huddersfield bound platform which was only built in recent years. This will be swept away as four tracks will be reinstated at this point with the fast lines being where I’m standing now.

Here’s looking the other way (West) from the end of the platform at the original Mirfield station and island platform which will be heavily rebuilt.

The weather worsened after taking these pics (no, really!) so we headed home to pick up some last bits fr Christmas shopping before getting a call from Chis at Smile Computers to say he’d repaired my laptop – and a very good job he’s done of it too as it also had some damage due to overheating (that’s probably what you get for prolonged use of a European designed machine out in SE-Asia in conditions that aren’t always what they’re ‘speced for). Chris was very helpful, informative and a pleasure to deal with, and his prices are very competitive. So, if you ever need computer repairs in this neck of the woods…

Now we’re back at home, relaxing before a busy day tomorrow. Dee’s going to be the hostess with the mostess, pre-preparing food for Xmas whilst I’ve got an interesting day ahead trying to plug leaks in our cottage porch that have come to light because of all the heavy rain and winds we’ve had these past few weeks. Once the festering season’s over I’ll be back on the rails as I’ve quite a few adventures to look forward to and a fair bit of the country to cover. But for now, happy Christmas!

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

21st December picture of the day…

21 Thursday Dec 2023

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

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Well, that’s it. We’ve hit the shortest day of the year – the winter solstice – although with the latest storm (Pia) having hit I can’t imagine many faux Druids were standing around Stonehenge this morning to greet the dawn! Storm Pia arrived here in the Pennines yesterday evening and never went away. I’m sitting in my office scribbling this whilst listening to the wind rattling the bins and anything else that’s not nailed down outside. The gusts kept waking the pair of us up during the night and when we opened the curtains this morning I half expected to see a scene of carnage outside as we have a copse of trees opposite the cottage. As it was, the local woodland ha proved remarkably resilient. Mind, you, that may be because the most vulnerable trees have already been taken out over the past couple of years as it certainly feels like storms are more frequent. Add gales to sodden ground and it doesn’t take much to bring down trees.

Thankfully, none affected us which was just as well as this afternoon was spent supermarket shopping in Huddersfield and Halifax in order to pick up the goodies needed for our ‘plan B’ Xmas dinner – as well as get shopping for John and Norah who’re confined to barracks right now. To be fair, the supermarkets weren’t as awful as we both suspected they’d be. The carnage was in the carparks, which were chokka and the haunt of people with vehicles that are far too big that they don’t know how to drive, after all, this is the era of the ‘WankPanzer’.

Having survived the road trip to the Colne valley and dropped off Dee’s folks shopping we made our way home to buy our own amidst another rain-storm. Now, with our bank accounts a lot lighter but with shopping bags bulging we’re having a quiet evening at home in the warm and dry. Tomorrow’s another day…

I didn’t even bother taking the camera with me today as the weather was so appalling so today’s picture is from the archives. I mentioned Stonehenge earlier. I used to know it well as I for many years I attended the Stonehenge free festival back in the 1980s-90s when we’d be allowed into (and onto) the stones. Those days are long gone, but here’s how the mighty sarsen stones looked on a visit in the summer of 1999. But not a Druid or hippy in sight…

Talking of Stonehenge, this open letter from archeologists which was published today regarding the campaign to stop a road tunnel being built near the site is well worth a read as it adds valuable context.

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

20th December picture of the day…

20 Wednesday Dec 2023

Posted by in Musings, Photography, Picture of the day

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As you were! Today’s seen a sudden change to our Christmas plans. Tomorrow, Dawn and I plus Dee’s parents were meant to be heading down to Surrey for Christmas to join with my brother-in-law, his children and partner for a Platt family Christmas. Remember that I blogged about Norah (my MiL) having a fall the other day? Well, the fall and having a virus has knocked her back a bit. That much so today she decided she wanted to stay at home rather than make the trip South. Unusual, but understandable. And, as Norah’s the matriarch of the Platt family, who are we to go against her wishes? So, this morning our plans changed. Now John and Norah will be having Christmas at home whilst Dawn and I stay up in West Yorkshire to be the support network and arrange a Christmas day dinner at their home in Huddersfield. Thankfully, the excellent Bolster Moor farm shop still has supplies available so I’ve reserved us a Turkey crown and a Duck – otherwise it might have been pork pie and mushy peas on Xmas day!

Organising plan B has taken up a fair bit of the day as there’s lots to re-arrange. There’s some opportunities too as we’ve now two days where we won’t be sat in a car to-ing and fro-ing during the festive season. I’m not sure what we’re going to do with ’em yet, but…

As a consequence, tonight’s a short blog from me as the pair of us need to spend time working out a new Christmas agenda. I’ll leave you with a picture of Tilford and the quintessentially English pub (The Barley Mow) we won’t now be visiting – although I wouldn’t expect anyone to be playing cricket then as this picture was taken in May! Normally we enjoy a Boxing Day walk through the local countryside and end up here afterwards!

If I find the time over the next couple of day’s expect some spleen-venting over the latest Government lies and idiotic messaging that show just how much they’re taking people for fools. Here’s a taster from one of the ads they’ve been putting out on Twitter.

‘Network 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

19th December picture(s) of the day…

19 Tuesday Dec 2023

Posted by in Food and drink, Halifax, Hs2, Photography, Picture of the day, Politics, West Yorkshire

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It’s been another mixed-fortunes sort of day here at Bigland Towers. Unlike yesterday where I didn’t even set foot outside the door this morning I walked into Halifax in order to get the frames for my glasses changed. The old new ones had worn very rapidly, so Specsavers agreed to exchange them for new ones which (hopefully) wear a little better. Whilst I was in town I took the opportunity to have a wander around, enjoy the atmosphere and indulge in a spot of Xmas shopping. Nowadays Halifax has a far nicer feel to it than nearby Huddersfield. Partly due to the town’s new-found status as a tourist attraction thanks to TV programmes like ‘Gentlemen Jack and ‘Last Tango in Halifax – and of course the fabulous Piece Hall. That said, there’s still a lot of the old working-class Halifax left in the form of the towns denizens. One thing that struck me was the amount of smokers (admittedly, mostly elderly) sucking on fags as they wandered between shops. That’s something that was very different to my recent trips back to London. Sure, you have smokers there too but many are tourists – and the population’s numbered in several millions, not less than 100,000 the way Halifax is!

Having swapped my frames and found some presents by chance I called into the old market to pick up a rare treat. There’s a Thai cafe in the old market hall that sells the Northern Thai dish called Kow Soi. You rarely see it on Thai restaurant menus and it’s one of my favourites, so I couldn’t resist. Having walked back home I’ve spent the rest of the day sorting out various strands of work as well as updating old and publishing new blogs. I’ve a few more backdated scribbles in the pipeline once I can dig out the archive pictures but I suspect they’ll have to wait until the new year.

This evening’s been spent gritting my teeth to resist shouting at the TV following Rishi Sunak’s latest appalling performance in front of a House of Commons Committee. Sunak’s billed by his supporters as a ‘details man’. Yet, when questioned he has the attention span of a Goldfish (‘I can’t recollect’) or he just makes stuff up, then falls apart and blusters when questioned by someone with a bit of nous and persistence. He’s shifty and evasive, whilst acting like he’s the CEO of UK PLC and how dare anyone question his authority? He was hung out to dry several times, including over HS2, the rail union RMT tweeted this which hits the nail squarely on the head.

Sunak then on the make the outrageous claim that the bit of HS2 he hasn’t cancelled ‘triples’ capacity on the West Coast Main Line (WCML) which is a blatant lie – especially as Sunak’s done his best to make sure HS2 doesn’t get to Euston! There’s not one iota of factual evidence anywhere to substantiate that claim, but that’s classic Sunak. Say something that isn’t true then claim it was your ‘recollection’ (or not, if you’re denying something) – and the truth and facts be damned.

On the bright side, tonight there was more signs that the country is getting sick of these shysters. Whilst the media’s been concentrating on Miriam Cates, the latest right-wing Tory MP likely to fall foul of Parliamentary Standards, one of the other 7 Tory MPs under investigation has been booted out through a recall petition. Peter Bone, another rabid Brexiter and all-round bad egg had been suspended from Parliament for some weeks. 13.5% of his constituents signed the recall petition (the threshold is 10%) so he’s out and a by-election will be held in the New Year.

Right, time to go, so here’s today’s picture, which is of the Thai cafe in Halifax market. With prices like this for such delicious food and great portion sizes, why would you say no?

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

18th December picture of the day…

18 Monday Dec 2023

Posted by in Hs1, London, Musings, Photography, Picture of the day, Railways

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Apologies for the lack of blogging recently but the end of last week was rather convivial, with some unexpected consequences. Dawn and I had planned to stay at her parents over in Huddersfield on Friday night as we were spending Saturday enjoying a festive meal with some of the past and present Honley Male Voice choir members as a guest of Tony, and old friend of John and Norah (my in-laws). A lovely meal was rounded off by the choir members carol-singing outside Tony’s neighbours. All was well until be got back to find Norah had fallen outside the house and badly gashed her right hand as well as scraping her arm. Sadly, 83 year old don’t bounce very well, so there was nothing for it but a trip to Huddersfield A&E department to get the would cleaned and possibly stitched. A&E is hardly the place you want to spend a Saturday evening but thankfully (although they were short-staffed) we were there early enough to miss the pubs chucking out rush. The lack of information was frustrating, but everyone sang the praises of the staff who looked after Norah. By the time we left there was no way Dawn and I were heading home, so a 2nd night at the in-laws was arranged in order for us to be there on Sunday morning if we were needed. Norah had been a real trooper on the Saturday but was obviously suffering more by Sunday as she had a restless night. I’ve told Norah that I’m buying her a ‘onesie’ lined with bubble-wrap for Xmas and it’s to be worn at all times when she’s out with us - from now on!

Dee and I returned home that afternoon and I started to pick up the threads of work but my heart wasn’t in it and I made a trip to my local pub and ended up having one to many beers with the boys. Not my most sensible decision…

So, today’s been a busy day where the only time I’ve moved out of the office is to go to the loo or the kitchen! Mind you, the weather’s defaulted back to ‘miserable’, so I’ve hardly missed anything. Most of the morning it felt like living in the twilight zone! Still, I’ve managed to get a fair bit done including sorting out a many old photos that were held in queue for editing. Today’s picture is one of them. It was taken 19 years ago, on the 24th November 2004 when we were busy building High Speed 1 and the new domestic stations at St Pancras as in those days we had a Government with a sense of ambition and purpose.

This is what was known then as the Thameslink box. Now it’s the site of St Pancras International’s Thameslink station. The brick tunnel in the middle is the original Thameslink tunnel under St Pancras. This view is looking South towards the Euston Rd with part of the framework for the new St Pancras station West side buildings just visible above the box.

If you want to see many more pictures of High Speed 1 being built, follow this link.

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 December picture of the day…

12 Tuesday Dec 2023

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

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It’s been another day spent cooped up in Bigland Towers for me although Dawn’s gradual recovery from the lurgi has enabled her to fly the coop and head off to meet her colleagues at the Community Rail Network in Huddersfield for the day.

Mind you, I’ve not missed much. We’ve had thick, low cloud throughout the day here in the Calder Valley. Initially I thought it was fog but this afternoon, after finishing penning my latest article for RAIL magazine I ventured down into Sowerby Bridge. After dropping a hundred meters I realised that actually, it wasn’t fog – I’d been in cloud level all day! I must admit, I’m beginning to tire of the endless dull days and wet weather. It saps the soul after a while. That’s why I’m looking forward to being able to get out and about more from today. I’ve still got stuff to do that requires the mobile office, but that can be done on the move as I don’t need the reference materials that line my office shelves. The only question’s going to be – where to go? Where’s the weather going to play ball? The answer seems to be – go West…

An attraction in that direction is that whilst Northern trains no longer have any diagrammed work for their shrinking fleet of class 319 trains (more of the fleet have gone for scrap already) several sets still get pressed into daily use between Liverpool-Wigan-Manchester and Blackpool. Maybe one last spin and photographs?

As I type this the news has just come in of the latest Tory psychodrama in Parliament. Sunak’s managed to get his Rwanda bill passed with a majority of 44. This is no victory, there’s lots more stages in the process which will drag out for a long time yet. Parliament goes into Christmas recess on the 19th December and doesn’t return until January 8th. The farce will drag on for months, then there’s consideration of the bill by the House of Lords who are almost certain to reject it in its present form (if the Commons don’t beat them to it after the Committee stage). It’s madness – utter madness. How can the Tories govern the country when they can’t even govern themselves? Whilst the rest of the country is bothered about real issues, like the economy, climate change, the NHS and more, the Tories are now stuck in an endless Rwanda loop. Of course, some backbench Tories will be very happy about this as it brings them into the limelight – especially those ‘red wall’ Tories like Miriam Cates (Penistone and Stocksbridge) with wafer-thin majorities who’re going to be binned on current polling projections. They know the Government’s toast. They’re just hoping a spell centre-stage might just save their own skins.

Expect little political or economic cheers this Christmas. The Government’s caught in a death-spiral and Sunak doesn’t have the nous to get himself out of it. Just look at his recent evidence to the Covid enquiry. Sunak was ‘bigged up’ by the Tories as a man with attention to detail. In contast, his evidence to the enquiry showed up a man with none at all. A man with such selective amnesia he couldn’t remember going to meetings, what was said in briefings, or even what direct advice he was given. As for Whatsapp messages – FFS! How is it Sunak and Johnson are the only people on the planet whose Whatsapp messages disappear when they change phones? They’re taking the piss! If Sunak ever writes his memoirs it’s going to be the thinnest book ever as the man can’t remember a bloody thing…

OK, time to go. I’ll leave you with a picture taken a few years ago. This is what the Calder valley is meant to look like – when it’s not got its head in the clouds! This is the view over Sowerby Bridge and the valley looking West from atop the Wainhouse Tower adjacent to our house, taken in August 2019.

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

11th December picture of the day…

11 Monday Dec 2023

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

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Another week that’s begin very much glued to my office chair – but at least my nurse’s uniform has been consigned to a cupboard for the foreseeable future! Dawn’s feeling a lot better and my brief fear that I was the next in line to go down with the lurgi appears to be unfounded. To add to the joy the latest storm has passed and we’ve even had some sunshine today.

Even so I’ve been confined to barracks as I’ve spent the day sat in front of a keyboard type-swiping. I’ve been kept occupied writing my next article for RAIL magazine which is on the High Speed 2 and East -West rail interface around Calvert in Buckinghamshire. My previous scribblings on the former Woodhead railway around Manchester and Sheffield will be published in the next edition of the mag which will hit the news stands on the 13th December.

I’ve a few more office-based bits to finish off tomorrow, after that I’m looking forward to getting out and about again. It’s been a torrid time on the railways this past week due to power and train failures along with a new timetable that’s seeing reduced services and overcrowding on some routes. Just what you don’t need in the run-up to Christmas. I’ll be blogging from my travels as later in the week I’ll be heading to London on one (if not both) of the affected routes. Oh, and there’s still the Trans-Pennine Route Upgrade (TRU) work to catch up on…

But, for now I’m going to leave you with today’s picture. which was taken on the former Woodhead railway route at Beeley wood near Stcoksbridge on the 25th October. This abandoned freight line has bee included in Rishi Sunak’s ridiculous ‘Network North’ con job masquerading as an ‘alternative’ to HS2. From a transport and economic perspective it a cross between a dead-duck and a turkey. There’s only one reason I can thank of that the line was included. It’s located in the ‘Red wall’ Penistone and Stocksbridge constituency of Miriam Cates MP, a socially conservative evangelical Christian Brexiter Tory (Oh, God… Ed) who won her seat in 2019 but will very much struggle to hold it. Funny, that…

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

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

10th December picture of the day…

10 Sunday Dec 2023

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

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We’ve had a mixed weekend here at Bigland Towers. mainly due to the weather – as in Dawn’s been under it whilst the real stuff has been a real pain in the arse! Thankfully, the bug that Dee contracted has responded to antibiotics so the cough that’s been giving us both sleepless night is receding. I’ve not known Dawn be off work this long or laid so low for a very long time indeed. Now all that’s needed is for her to regain her stamina and strength.

That was tested yesterday as it was the annual Christmas Concert in Huddersfield town hall which features the Honley Male Voice choir which Dee’s father sings in. She was loathe to miss it so we had an easy morning before sallying forth. That wasn’t easy as our timing co-incided with the arrival of yet another bloody storm! This time it was Storm Elin which brought high winds and torrential rain – just what you need when you’re walking across town to a concert as you can forget using an umbrella unless you fancy doing a Mary Poppins impression.

Thankfully we made it to the town hall soggy but intact and spent the next two hours getting into the Christmas spirit in fabulous surroundings. The town hall boasts a wonderfully decorated 1200 seat concert hall which is dominated by the massive organ behind the stage. The choir were accompanied by one of the best brass bands in the country Carlton Main Frickley Colliery Band as well as the young ladies of Rastrick High School Chamber Choir. It was a great afternoon full of festive cheer.

Afterwards we had a couple of drinks with some of the choir members in the old courthouse inside the town hall before heading home to be battered by the wind and rain once more. It really was a filthy night and I didn’t envy the guys and gals who would be working trackside overnight at Huddersfield station and surrounds as part of the Trans-Pennine route upgrade.

Having picked up a very rare takeaway on our way home (we reckon it’s only the fourth we’ve had since Covid kicked in) the pair of us hunkered down for the night to listen to the wind and rain battering the cottage.

Today’s been very much home focussed. The storm beat itself out overnight but the rain remained along with flood warnings and notice of the next storm on its way. We’re expecting ‘Fergus’ tonight, apparently. I’ve spent much of the day swapping between garden and office in between showers as I’ve been desperate to get the gardens tidied for the winter. That’s not easy in these conditions as you need to be a mountain goat at the best of times to access the terraces at the back of the cottage. When stones and steps are wet and covered in slime and leaves you tread carefully. Still, between us we got a lot done. Whilst I was occupied outside Dawn beavered away inside, so we feel like we’ve achieved something this weekend in preparation for a busy week from tomorrow.

Now Dawn’s on the road to recovery I’ll be on the road too – so expect a few blogs from ‘out and about’ later in the week. But first I’ve got to get an ailing laptop repaired (the fan’s are suffering from asthma) as well as sort out some camera kit – and finish my next RAIL article.

In the meantime I’ll leave you with a picture and a video from yesterday so you can see the opulence of the concert hall in Huddersfield and also enjoy the finale of the concert. See you tomorrow….

Huddersfield Town hall concert hall.

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

6th December picture of the day…

06 Wednesday Dec 2023

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

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It’s already midweek here at Bigland Towers but the days have been merging somewhat. Poor Dawn’s really been knocked by the virus she picked up so her nights (and mine) have been disrupted by coughing fits. Our local GPs surgery have been excellent, so Dee’s now on a course of antibiotics which will hopefully shift the infection. In the meantime I’ve been around to cook, clean and mop (metaphorical) fevered brows. The weather here in the Calder valley’s been cold and mostly miserable, although we did have a stunning winters day yesterday as the sunshine was wall to wall. I’d love to have got out but there’s too much to do at home right now. As well as being a good husband/nurse I’ve been busy sorting out pictures and preparing for my next series of articles for RAIL magazine – as well as researching pictures for and publishing yesterday’s blog on the Class 319 trains.

In between I’ve been watching the slow implosion of the Government as the Conservative party continues to rip itself apart over an impossible policy (Rwanda) and their obsession with immigration, as if it’s somehow going to save their skins politically.

Yesterday they announced an utterly mad and on the hoof idea to restrict immigration by raising the wages threshold for people wanting to bring their spouses to the UK. It would mean 75% of Britons being banned from doing so as they don’t earn enough money. The policy started to fall apart as soon as it was announced, like all knee-jerk ideas that ignored expert opinion, reality, facts and law.

Today the shitshow has reached new levels, or more accurately – plumbed new depths. Former Home Secretary Cruella (don’t you mean Suella? Ed) Braverman, surrounded by a coterie of Tory ultra-right wing MPs made a speech to the House of Commons denouncing the PM in which she said the quiet bit out loud, admitting that all this is about one thing and one thing only, keeping the Tories in power (and her as new Leader, obviously). As if it couldn’t get any worse, the Home Secretary James Cleverly announces a revised Rwanda policy that is so right-wing (throwing down a ‘I dare you’) challenge to the judiciary and international law even the Rwandans back away from it, saying they can’t be party to an agreement that doesn’t respect international law! Can you imagine? Finally, Immigration Minister, Robert Jenrick – the man who insisted cartoons in detention centres to calm incarcerated children should be painted over ‘cos it made them too ”welcoming’ has resigned because all this wasn’t right-wing enough! To add the icing on the cake we’re now told right-wing Tories are submitting letters to the 1922 Committee to precipitate YET ANOTHER tory leadership election, which would lead to the 6th Tory PM since 2010!

Mad, utterly mad! But this is the state of the Tory party (and sadly, our Government) in 2023. We have a dysfunctional Goverment intent on keeping itself in power to continue picking at the carcass of the British economy and damn the consequences for ordinary people. They’ll be alright Jack. They’ll have their Government pensions and the rest od us can go swing as they reckon they’ll have done enough damage that Labour won’t be able to survive more than one term in office before they stage a return to suck more out of us. Jesus, what has the UK become? And yet, there’s still around 20% of voters who think this bunch are doing a good job and are worth re-electing. I don’t know whether to laugh or cry…

Meanwhile, in the background, the Covid enquiry is playing out with that sack of custard Boris Johnson taking the stand and blustering, lying and evading all the way through.

So, what happens next? God knows. It’s like the introduction of the 1970s American spoof TV series ‘Soap’ which had the introduction “confused? You will be – after the next episode of – Soap!” Only ‘Soap’ was funny – and more plausible…

So, what picture am I going to leave you with today? I know. The Grim Reaper has been shopping early for Christmas, having taken several people this past couple of weeks, including politician Henry Kissinger, musician Denny Laine and former UK Transport Minister and Chancellor, Alistair Darling.

Darling was everything this Tory bunch shysters and chancers will never be. A serious politician who, on his death, no-one had a bad word to say about (even if they hadn’t agreed with him politically). Imagine if it had been Boris Johnson and not Alistair Darling as Chancellor during the 2008 world banking crisis? It wouldn’t just have been his wife, mistresses and the UK he’d have screwed….

I photographed Darling several times. This occasion was the National Rail Conference in March 2006.

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3rd December picture(s) of the day…

03 Sunday Dec 2023

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

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The pair of us have had a quiet day here at Bigland Towers due to the weather, as in Dawn’s under it – and the real stuff is delivering fog and snow!

Poor Dee’s still struggling with a virus (not Covid, just a run of the mill one) that’s left her feeling listless and fed up, so I’ve been on nursing/shopping/cooking duty and not ventured far throughout the day. That said, as the Calder Valley’s been hidden by fog all day there’s really been no point. Plus, I’ve plenty to keep me occupied with in-between supplying Beecham’s powders and food!

One thing I’ve discovered today is that Magpies love Yorkshire pudding! Maybe it’s the way Dawn makes them but there was one left in the fridge with a bit of veg which I was throwing out when I thought ‘I wonder if the birds will eat it’? So, I chopped everything up and left it in the garden. The pud’, roast potatoes and parsnip disappeared within an hour as Magpies, Blackbirds and Robins polished it off in short order.

This afternoon the snow returned earlier than forecast. I wasn’t convinced it was going to stick but stick it did, which made my evening walk rather interesting. Today’s pictures are from that stroll.

Savile Park looking very moody as I walked home after having a ‘swifty’ in our local, the Big 6. I love it when fresh snow sticks to trees.
Later, my walk home took me through Scarr Woods which look very eerie and very serene in this weather. We’re blessed with some great places to walk right on our doorstep. Sometimes you encounter deer in these woods, but I wouldn’t be in the least surprised if a Unicorn crossed my path in conditions like this.

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