A very short blog from me tonight as I’ve had a very busy few days with no time to write as spending time with family and friends has taken priority. That said, I have had a little time to catch up with editing some of the hundreds of images that I took earlier in the week – hence today’s picture.
Whilst in London I commented on how much the city’s skyline’s changing. Here’s an example. I’d not taken pictures from this spot (St Johns station) in South London since 2015. The backdrop’s changed completely. Welcome to yet one more of London’s satellite skyscraper districts, the ‘megapolis’ of Lewisham. The tower cranes give away the fact that this is just the start. Come back in another couple of years…
Back in 2015 there was just a single high rise on the horizon in my pictures. What I can’t work out is who exactly is going to be living in all this speculative (but certainly not cheap) building.
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God, are we really half-way through March already? Where did the time go? It’s certainly been a tumultuous month so far what with the tragic and appalling events in the Ukraine and the knock-on effects around Europe and across the world. Just as we thought the planet was starting to recover from the unprecedented Covid pandemic we’re thrown back into death and uncertainty – along with a hefty economic hit.
Due to various events I’d really been looking forward to the idea of being able to get abroad again and had my eyes on Sri Lanka. So, today I checked the exchange rate. Sterling’s not been doing terribly well recently so you can imagine my surprise when I saw that compared to the other currencies I watch the Pound was up 27% against the Rupee. To give you an idea, last time I was in the country in January 2016 a pound was valued at 204 Rupees. It’s now at 356.
This made me do some digging. Apparently, the Rupee is being ‘adjusted’ due to economic hits which include a 40% rise in fuel costs and the collapse of the country’s foreign currency reserves due to Covid and the absence of foreign tourists – a situation that’s not going to improve as the No3 on the incoming visitors list was…Russia.
Even so, the country is an attractive destination as they’ve relaxed many Covid restrictions – making it easier to visit – and they need foreign currency. OK, there’s problems with various shortages but after living in post Brexit Britain the absence of stuff on supermarket shelves is more than made up for by the beaches! Besides, I’m not a fussy eater and I’m desperate to get away for some R&R and beach time.
Oh, there’s another attraction. Sri Lanka has the most amazing railway system. In some areas it’s still pure Victorian colonial, in others it’s modern, having been rebuilt after the terrible civil war. Oh, there’s a few modern Chinese multiple units taking over, but the infrastructure (especially the signaling) is out of another era and incredibly photogenic – especially in the hill country where the railway weaves its way through the tea plantations. Of course, it’s not going to last forever – just as it hasn’t in countries like Malaysia who’re spending huge sums dragging their railways into the 21st century. Thailand is too – and even India (the mother of all rail systems) is allocating vast amounts of capital to their rail budgets. So, today’s picture is one from my last trip to Sri Lanka back in 2016.
This is Haputale, in the hill country seen on the 17th January 2016. A German built diesel-hydraulic loco has called with a train from Badulla to Kandy whilst clouds swirl around the town which is perched on a ridge between two valleys 1431 meters above sea-level.
You can find many more pictures from this trip (and they’re not all railways – promise!) here.
I’ve a favour to ask… If you enjoy reading this blog, 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 been a semi-relaxing weekend here at Bigland Towers, which has encompassed a variety of activities undertaken in a leisurely way. The fact the weather’s stayed dry has been a bonus as one does get sick of trudging through mud and being swaddled in waterproofs. It’s been nice to don clothing with a little more sartorial elegance and not look like you’re about to trek to the North Pole!
We’ve even managed to tick off a few jobs off the list too – but nowhere near as many as we planned because just living got in the way. Sometimes it’s good not to spend all your time trying to hit targets and tick things of lists and just ‘be’. Part of this was having an evening out at a restaurant which we’d never eaten at before. Not only that, it was at a part of Halifax we pass on a regular basis but have never explored (although we should). It’s called Dean Clough Mills. Once home to Crossley carpets this massive complex stretches for over half a mile, covering 22 acres and consists of 16 grade 2 listed Victorian mills. Saltaire has nothing on this place. It’s huge!
Our dinner date was at a place called Thai Corner, run by the same people who have a fantastic food stall in Halifax market where I’d occasionally pop in to buy one of their signature dishes as you rarely see it on Thai menu’s on the UK – Khao Soi. This is a Northern Thai specialty and it’s delicious. So, you can imagine our disappointment to find that it wasn’t on the menu at their new venture. Even so, we had a good night out, letting someone else take the culinary strain for a change.
Today was even more relaxed. We’d been virtuous and walked to/from Dean Clough yesterday (just under a 5 mile round trip) so didn’t feel bad about having a lie-in and pootling around for most of the day before wandering down into Sowerby Bridge for a drink. After all, it’s a busy week for the both of us next week and this is what weekends are made for.
Now we’re back at home preparing for the week ahead. Dee’s cooking and I’m packing for the next couple of days away as I’ve a night in Nottingham with some interesting side trips aside. So, I’ll leave you with the picture of the day which is a taster of another railway picture blog I’ll be writing when I have enough time. Here’s Wandsworth Common railway station on the 16th July 2001…
21 years ago trains on this route had been taken over by French company ‘Connex’ and this Victoria to Caterham bound Class 455 carries their livery. Connex won two franchises operating out of London, both South of the Thames. The former South-Eastern and Central divisions in third rail country. To say they made a pigs-ear of them would be an understatement! The trains got a new livery but that was all. They were dirty and vandalised and Connex got a hammering in the press. It’s a very different railway now and these old trains are scheduled to disappear by the end of the year. I still can’t believe I took this 21 years ago as in some ways it seems like yesterday…
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Apologies for absence yesterday but I’ve been too busy earning a living and scribbling professionally as well as editing pictures to find the time to blog. Plus, there’s been nothing exciting going on at Bigland Towers worth relating. The month of March began in glorious fashion weather-wise but that was for one day only. Since then we’ve resumed the wet and misty conditions that dominated most of last month. I’ve still torn myself away from the computer to get my daily exercise but the amount’s the bare minimum this week.
That said, there’s a change on the horizon. After tomorrow I’ll be free to get out more and next week is looking very interesting indeed. On Monday-Tuesday I’m in Nottingham at the annual Community Rail Network conference. This is the first time it’s been held away from the internet since March 2020. We just managed to get away with that as a live event before Covid put the mockers on, so everybody’s really looking forward to being able to catch-up with each other in the flesh once more. I’d had the conference booked for some weeks. When I’d arranged it Dawn said to me “I’ve a funny feeling you’ll get some paid jobs come in at the same time”. Sure enough, her intuition was spot on. I’m now double (nay, triple) booked as I’ve now got a really exciting event to attend in London late Monday afternoon where I’ll be wearing two hats as well as my own, but it’s embargoed, so I can’t tell you what it is – for now. To add to the fun I was invited to another press event in the capital on Tuesday but I can’t juggle any more balls to fit that one in too. It’s times like this I really wish I could clone myself!
With all this going on I’m looking forward to a quiet weekend at home before the next round of railway ping-pong starts. Thankfully, I’ve had just enough time in between to put the last lot to bed and start with a clean sheet. That said, scanning old slides is hanging around there in the background. I’m hoping to be able to restart that soon but whilst the commissions are rolling in I’m happy to let it lie. They’ve waited this long so another few months isn’t going to hurt. Besides, there’s lots of what will soon to be history to report on whilst it’s still around…
Talking of history brings me on to the picture of the day. For this one I’ve dug into the archives. There aren’t many countries where you’ll find old British built railway engines in everyday service nowadays but Sri Lanka is one. Here’s one of the M7 Class diesel engines built by Brush, Loughborough and supplied to the country in 1981. Only 16 were built but they’re still plying their trade around the islands railways. This is No 809, seen at Colombo Fort station with a local passenger train on the 26th December 2003.
You can find many more pictures of Sri Lankan railways in this gallery, plus this more recent one from 2016.
I’ve a favour to ask… If you enjoy reading this blog, 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/
The fact we’ve slipped over from February to March didn’t go unnoticed today – mainly due to the gorgeous – almost Spring like – sunshine we were bathed in today, along with mild temperatures. Of course, today would happen to be a day when I spent most of it stuck indoors! Thanks to my recent travels and having rejigged my plans as short notice to accommodate last minute commissions I’m behind on scribbling some articles so enjoying the sunshine’s had to take a backseat.
That said, it’s ben a productive day and I’ve got a lot done so missing the chance to top up my vitamin D levels was a worthwhile sacrifice. Now, if only I can have another day like this tomorrow I might have the end of the week free – just in time for the next band of rain. Damn! Ah, well – maybe working from home for the rest of the week will have some compensations. I’ve certainly enough articles that need words bashing together and there’s always slides to scan…
Despite the forecast, there’s a real feeling that spring is just around the corner. Our garden is springing to life with a mixture of snowdrops and daffodils (plus the odd Hyacinth) and I was amazed to see how much blossom was appearing across the West Midlands the other day. Add in the fact the days are getting longer and there’s a lot to look forward to especially as Covid is slowly fading away. Mind you, that seems partly because some people are simply ignoring the risks to pretend it’s somehow vanished overnight. It’s been overtaken by the awful news from the Ukraine and the madness unleashed by Putin. Noe people are more worried about thoughts of war and nuclear arsenals than they are of microbes. Still, I’ll be wearing my mask in public places for a while longer yet…
Right, enough of such thoughts. What’s today’s picture? To be honest, even I had no idea what it would be when I started typing earlier. But I’ve plumped for this, taken yesterday. In yesterday’s blog I mentioned how passengers are returning to the railway. Quiet scenes like this at Leeds station are fast becoming a thing of the past as folk return to old habits such as socializing and going out. You won’t see it looking this relaxed at the weekend…
I’ve a favour to ask… If you enjoy reading this blog, 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/
The hectic pace of last week hasn’t let up over the weekend. I may be based back at home but most of my time’s been spent working. I’ve a haul of hundreds of pictures to collate and edit from Friday which has been made more complicated than it needed to be by a battery choosing yesterday to expire.
My Nikons carry a tiny battery buried away inside the main battery compartment whose sole function is to keep the date/time function ticking over independent of the main (humongous) battery. They last for ages. In fact, this one’s lasted for 6 years despite the Nikon manual suggesting you replace them after 2 years. Maybe I should have listened – or at least carried a spare. Why? Because on my job on Friday this battery decided to finally give up the ghost. Not a problem you’d probably think as the camera won’t stop working. You’d be right. But…
What it does mean is that the EXIF data on every photo is exactly the same. They’re all taken at 00:00 on 1/1/2016 – which means trying to sort them our is a friggin nightmare as there’s absolutely no order to them when you download them from the camera. Collating pictures becomes a game of hide and seek! Still, it’s done now which is just as well.
Despite this added excitement (and extra hours) we’ve had a good weekend. Last night we went out for a meal with a couple of friends who’re stalwarts of the Mytholmroyd station friends group. We’ve known Sue and Geoff for many years now. Pre-Covid we’d regularly meet for drinks and food but the Pandemic put paid to all that – until last night when the four of us enjoyed a lovely meal and drinks at this bar and tapas place in Mytholmroyd. I’m not going to bore you with selfies and food pictures from the night. It’s not why we were there, this was just an evening with friends without pressures.
Today’s seen me with my nose pressed firmly against the grindstone, sorting out my clients pictures from Friday as I’m back on the rails again tomorrow carrying out part 2 of their current commission and calling in to Chesterfield to do so. Plus, I’ve a shedload of writing to do next week and deadlines to meet – deadlines made all the more tight by taking on this last-minute commission! Still, my bank balance will thank me…
So, expect a rolling (or maybe stumbling) blog tomorrow as I make my way from Halifax to Chesterfield and back. In the meantime here’s the picture of the day which is from my expedition trackside on the Haywards Heath blockade which is coming to an end this weekend. The main compound was in the carpark at Haywards Heath station but the worksite was further South in a deep cutting. The only way to get there was to walk through the 249 yard long Haywards Heath tunnel – which is rather wet due to water ingress but at least the juice rail was isolated. Mind you, we weren’t the only occupants of the tunnel as this engineers train took up one road. Not exactly a place you normally get to wander around, is it?
I’ve a favour to ask… If you enjoy reading this blog, 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’s been another quiet on here at Bigland Towers. The pair of us have been slaving away over hot computers – with varying degrees of success. Freelance life can be frustrating sometimes when you put a lot of effort into sorting out a potential commission only for the client to change their mind at the last moment and can the project. Such is life, sadly and why you always try to have several irons in the fire. At least I can concentrate on other stuff now. Hopefully the project will morph into a bigger job in the next few months.
Apart from that, the day’s not gone badly. I’ve caught up on paperwork and picture editing, continued writing my next articles and even found time this evening to update a blog on the old Class 317 trains as well as be active enough to get all my exercise routines ticked off (and more). Dawn’s been out with friends this evening which meant I didn’t have to cook so pleased myself with a concoction made from few bits from cupboard and fridge and concentrated on working instead, which gives me a clear run at a few other projects tomorrow as well as continuing keyboard bashing. Tomorrow evening I’ll be more traditional and find (and follow) a recipe rather than freestyle for one!
Hopefully the weather will continue to improve and by next week I’ll have space to resume my travels at some point. As always, things on the railways don’t stand still and a lot of changes are afoot. Plus, as the Covid emergency protocols wind down, many train services are being reinstated, which will make movement both easier and more pleasant.
So, on to the picture of the day, which is another in the series of old slides from India taken in 1995. They’re still in my inbox waiting to be edited so won’t be appearing on my Zenfolio website for a while, but here’s a taster. Yesterday’s was of one of the Portuguese Christian churches in Old Goa, today’s is from the Hindu religion and features the Shri Shanta Durga temple in Kavalem, Ponda district, North Goa. It was built between 1730-36.
I’ve a favour to ask… If you enjoy reading this blog, 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 to cover some of the cost of maintaining this site – and right now (because of Covid), us freelances appreciate all the help that we can get to aid us in bouncing back from lockdowns. Remember, 99% of the pictures used in my blogs can be purchased as prints from my other website – https://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/
I promised myself a day working from home today and that’s what I’ve managed to have, which was just as well as we had yet more torrential rain this morning. Yet again roads turned into rivers and the amount of blockages caused by broken off branches from the recent gales made it look like an army of beavers had taken up occupancy in the Calder valley. Like every other local authority Calderdale has suffered from Government cuts to its budgets which means that many drains haven’t been cleaned for years, leading to blocked grids which have added to the problem as water has nowhere to go – except downhill…
The afternoon was a lot drier and brighter, giving the sodden fields a respite and breathing space for the land to begin to drain. It was a lovely time to tear myself away from my computer and go for a long circular walk which took in Sowerby Bridge then home on a route sandwiched between the canal and the Calder. River levels are dropping too, much to many people’s relief as the flood sirens had already sounded in nearby Todmorden over the weekend. Hopefully we’re now past the worst.
Back home I’ve had a busy day catching up on paperwork, organising future commissions (which when they come off will be an interesting challenge) plus prepping and researching my next series of magazine articles. So, all in all – not a bad day. Of course, all this means that scanning old slides has had to take a backseat, which is unfortunate but unavoidable as there are only so many hours in the day. I’m determined to get the last ones scanned this year and I have a folder full of scans waiting to be edited, but paying jobs take priority. Oh, there’s blogs to be written too – but these may also have to take a bit of a backseat other than short daily updates. Still, I’ll see what I can pack in to longer days.
I’ll end today with a picture of the day from the batch of slide scans which are still in the holding folder until I can find time to edit them and get them on my Zenfolio website. This one’s another from the batch of Images of India taken in 1995/96. Our little band took a trip to Old Goa, which was the religious centre of the Portuguese enclave of Goa. Whilst the British left in 1947, the Portuguese had to be forcibly removed from the colonies of Goa, Daman and Diu. The newly independent India launched “Operation Vijay” in December 1961 and took back the territory held by the Portuguese for 450 years. Needless to say, a lot of influence was left behind – including old cathedrals and churches like this – the church of St Cajeta.
I’ve a favour to ask… If you enjoy reading this blog, 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 to cover some of the cost of maintaining this site – and right now (because of Covid), us freelances appreciate all the help that we can get to aid us in bouncing back from lockdowns. Remember, 99% of the pictures used in my blogs can be purchased as prints from my other website – https://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/
Yep, a slight change from pictures as today’s been full of surprises due to the weather, which has been wet, wet, wet. The wind and rain have never stopped all day, kyboshing any hopes I had out getting out for a walk as I’d have ended up looking like a drowned rat despite my waterproofs. Plus, this is not the time to be bumbling through the woods surrounding the cottage as trees are starting to fall like ninepins.
However, this afternoon the pair of us headed out and over to the Colne valley to pick up Norah and John (Dawn’s parents) as today was Norah’s 81st birthday and we’d a meal booked at the Bulls Head pub in Linthwaite in the Colne valley to the West of Huddersfield. The weather has been filthy as we drove over with several roads flooded and others on the valley sides turning into streams. But, as we drove along Blackmoorfoot Rd we were hit by a cloudburst of the likes I’ve never experienced in the UK before. It swept in from across the valley and within seconds visibility dropped to zero because of the sheer amount of water dropping from the sky that was blowing in on a gale. Dee immediately stopped the car as it was unsafe to drive in those conditions. I’ve only ever seen rain bucket down like that in SE Asia, never in the UK. We were all a bit stunned but I managed to get my phone out and record some of it (but not the height) as it passed. Here’s what we saw.
Once it cleared we got to the pub without further incident and enjoyed some lovely food. I’d been recommend the lamb shank which proved to be delicious – and looked pretty good too…
Heading back we dropped Dee’s folks off and drove back home through yet more heavy rain. Now we’re tucked up in the warm (and dry) and won’t be venturing out again! The forecast isn’t great for next week either but I’m hoping that the Calder won’t be bursting its bank yet again. I’ll venture down to the river tomorrow to see, but hopefully this trend will continue.
The past 24 hours at Bigland Towers have been dominated by (surprise, surprise) the weather. Fortunately we escaped the worst of Friday’s weather but I made sure of that by staying at home for most of the day, only venturing out in the morning to do some shopping before hunkering down in the office to begin editing the hundreds of pictures that I’d taken over the past few days. It wasn’t until the afternoon that the storm hit us. It’s arrival was announced by massive gusts of wind which stayed with us for most of the afternoon/evening. Luckily, we seemed to dodge the damage that was suffered down in the South-West and elsewhere – although we have lost a few trees. Most fences seemed to escape unscathed. Mainly because all the weak or badly-built ones had already blown away in the preceding storms! There wasn’t much left to flatten…
Today we’ve had a different weather phenomenon – snow. Despite it being Saturday I’ve been beavering away at home trying to get all my new pictures sorted as I’ve a new commission come in at short-notice which has a time imperative, so I’ve needed to clear the decks of pictures ready to go with some of the articles I’ll need to turn around pdq in order to leave time for other work. Oh, the joys of freelance work. Jobs are like the proverbial London bus – they all come along at once!
Thankfully, although the snow’s stuck and left us with a decent dustings across the hills it’s not caused any disruption on the roads or railways. A few hours of the predicted rain will soon see it off which is just as well as we have a lunch to attend tomorrow afternoon over in the next-door Colne Valley.
Tonight we’re having a quiet night at home in the warmth of the cottage. Dawn’s busy cooking industrial quantities of her fantastic Lasagne (as she also supplies her parents and stocks up the freezer at the same time) whilst I’m finishing editing pictures and scribbling this and enjoying the delicious smells wafting out of the kitchen.
So, I’ll leave you with today’s picture which was taken from our bedroom window late this afternoon as the snowstorms took a break and the weather cleared just long enough to be able to see clear across the valley to Sowerby.
I’ve a favour to ask… If you enjoy reading this blog, 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 to cover some of the cost of maintaining this site – and right now (because of Covid), us freelances appreciate all the help that we can get to aid us in bouncing back from lockdowns. Remember, 99% of the pictures used in my blogs can be purchased as prints from my other website – https://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/
Paul Bigland 