Tag Archives: Railways

Rolling blog. Dodging the weather…

05 Friday Apr 2024

Posted by in Food and drink, Lancashire, Rail Investment, Railways, Travel

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10:20.

After another night of heavy rain today’s threatening to brighten up. So much so I’ve decided to risk venturing out to the Wigan area to document progress on electrifying the line between there and Lostock Jn near Bolton. However, I’m taking no chances. I’ve a golfing umbrella strapped to the side of my camera bag – just in case! Right now I’m more likely to need it as a parasol, but the weather’s so unpredictable nowadays I doubt that will last…

I’m currently on Northern’s 10:03 from Sowerby Bridge which will take me directly through to Hindley. It’s running 7 minutes late. Apparently, there’s overhead line problems in Leeds, where the service started from. The railways are having a torrid time of it at the moment with many delays down to equipment failure or the weather. Our Victorian era network wasn’t designed to cope with the climactic conditions we’re seeing due to Climate Change – especially the amount of rain and associated flooding. Still, the Tories have cancelled a large part of our new rail spine (HS2) that IS designed to cope, so that’s alright then…

I’ll try and blog throughout the day but this isn’t going to be a long trip. I’m on shopping/cooking duty tonight so I want to be home at a sensible time!

I crossed the River Calder on my way to the station. It’s swollen but nowhere near as bad as when Sowerby Bridge flooded. Then, the lower floor of this old mill was underwater, as was all the land to the right.

11:20.

Having traversed the Pennines and made it to Manchester I noticed another change kn the approach to Victoria station. Across yo the right is the site of the famous ‘Red Bank’ sidings. These were once the stabling point for rakes of parcels and newspaper vans which fanned out across the country overnight, carrying papers like the ‘Manchester Guardian’ and others that were printed in the city. That traffic disappeared in the 1980s and the sidings wete closed and lifted long ago. Having lain derelict since the site is now a black earh scar as it’s terra-formed whilst being prepared for a housing development. I can see a picture trip in the offing…

Right now I’m on the direct route to Wigan via Walkden, which was once the Lancashire and Yorkshire railways four-track main line. Sadly, the weather’s closing in again. I may need that brolley for its proper purpose after all…

14:30.

S’cuse the interlude but it’s been hectic at Hindley! Thanks to the powers of the internet and the everyday access we have to maps via our mobile devices I found some backstreets and footpaths that took me out to Crow Nest Junction which is to the East. Here I had an interesting hour playing bingo with the sun/rain and railway timetable. I’ll add proper pictures later. For now, here’s one off the phone.

Difficult to believe now but this was once a meeting of four track lines with all the complex pointwork that entailed. As you can see, there’s been a lot of vegetation clearence as the line from the left (Bolton) is being electrified.

16:45.

Homeward bound. After moving location to replicate some of yesterday’s shots I move on up to Westhoughton, a station I’ve never visited before but always promised myself I would. Like Hindley, it has an active station friends group who’ve worked wonders with the steep cutting sides the station nestles in. There’s a couple of footbridges to the West which make for decent photographic perches but not for long as piles have appeared in the cess for future overhead wires. I fell foul of a rainstorm whilst I was here but luckily there was a refuge. Google had alerted me to the presence of this place. The beer school.

I stayed long enough to dodge the rain and enjoy a quick pint of IPA. I’d have been tempted to linger longer as its a friendly place with good beer but I have other things to do. Plus, the weather’s not getting any better. Instead I joined the throng at the station for a train to Manchester. Looking at some of the skimpily dressed and implausibly tanned young women boarding the train for a night out you’d be forgiven for thinking it was midsumner!

20:45.

I’m now back in the bosom of West Yorkshire, putting my feet up at home whilst editing a last few pictures for your delectation. I didn’t hang around after leaving Westhoughton. I’d got the pictures I needed and besides – it’s Friday! Dee had rung me to say that I was off the hook when it came to cooking as she fancied doing one of her specialties (spicy prawns) so who was I to argue? Besides, we’re out and about again tomorrow. OK, here’s today’s selection.

Looking back towards Hindley station from the overbridge by Crow Nest Junction. This was once a four track main line. The express tracks (via Walkden) which occupied the space to the left were added by the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway in 1888. They lasted less than 75 years. As you can see, there’s been a huge amount of tree and vegetation clearance to make safe space for the overhead wires.
A long lens shot looking West towards Hindley station which can be seen in the background. The course of the old fast lines is evident.
Crow Nest Junction looking East. The line to the right with the Class 158 approaching is the express route via Walkden. The line to the left is the original 1848 route to Bolton. It’s this section (as far as Lostock Jn) that’s being electrified.
Here’s bi-mode 769450 passing Westhoughton with a service for Southport. There’s little sign of electrification progress here unless you know what to look for. The piles for all the overhead masts are nearly all in place.

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

More rail changes. This time it’s Lancashire and Merseyside.

04 Thursday Apr 2024

Posted by in Lancashire, Merseyside, Photography, Rail Investment, Railways, Travel

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I’ll get into trouble for this title. Some people still can’t face the fact the town I grew up in (Southport) was moved from Lancashire to Merseyside way back in 1974, but there you go..

I’d been working from home this morning to put the finishing touches and picture captions to my latest article for RAIL magazine after they’d sent me over the proofs. Then I logged onto the internet and noticed that the Merseyrail route into Southport was closed between Southport and the suburb of Hillside to allow the platforms at Chapel St to be extended into the station in order to fit 8-car trains. This caused me a wry smile. I remember the old Chapel St station. The very same platforms were shortened in the 1970s when the original station was demolished by BR so developers could build a God-awful shopping centre facing the main street in its place. How the world turns!

So, I decided to play a flying visit as the work is due to finish tomorrow. Here’s a few pictures of the work inside the station. As you can see, all three Merseyrail platforms are part of the possession, hence trains from Liverpool being turned back at Hillside.

Now I’m heading back with one more stop in mind. Well, if the weather holds…

19:00.

I stopped off but the weather got the better of me! The idea was to have a look at progress in electrifying the railway from Wigan to Bolton. I’d noticed real signs of progress on my way in so decided to make a stop at Hindley, where a diverse range of work’s going on. Despite threatening skies I made it as far as the famous bowstring footbridge a few minutes walk to the West of the station before the heavens opened – hence the lack of sky in this pic.

An interesting mix, a former 25kv electric unit now converted to bi-mode (diesel and overhead electric) pulls away from Hindley past the recently installed 25kv electric masts.
Looking in the opposite direction towards Wigan, the masts march onwards…

As you can see, the ‘march of the masts’ is getting closer to Wigan. It’s hard to believe now but until the 1960s there were at least 8 tracks here. The area was awash with colleries and ironworks. All are gone. A huge amount of lineside vegetation’s been cleared along the line which has opened up vistas not seen for 40 or more years. Once we have some better weather I’ll be popping back to visit a few more locations to show how work’s progressing.

Squelching back to Hindley along flooded footpaths and in the pouring rain I took refuge in the pub by the station until my train was due. Now I’m Manchester bound under dank depressing skies and downpours.

22:00.

I’m now home and drying out after a very wet evening. As I walked uphill torrents of water were flowing downhill after another downpour. Thankfully it’d just passed so I managed to avoid a complete soaking. As I was stripping off at home our ‘Alexa’ bleeped with a notification for a flood-warning for Halifax. Tomorrow could be an interesting day. Maybe I’ll stay at home…

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

Trans-Pennine (TRU) changes in West Yorkshire. 3rd April 2024.

03 Wednesday Apr 2024

Posted by in Photography, Trans-Pennine Route Upgrade, West Yorkshire

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Today I had a little job to do in Huddersfield, which I managed to combine with a look at some of the Trans-Pennine Route upgrade (TRU) work as well as a meander from Huddersfield to Dewsbury. To be honest, the weather wasn’t exactly promising. But tide and tide – or in this case a 10 day rail blockade wait for no-man! Huddersfield station was closed to all rail traffic so the first leg of my journey was by the dread rail replacement bus service. Only in this case it was rather easy. The buses left from right outside the station where there were plenty of staff on hand to point you to the right one. I caught a coach as far Deighton, the first stop up the line. This was no battered old vehicle, instead, Star of Batley provided a brand new Volvo. Shame there was only two of us passengers!

I’d come to Deighton as major work was underway to reprofile the railway embankment on the Northern side of the line. Deighton station’s going to be completely rebuilt as this section of line will regain four tracks. Here’s what I saw.

The Flannery machine in the foreground’s working on what will be the new Fast lines.
As you can see, there’s some serious earth-moving going on! Meanwhile, the workers behind the platform fence are cutting back the vegetation.
Looking East from the footpath down to the Huddersfield bound platform at Deighton. The arch was over the former Kirkburton branch which left the main line at this site. The branch closed to passenger traffic in 1930 and freight in 1965, although traffic ran for a mile along the branch to an ICI works until 1971. As I had time to kill before the bus arrived I ventured down a rubbish strewn path off the main road to check out this – the old seven arch Whitacre Mill viaduct.

Hopping aboard the following RRB an hour later I turned out to be the only passenger for the trip as far as Mirfield, travelling along a route that often followed the existing railway whilst passing the remains of many others.

Was it something I said?

This area was once rich in local lines all of which (apart from the Trans-Pennine route) are history. On the bright side, the journey did show me a few new photographic locations which I’ll do my best to exploit over the course of the year.

Rejoining the railway at Mirfield I had time to check-out progress around the station, which has seen more of the former platform 2 fall to bulldozers as the site’s slowly cleared to allow the new station and track layout to take shape.

Catching the next available train I moved up to Ravensthorpe, an area which is also undergoing major changes. The station here will be moved to the West of the existing junction to the site you see in this picture.

.GBRf’s 66769 hauls TRU engineers train 6G88, the 1353 from Heaton Lodge East Jn to Belmont Down Yard over Thornhill LNW Junction and the site of the new Ravensthorpe station.

Rather than wait for the next train I decided to stretch my legs and walk from Ravensthorpe to Dewsbury. It takes 45 minutes, but it’s hardly the most scenic of trips. This is not a rich area. It’s a mixture of old and new industrial sites, shops and homes. Like much of post-industrial West Yorkshire, it’s seen better days. There’s a distinct lack of civic pride all along the route, with litter-strewn streets, unkempt building and closed and empty shops.

Empty and disused shops on Calder Rd on the way from Ravensthorpe station.

Despite the roughness, you still come across some interesting architecture. This unusual building caught my eye. It’s part of Our Lady & St Paulinus church on the way into Dewsbury.

That was as good as it got! I took a detour off the main road down to the River Calder which I followed into town. Well, I say footpath. It was more of a linear rubbish dump and really quite depressing. Then again, you could say that it’s a good preparation for Dewsbury itself!

There was one ray of sunshine, although today wasn’t my day for sampling it. The excellent West Riding refreshment room on the railway station is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. It’s well worth a visit – even if you swerve the rest of the town and never leave the station. Although, if you did, you might be pleasantly surprised when visiting the old Calder and Hebble Navigation canal wharf in Savile town and the Leggers Inn. There’s also some good cycle routes on the old railway nearby which is part of the Spen Valley greenway.

Sadly, the weather closed in once I’d reached Dewsbury so there was little left for me to do but return home. However, this won’t be my last visit by any means. I’ll do regular (irregular) updates on the TRU work and nearby sites of interest as the work progresses.

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

Rolling blog. A capital day out…

27 Wednesday Mar 2024

Posted by in London, Photography, Railways, Rolling blogs, Travel

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07:30.

I’m on my way to London for the day to catch up with an old friend from Singapore, who’s over in the UK for a few days. I’ve known Nicholas Lim for around 10 years. Having first met up in Thailand we’ve kept in contact through the power of social media. Our last meeting was in Singapore almost exactly a year ago, so it’ll be good to see him again and look at some changes to the capital’s rail network.

Sadly, the wet and grey weather we’re still suffering from in the Pennines is going to be replicated in London. Still, there’ll be plenty to see and do…

Right now I’m on Northern’s 06:53 from Halifax to Leeds to catch my onward connection to London. I was tempted to catch Grand Central’s 07:11 direct service to Kings Cross which is being worked by one of their leased Class 221s today, but this way I get there ahead of it, giving me chance to get pictures of it arriving.

Feel free to pop back later to see how the day unfolds…

07:50.

Of course, there’s another compensation of travelling to London via Leeds rather than direct. My capital bound service is LNER’s 07:41 which originates in Skipton. It’s diagrammed to be worked by one of the company’s loco-hauled sets and true enough (albeit running 7 minutes late) I’m now being pushed to London by this machine. 91111, named ‘For the fallen’. There’s a second bonus. The old Mk4 train sets have a ‘quiet’ coach at the very rear, behind the engine. You can almost always get a table seat here.

09:20.

Today’s not been a vintage one when it comes to timekeeping. We’re currently speeding towards our next stop at Peterborugh 15 minutes later than scheduled as we’ve accrued further delays en-route. Still, the weather’s picked up. There’s sunshine, blue skies and cumulus clouds filling my window – and I have coffee – so I’m not complaining!

18:55.

Well, that was a crap rolling blog, wasn’t it? The day started so well too. Nick and I met up at Kings Cross as soon as I arrived in London. After getting a few pictures the pair of us headed for St Pancras where we caught a Thameslink service to Farringdon in order to board a ‘Lizzie line train Westwards to Ealing. That’s when things started to fall apart. Lizzie line services towards Heathrow were either cancelled or delayed. We decided to make our way to Paddington, then await further instructions. Problem was – the instructions we got after an enquiry at Paddington meant we wasted time. TfL staff directed us up to the mainline station, where a member of GWR staff denied all knowledge of trains to Ealing and brusquely directed us back to the TfL station. That’s when I spotted this.

Bugger…

By the time we returned to the Lizzy line station information (and trains) had been updated, enabling us to get a packed service to West Ealing in deteriorating weather. Then another disappointment kicked in. The battery train wasn’t running. It’d been replaced by a two-car diesel. As Nick had never travelled the route we completed an out and back trip anyway. Bad move! By the time we got back to West Ealing there’d been a power failure which led to many TfL and GWR services being cancelled. After hiding from the rain for 25 mins whilst we weighed up our options a London-bound service arrived from Heathrow, so we made our way back to Paddington. After grabbing a few pictures we swapped to the Underground for the short hop to Euston Square. It was time for lunch, so I took Nick to an old haunt. The ‘Ravi Shankar’ Indian veg restaurant in nearby Drummond St, where we both consumed one of their excellent ‘Mysore thalis’

Suitably stuffed and with the weather brightening up I gave a brief tour and explanation of the stalled HS2 construction work before we headed to Euston so that Nick could exprience the train transition between the ‘old’ Siemens built class 350s and new Alstom built Class 730s – which I consider the best of the company’s new trains.

By now we’d eaten into most of my day so it was time to head to Kings Cross and routes home – until our next meeting…

Right now I’m heading back to Leeds on a packed LNER service whilst Nick’s headed South of the river.

I’ll add the few pictures I’ve managed to get to my Zenfoilo website 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

Contact…

25 Monday Mar 2024

Posted by in North Yorkshire, Photography, Railways, Travel, Yorkshire

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I didn’t expect to be blogging today and what there is will be short and sweet as it’s late and there’s so much to talk about that will have to wait until tomorrow.

My laptop problems were resolved just as soon as I got home and plugged in a reserve charger. Suddenly the machine’s battery began to charge and normal service was resumed. That allowed me access to pictures and chance to update the BIOS. Once the battery was full charge and just out of interest I swapped chargers. Lo and behold, the one I’d been using these past few days also decided to work. Ain’t technology wonderful?

I’d expected to be sans laptop for the next few days. Now that normal service has been resumed I can rejig my plans once again and write a blog that will do justice to our trip – which has seen us explore places neither of us have visited before. Looking back at the variety of towns and scenery we’ve experienced I’ve realised that we haven’t at any point left the county of Yorkshire – something that those who claim it’s ‘God’s own country’ would say ‘Told ya’!

We haven’t just come back with memories either – as the car boot’s contained a variety of edible goodies – from fish to pork pies. Rhubarb chutney to ‘chocolate surprise’. Oh, and a few locally brewed beers too…

OK, now it’s time for me to call it a day but I’ll leave you with a couple of pictures.

Here’s the North Yorkshire Moors Railway with two trains passing at Goathland. Many TV viewers will probably best know the station and village by the fictitious name of ‘Aidensfield’ from the TV series ‘Heartbeat’.
One of the shops in the upmarket market town of Helmsley, between Pickering and Thirsk.
Dawn saw this in Helmsley. I’m staying schtum…

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

Up hill and down dale…

24 Sunday Mar 2024

Posted by in North Yorkshire, Photography, Railways, Transport

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Sorry for the lack of a blog yesterday. That was due to the fact that – by the end of the day – we were both knackered, having walked between 16-19* miles. We’d completed a circular walk from Glaisdale to Danby and back via Lealholm and the moors above the valley. Walking into strong winds added to the exercise and gave us both the ‘windswept and interesting’ look. En-route we tried local pubs and cafes (more about which later) before ending up at our temporary home to have a hot bath full of Epsom salts and home-made chili con carne before curling up in front of the log burner to watch ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ on TV.

As much as all this was pleasure, there was a slight divert into business as I managed to get several shots along the Esk valley railway due to being in the right place at the right time, which isn’t easy when there’s only five trains each way a day!

156421 and 156454 call at Glaisdale with the first train of the day, 2D83, the 0654 Middlesbrough to Whitby. Glaisdale is the only station on the line East of Battersby that still has a passing loop.
The pair pull away from Glaisdale.
Here’s the attractive station at Lealholm with 156421 and 156454 again, this time working 2D87, the 1019 Middlesbrough to Whitby
Dawn on the moors high above Houlsyke. What you can’t see (or hear) is the strong winds that we were walking into! It may have been windy but having so much sunshine and such clear skies was lovely.
From Danby we returned to Lealholm along the valley floor, following the railway. Here’s 156487 and 158843 passing us whilst working 2N28, the 1156 Hexham to Whitby.

Today (Sunday) we’re giving the old knees a bit of a rest. We’ll still go out walking later – but not anywhere near as far. I’ll add more to this blog after our return this evening.

Sunday. 22:30.

Sorry, plans for a major picture and other update of today’s blog have gone a bit ‘Pete Tong’. That’s not because we’ve had a bad day – far from it as we’ve been on the coast. We popped into two places neither of us visited before. Staithes being one. The weather’s bern stunning again too. The problem was when we got home and I fired up the laptop, only to find the battery wouldn’t charge and it refused to run off the transformer. I refused to kick things and swear despite the temptation. It’ll be sorted out, but for now you’ll have to make do with a couple of phone pictures of Runswick and Staithes.

Runswick Bay. It’s amazing how quickly this picturesque beach gets evacuated once the tide’s coming in.
Staithes is a little more funky and rundown than Runswick, but it shares the same problem. There’s no ‘proper’ shops. Still, it looks good in pictures.

*I’d done a few more than Dee as I’d nipped out to Glaisdale station to get shots of the first train of the day.

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

Rolling(ish) blog. The Community Rail Awards 2024…

18 Monday Mar 2024

Posted by in Community rail, Community Rail Network, Photography, Railways, Rolling blogs, Swansea, Travel, Wales

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09:30.

The wet and dismal day that greeted us when we woke up this morning has morphed into something far more pleasant as blue skies and sunshine have appeared to brighten the day. We’ve been up early and breakfasted as the CRN team will be off to the venue shortly, preparing for tonight’s event. It promises to be a brilliant evening. The Community Rail Awards don’t have the pomp or stuffiness of some ceremonies, they’re much more relaxed. I’ve been roped in to help with some of the prep so I’ll be heading over to the arena for a couple of hours too. Obviously I’m not going to be blogging and spilling the beans about what people can expect, but later on I’ll have chance to have a wander around Swansea to get a few pictures and check out the Maritime museum and marina. Expect some thoughts and pictures later, and then some of this evening’s highlights…

16:30.

Today’s not exactly gone to plan blogging wise as I’ve been roped into several different things and haven’t had time to blog. However, I did get time off to visit the Maritime museum – which is about much more than just the sea.

From old motorcycles to a solar car that travelled from Athens to Lisbon…
The maritime collection
Old steam power…

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

Rolling blog. Swansea shenanigans…

17 Sunday Mar 2024

Posted by in Community Rail Network, Railways, Rolling blogs, Transport for Wales (TfW), Travel, Wales

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08:25.

We’ve been up since 07:00, not a time we’d normally expect to be supping coffee on a Sunday, but today we’re heading to Swansea for tomorrow’s Community Rail Awards. This could be an interesting trip. First we head to Manchester to meet up with other members of the CRA team, then we catch a Transport for Wales service all the way to Cardiff, which takes 5 hours. That could be the first ‘fun’ bit as (having checked) I can see that it’s worked by a two-car class 197, so it could get cosy! It being Sunday, the line from Cardiff to Swansea is closed for engineering work to take place, so it’s the dreaded ‘bustitution’ for the rest of the way. Just what you need when you’re carrying all the kit you need for an awards ceremony and a couple of nights away!

Feel free to pop back later and see how the journey unfolds….

10:00.

We’re on our way on our first train of the day – Northern’s 09:50 from Halifax to Manchester Victoria. As it’s early on a Sunday and it’s a four-car there’s no problem in finding a seat.

10:30.

We’ve left the wet weather behind by crossing the Pennines into Gtr Manchester. Whilst our train filled up after calling at Rochdale the journey’s still relaxed. Next stop is Victoria…

10:45.

Ha! I should’ve known better. We’re in Manchester, so of course it’s raining! Not that it natters as we’ve just joined a packed TPE service bound for the airport which will deliver us to Piccadilly.

11:40.

Half A dozen of the team have met at Piccadilly and joined TfW’s 11:29 to Cardiff. Thankfully, it’s one of the new CAF built Class 197s and we’ve managed to secure a couple of tables behind the cab despite the usual scramble for seats. Now the tables are awash with laptops and mobile phones as folk make final preparations for the awards and a few days away.

13:40.

We’ve had a surprisingly good journey so far. At one point we were losing time to Shrewsbury but now we’ve mad that up on the approach to Hereford. The biggest surprise has been the amount of flooded fields around Moreton-On-Lugg. It’s horrendous. Fields have become vast lakes and some roads look like they’re impassible unless you have a 4X4. I really feel for the farmers as the rivers draining the area clearly can’t cope, so planting anything is impossible.

17:00

Made it! All in all, that’s been a very good journey. We were into Cardiff on time and the dreaded ‘bustitution’ worked like a dream. We were off the train and after a toilet stop we were straight onto a coach for the rest of the trip to Swansea. The group’s now checked in at our hotel on the Tawe Basin, right by the Swansea seafront. A short walk away is the National Waterfront Museum (which I’m hoping to have time to check out in the morning) and the venue for tomorrow’s awards (Swansea Arenea) is 5 minutes walk away.

19:01.

Time for the team to dine – at…

Zinco Lounge

22:30.

Well, that was a great (if different) night, but one that had to end early as some of us have to be on duty tomorrow. After the meal where we were joined by old friends such as Richard Salkeld – ex LNER and now ‘Lumo’ – when the wit and laughter was flowing, a few of us met up with other community rail colleagues and ‘newbies’ such as train driver Bessie Matthews, who’s written the Arlo adventures books at a Gin bar called Hogarth’s. Now, you wouldn’t normally find me dead in a karaoke joint, but as I was with friends it turned into an interesting exercise in people watching and insight into Swansea on a Sunday. After all, the Welsh have a reputation for singing, don’t they? True enough. The place was mostly men, and some actually knew how to sing – as did one of our own group – Karen Bennett – who bashed out a great rendition of a Bonny Tyler number whilst getting support from the audience!

Now it’s time to call it a day. I’m looking to seeing more of Swansea in the 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

Rolling blog. Preston perambulations…

14 Thursday Mar 2024

Posted by in Lancashire, Photography, Railways, Rolling blogs, Travel

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11:00.

After one more soggy day in the Pennines yesterday I’ve made another bid for freedom, thus time heading Westward to Preston and district in the hope of getting some library shots and bits for a client. The forecast isn’t promising sunshine, just no rain!

Having walked down to Sowerby Bridge station I waited for the train to Hebden Bridge and my connection to Preston. Whilst I was there I noticed this local history board which tells the story of a musician few will have heard of, but you will have heard of some of the famous film scores he played on – and the major artists he recorded with. Then there was Mike Batt…

11:15 we’re on our way from Accrington now, one of those Lancashire towns I’ve never really explored. I keep meaning to as the serried streets of traditional terrace houses look like they’d make an excellent photographic opportunity. Maybe this summer…

The train I’m on is busy, but strangely subdued. Normally these Blackpool services can be rather riotous with families heading to Blackpool, but this one’s obviously too early in the season. I’m sharing a table with a young chap sat diagonally opposite. He appears to be suffering from the advanced stages of ‘Liquormortis’ – also known as a hangover! The rest of the passengers are a real mix – although a large percentage seem to be solo women travellers of all ages.

12:45.

Wonder of wonders – the train I was hoping to get pictures of actually ran – and ran to time, giving me the opportunity to get a shot of it in Preston. The new Hitachi built Class 805 bi-mode sets for Avanti West Coast are currently on test on the West Coast Main Line before they enter service and replace the company’s diesel-only Class 221 ‘Voyager’ fleet. I’ve seen a few 805s but never been in the right place at the right time to get pictures. Today I was.

Still without Avanti vinyl livery, set 805002 passes through Preston on a Lancaster – London Euston test run.

14:00.

Whilst at Preston I couldn’t resist taking a minor detour/backtrack to Bamber Bridge to photograph a structure that’s seen better days. Here’s the old signalbox, with some new(ish) additions…

Talk about a supporting role…

The box is coccooned by suppurting girder to stop it collapsing completely. The facr many of its timbers are rotten doesn’t help. Neither does its narrow base, but the road crossing is also suffering from subsidence too.

16:30.

Mind the gap…

Sorry about that but I’ve been busy and too busy observing things to live blog. After getting back to Preston, where the weather was indifferent I decided to make my way back via Wigan so that I could check on progress with electrifying the line between there and Bolton.

Bad move.

Catching a packed Pendolino to Wigan was OK, it’s only a 15 minute trip. It was the fact that when I arrived it was chucking it down through leaden skies and all trains to Manchester from both stations were cancelled due to signal failure that I thought, bugger!

There was only one thing for it, a pint in Wigan’s metaphorical version of the Winchester whilst I waited for the whole thing to blow over (sans Zombies, thankfully).

Choose your poison.

Fortunately, there was one train running even if everything else either side had been cancelled. I’m aboard the 16:07 from Wallgate to Victoria (ex Southport) worked by one of the bi-mode class 319 conversions. I’d expected it to be packed but that was far from the case.

Photographically this part of the trip was a bust but now I’ve seen the changes along the route I know where to return to. OLE mast bases have appeared between Winan and Hindley along with a smattering of masts. The biggest visual impact is 4-5 decades of tree and vegetation clearence whic has really opened up some vistas. I’ll be back…

17:30.

Getting home is proving to be fun today as the railways are not having a good one. On arrival at Manchester Victoria I thought I’d just miss the 16:57 to Leeds. Fear not! Due to yet more disruption it’s only just left – 23 mins late. Many other trains are still waiting, with passengers none the wiser as no-one’s making any announcements. The Internet’s no help either as there are no realtime updates. I was waiting on a following train (the 1704 to Rochdale) before taking a punt based on my railway knowledge.

Halfway home…

22:45.

Time to bring this blog to an end from the comfort of home. Thankfully, there were no more problems after Manchester. Mind you, as the last leg was via shank’s pony – what could possibly go wrong? Tomorrow I’ll be working from home, sorting out today’s pictures and preparing for Sunday’s trip to Swansea and the Community Rail Award, so expect a few more pictures and possibly a beer-pump clip or two…

Goodnight!

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