Yesterday (Thursday) the sun shone bright here in West Yorkshire, making a change from the dank and dismal weather which seems to be the norm nowadays. It spurred me on to get out and about for a few hours to look at some of the Trans-Pennine Route Upgrade work sites that I hadn’t visited this year, as well as some I’ve been popping into regularly. I was also driven by the fact Ravensthorpe station closes this weekend so that the site can be cleared for the new fast lines flyover. Here’s a selection of pictures from the day.
802204 speeds through Batley as 1K16, the 1103 Hull to Liverpool Lime Street, passing the platform extensions which are being added to both Up and Down line platforms at the North end. Looking down on Batley station from Soothill Lane bridge. It’s hard to believe this was once a junction, with the GNR Chicken Heath branch running off to the left towards Ossett.A 1915 OS map shows the station and goods yard. The dingy Batley station subway is due to be replaced by a footbridge with lifts which is being constructed at the Southern end of the platforms. I’ll span the tracks between the two lamp posts on the right. Meanwhile, at Ravensthorpe, hardcore is being laid between the two side walls of the flyover. This will be the location of the slewed lines to/from Healy Mills.Foundations of the Northern wall of the flyover are almost complete. A last view of Ravensthorpe station which closes this weekend. 150215 approaches with a service from Leeds to Bradford Interchange. That’s progress! Here’s the new bridges over the Calder and Hebble navigation. Since I visited on the 25th November two of the Eastern side girders have been put into place. A closer view of the two new girders. The pillar nearest the camera waits to receive its girder, which is already hooked up to the crane nearby. Passing under the new girders. The last train I’ll ever catch from the old Ravensthorpe station. 15020 calls on the 14.02 from Bradford to Leeds.
On the way back I stopped off at Brighouse to get a couple of pictures and to visit the renowned Blakeleys take-away and restaurant, which is famous for the quality of its fish and chips. It’s next door to another Brighouse institution, the Market Tavern. It seemed rude not to wash my food down with a pint, so I called in for a ‘swifty’. The beer was in great condition and the pub busy, but I couldn’t help noticing that the clientele were almost all pensioners (shit, that includes me now!). Admittedly, most younger people would still be at work, but I wonder what the place would look like at 16:00 in say, 10 years time? Times are changing, and so are demographics…
Back at the station I couldn’t resist getting a picture of this history board. I’ve mentioned the tale of the man who broke the bank of Monte Carlo before, but here’s the full story…
If you want to see more TRU construction pictures, you can find the complete gallery by following this link to my Zenfolio website.
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What a difference a day makes! Yesterday I was out and about, enjoying autumn sunshine and the chance to explore. Today? It’s back to normal in the Calder valley with low cloud, rain and generally dank and miserable conditions. A good day for staying in the warm here at Bigland Towers in order to edit yesterdays pictures whilst planning new adventures.
You can find yesterdays pictures in these galleries on my Zenfolio website.
The local weather forecast isn’t looking good for the next few days and I’ve plenty of things to do here at home. So, whilst I *might* nip out early for a couple of hours tomorrow morning to look at some TRU work the rest of this weekend will be spent getting Bigland Towers ready for Xmas. Dawn’s got her own programme and day out arranged for tomorrow, which frees me up from cooking/teaboy duties, so I might as well make the most of it! Watch this space…
In the meantime, here’s today’s picture.
One thing I’ll be looking out for over the next couple of weeks is railway station Christmas trees. Forget this ridiculous far-right nonsense about Christmas being ‘cancelled’ – the railway has always celebrated on stations up and down the country – often with gusto! I won’t be back in London for a couple of weeks but one effort that’s always worth checking out is at St Pancras station. Here’s their 2015 tree.
I’ve a small favour to ask… If you enjoy reading this or any of the other blogs I’ve written, please click on an advert or two. You don’t have to buy anything you don’t want to of course – although if you did find something that tickled your fancy that would be fab! – but the revenue from them helps me to cover some of the cost of maintaining this site (which isn’t cheap and comes out of my own pocket). Remember, 99% of the pictures used in my blogs can be purchased as prints from my other website – https://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/
Today was my last full day here in Asia and it’s been a good one, despite the wet start. I’d set my alarm for 07:00, but it wasn’t needed, thanks to thin walls and noisy neighbours – the only drawback to where I’m staying.
My plan had been to head out before 09:00 but the drizzle and gloomy skies persuaded me to delay my departure for an hour. That worked out well as I ended up seeing part of the school run, Jakarta-style – which includes how many people you can fit on a scooter! I still haven’t beaten five – although I still have time tomorrow!
I retraced yesterday’s steps to Tanah Abang railway station only this time I took a different route where I finished up at the end of the line at Tanjung Priok. The Dutch built the port in the late 1800s and they rebuilt the railway station into a rather magnificent edifice in 1925. Nowadays, only one platform under the huge trains he’d roof is used by passenger trains (a shuttle service from Jakarta Kota). The rest is used for stabling intermodal wagons and locos for freight services out of the docks.
The station’s still well worth visiting as a relic of the Dutch era and as a piece of railway architecture.
My next stop was Jakarta Kota, the more well-known example of Dutch stations on Java. I managed a range of pictures there before moving on to something more modern by catching the train to Manggarai. This station’s changed out of all recognition since my last visit in 2017. Now, it possesses an upper level as the trains to Bogor run on elevated tracks at this point. There’s plenty of empty platforms in the trainshed on the same level – just waiting to be plugged into the network when new elevated tracks are completed.
This snd Jatinigara station further up the line are great examples of modern Javanese stations. I’d go as far as to say they’re world-class when it comes to facilities on offer. In fact, they could teach us a thing or two – like this, seen at Jatinigara (another station which has been heavily rebuilt and modernised).
A ‘co-working’ space on the main concourse above the tracks which is used by young and old. I think the plants are a really nice touch.
I visited several other stations on the network but there’s far to many pictures to sort out now. Hopefully I’ll have time to write up my about my rail trips around Jakarta tomorrow as the system’s an excellent one. Having got home I had grabbed a shower then headed out to eat in one of the lack backstreet food stalls. Here’s today’s meal.
Rice, fish and loads of veggies (plus a potato cake). Oh, and that red blotch is chilis!
Whilst I was eating there the heavens opened which delayed me somewhat but then wet streets at night are so photogenic.
The backstreets where I’m staying are a maze, and on every corner there’s a place to eat.
Now I’m back at home getting ready for the off. My flight’s not until tomorrow evening, so I’m hoping to make the most of the morning. Let’s see…
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/
We’ve had another thoroughly miserable day (weather wise) here in’t Pennines. The rain beating on the window and the high winds battering the house in the early hours made me decide that discretion was the better part of valour, so I canned my plans to get out with the camera and worked at home instead which gve me chance to edit some of the pictures I’d taken yesterday on a little trip up the West Coast Main Line as far as Carnforth. I should have written a rolling blog but I was too busy trying to keep up with other stuff – hence today’s reprise of events.
My first stop was Preston. An obvious choice as I had to change trains there, but also because the December 15th timetable change has seen Northern’s Class 323 trains working in pairs through the town on Blackpool North – Manchester Airport services. Some of these nippy units have been cascaded from services around Birmingham – hence combinations like this.
Ex- West Midlands 323206 along with original Northern unit 323224 are seen at Preston whilst working 1Y65, the1225 Blackpool North to Manchester Airport. Two pairs of these units were out on this route yesterday, supplementing 3 and 4 car Class 331s.
On the way North I stopped at Lancaster where the station’s having a bit of a revamp. Story rail are refurbishing the station canopies on behalf of Network Rail at a cost of £9.5m. You can learn more here.
Yes, the picture’s taken from the disused platform which was where the electric trains to Morecambe used. It’s not open to the public but an old friend was on duty and very kindly arranged access for me.
Next stop was Carnforth. Home of the famous tea rooms which featured in the classic 1945 film ‘Brief Encounter’. Whilst the tea rooms are remaining open the adjacent museum closed its doors for the final time in October. The tea rooms remain bus and looked rather festive yesterday.
On my return via Lancaster I popped into a rather more modern refreshment room, the Tite and Locke on Lancaster station. It’s a wonderful addition to station bars which can be found on the Northbound platform. Roof restoration means that the outdoor area on the platform’s rather cut off, but the multi-room bar is still as welcoming as ever.
Choose your Christmas cheer…The entrance to the bar and the first of many rooms…
Much as I’d liked to have stayed I had to head home after a ‘swifty’. Hopefully I’ll have more time to explore next year.
Now I’m prepping for the next few days and decamping to Surrey for Christmas, but first I have a couple of days in London. Tomorrow I’m at the annual railway carols service at St Mary’s Somer’s Town, Eversholt Street, London NW1. The lessons will be read by: Ruth Cadbury MP, Chair of the Transport Select Committee; Rob Morris, Managing Director of Siemens Mobility; Elaine Clark, CEO of the Rail Forum; Mark Phillips, CEO of RSSB; and Maggie Simpson, Executive Director of the Rail Freight Group. If you’re in the area, why not join us? There’s mince pies and sherry to be had in the refectory afterwards.
I’ll add a rolling blog tomorrow. But right now it’s time to call it a day…
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We’ve had a busy day here in the middle of nowhere so there was no point in trying a rolling blog. I’m writing this at the end of the day instead.
Having made it to Cardiff I managed a decent half-night’s sleep before pressing on this morning in order to get to Neath. Fortunately all the trains heading in my direction were running, so I had time to get a few shots of the changing nature of the Transport for Wales train fleet in this neck of the woods.
Old meets new. One of the BR built diesel Class 150s from the 1980s sits next to a brand-new tri-mode Class 756 from Stadler at Cardiff Central.Reaching the end of the line. The Class 150/2s will soon be cascaded or sent for scrap. Here’s 150267 at Cardiff Central with the 07:52 to Bargoed.Many services to Barry Island are being taken over by the new Stadler built Class 231 bi-modes. Here’s 230003.
Having got to Neath my next trick was to get to GCRE, which isn’t the most accessible place in the world right now. The only way for me to make the journey was by taxi, which took half an hour. Unless you know the area you don’t appreciate just how isolated it is. The test track and other facilities are being built on the site of a vast opencast mine, which closed in 2021. It hadn’t run out of coal, but its license to mine had expired and wasn’t being renewed. The whole site is bigger than Gibraltar. In essense, imagine building a circular 7km long test track (with some serious gradients) around the base of a huge, hollowed-out hill.
Now GCRE have taken over the site as well as the old railhead at Onllwyn. Today they were having an open day for guests who were invited to see the site and learn about two of the groups who’re carrying out work here. Both are looking at how to cuts the costs of two major fixed assets on the railways. Signalling and electrification.
Dr Sam Bemment, CE of start-up Universal Signalling talks about their systems which could drastically reduce the costs of resignalling our railways. Noel Dolphin from Fueer and Frey talks visitors through their system for adjusting catenary contact wire heights to prove whether bridges may (or may not) need to be replaced to allow for electrification. Potentially a massive cost saving for the railways. Rob gives visitors a run through of how the F&F adjustable catenary works.
After the presentations and demonstrations we were given a short tour of the site by Land Rover. This really gave people a sense of how vast, isolated (and high up) the site is.
Part of the opencast coal workings which have been filled in and landscaped. One of the old coal seams can be seen to the left. The area’s still rich in coal, but it’s best for the planet that it stays were it is. One of the long term plans for the site inside the test track is a solar and wind farm. Three former Heathrow Connect class 360/2’s are on site. The intention is to use them as mobile test platforms in the future. In the foreground is test track 4. at just over 400m long (and with a steep gradient) this could be used for testing vehicles such as RRVs. A long way from Heathrow…
Right, it’s late and I’m due back at the GCRE site along with colleagues from F&F in the morning. We’ve got a busy day ahead of us, then I’ve got to travel back to West Yorkshire. Hopefully, there’s no buses involved! So, it’s time for bed.
See you 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/
Today’s been one where I’ve managed to cut myself off from the troubles of the world (and the results of the American election) to concentrate on something uplifting. Right now I’m knee-deep in judging the Community Rail Awards 2025 entries, specifically the ‘It’s your station’ category. We’ve had 39 entries this year, many of them from stations which have never applied before. I’ve spent the day reading through the submissions, checking the information supplied and doing my first sift of the entries to see which categories they fall into. Bronze, Silver, Gold or Platinum. I can assure you, it’s nor all about station gardens either. Here’s some of the winners from this years Community Rail Awards.
As always, there’s some fantastic entries. Most of the stations I’m familiar with as I’ve visited them some time in the past (or even recently), a few I don’t really know at all. It doesn’t matter as we judge on the entries, some of which are incredibly inspiring as they showcase the best of the areas they represent and the total cross-section of people involved. Sometimes it’s easy to become jaded and cynical. These people, their achievements and their commitments to their communities restore your faith in humanity – something very much needed right now!
So, today’s picture is a reflection of what I’m seeing, although it’s not from a station that’s entered this year. These are some of the fantastic local history boards on display at Marple station in Cheshire.
I’ve a gallery dedicated to community rail on my Zenfolio picture website. You can find it here.
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/
Another week that’s begun with a day working from home, not that I’m complaining as it’s a nice way to ease oneself into a new week that’s the potential for being rather busy. Besides, I’ve most of the material I need for a new RAIL article now, so I can crack on with the first draft. Besides, having eaten out a lot (and drunk a fair bit too) I’ve decided to have a crack at losing a few pounds with the 5:2 diet, which means restricting your calorie intake to 600 a day for two days of the week. That’s much easier at home than when I’m on my travels – and I can combine it with a lot more regular exercise. It’s not that I’m overweight, I’m just nearer to top of the range I ensure I stay within. Today’s day 1 and it’s not been too bad, even though I’ve burned off a lot more calories walking over 18,000 steps as I had to stroll into Halifax to collect timber and screws for DIY chores at home. Still, it’s always nice to try something different, all I have to do now it take more care planning meals and making sure I don’t stuff myself on the other five days – especially as Dawn’s made another batch of her fabulous Bakewell tart and gorgeous lemon drizzle cake!
Today’s been made more pleasant by the fact we’ve only had the briefest of showers this morning whilst the afternoon and evening’s been graced with glorious sunshine. Temperatures are still low but after the conditions we’ve had recently – I’ll take it. Sadly, it seems this is a ‘for one day only’ sort of offer with the rain resuming tomorrow afternoon. Never mind, maybe I’ll get most of that article written…
Later this week I’ll be attending the RAIL Live event at Porterbrook’s Long Marston Rail Innovation Centre in Warwickshire. I just hope this massive outdoor event is graced with decent weather. At the moment the forecast’s looking promising so expect a rolling blog and pictures on Thursday. RAIL live’s a brilliant showcase of the latest kit (big and small) used by rail engineering companies. The site’s also used as a test facility and storage site for trains either recently withdrawn or waiting to go into service. So, today’s picture(s) are from the 2022 event, just to give you a flavour…
Brand new West Midland Railway Class 197s No’s 196010. 196106. 196011. 196109 and 196008 in store before entering service. Engineering company Furrer and Frey demonstrating their retractable 25kv overhead power supply. This can be used in depots or yards. Van Elle showing of some of their range of Road-Rail Vehicles.
I’ve a small favour to ask… If you enjoy reading this or any of the other blogs I’ve written, please click on an advert or two. You don’t have to buy anything you don’t want to of course – although if you did find something that tickled your fancy that would be fab! – but the revenue from them helps me to cover some of the cost of maintaining this site (which isn’t cheap and comes out of my own pocket). Remember, 99% of the pictures used in my blogs can be purchased as prints from my other website – https://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/
Today 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/
Over the Christmas shutdown Trans-Pennine Route Upgrade (TRU) teams have been busy in the Mirfield station area where a number of different jobs have been carried. I visited just before Christmas, when the place looked like this;
Looking West across the original station and platforms 2 and 1 from the newer wooden platform 3 which is located on the Up Slow. Looking East from the end of platform 3 with a Wigan – Leeds train passing on the Down Slow. The centre track is the Up fast, which was about to move…
Over the holiday period approximately 560 meters of the Up Fast was renewed and slewed to a new alignment. This allowed the rarely used platform 2 to be cut back, creating more room for future works. At the same time two new beams were lifted into place over Station Road. these will form part of the new station platform. Here’s how things looked today – the first day of the year where it hasn’t rained!Platform 2 has been abolished with the edging stones removed and earth cut back. It’s also been hoarded off from platform 1 which remains in use for Eastbound services. To the right you can see one of the new concrete beams which have been lifted into place over Station Rd. They’re protected by the white fencing. Here’s a slightly wider view.
Meanwhile, looking East…
The new view from the end of platform 3 look East, with a long section of the Up Fast having been relayed in its new position closer to the Up slow. Here’s a couple of pictures that give greater clarity. Back in May 2021 180112 approaches Mirfield From Wakefield on the Up Slow. Notice the position of the Up Fast. Here’s (almost) the same view today.
These are the first really substantial alterations at Mirfield, but there’s lots more to come as the four tracks are restored and the station’s completely rebuilt.
I’ve a small favour to ask… If you enjoy reading this or any of the other blogs I’ve written, please click on an advert or two. You don’t have to buy anything you don’t want to of course – although if you did find something that tickled your fancy that would be fab! – but the revenue from them helps me to cover some of the cost of maintaining this site (which isn’t cheap and comes out of my own pocket). Remember, 99% of the pictures used in my blogs can be purchased as prints from my other website – https://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/
Paul Bigland 