Tag Archives: West Yorkshire

16th December picture(s) of the day…

17 Saturday Dec 2022

Posted by in Food and drink, Ossett, Photography, Travel, West Yorkshire

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OK, this is a day late, but what the hell – I was busy!

Yesterday Dawn had to pop over to nearby Ossett, a town I’d never visited before so I tagged along to keep her company and enjoy the chance to explore. I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised by what I found.

Nestling on the side of the valley above the old Healy Mills railway marshalling yard, Ossett’s a small market town of 21,000 people. The town’s wealth was built on wool and coal although the former industry is long gone whilst the latter survives in vastly shrunken form. Nowadays the towns prosperity comes from its proximity to Leeds. Also long-gone is the town’s railway which closed in 1964. That’s why I’ve never had a reason to visit, until today!

Whilst Dawn went to her appointment I had a mooch around town. The main square’s been pedestrianised, as has the nearby portion of Station Rd. This has created an attractive area in the shadow of the Town Hall which is where the market’s held on Tuesdays and Fridays. I really enjoyed the market. Unlike many which survive by selling all sorts of plastic tat and cheap clothing, Ossett has some very good stall. There were a couple of fruit and veg stalls with a mix of local and imported produce at extremely good prices. Two vans were on site, one selling cuts of meat and the other fresh fish, whilst there were a number of other stalls selling bakery goods, including humongous bread rolls, fruit teacakes, pies and desserts. Oh, and an excellent cheese stall! I ended up spending quite a bit of money stocking up on various bits from several stalls – and stocked up my Xmas cheeseboard at the same time.

Stalls in the market Square which is surrounded by some lovely old buildings which don’t overpower. The one to the left is a former bank which now houses a pottery and arts cafe on the ground floor.
Quality local produce.
“This much Sir”? Measuring out a cut of cheese at the excellent cheese stall.
A close-up of some of the delicious cheese on offer.

Sadly, the town hall (which would have looked lovely bathed in the winter sunshine that blessed our visit) was swathed in scaffolding as it’s currently being refurbished. I did pop in to have a look as it contains several bric a brac stalls on market day but there was nothing that struck my fancy.

Inside the town hall.

However, behind the Town Hall, in what looks like a 1960s shopping complex I found something that did appeal. The Bier Huis. Their small shop front hides an Aladdin’s cave of UK and foreign bottled beers as well as a counter-bar selling draught real ales plus a couple of tables where you can sit whilst you enjoy them. I couldn’t resist buying some bottles of German and Belgian beers that I’d never tried before, plus an old favourite (Zot, from Brugge). added to the cheese I’d purchased earlier they made a great Xmas present to myself!

Choices, choices…

Like the Beer Huis, Ossett has many local and independent shops which make it stand out from the crowd. One gets fed up of identikit town centres dominated by the same chains and charity shops. Ossett made a refreshing change and, whilst there are some empty shops, there’s not anywhere as many as you find in the likes of Huddersfield, where we drove back to afterwards as Dee had to return to work. I had journey onward to Halifax which wasn’t easy due to the rail strike. Instead of the usual train I headed over to the bus station to wait for what should be a frequent (every 15 mins) service between the two towns. The place was busy – but not with buses. I had to wait 45 mins before a double-decker arrived. My only consolation was that I had a bag full of cheese and beer and wasn’t waiting at some God-forsaken stop in the middle of nowhere! Despite this, I really enjoyed getting out and about again. The day was rounded off by Dawn catching up with me again in our local pub where we net up with friends whilst enjoying a few beers and testing our knowledge using the quiz from the local pub paper. Not a bad day at all…

I’m looking forward to a return to Ossett market in the near future. Only this time I’ll be bringing more cash and a bigger shopping bag as there’s some real bargains to be had on that market.

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

Thank you!

15th December picture of the day…

15 Thursday Dec 2022

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

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It’s been another freezing day here at Bigland Towers, and another one where I’ve really not ventured far – apart from the back garden where I’ve been helping the local wildlife with food and water. People often feed the birds in the winter but water is just as important – especially in sub-zero temperatures when most sources are frozen solid. All my bird feeders are well-stocked but we had some porage oats going spare. They’re organic so should be virtuous. There’s only one problem. They take a bloody age to cook! We often have porage for breakfast – especially this time of year. Its ideal food for a cold winters day as it sticks to your ribs! Add some blueberry compote and a drizzle of honey and you’re set up for the day! We normally make ours in the microwave but found the organic ones we’d bought take at least twice (if not three times) as long to cook. Yesterday I went out and bought traditional Scotts porage oats, rendering the others surplus to requirements. Rather than throw them away I had the idea to feed them to the birds so I dumped a load by the water bowl in the garden. The Magpies and pigeons love ’em! Even the Robins and Thrushes have got in on the act although the Tits and Nuthatches are sticking to the seed-filled feeders.

Birdwatching aside I’ve been keeping busy (and warm) at home adding more old railway slides and other memorabilia for sale on eBay. Nearly 600 items went live this evening. You can find them here. https://www.ebay.co.uk/usr/pabig-725

I’ll be adding another selection later in the week.

Due to the rail strikes I couldn’t make it down to London for today’s traditional railway carol service by Euston (although I hope a good time was had by all) but tomorrow I will be on the road again, popping over to Ossett and visiting the local market, which I’ve never visited before. Dawn’s driving over so I thought I’d pop along, so expect a few pictures.

In the meantime, here’s today’s picture which was taken from our bedroom window earlier. This is looking over Sowerby Bridge and the Calder valley at dusk. The clear skies give you an idea what the temperatures going to be like tonight. Looks like I may have to defrost that birdbath in the morning…

An incoming flight from the USA (and a wind turbine below it) are the only things to mar clear skies as the sun sets over Sowerby Bridge and the Calder Valley today.

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

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

Thank you!

14th December picture(s) of the day…

14 Wednesday Dec 2022

Posted by in Huddersfield, Musings, Photography, West Yorkshire

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Despite the rail strikes and weather the pair of us strayed from Bigland Towers yesterday. Not that we went far. Dawn had a meeting with colleagues at the Community Rail Network office so I hitched a lift with her into Huddersfield and went for a wander around town. It was a depressing experience if I’m honest. Earlier in the day armed police carried out a big raid on a warehouse on the edge of the town centre which was a base for drug dealers (apparently). There was no sign of such fun and games on the streets but there was a melancholic air about the place. The amount of shops which have closed/are closing is quite depressing. Thriving the town ain’t. Big names like House of Fraser and Marks and Spencer have disappeared, never mind the multitude of local businesses. Even an old favourite – Millets – the outdoor specialist, is having its final sale before closing. Bargains were to be had but there was nothing I wanted or needed. It’s not just shops that have closed either, several bars and pubs have gone the way of all things too.

Whilst I was there I popped in to the railways station as at least Trans-Pennine Express were making an attempt to run trains, despite the strikes – unlike Northern. There was a roughly hourly service between Manchester Airport and York run by 6-car Class 185s. The trains I saw were mixed, some were busy, others very quiet – as if only the foolhardy (or desperate) were risking travelling. Typically (despite the sparseness of the service) TPE still couldn’t run to time. Every train was late by several minutes!

One Dawn and Co had finished their meeting we all met up for a post-work drink at the ‘Teepee’ which is a Xmas feature of St George’s Square. It serves a range of drinks including real ales, mulled wine, spirits, teas and coffees – and the heating system certainly keeps you warm. If you’re there after 7pm there’s often live music. All of us have had Christmas parties cancelled due to the strikes, so this was a welcome unofficial gathering. Still, it was good to while away a couple of hours doing something festive before venturing home in sub-zero temperatures, not that you’d stay all night with drinks at premium prices but then it shuts at 9pm! So, today’s pictures are a peek inside the teepee…

The statue of Harold Wilson looks over the Huddersfield Xmas Teepee…
The bar and central seating around the firepit.
The firepit (centre) with the stage area at the rear of the tent.

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

Thank you!

12th December picture of the day…

12 Monday Dec 2022

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

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We’ve had a wintery start to the week here at Bigland Towers. Snow arrived in the Calder Valley at the weekend and, whilst it’s hardly deep and crisp and even the dusting we’ve had is certainly sticking around. To make matters worse the temperature plummeted today with the mercury never getting above -2 but hitting -5 this morning whilst the valley itself disappeared behind a mask of freezing fog. So, I’ve spent the entire day indoors, not even making it out for my daily stroll. Instead, I’ve beavered away in the office sorting out pictures and filing in order to create some space in the calendar for the future (more about that later).

I doubt I’ll be venturing far for the rest of the week. Whilst the temperature’s due to creep above zero towards the end of the week there’s another problem. Tomorrow sees the start of the next round of rail strikes, only our local operator (Northern) has essentially thrown in the towel. They’re not bothering to run any service at all through Halifax and the Calder Valley until Sunday! That’s’ 5 days without any services across most of their network, which covers the whole of the North, taking in Cumbria, Yorkshire, the North-West and Cheshire, including major cities like Manchester. and Leeds (which sees a skeleton service based on the Aire valley electric trains, see below).

Sadly, there’s no sign of this dispute coming to an end. It looks like it will drag on well into next year. There’s conflicting reports coming out about who’s to blame for the breakdown in negotiations, as my RAIL magazine colleague, Phil Haigh, pointed out on Twitter earlier.

Whilst I can appreciate both sides of this dispute the people I feel for are those caught in the crossfire. I don’t just mean passengers, although having no trains here for the rest of the week when we have snow and ice on the ground is hardly desirable. I feel for the many small businesses who rely on the railways for their trade. The shop and cafe owners who’ve been suffering and struggling for years as Northern and the unions have been in regular disputes for years. The toll this has taken on many businesses goes unrecognised. Just as they were getting back on their feet Covid struck. Then, as they were slowly recovering from that we had the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the subsequent energy crises. Oh, and that’s without mentioning the impact Brexit has had, making goods ever more expensive. It’s been a perfect storm for rail-based businesses so I’m not in the least surprised to have seen how many had closed down when I was doing my recent round Britain trip for RAIL. Station cafes and shops the length and breadth of the network have gone forever, and my fear is that more will follow in the new year because there’s no sign of a light at the end of the tunnel. They’re the ‘collateral damage’ from these strikes.

Another casualty of these strikes is my annual visit to the Railway Carol service in London, which is being held in Euston on Thursday. There’s no way I can get there in time, and even getting back would be risky. Instead, I’ll be spending another day at home, planning another adventure that’s been deferred by Covid.

On Saturday I had confirmation of my flight to Singapore in January. I’ll be spending two months away from the Septic Isle, exploring old haunts in Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia – and also taking in some new sights too (hopefully). So, the enforced ‘downtime’ I have this week will allow me to start planning the trip. I’d originally hoped to have left the UK before Christmas, but the cost of flights was ridiculous. This many have been a blessing in disguise as the Christmas period is looking like a lousy time to travel due to the rail dispute and disruption at airports due to the Border Force taking strike action. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that the date I’ve chosen to fly out (January 10th) is in that ‘sweet spot’ between strikes. Time will tell.

So, don’t expect much in the way of new rail pictures from me this week, which is very frustrating as I have a market for railway snow scenes but no way of capturing them! Instead, here’s an archive shot taken in the Calder Valley several years ago.

On the 21st January 2013 ‘Pacer’ 144009 approaches Sowerby Bridge from the East with a service for Manchester Victoria.

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

Thank you!

10th December picture(s) of the day…

10 Saturday Dec 2022

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

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Apologies for the lack of blogging these past couple of days. I’ve been busy but too busy to blog and also wanted to have a time to enjoy my environment rather than always looking for words to describe it in a rolling blog. I was back in London and the South-East for the past few days – pictures of which will appear on my Zenfolio website tomorrow. Today’s been a more relaxing and family orientated day back in West Yorkshire. Aided and abetted by the fact we’ve had the first snowfall of the season. It’s not been much. I opened the bedroom blinds this morning to see a light dusting across the valley and around where we live, but we’re a few meters below the real snowline so it had little impact on us and what there was soon melted.

This afternoon was rather different as we headed over to Huddersfield for the annual Christmas Carol concert at Huddersfield Town Hall which features the Honley Male Voice Choir and guests. OK, I’m possibly slightly biased as my Father-in-Law sings with the choir! But, they do put on a fantastic Christmas show and the Carlton Main Frickley Colliery band who provide the musical accompaniment are excellent – as are the other guests. The surrounding are superb too. Where they play at Huddersfield Town Hall is an amazing space – as you’ll see shortly.

Now we’re back at home. Dawn is shouting at the TV as England play France in the world cup whilst I worry about my laptop as I type this. The cooling fans have developed asthma and sound on the cusp of giving out, so it looks like they’ll need replacing – especially as I’ll be off to Asia in the New Year. If they struggle in the UK when the temperatures are approaching sub-zero they’ll stand no chance in the tropics! It’s just another job to add to the long list I need tp sort before year end.

Meanwhile, here’s a picture – and video – from today’s concert.

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

Thank you!

7th December picture of the day…

07 Wednesday Dec 2022

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

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Blimey! What a change in the weather! We knew it had been forecast, but it’s still a shock when a cold snap arrives – especially after the mild times we’ve had so far. I’ve still got Lobelia and Geraniums flowering in the garden – in December! Waking up and opening the bedroom blinds to see ice everywhere made us realise how much the temperature had sunk. However, things were made more bearable during the day by the fact we’ve had clear, sunny skies – although those cloudless skies are coming back to haunt us now the sun’s dropped. The weather app on my computer is telling me the temperature outside is already below zero.

Like many people, we’re being economical with the central heating nowadays. Life in the UK is getting increasingly expensive. Well, unless you’re a friend of a Tory Cabinet Minister. In which case, you’ve probably money to throw away thanks to being granted ‘fast track’ access to sell the NHS billions in unusable PPE which is now costing is millions to store before it’s burned. For the rest of us it’s a case of cutting your cloth, so we’re donning more layers, knocking down the thermostat a degree or two whilst looking what else we can do to insulate our home. Oh, the joys of 12 years of Tory Government eh?

Meanwhile, we’re coming up to the festive season and year end. My plans are currently in flux. I’d hoped to get away for Christmas and New Year but the costs of flights to SE-Asia before Xmas were ridiculous. Instead I’m looking at heading off for a couple of months beginning in early January by flying to Singapore when the cost of flights has more than halved. This may be an accidental wise decision due to what looks like an impending ‘winter of discontent’. Not only are the rail unions extending their strikes due to bad faith in negotiations from the Government, it now looks like the UK Border force will be striking too – making escaping Brexit Island at Christmas problematic to say the least. Even if you can get to the airport you may never leave! Watch this space…

In the meantime, here’s today’s picture which was taken from the road above our house a few hours earlier. With clear skies like that you could literally feel the mercury plummeting.

Looking down on Sowerby Bridge and the Calder Valley…

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

Thank you!

4th December picture of the day…

04 Sunday Dec 2022

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

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We’ve had a quiet weekend here in Bigland Towers. Mainly because we’ve had a busy week and the weather’s not been brilliant, so we’ve made the most of the time to be able to kick-back at home and pick up on a few household chores, enjoy some of Dawn’s fabulous cooking – and sort out stuff for the forthcoming festive season. Our morning coffee was disturbed by the presence of the West Yorkshire police helicopter which spent the best part of an hour hovering over the valley before flying off to refuel and return. We knew it must be more than a road accident, so Dee checked the local Facebook groups and found that a teenage lad had gone missing in the early hours after a celebration. Many local people had joined in today’s search for them after they were reported missing. Overnight temperatures were so low he’d have been at risk of hypothermia if nothing else. Thankfully he was found and taken to hospital.

As the Mercury’s heading South whilst energy bills are rising I’ve spent some productive time insulating the kitchen door that leads out to the back of the house. It’s a single-skin wooden door of the two-part ‘stable’ variety, so I’ve reskinned the inside with s second layer of fibreboard along with an insulation layer sandwiched in-between. I’ve also removed and sealed up the cat flap now our old boy (Jet) is no longer with us. We’re not going to get another cat as they need all nine lives around here due to the idiot car-drivers who insist on treating the narrow road outside the house as a bloody racetrack. Our next-door neighbour has lost three cats this way and Jet’s sister (Cosmo) also got knocked down many years ago. We miss having a moggie about the place but at least we don’t have to worry about what to do with them when we go away.

DIY done and Dee’s cooking prepped we both enjoyed an afternoon constitutional stroll down into Sowerby Bridge to pick up a bit of shopping, have a drink at a local hostelry then wander back along the local canal before nightfall. Now we’re back at home. I’m catching up with some more picture editing whilst Dee’s been busy in the kitchen. There’s some fantastic smells wafting upstairs, one of which is a home-made Bakewell tart, which is competing with slow-cooked lamb!

The pair of us have another busy week tomorrow, which starts off with my father-in-law’s 88th birthday, so we’re off out for lunch. There won’t be a rolling blog, but there might be a few pictures in the evening. Talking of pictures, here’s todays. As Dawn’s been cooking up such a storm I couldn’t resist posting Sunday night’s supper. Slow-cooked Lamb rolled rump, served with Kale, roast Parsnips, Sprouts and roast Potatoes with gravy made from the slow-cooker stock.

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

Thank you!

29th November picture(s) of the day…

29 Tuesday Nov 2022

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

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As the last few weeks of autumn slip away and we enter the last month before winter (supposedly) sets in we’ve been enjoying a thoroughly foggy time here in the Calder Valley. Visibility hasn’t changed throughout the day, leaving the other side of the valley a memory. That said, it’s hardly a typical autumn. It’s been very wet and very mild. Of course, the usual suspects will claim this has absolutely nothing to do with man-made global warming. The rest of us who’ve lived long enough to have experienced a few decades of weather know that this is not normal. In my garden I still have Lobelia flowering. And Geraniums. There’s a lot of other fcuked-up plants as well. They’ve no idea what season this is meant to be. I suspect there’s quite a few wild animals wondering too.

Will the majority of people ever wake up to the reality of climate change before the damage becomes irreparable? Somehow, I doubt it – especially if it involves making personal sacrifices or lifestyle changes. After all, those gas guzzling SUVs are just so important for the school run, and the four-wheel drive is essential for popping down to Tescos.

You may have gathered I’m in cynical mode. Don’t worry, it won’t last. Well, not for long anyway. But my fuse when it comes to faux greens will always be measured in millimeters. You know the ones, they’re really Nimbys. They oppose any green development that’s going to impinge on their space on the grounds of ‘conservation’. Building HS2’s a classic example. Wind and solar farms are another. As far as they’re concerned, let the Maldives sink, as long as no-one chops any trees down around them whilst they’re alive.

OK, enough of the cynicism for now. I’ll have a full spleen-vent another day. In the meantime, I’ll leave you with a couple of ethereal pictures from today’s stroll around home.

Scarr woods looking rather spooky.
There’s a valley down there somewhere…

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

Thank you!

28th November picture of the day…

28 Monday Nov 2022

Posted by in Flora and Fauna, London, Musings, Photography, Picture of the day, Railways, Travel, West Yorkshire

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It’s been a frustrating day here in Bigland Towers as I’ve been chained to a desk and hot computer all day. I’ve got lots of work done – including having edited all the pictures from the past few days but I’d been hoping to get out for my usual stroll to keep the exercise levels up. Dawn had to take the day off to go and help a friend. That wouldn’t have been a problem apart from the fact two parcels were due to be delivered, so I agreed to wait in until they arrived. Only neither of them did. One company claimed to have called but no-one was in (‘oh yes – I bloody well was’!) and the other never showed up or even left a message, so what little exercise I got consisted of pacing back and forth from the office to the front window, watching out for delivery vans. Ho hum, maybe tomorrow…

As a consequence, it’s a short blog from me today. Still, here’s a few links to the various galleries containing the lates batches of photographs.

The GWR franchise

TfL/Elizabeth line

The GTR franchise

Infrastructure and engineering

Railway stations

Railway people

And last, but not least, a new gallery dedicated to Saturday’s Class 315 commemorative event.

There’s plenty to look at and not all is about trains themselves but also the people, infrastructure and stations that make up our rail network.

I’ll be working from home again tomorrow planning some other sorties, both UK and abroad, but I’m determined to get out at some point, even if it is just a stroll around the valley. In the meantime, here’s today’s picture, which illustrates the sometimes-uneasy relationship we have with our feathered friends, especially in cities.

These tree pigeons are roosting on the handrail of the main staircase in the ‘Lawn’ at Paddington station where they’re surrounded by cafes and restaurants. There’s a constant stream of people passing by but they’ve come to a wary truce with them, even if the truce isn’t reciprocated due to the mass they make with their droppings. But as far as the pigeons are concerned, it’s warm and sheltered with plenty of scraps on offer…

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

Thank you!

Rolling blog. An impromptu day out…

18 Friday Nov 2022

Posted by in Manchester, Photography, Railways, Rolling blogs, Travel, West Yorkshire

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10:37.

My original plan to work at home today has been altered by a change in the weather. The forecast for the next few days is lousy but today (so far) has bucked the trend – and the forecast – so I’m heading over to Manchester for a couple of hours in the hope of checking on progress on Trans-Pennine electrification and return clothes I bought from Uniqlo the other day. I’m flattered to say that ‘medium’ size is just too big!

Right now I’m on the train from Sowerby Bridge to Manchester Victoria. It’s a Chester bound service operated by a pair of 2-car Class 195s which is pretty busy for the time of day although I had no problem bagging a table seat to set up the mobile office. This is a lovely time of year to be traversing the Calder valley as the colours in the remaining leaves on the trees are glorious and the low winter light shows them at their most intense. I only hope the sunshine I’m seeing now stays with me. Let’s see. Expect some pictures soon…

11:15.

Neither my luck nor the weather’s held, so it’s time for a different mode of transport to Shank’s pony…

13:50.

That was an interestinginterlude! I caught a couple of trams out to Ashton-Under-Lyme which turned out to be a good idea as the rain persisted until a few minutes after I arrived. The plan was to have a look at progress electrifying the line from Manchester Victoria to Stalybridge. This should have been completed years ago but it was one of the schemes delayed by political dithering. Now it’s well underway. Now, most of the masts and stanchions are in place.

802206 speeds through Ashton-under-Lyme en-route from Liverpool Lime St to Newcastle whilst the masts march towards Stalybridge.

16:00.

I chose to walk between Ashton and Stalybridge in order to check out the views from various bridges on the way. It was an interesting trip as it took me down all sorts of streets I’d never explore otherwise. The area’s a maze of brick-built, late Victorian terrace houses with patches of much wealthier properties. But not all’s well. In the space of a couple of hundred meters I passed three closed pubs. One was derelict, one was ‘closed until further notice’ and the other was up for sale.

I find derelict pubs terribly sad buildings as I can imagine all the happy times people must have had there in the past. They were community centres, but now they’re dying.

I arrived at ‘Stalyvegas’ station just as the rain did, so ended up with a soaking, but I dried out on the train back into central Manchester, where I am now, indulging in my least favourite activity. Shopping!

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

Thank you!