We’ve had an interesting day here in West Yorkshire, and rather a sobering one -despite having visited a couple of pubs. We nipped out for lunch at the Robin Hood pub in Cragg Vale near Mytholmroyd, a hostelry where we’ve not eaten for ages. Funnily enough, we both plumped for the same thing. Home-made Haggis and black pudding pie served with chips and gravy. Talk about filling! Neither of us could finish our meals – even though we’d ordered one portion of chips between us! The rest of the repast came home with us in a cardboard ‘doggie bag’ to be savoured later.
Burp!
On the way back we decided to pop in to a local reservoir just to see how things are going. Whilst we’ve had some rain recently, there’s been nowhere near enough to top up supplies, and some reservoirs are getting dangerously low. Like this one. Baitings reservoir.
Looking East towards the dam and Ripponden. Here’s looking the other way. The old bridge you see has only reappeared a few times since the dam was constructed in 1956. This has happened twice since 2020.
Our curiosity was piqued, so we visited several more reservoirs. Here’s one many people will recognise as it can be seen from the M62. This is Booth Wood, with the M62 in the background. Not as bad a Baitings, but perilously low for July.
Our last port of call was another location visible from the M62. Scammonden.
What’s noticeable here is the way plants have colonised the sides of the lake, which shows just how long the levels have been low..
There’s no heavy or persistent rain forecast – the opposite in fact. So these levels are only going to get worse. Still think Climate Change is a myth and this is just normal and nothing to worry about? Think again.
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Here we are, over the hump of 2025 and into the slide towards the end of the year. Not that I’m being pessimistic, but this has been quite a mixed year. Hopefully, all it can do is improve.
There’s only a short blog from me today as I’m out and about tomorrow, visiting various stations and lines in order to research a future article for RAIL magazine. This means getting up at silly o’ clock in order to be on an 06:00 train from Halifax. Expect a rolling blog from my travels.
Today, I’ve been busy at home, sorting out bits for next weeks travels, paperwork, and yet more picture collating. Remember my recalcitrant hard-drive? The little sod is playing ball today so I’ve been busy stripping pictures from it. Hopefully, I’ll recover all I need.
In between all this the pair of us have been able to get out and enjoy the sunshine – although the wind has taken the edge off temperatures, although some people will see that as a welcome respite from the highs we’ve seen recently. Me? I’m used to tropical climes, so I’m happy as Larry in the heat! Even so, I can’t complain about the recent rains. It saves me watering the garden and depleting our perilously low reservoirs even more.
Now for today’s picture, which is one from the database I’ve just been recovering. They’re all from the year 2018. Looking back, it was a helluva busy one, with press trips to several countries, as well as holidays to the USA and SE-Asia. This image is from the press trip previewing Eurostar’s new service from London to Amsterdam. We were given access to the cab during different parts of the trip, and my picture shows the driver acknowledging a Netherlands railway service shortly after leaving Rotterdam on the 20th February 2018.
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/
It’s a new week and I’m back blogging after a few days off due to being busy at home. Dawn’s returned from her latest Surrey sojourn which means we’ve had a lot of things to catch up upon. Sadly, Dee’s been knackered after her time down South so I’ve been stepping in to take over various chores.
Added to that has been my ever-changing work calendar which now sees me trying to arrange some short-notice writing jobs in order to free up time later in the month for other travels. Oh, then there’s been the weather. Today’s been one of the hottest June days ever in the Pennines. The results aren’t yet in – but it’s not likely to have been short of the record reached in 2015. The fact so many records have been reached (and broken) over the past 20 years is worrying, but the Climate Change denialists still dismiss the changes and increasing average temperatures as just ‘weather’ (ignoring the graphs and mountains of other data).
As someone who’s not young enough to worry about how the climate will be in 20 years time, I’ve been enjoying the sun (if not the sweating). Having spent the morning working I was happy to get out for a walk into Sowerby Bridge in order to stretch my legs and pick up some shopping, then enjoy a stroll along the Calder and Hebble navigation (a fancy name for the canal heading East from Sowerby Bridge). Mind you. you’re not going to be going anywhere West from Sowerby Bridge on the Rochdale canal – because it’s dry. The pound below the Tuel Lane lock (the deepest in England) is barren and unnavigable due to a shortage of water. Several canals are suffering from the drought, including the Huddersfield narrow canal in the Colne valley next door. The UKs canal network is a fantastic resource, but it’s already being hit by climate change as weather patterns alter and droughts become more common.
I took this picture in mid-May. The scene is even worse today as that narrow stream from Tuel Lane lock behind the camera has become a trickle. It’s especially sad as the UK’s canal network helps tackle climate change, as the Canal and River trust explain on their website.
Anyway, that’s today’s picture – both photographic and pessimistic. In the meantime, I’m determined to make the most of the planet we have – whilst we still have it! What you buggers decide to do with it after I’m gone isn’t my concern. But perhaps think about what your children (or grandchildren) may inherit?
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/
Apologies for the gap over the last couple of days but I’ve been busy with other projects, including a day out to see progress on the Trans-Pennine Route Upgrade (TRU) that saw me cover so much ground (over 35,000 steps) that there was no time to do a rolling blog worth its name. Today, I’ve been based at home. I’m in the final throes of ‘spring cleaning’ (OK, OK, I know it’s officially summer, but that’s when I started!) and sorting out plans for the rest of the year, but more of those anon.
The weather has begun to pick up again these past few days, but I’ve really enjoyed stopping to watch the changing skies over the Calder valley during my daily walk. We’ve had some really moody ones as the clouds and rain jostle for supremacy with the sun. They’ve been well worth getting caught by showers just to watch the displays – and get a few pictures like these;
Sun breaks through the clouds to illuminate a small patch of woodland and highlight the pylons and cables on the South side of the Calder valley. Norland looking lovely in the evening sunlight.
I mentioned TRU earlier. I’ve lots of pictures in the editing queue, but here’s a taster.
A pair of Trans-Pennine Express Class 185s bound for Scarborough head East through Heaton Lodge Junction, where the line from the Calder Valley sweeps in from the left. There’s a huge amount of work going on here as a new alignment is being built. You can see the new cutting for the fast lines taking shape to the right of the big crane. The bridge I’m standing on to take this picture will soon be replaced by a new structure just in front of the camera. For those unfamiliar with the area, Heaton Lodge junction is between Deighton, Huddersfield (behind the camera) and Mirfield.
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I’ve had another productive day here in’t Pennines – even if the weather has been wild and windy. I’ve been reminded why growing Lupins in the front garden is leaving a hostage to fortune. There’s hardly a year goes by where their flowers don’t get battered and smashed by high winds! This year’s no exception, apart from the fact there’s been few flower stems this year. That said, the offshoots I’ve planted at the back of the house have fared better due to being sheltered from the winds coming off the valley. Whilst it’s been windy with some depressingly grey clouds hanging around, the only rain we seem to have had was overnight. To think, this time last week the sun was cracking the flags!
Much of my day has been spent wading through the hundreds of pictures I took last week. Now they’re all edited, captioned and on y Zenfolio website. There’s too many updated galleries to list individually, so here’s a link to the ‘recents’ section which will show you which ones have been updated. Now that’s done I can concentrate on other things – although that means another day staying in as I’ve a lot of stuff to sort out in the cottage. At least I don’t have to get goggle-eyed staring at a computer screen for most of the day!
Talking of which – it’s time to go. But first, here’s the picture of the day, which was taken at Manchester Piccadilly on my way back from London.
For the photographers amongst you. This was taken on a Nikon Z9 with a 100-400mm lens at 400mm – 1/000sec at F8 and 500asa.
Transport for Wales are one of several operators who run trains to Manchester Airport. Here’s one of their new CAF built Class 197s passing through Piccadilly station, having left Holyhead on Anglesey earlier in 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/
Funny old world, innit – eh? As I write this on the second day of summer the rain’s beating on the bedroom window as it’s hammering down outside. Summer was nice whilst it lasted, but that was what we normally call spring. Fortunately, I browsed various weather forecasts to find what they nearly agreed on, so I’m back in the warm and dry despite having ventured out for long enough to get my obligatory 5 mile walk under my belt.
All in all, it’s not been a bad day, despite the weather. I’ve sorted out lots of stuff – including picture databases and hard-drives which are always fraught with unexpected problems because ‘tech’ never really behaves the ways you expect, when you want. It also seems to have a sixth sense, working out exactly when to play up in order to give you maximum stress and inconvenience.
Now it’s time for me to relax and let hard-drive talk to hard-drive whilst I watch a film. In the meantime, here’s a picture from today. On my walk through the local woods I pass this lovely little ‘fairy’ tree. It’s grown quite a bit over the last few months as new items are always being added. I don’t know whose idea it was, or even who maintains it as I never see them, but the idea fascinates and uplifts me during these troubled times.
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 a hot and sticky one here in West Yorkshire. Temperatures have hit 28 degrees here in the Calder valley, yet much of the day skies have been overcast with little breeze to ameliorate the heat. Still, I’m not complaining. Much of my day’s been spent indoors anyway as I catch up with various chores after a few days away. The washing machine’s been busy and my computer keyboards taken a bashing as I catch up with emails, invoicing and picture editing – along with researching future opportunities. Expect several hundred pictures to appear on my Zenfolio website over the next few days.
By early evening I was ready for a break so nipped out for a long walk, picking up some food shopping before ending up in my local pub (the Big 6) in time to join friends for the Friday quiz – and a slice of free pork pie! The quiz is neither competitive nor serious, digressions and anecdotes are not only allowed, they’re de rigueur! Despite such meandering we were finished by 19:30, at which point is was time for me to wend my way home for a quiet night in (Dawn’s away with her family in Surrey). Now I’m editing the hundreds of pictures I’ve taken this week whilst listen to music. Tonight’s soundtrack is provided by Todd Rundgren.
I’ll leave you with two pictures today.
Waiting at Brixton for the very first Northbound underground train of the day at 05:41 yesterday. No riots, no graffiti just ordinary Londoners on their way to work (and me). Meanwhile, back in West Yorkshire, it’s free pork pie Friday in the Big 6, with an ever-changing range of real ales as a backdrop.
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/
I know, I know – I’ve been abysmal at blogging these past couple of months. The worst I’ve been for years. It’s been caused by various reasons I won’t go into but I’m hoping to put matters right soon.
Right now, I’m typing this from home in the Pennines after another varied day. We’ve had a lot of wet weather this past week or so which has been one of the reasons I’ve not been out with the camera. Another has been trying to finally make sense of some of my picture databases and indulge in some consolidation after two decades of digital photography where files started to get a bit random. I’m now copying many of those odd files to one hard-drive in the hope that I can finally get rid of duplicates and realise exactly what it is I’ve got. Oh, then there’s the few 1000s of old slides which never got scanned which I’m desperately trying to whittle down to see what keeping and what isn’t!
In between all this I’ve sandwiched social events with Dawn’s family (and mine) plus work – and trying to make something of the sunny days when they re-appear. Then there’s plans for the future…
I’ll be back in London (albeit briefly) at the end of this week, combining business with pleasure – and the chance to catch up with some old friends. Now it’s the summer season my diary is looking increasingly busy but I’ve got to the stage where I’m going to pick and choose as I can’t do everything. There’s something to be said for slowing down and enjoying a less frenetic life – although there’s a lot of places I want to explore and things that I want to see – so watch this space.
According to some weather forecasts we’re due to have a bright sunny and very warm day here tomorrow. If so, expect a rolling blog as I head off for the day – although I’ve no idea where as yet. In the meantime, here’s today’s picture. Have a pigeon, travelling ticketless on a train, but clearly on the look-out for Inspectors…
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 the only dry and sunny day we’re going to have in the Pennines this week, so I’m off out with the camera. It’s rather appropriate as today the Government have announced massive investment in public transport across the region, including funding for the long hoped for Leeds tram network – amongst other things (more of which later).
Right now I’ve made it to Bradford – which will eventually be on the end of the tram line from Leeds. I’m at Bradford Forster Square heading for Shipley where I’ll take a break to update a few pictures.
12:00.
I’m still at Shipley, the UK’s last remaining triangular station. The reason being, it’s proved to be rather busy. From the May timetable change, LNER began running regular services to Bradford Forster Square, which has added more variety. Plus, charter company West Coast railways had a Carnforth to Great Yarmouth ‘Northern Belle’ dining train scheduled, which was worth hanging around for. Having had time to mooch around meant I noticed a few other things, like this.
A SPAD (Signal Passed At Danger) repeater. Easily identified by their blue hoods, these signals were once common at locations where drivers were likely to overshoot signals. Most have disappeared.
How’s this for a vintage survivor? Regional Railways Noth East ceased to exist back in the 1990s!
A train from Bradford Forster Square to Skipton calls at platform 5 at Shipley. Whilst the other sides of the triangle are double track, this is nowadays a single line as the opposite track and platform were abandoned in the 1980s.Former Virgin ‘Thunderbird’ 57314, now named ‘Conwy Castle’ hauls empty stock from Carnforth to Great Yarmouth through Shipley.
13:35.
Having made it to Leeds I’m taking a break to do some admin work whilst considering my next options – which are a little restricted due to Trans-Pennine Route upgrade ‘bustitutions’ and the fact some of the things I’d hoped to photograph haven’t happened. On the plus side, I did find this opportunity as soon as I arrived.
Former Colas but now operated by GBRf, 60047 waits for the road at Leeds whilst working an empty stone train from Hull Dairycoates to Rylstone.
16:00.
I’ve decided to curtail my travels and channel my inner-child by becoming a platform-ender at Leeds. Since I’ve lived in this neck of the woods I’ve explored all the rail lines across Yorkshire, so there’s little for me to discover. Plus, the weather hasn’t quite worked out the way I’d hoped. Instead, I’m going to enjoy a few hours watching the world go by at Yorkshire’s premier railway station (cue squeals of outrage from York). Mind you, half the fun of being here is watching people as much as trains..
I was lucky enough to capture the first of the two Class 150 variants passing each other earlier – whilst a modern Hitachi train looks on. These BR built units are reaching the end of their lives and the process of replacing them has begun.
18:45.
Homeward bound. Well, via Bradford and a stroll twixt Forster Square and Interchange! I had intended to post a few mire pictures from Leeds, but the station wifi decided not to play ball. I’ll add them when I get home. Right now, I’m aboard one of the unique bubble-fronted Class 332s built by Siemens/CAF that you can only find working the Leeds/Bradford/Ilkley/Skipton circuit. Their Class 333 cousins used to work Heathrow Express services from Paddington, but they met their end several years ago. My train’s well patronised, but then, as it’s the first post-peak fare service that’s hardly surprising.
My train and a sister unit at Forster Square.
19:40.
I arrived at Forster Square just in time to negotiate my way through the ranks of the city’s homeless and poor who were queuing up for hot drinks and second hand clothes that were being distributed by local charities. There’s a lot of money being invested in the cities infrastructure and transport, but decades of poverty, homelessness, and lack of opportunity are not so easy a nut to crack.
Now I’m aboard my last train of the day – a Class 150/2 working the Bradford – Huddersfield shuttle.
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/
Please accept my apologies for a prolonged absence, this has been due to a number of factors, but now I’m back to look over a world that seems to be getting madder and more bizarre than ever. My time away has been spent here at home in West Yorkshire where the long dry spell and constant sunshine has been replaced with grey skies, wind and rain. The rain’s been very welcome, especially as it’s not resulted in any flooding or mayhem. That said, it’s still nowhere near enough to fill the reservoirs, but the landscape is looking far less scorched and brown than it was. Now the valley’s displaying a multitude of shades of green and I’m spared a daily chore of dashing around with a watering can (for now at least). The winds have been a different matter, they’ve shredded a lot of trees, leaving forest paths littered with destroyed foliage and ripped off branches. Thankfully, I was prepared and my Lupins and other tall plants were already staked and tied in advance.
Whilst the weather’s changed the craziness of the political arena (both home and abroad) hasn’t. The orange felon in control of the White House is still as unpredictable and incoherent as ever. It’s excruciating to watch his TV interviews and pronouncements as it’s clear that Trump has all the intelligence of an amoeba. I look on with a mix of amusement and horror that such an ignorant narcissist can become the President of the most powerful country on earth – although he seems to be doing his best to ensure the US soon loses that appellation.
Meanwhile, here in the UK we have our own Poundshop version of Trump in the form of the ‘Fagash Fuhrer’, Nigel Farage. Like Trump, he has a cultlike following. Both followings have something in common. Poor education and a willingness to believe whatever nonsense their heroes feed them. Farage latest grift (Reform UK) is doing very well in the pools, but not so well in running the local councils they find themselves running. The only reason they haven’t made a complete balls-up of things (yet) is how many of their elected Councillors (and the Mayor of Lincs) are actually rebadged and recycled Tories. The ‘newbies’ are less fortunate (and even more incompetent competent) as there’s a steady stream of revelations about unsavory pasts that have led to a constant stream of suspensions or resignations – or new Councillors just not turning up and vanishing!
So, it’s been an interesting week. Next week will see me back on my travels as I have a few events to attend. Plus, Dawn and I are heading over to Southport for the weekend where we’ll have chance to catch up with some members of my family, friends – and attend the food and drink festival.
Expect regular blogs from herein…
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/
