Tag Archives: rail travel

Sep 10 2025
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Daily Post, Transport

Rochdale station (unscheduled)

Tuesday 9th September 2025, 12 noon (day 5,129)

Rochdale station, 9/9/25

With the main rail line through Huddersfield closed this month — apparently it’s an ‘upgrade’ though that could mean anything — services are being routed along the Calder Valley line and adding further pressure to an already-creaking system. I was not supposed to have 20 minutes or so of hanging out at Rochdale station today, but here it is.

The tower over there has always impressed me — the building used to be a fire station, so presumably this is an observation tower, from the days before 999.

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Jul 18 2025
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Portrait, Stranger

In need of a holiday

Thursday 17th July 2025, 8.15am (day 5,075)

Asleep on train, 17/7/25

Apologies to this stranger for the somewhat unflattering portrait, but it’s a picture of myself, really: particularly as I was feeling on the train into work today. At least the summer holiday is now clearly in view ahead.

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Jul 15 2025
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Daily Post, Portrait, Stranger

Passing through

Monday 14th July 2025, 12.55pm (day 5,072)

Newcastle station, 14/7/25

You can see where I was when this was taken. Newcastle marks more-or-less the halfway point on the rail journey between Dundee and Hebden Bridge, at least in terms of time taken. I just like the shape she makes and the way the pink jacket in the background sets off the rest.

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Jul 12 2025
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Daily Post, Transport

Bad shot of great bridge

Thursday 10th July 2025, 7.05pm (day 5,068)

Forth Bridge from train, 10/7/25

This is the fifth photo of one or other of the Forth bridges to appear on here, and all apart from one (17/8/2021) have been taken while moving, usually on a train though the first one was an exception, as I was a passenger in a car on that occasion. Meaning none of them have been of the rail bridge: when on a train, all you get to see of it are some close-up girders. Anyway, I am sure this is a terrible photograph in some ways but in other ways I quite like it. It looks like something ephemeral, maybe three stupendous maypoles lined up over the estuary.

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May 15 2025
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Daily Post, Landscape

Somewhere in Fife

Thursday 15th May 2025, 7.50pm (day 5,012)

View from Fife train, 15/5/25

The last time I posted a picture taken in Scotland was from the crossing of the Forth on 30th May last year. I crossed it again today, and nearly went for the same theme: whether one uses the road or the rail bridge, the views are invariably excellent. But this one isn’t bad, either, about half an hour further along the journey towards Dundee — and towards sunset. I think this was taken from somewhere near Markinch station; somewhere in Fife, anyway. What’s the building? No idea.

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Mar 14 2025
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Daily Post, Transport

Train driver (pastel)

Friday 14th March 2025, 3.40pm (day 4,950)

Once again, I am off somewhere different, mainly because it sustains my interest in this blog, the world, life, etc. Leg one ended at Leeds railway station, where this is taken. It occurred to me while sitting waiting for my second train to depart that I had the chance to capture this incognito shot of the driver getting ready to leave on platform 9 next door. The ‘pastel’ scribblings to the left are then the latest reflected self-portrait. Possibly, then, this is a terrible photo, but I’ll move on.

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Mar 04 2025
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Daily Post, Portrait, Stranger

In our own worlds

Monday 3rd March 2025, 8.25am (day 4,939)

Commuter portraits, 3/3/25

Onto the 7:56 from Hebden Bridge we pack, a cattle truck most days. But the physical intimacy doesn’t mean social contact. Taking photos in these circumstances is some kind of transgression, isn’t it? But wrapped in their worlds, no one noticed.

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Dec 31 2024
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Daily Post, Transport

On Lancaster station

Monday 30th December 2024, 5.20pm (day 4,876)

Lancaster station, 30/12/24

2024’s penultimate picture might be better focused, but what the hell, I think it gives it something of an enigmatic feel. And perhaps I wanted to take a picture of the scaffolding. What’s she doing? Who knows, but let’s hope that if it involved getting a train somewhere, she has patience.

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Nov 12 2024
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Daily Post, Landscape, Transport

Train at Blea Moor

Monday 11th November 2024, 9.45am (day 4,827)

Train at Blea Moor, 11/11/24

The 09:47 service from Ribblehead (ex Carlisle) to Leeds is more or less on time. This is the Settle-Carlisle railway, one of the country’s finest. In the background, Ingleborough, definitely the best-looking English mountain outside the Lake District — it’s 3,730 days (or 10 years, 2 months and 16 days) since it made its first appearance on here, on my 45th birthday day out (26/8/2014). And as it’s a good place to come for a day out, on the first appearance of sunshine for about two weeks — it was worth coming back.

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Sep 22 2024
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Daily Post, Transport

Friedrichstraße station, Sunday morning

Sunday 22nd September 2024, 7.35am (day 4,777)

Sunday morning, Friedrichstrasse, 22/9/24

This being one of the world’s great party cities, I am sure there were a reasonable number of Berliners who were comfortably still on their Saturday night out at 7.35am: but I will never be a person like that again. Personally, I was on the way to the airport. It’s been a good and potentially transfomative trip.

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