Paul Bigland's blog page.

[The Ham]

Thanks, that works fine. What did you do?

I found the link from another source.

 

[Snapper]

My last blog from Kuala Lumpur before heading North, featuring some vintage UK designed traction. https://paulbigland.blog/2023/01/25/asian-adventure-day-156-kuala-lumpur-day-10/

 

[Snapper]

An old favourite returns thanks to the crazy people at 'greensagainstHS2' https://paulbigland.blog/2023/03/06/crazy-anti-hs2-campaigner-of-the-week-no-34/ #hs2

 

[Snapper]

Today's blog. Another day checking out work on the Trans-Pennine route upgrade, plus old signalboxes and a a nostalgic 10 minutes at Leeds. https://paulbigland.blog/2023/04/25...SsBpAz5JfvPkBl6sLY-p3vxADgG-AoNIzkUe9E4_uKECk

 

[Snapper]

New blog. My take on Monday's Public Accounts Ctte hearing on HS2 at Euston and why what wasn't talked about was more interesting and important than what was.

On Monday the Public Accounts Committee of MPs took oral evidence on the pause of HS2 construction at Euston station. Anyone expecting any real answers as to how we got to this sorry state will have been sadly disappointed at the session as it was more the ‘dunno’ show than generating any real insights. It was also curious for what was not said or discussed as much as what was.

The PAC oral hearing on HS2. More like the ‘dunno show’ than getting to the bottom of things…

On Monday the Public Accounts Committee of MPs took oral evidence on the pause of HS2 construction at Euston station. Anyone expecting any real answers as to how we got to this sorry state will hav…

paulbigland.blog

 

[Snapper]

It's out - Crazy anti-#HS2 campaigner of the week. No 36;

"Yes – it’s back! It’s been increasingly difficult to find candidates for this feature as there’s so few people left pretending they can stop HS2 and the ones that are would all (in one way or another) qualify for this title. But one does stand head and shoulders above the others at the moment"....


https://paulbigland.blog/2023/06/27/crazy-anti-hs2-campaigner-of-the-week-no-36/… featuring the Uxbridge by-election and Sarah Green.

 

[Snapper]

Today's blog. Checking out the Trans-Pennine route upgrade progress in West Yorkshire. Old signalboxes and new stations... https://paulbigland.blog/2023/06/28/rolling-blog-more-trans-pennine-tru-changes/

 

[Snapper]

Today's blog - and pictures from a trip to and from the Windermere branch, along with fun and games on the WCML thanks to an 'operational incident' at Lostock .

Rolling blog. Windermere wandering…

10:30. Today’s the only decent weather window that’s forecast for several days so I’m out and about updating some library pictures as well as images for a client. I’d two op…

paulbigland.blog

 

[Snapper]

Today's blog. One of those days where everything on the #railways that can go wrong does go wrong!

"It’s than two years ago that I was last exploring the coastline around Cleethorpes and the mouth of the Humber but changes to the railways have come (and gone) since"...

https://paulbigland.blog/2023/07/19/rolling-blog-lincolnshire-loafing/

 

[Snapper]

Here's a picture blog looking back at what was once an everyday feature of the skyline of Britain's towns and cities that was often glimpsed from passing trains. Now they're rare. Gasometers. https://paulbigland.blog/2020/11/07/the-changing-railway-background-where-have-the-gasometers-gone/

 

[Snapper]

Did @TheGreenParty pointless opposition to High Speed 2 in #UxbridgeAndSouthRuislip help the Tories win the seat? I've crunched the byelection numbers in this blog. https://paulbigland.blog/2023/07/21/the-byelection-conundrum-for-the-green-party-over-hs2/

 

[Snapper]

A new rolling blog describing a trip to Grimsby for an outing along the Barton on Humber branch and some of its attractions.

Rolling blog. Lincolnshire reprise…

05:50. If at first you don’t succeed… It’s time for a day away form the office and out on the rails. But where to? I’ve several places on the list to tick off but – as…

paulbigland.blog

 

[Snapper]

There's a lot of froth in the media today that HS2 is 'unachievable' as its received a RED rating from the Infrastructure and Projects Authority. Here's a blog explaining why that's just lazy journalism that fails to give any actual analysis. Crossrail was rated 'unachievable' too - as were all the new Hitachi trains - and two Royal Navy aircraft carriers... https://paulbigland.blog/.../more-lousy-journalism-from.../ Lord Reith must be spinning in his grave...

 

[Snapper]

Today's blog. A look at #hs2 construction progress in the Colne Valley and #Calvert. https://paulbigland.blog/2023/08/01/that-was-a-day-that-was/

 

[Snapper]

I've added a large selection of pictures of HS2 construction work from Curzon St, the Colne Valley viaduct and Calvert taken last week. You can find them here.

Building High Speed 2

Now that construction of High Speed 2 has started I thought it time to open a gallery dedicated to the project. So, here it is. Like my gallery on Hs1 I'm starting off by looking at the areas which will be transformed by the line. Like Hs2 this gallery will be years in the making, so it'll be...

paulbigland.zenfolio.com

There's also a selection of E-W rail pictures, here

East-West rail

25th June 2021: This is a new gallery which is dedicated to the reopening and construction of the old 'Varsity line' or East-West rail as it's now known.

paulbigland.zenfolio.com

 

[Snapper]

A new blog documenting a visit to the Blyth and Tyne freight network and its old signalboxes, many of which are closing as part of the lines refurbishment ready for the reintroduction of passenger trains to Ashington in 2025. https://paulbigland.blog/2023/08/10/rolling-blog-blyth-and-tyne-time/

 

[Snapper]

Here's a new blog analysing the latest load of tosh about #Hs2, this time it's from Larry Elliott in the Guardian and he's no less than their Economics Editor!

More lousy journalism from the mainstream media about HS2…

This morning social media’s in a froth because of some crap journalism from the mainstream media, including the BBC. It seems they’ve finally caught up with some old news that on the 20…

paulbigland.blog

 

[Snapper]

Here's a new blog with pictures following a visit (not without difficulties) to the new Siemens train factory at Goole in East Yorkshire, where the first new tube trains for the Piccadilly line in London will start to be built from March 2024.

Rolling blog. A Gooleish day… | Paul Bigland

 

[Snapper]

Yesterday's blog. A whirlwind visit to the Wirral involving photographing new trains, old trains, refurbished trains - and losing (albeit briefly) my phone. https://paulbigland.blog/.../rolling-ish-blog-wirral.../

 

[Snapper]

There's a new blog comparing old pictures of the East-West rail line around Calvert/Steeple Claydon between 2011, 2021 and 2023. Plus a link to a lot of other old 2011 pictures I've added to my website recently.

29th August picture(s) of the day…

There’s a short blog from me I’ve been up to my neck in archive pictures for most of the day. Not because I’d planned it that way but because I had a rather unusual request which …

paulbigland.blog

 

[Snapper]

New blog. Has Labour changed its mind on building HS2 in full? No. In a series of media interviews and Tweets four Shadow Ministers made that clear today. https://paulbigland.blog/2023/09/18/has-labour-changed-its-mind-on-building-hs2-no/

 

[Snapper]

Today's blog. Train tests and more around the Anglia region. My, how Liverpool St's changed in character! https://paulbigland.blog/2023/09/28/rolling-blog-chasing-trains/

 

[Snapper]

Today's blog. Bumbling around Hampshire, old stations, TV history - plus trains and bridges. https://paulbigland.blog/2023/09/29/rolling-blog-tilford-tales-day-6/

 

[Snapper]

Today's blog is short and 'sweet'. https://paulbigland.blog/2023/10/04/rishi-sunak-railways-and-hs2-what-a-lying-****-show/

 

[The Ham]

Today's blog is short and 'sweet'. https://paulbigland.blog/2023/10/04/rishi-sunak-railways-and-hs2-what-a-lying-****-show/

Something from the Network North document, it states that:

benefits fall disproportionately on London and the South East

Well, if you look at the graphic, the benefits to the Southeast is 4% compared with 16% for the west midlands and 29% for the North West.

Yes London is much larger (at 41%), however it also has a larger population, when you adjust for population compared to the North West's 29 it comes out at 33, closing the gap considerably (they aren't percentages any more as we're not comparing to 100).

18th August to 3rd September had 30 day rolling average of between 79% and 82% (to get to less than 78% you have to search back to June, but in doing so you also pass write a few days at 84% or 85% for the average rolling 30 day value) the time period compared in the report is Jan to March were the 30 day rolling average rarely reached 80% (it never exceeds it, there are 11 days from a three month window when it is 79% or 80%) and is often as low as 75%. As such it's looking at a set of numbers which are noticeable below the current data to justify the fact that we are below peak rail from 2019.

As I've said before HS2 predictions were far exceeded by 2019. For example by 2024 (15 years from announcement) the predictions were for 135 passengers for every 100 in 2009. In 2019 it was 170.

80% of 170 is 136. Therefore for most of the last few months we've been marginally ahead of the predicted numbers for next year!

As such whist rail passenger use is down, we're still not that far off (and probably slightly ahead rather than behind) the predictions. That not bad going given we're currently running fewer trains and there's ongoing strikes.

Yet none of the above fits the narrative which is required to cut HS2.

 

[Snapper]

More thoughts on the disgraceful way Rishi Sunak has scrapped #HS2 to the North, destroyed 15 years of political consensus and usurped power over policy.

Rishi Sunak, HS2 and the great transport betrayal.

We’re less than 24 hours from Sunak’s appalling speech to the Tory party conference and things are already falling apart for him. But that’s the problem when you tell lies, they&#…

paulbigland.blog

 

[Snapper]

The mess of HS2 and 'Northern Network' becomes even more surreal as Sunak boasts about his 'achievements' by tweeting - from his private plane...

https://paulbigland.blog/2023/10/07/you ... e-serious/

These people are taking you for fools.

 

[Snapper]

New blog. More backsliding and excuses on the laughable lie called 'Network North' from RishiSunak and Mark_J_Harper. Plus,
good news from the #LabourConference23. https://paulbigland.blog/2023/10/09/rishi-sunak-hs2-and-network-north-the-lies-continue/

 

[Snapper]

My latest blog on the fiasco of 'Notwork North' and HS2. https://paulbigland.blog/2023/10/16...th-a-history-of-tory-dither-and-incompetence/

 

[Snapper]

Today's blog. Travelling from West Yorkshire to Swindon to work at a PWI training session tomorrow where rail workers get the chance to find out what it's like building OLE in the real world. https://paulbigland.blog/2023/10/17/rolling-blog-positional-move/