Calder Autumn
After an 18 month sabbatical from the Calder Valley the promise of wall-to-wall blue skies encouraged me to make the trip today to snap the much favoured Preston - Lindsey tanks in what remains of the autumn foliage.
After arriving early and parking in Cornholme I made my way towards the top of Low Moor via Carr Road, and slipped a few times on the black-ice hanging around in the shadows. Anyhow it turns out that my memory of the footpaths isn't quite as wholesome as I thought it was - after taking a wrong turn and with 20 minutes to go now that the train was apparently running early, I ended up having to walk up the steeper than preferred side of the slope grasping the heather for leverage. By now sweating like a pig I eventually found a suitable spot and the hankie, packed as an insurance for driving rain, served instead to mop the head, brow and try stop the glasses from steaming up every time I lifted camera to face.
Still, it was worth it though for the net gain of one class 70, Colas unit 70817, seen here having just crested Copy Pit and still in the county of Lancashire, working the 10.07am Preston - Lindsey discharged bitumen tanks (6E32). Yorkshire officially starts just beyond the hamlet of Portsmouth and the houses basking in the sun.
Unfortunately on the debit side was a net loss of one hat - my favourite lined one too that's good for all weathers and which seemed to have slipped out of the pocket during some of the more energetic (it’s all relative) manoeuvres.
If you prefer your trains to have a few more pixels, then this may not be the shot for you! Best viewed full screen.
11.15am, 18th November 2019
Calder Autumn
After an 18 month sabbatical from the Calder Valley the promise of wall-to-wall blue skies encouraged me to make the trip today to snap the much favoured Preston - Lindsey tanks in what remains of the autumn foliage.
After arriving early and parking in Cornholme I made my way towards the top of Low Moor via Carr Road, and slipped a few times on the black-ice hanging around in the shadows. Anyhow it turns out that my memory of the footpaths isn't quite as wholesome as I thought it was - after taking a wrong turn and with 20 minutes to go now that the train was apparently running early, I ended up having to walk up the steeper than preferred side of the slope grasping the heather for leverage. By now sweating like a pig I eventually found a suitable spot and the hankie, packed as an insurance for driving rain, served instead to mop the head, brow and try stop the glasses from steaming up every time I lifted camera to face.
Still, it was worth it though for the net gain of one class 70, Colas unit 70817, seen here having just crested Copy Pit and still in the county of Lancashire, working the 10.07am Preston - Lindsey discharged bitumen tanks (6E32). Yorkshire officially starts just beyond the hamlet of Portsmouth and the houses basking in the sun.
Unfortunately on the debit side was a net loss of one hat - my favourite lined one too that's good for all weathers and which seemed to have slipped out of the pocket during some of the more energetic (it’s all relative) manoeuvres.
If you prefer your trains to have a few more pixels, then this may not be the shot for you! Best viewed full screen.
11.15am, 18th November 2019