Blackburn and back - again.

The start of the Easter holidays and time to pick up Kenneth-Michael and Gracie. 

The 10:15 Pendolino to Preston got there just in time for me to make my connection onto the Colne train. The first time this has been managed, though it was close, I jumped off, ran to platform 2 and the Colne train was on its way in. At least these two photos show both trains were there at the same time. 

We caught an early train to Preston to allow us to go to Boots and get some lunch. 

Here is our train at Mill Hill. 

The best thing about train travelling rather than being in the car is spending quality time together rather than parking on the M6. 

 

Here is our return ride and very comfortable it turned out to be. 

A day out in Nottingham

This post is dedicated to friend and colleague Martin Sutton whose pub advice I have followed in Nottingham this afternoon. 

I started at the Organ Grinder. 

A superb pub and the brewery tap for the Blue Monkey brewery. Great pub, great beer. 

Then I went to Fellows Morton and Clayton. 

A pub named after the great canal freight company and on the banks of the canal in Nottingham. 

And finished at Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem. The oldest pub in England. 

A fantastic afternoon. Thanks Martin. 

Pi day

Particularly if you're American. Today's date is  3.14 15 so at 9:26:53 the National Maths Teachers conference began. 

I won't bore you with all the mathsy stuff but here is a picture of me with a man who inspired a nation. 

Hatton lock 34 open day.

Today it is a CRT open day at Hatton lock 34. Hopefully we will cruise through this in the summer so a must visit on a grey Sunday lunchtime. 

 

It was a 10 minute downhill walk from the car park, but lots of CRT people to help. 

The lock is currently drained for maintenance. 

As we joined the queue we were shown an exposed paddle mechanism. 

And had to wait for the party in front. 

It was a fascinating visit with interesting talks about how the lock works as well as about the wildlife that live in a lock. 

The base of the lock is concrete as these were constructed in the 1930s. The lock still has about six feet of water in at empty depth. 

Six inlet channels try to minimise turbulence. 

The paddles are huge and can fill or empty a lock in about four minutes. 

It felt a very long way down. 

The talk was aimed at all the visitors with both general and technical information and we felt valued visitors rather than rushed through. 

We learnt that the double locks were built alongside the old single locks and they were just left where they were. 

A great time was had by all and we are looking forward to coming back on the water in warmer weather. 

End of the season.

On Saturday it was our last visit to Crich for the year. 

It was a nice day for the 1st November, it was also going to be a busy day with last tram at 20:00 but not so busy for us as two crews had been rostered for each tram so I'd be off duty by 15:00. 

No choice today, I was allocated 167. No complaints from me, a Blackpool tram that had run there this summer. 

Apart from forgetting it was a fixed head trolley I had a good day, the early finish meaning I didn't have to clean the tram at the end of the day a distinct advantage. 

Alison and I decided to take advantage of our bonus time together and we walked up to Crich stand. 

It's the memorial to the Sherwood Foresters regiment and their part in the Great War. It was built in 1923 and looks fantastic. 

Neither of us had been to the top before so up we duly went. 

The views were amazing all the way round and the wind unbelievably strong. 

We also had great views of the tramway village 

and the trams themselves. 

It was unusual seeing them from above

though the zoom makes it look closer than reality. 

I'm glad not to have any more long drives in the car to Crich for a while, but I'll miss tram driving until next season. 

The Aliens are coming.

Half term was a busy week. We managed lots of family time, and a couple of us days. 

On our way to the station to go back to Blackburn we went roundby the BBC shop in the Mailbox. 

Here is KM in a early Halloween disguise. 

The following day we decided to go to B'ham beer festival. With 400 beers on tap it was bound to be a great day, and as both John and Jack joined us we had excellent company too. 

A good time was had by all. 

Long time no blog.

We've had a busy few weeks and not much chance to blog. 

Tonight I thought I'd add a few photos taken fairly recently. 

This is the Barrowford end of the Foulridge Tunnel on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal. 

The rest are from a walk I did along the Wyrley and Essington Canal from Wednesfield to Wolverhampton. 

This used to have locks on it until the retail development. Now it is just an ideal mooring for the pub. 

The rest are taken on my walk.