What I do – Page 2 – Well Blogger Me

Drive A Diesel Day

Nov 282013

On Wednesday (27th) I visited the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway at Wirksworth for a ‘Drive A Diesel Day’. I won the prize in a competition run by local bus company Trent Barton, who have teamed up with the Railway to offer combined tickets for 2014. The day started at 10:00 when myself and three other enthusiasts, who had travelled from the Blackpool area and the Severn Valley, met at Wirksworth station. We were shown the controls of a single car diesel multiple unit, number 55006, before we each took turns to drive the unit a few hundred yards down the track [Read more]

Derby HS2 proposal offers glimmer of hope for Selston

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Oct 082013

Derby HS2 proposal offers glimmer of hope for Selston

A new proposal from Derby City Council, which if accepted would see the proposed High Speed 2 railway line run through Derby, offers a glimmer of hope that the route will be deflected away from Selston, Pinxton and the site of special scientific interest at the former Bentinck Pit. The current proposed line will run through Strelley and Nuthall, before following the M1 and passing around the edge of Selston. A 100 metre viaduct is planned to pass over the former Bentinck Pit site, which is earmarked for a recreation park in the near future. The new proposal, submitted by [Read more]

Welsh Mega Steam – day eight

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Sep 192013

Homeward Bound After a hectic week of coach and train travel, our last day arrived. It was another bright and sunny day when we made an early start at Wrexham University. Hearty breakfasts consumed, we set off at 08:45 for the Welshpool and Llanfair Railway at Welshpool. The special gala day celebrated 50 years of a preserved passenger railway between Welshpool and Llanfair Caereinion. The line closed in November 1956, but re-opened in April 1963. There was a re-enactment the last train to run on the line, with music provided by the Aberystwyth Silver Band. Diesel and steam traction was provided, [Read more]

Welsh Mega Steam – day seven

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Sep 182013

Broken towel rail and proper trains Before breakfast, I reported the towel rail that I broke on day six to the cleaners and security guard. The guard told me they are brittle and he would get it repaired – which he did. After a large breakfast, we boarded our coach for a trip to Llangollen Railway. This was the first standard gauge railway we had been on, apart from the main line. Before the railway, we stopped at the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, a navigable aqueduct that carries the Llangollen Canal over the valley of the River Dee. I walked the length [Read more]

Welsh Mega Steam – day six

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Sep 172013

The railway that inspired Thomas On day six, we visited the Talyllyn Railway, which inspired the Thomas the Tank Engine books, and the film The Titfield Thunderbolt. We then went for a trip on the Bala Lake Railway, before travelling to our third, and last, accommodation, at Wrexham University. The weather on day six was cloudy, and there were a couple of spells of very light rain, though not enough to wet the ground. The sun made a brief appearance on a few occasions and it was still mild. The trousers and jacket were still stored in my suitcase. After [Read more]

Welsh Mega Steam – day five

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Sep 162013

Bridges and Tea with the Corris Day five was probably the most relaxed day so far. We started with an excellent breakfast before boarding the coach to the Vale of Rheidol Railway, a five-minute drive away. I have been on this line before, but this time it was a glorious sunny day, in stark contrast to the last time when it poured all day. The route goes from Aberystwyth, along the Rheidol valley, before climbing steeply to Devil’s Bridge. This is the location of the Three Bridges, each one built on top of the other over the centuries. Underneath the [Read more]

Welsh Mega Steam – day four

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Sep 152013

Bangor to Aberystwyth Day four of my Welsh steam adventure took me from Bangor to Aberystwyth, stopping on the way to take some line side shots of the Welsh Highland Railway and the Ffestiniog Railway. Our first stop was Rhyd Ddu station at the foot of Snowdon where the two trains from Porthmadog and Carnarfon crossed. We had an hour to kill here, so there was plenty of time for everyone to choose a spot to get their shots. When the trains departed, we raced the train to the Aberglaslyn Pass, south of Beddgelert. Here we were able to take [Read more]

Welsh Mega Steam – day three

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Sep 122013

The long and the short Day three was another day that I had looked forward to, and it didn’t disappoint. Today was the day that I got to ride the length of the Welsh Highland Railway, and in style too. After breakfast, we boarded the coach which took us to Carnarfon in plenty of time for the 10:00 departure. We had been booked in third class, so I paid an extra ten pounds to upgrade to the observation car, and it was worth every penny. The line runs for a marathon 25 miles and winds its way from coast to [Read more]

Welsh Mega Steam – day two

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Sep 092013

Lakes and mountains Day two was a day that I had looked forward to since I booked the holiday – a journey to the summit of Mount Snowdon. The day dawned bright and sunny, without a cloud in the sky. Breakfast was served around 08:00, and after dining, we boarded the bus for the short journey to Llanberis, and the Lake Railway. This is a delightful little train which runs from the centre of the village along the lake, using a track bed laid down for the slate quarries. The round trip took an hour, and after leaving the train, [Read more]

Welsh Mega Steam – day one

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Sep 062013

Alfreton to Bangor via the Great Orme Tramway This was a holiday that I was unsure about going on because it involved riding around on trains for a week, and staying in university student accommodation. The journeys between the various train rides was by coach. Despite my doubts, day one wasn’t too bad. The first place to visit was the Great Orme Tramway at Llandudno, but to get there, I had to take a journey involving three trains from Alfreton to Llandudno Junction. The first part was a short trip on Northern Trains to Chesterfield, where I changed for the [Read more]

Welsh Mega Steam 4

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Sep 052013

Welsh Mega Steam 4 was an eight-day holiday that I took between August 24th and 31st 2013 in which I toured the preserved railways of North and Central Wales. A group of 32 were on the trip, which was organised by Railtrail Tours, and was the fourth year they had run the trip. Staying in university accommodation, and using a coach to visit the various sites, the itinerary for the tour was as follows: Day 1 – Alfreton to Bangor via the Great Orme Tramway Day 2 – Lakes and mountains Day 3 – The long and the short Day 4 – Bangor to [Read more]

Lunch with the Legends

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Aug 172013

On Friday 16th August 2013, I joined colleagues from Mansfield 103.2 Sport at a corporate event held at the John Fretwell Centre, the home of Welbeck Cricket Club. The event featured a cricket match between an England Legends XI and a Welbeck Invitational XI. The whole event was covered on Mansfield 103.2, who I have worked with on the cricket programmes. I arrived at the event at around 12:45 and met up with fellow presenters and reporters from the radio station, who were already broadcasting. Shortly after arrival, we took our seats in the function room for a four course [Read more]

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