Leigh Busway

On my final, day in Manchester, I went to visit my father’s grave in Bury cemetery and afterwards I took two local buses to Leigh via Bolton, in order to ride of the Leigh Busway or the Leigh-Salford-Manchester Bus Rapid Transit.  It’s not the only busway in the country, but it was certainly the most convenient one for me during my UK trip. 

A busway is a former railway line that has been redeveloped to be a dedicated bus route.  It is a great way to re-use existing infrastructure and using buses is much cheaper than re-activating the old train line with trains or tram.  And bus has the advantage of using normal roads 

To use it, I took the V1 bus route from Leigh, which terminates at Manchester Royal Infirmary, but I got off at Salford Crescent station.  The busway section runs for about six kilometres.  The stops on busway reminded me more of Manchester Metrolink tram stops than bus stops.  In a few places it is still possible to see the old railway cutting.  

The other good thing was that the fare is the same as a normal bus and I was able to use the day rover ticket that I bought earlier in Bury.  

One of the busway stops.

Settle Carlisle railway

 After my enjoyable day in Darlington, I continued my railway related themed UK tour by going on the Settle Carlisle railway from Carlisle to Leeds via Settle. 

After an overnight stay in Carlisle I took the first train to Leeds that went through Settle.  I have been meaning to do this journey for several years and I remember back in the 1980s there were plans to close this section of line but the plans were rejected after a successful campaign by rail enthusiasts.

After leaving Carlisle the train took in some of the most spectacular scenary I have ever seen.  Quaint, remote stations broke up the journey, including Dent station which is the highest mainline station in England at 1150 feet above sea level.  Most of the passengers that boarded and alighted along the way were hikers or cyclists. 

Eventually the train arrived at Settle station with its signal box adorned with a “150th anniversary sign” and marked the end of the actual line. From there the train continued to Skipton, Keighley and finally Leeds, the terminating station where I got off. 

It was most certainly a journey where I spent most of my time looking out the window.  As someone who lives in a country with the most advanced railways in the world, nothing beats a scenic railway that stood the test of time.

Locomotion and Hopetown, Darlington

After a wonderful day at the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway, I went to the true birthplace of railways, Darlington, to visit two railway museums, Locomotion in Shildon and Hopetown. 

I heard about this museum through the Railways 200 event that took place last year and this was where the Stockton Darlington line started the railway revolution two hundred years ago.

My first port of call was Locomotion, a bus journey away from my hotel. It was free to get in, just like Hopetown.  The museum was one single building with a railway line outside.   The artefacts here were almost entirely train engines.  Each one had a detail description of its history and it included steam, diesel and electric engines. The were not any interactive displays and nothing for younger visitors, apart from a small play area outside.  So this museum was strictly for the railway buffs and nerd.  For me it was ideal. When I ventured outside I saw a largish group of people waiting at the railway line for an important multi-wheeled visitor.   After a few hours admiring the engines in great detail, I made my way by bus to my next stop, Hopetown.

This museum had its own working train station, North Road.  This place was definitely for the whole family, including the youngsters.  There were interactive exhibits indoors and outdoors, as well as a large play area for children.  The display was geared to the whole railway system as a whole and its impact on people rather than just engines only.  The two main buildings were the carriage works and the North Road museum.  The goods shed housed the cafe and the gift shop whilst the North Road museum was an exhibition of the Stockton Darlington in a historical setting.  In the carriage works there was an exhibition dedicated to pioneering Victorian era black footballer, Arthur Wharton, which I found most interesting as a football fan. 

Instead of posting lots of photographs of the day here they are from my 小紅書page, enjoy.

 

Australia vs Bangladesh test cricket

Congratulations Bangladesh. 

Back home from UK trip

Here are all the books I bought during my three week UK trip. All second hand, I have lots to blog about.

Keighley and Worth Valley Railway

After Epping Ongar, I was still up for more heritage railway and this time it was the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway(KWVR) in Keighley, West Yorkshire.  Keighley Station itself is part of the national rail network and heritage trains depart and arrive from a dedicated platform 4. Here I bought a day rover ticket for £25 which covers all the stations and displays on the route.

It was a cool, overcast and sometimes showery day on my visit but it didn't dampen my mood. The heritage railway consists of Keighley, Ingrow West, Damems, Oakworth, Haworth and Oxenhope in that order.  My first train of the day was a diesel pacer in the Metro livery, this brought back memories of student days at Leeds. Since I was too early for the carriage works at Ingrow West, I alighted at Damems first. Damems is the smallest station on the line and reputed to be the smallest in the UK on standard gauge.

Two volunteers staffed Damens, which had an operational signal box. Before long a steam train arrived to take to Ingrow West.  I cannot get enough of steam trains. The train had a buffet car which I did business with later on.

After a few minutes we arrived at Ingrow West, this had a former carriage works which now houses renovated engines and carriages for display.  Elevated walkways allow visitors to see the interiors of carriages close up and allow visitors to enter some.  Each engine and carriage had a text box telling us about its history.  

Next I took the same steam train to Oxenhope, this time I bought my lunch from the buffet car and finished it before reaching my destination.  There was not anything of note to see at Oxenhope so I took the return train to my next destination, Haworth. 

Haworth is famous for the Bronte sisters, therefore it merits a future visit. I had a cup of tea at the cafe opposite whilst waiting for my next train to Oakworth.  Looking around, Haworth is a very beautiful village. 

Back on same steam train to Oakworth, the location of the film "The railway children" which starred Jenny Agutter and Bernard Cribbins.  The ticket office and waiting rooms were certainly well preserved. And there was a set of gates to shut down the rail line for the pedestrians to cross. Almost a reverse level crossing.  Before long my final train of the day arrived to take me back to Keighley, fittingly it was the same pacer that happened to be my first train earlier. 

I had another thoroughly enjoyable train day and there's more to come.

Epping Ongar Railway

Last Sunday, I went to the Epping Ongar Railway in North East London/Essex.  I've been meaning to come for several years and I'm old enough to remember it as part of the Central Line of the London Undergrou until 1994.

To get there, I took the 339 heritage bus from outside Shenfield station, it is possible to buy a combined bus and museum ticket for £19, which I did. Yup, I'm old enough yo have previously travelled these old London trolley buses with a conductor and you hop on and off at the back.

On arrival at Ongar Station, I was treated to the sight of an old station which made me feel I was transported back to 1950s rural England rather than something that was once part of the Tube.

On entry facing the well preserved ticket office was the old waiting room displaying photographs of the station's glory days. The heritage line is totally run by volunteers and I appreciate their efforts and passion in keeping this operating. 

Next I boarded a diesel powered train to take us all to North Weald.  I do remember sitting on such carriages back in the day. Especially when I travelled from London Euston to Leighton Buzzard on the stopping service.  At North Weald, there were a few engines on display and an old cross country carriage which I remember when travelling to Manchester during my youth.  I peeped inside the still operational signal box, complete with the levers.  Other things to note at North Weald were a red heritage London trolley bus and a 1946 London Underground map.

The return train to Ongar went to Epping first and it doubled back via North Weald again.  Then I took the same green heritage London trolley bus again back to Shenfield station. 

It was a thoroughly enjoyable day out.