Review of 2024 : December

The final month then, let's go! December began with a trip to Whatstandwell, including a walk along the Cromford Canal. This was followed by a return to Tutbury after a number of years and the neighbouring village of Hatton. Another return trip was to Ledbury.

With Christmas week upon us i had a railway trip to Crewe, and after Christmas updated my station photographs along the Cross-City Line. That completed my railway adventures for 2024, which included 291 different railway journies!

Song of the month was "daybreak" by Immortal Girlfriend, who were also my artist of the year. 

So, that ends 2024. A rollercoaster year in some ways. Now in a few hours we start all over again...

A trip along the Cross-City Line

On Saturday i had my final railway adventure of the year. I didn't go very far, just travelling up and down the Cross-City Line in Birmingham. With book 2 nearly complete its time i started work on book 3 which is on the railway stations of the West Midlands. Therefore, i need to update my imagery at a lot of stations! You can see my photos here.

Review of 2024 : November

Winter is approaching but before it gets too cold lets do some travelling. I started off with a trip to Acton Bridge in Cheshire, this time actually visiting the bridge at Acton Bridge, which was pretty cool. This was followed by a trip to King's Sutton. Next was a return trip to Cheshire, this time to Hartford and Greenbank, i also paid a quick trip over to Lostock Gralam.

Then i went to Millbrook in Bedfordshire, this meant i had now visited all of the stations on the Marston Vale Line... however, my trip to Millbrook was by replacement bus so really i need to come back one day by train. Finally, there was a trip to the City of London where i finally got to see the Roman wall i had missed a few months ago.

Song of the month was "domoy" by Life on Venus.

Departing Crewe

Transport for Wales service heads off.

Review of 2024 : October

October began with a return to Rutland, this time taking the bus to Manton and also visiting the museum in Oakham. Staying in the East Midlands, i next visited Market Harborough, this time also visiting the canal there.

Mid-month i returned to Reading for an extended stay though unfortunately i was affected by a bout of the flu, i was still able to visit the railway museum at Didcot though which has been on my target list for some time. Finally, i headed out to Nottinghamshire to visit Collingham.

The last section of my new website (for now anyway) to go live was the British Waterways section. Originally, i had planned to replace my Waterways blog with this but have decided to keep the blog going into 2025.

Song of the month was "true blue" by Jessie Frye.

A pre-Christmas trip to Crewe

On Monday, with my work finished for a few days, i headed up to Crewe to watch some trains. I saw some good stuff too including the new Class 807s. You can see my photos here.

Merry Christmas

It is that time again, Christmas day. Season's greetings to all visitors whatever you believe. I did go for my traditional Christmas day morning walk but didn't really see anything worth photographing. Instead i took a photo of my windsock, which did not come through the recent storm entirely unscathed but is hanging (limply) today.

Review of 2024 : September

The end of the Summer and the beginning of the Autumn. I went to Rugby first and walked the Oxford Canal. Then i went to a place i've wanted to for a long time, Uppingham in Rutland, and excellent it was too!

Later in the month i returned to Leighton Buzzard, and walked the canal there too. It did not seem so busy this month but i did also have a failed trip to Bidford-upon-Avon where the bus in Stratford didn't turn up! We'll try again for Bidford next year maybe.

My shires blog was replaced by the Towns & Villages section of my website. This bought Project Deblogification/Rhapsody to an end, phase 1 anyway.

Song of the month was "closer" by Coleurs featuring Joelynn Cortes.

Ledbury

It has been a long time since my last trip to Ledbury (over seven years in fact!) so it was high time i went back to update my photographs. In fact i wanted to take a proper look at the church as i remember that the Sun had been in an awkward position last time so i had not been satisfied with my photographs. I think the new batch are better, but you can compare 2017 with 2024 if you like!

Review of 2024 : August

The Summer continued, though often not very Summery. August's adventures started with a trip to Whitchurch in Shropshire. As you might expect with a place called White Church, it's church was very good (though not really white). Next, i continued my update of Warwickshire stations by visiting The Lakes in Earlswood, and also doing a stretch of the Stratford Canal.

Later in August i went to August to take the train to Heathrow, but no i didn't get on a flight. I just wanted to try the Heathrow Express! I also went to Harrow-on-the-Hill. On a rather wet day i revisited Lapworth and Hatton stations. Finally, i went to Tackley in Oxfordshire, this time visiting the church which i had missed out on before.

My rolling stock blog was the next to be replaced by a dedicated section on my website.

Song of the month was "hit the road" by Flyying Colours.

Arriving at Lostock Gralam

In Cheshire.

Review of 2024 : July

The second half of the year, the weather was not that good but i did manage to visit Buckinghamshire for three weeks in a row! Firstly, i revisited Monks and Princes Risborough in some terrible rain. Then i went to Denham, ticking off the Golf Club railway station and walking to the other station. Finally, i went to Great Missenden, a place i have only travelled through before but not stopped at until now.

Switching to Warwickshire, i also visited Kenilworth to update my railway station images.

Project Deblogification/Rhapsody reached an important milestone when the Calling At railway station blog was switched to archive mode only and new content would only be appearing on my new website from now on. Three other blogs would follow suit over the next few months. In fact the typewriter blog became the basis of a Retro Office section of my website soon after.

Song of the month was "calling" by Immortal Girlfriend.

Model layout progress

There has been some progress at last with the new layout. I have decided to ditch the mini-loop plan and instead have a small end-to-end layout with a small terminus. A layout plan has been finalised and is starting to come together. I am trying a few different techniques with this layout including using a ballast mat. Hopefully, progress will continue into the new year.

Review of 2024 : June

We reach the half way point of the year. The month began not with a rail adventure but a coach adventure! I wanted to try the FlixBus so took it down to London and explored the City of London. I was back on the rails the following week, updating my images at Bermuda Park and Bedworth stations. I also took some photos at Stafford.

Later in the month i revisited Henley-in-Arden, also to update my station photos. Finally, i also revisited Ambergate and took some photos along the Cromford Canal.

There we go, the first half of the year now completed. Let us see what awaits in the second half.

Song of the month was "ordinary world" by Motion Epic.

Warwickshire Places (30) : Ufton

The village of Ufton is in the centre of the county between Leamington Spa and Southam.

The village was known as Ulchtune in the Domesday Book, the name may be derived from Ulla who was a Danish chief in the area during pre-Norman times. Ufton was granted to Coventry Priory in 1043 and remained in monastic hands for most of the subsequent centuries until the Reformation. In later times much of the manor was owned by Oxford University's Balliol College though was not very valuable land.

The parish church of St Michael has 13th century origins though much of the current church is 14th and 15th century. 

In modern times Ufton has won an award for being the best village in Warwickshire. Ufton has no railway station though the Grand Union Canal passes to the north of Ufton.

Tutbury & Hatton

Yesterday i headed up to the Staffordshire/Derbyshire border to revisit Tutbury and Hatton (which are either side of the border). Tutbury has more to see, including it's rather lovely church which i was able to enter. I was unable to get to see the castle though, i failed to do this when i came here before a few years ago. Tutbury castle is certainly able to keep this invader out!

Hatton does not have that much of interest, apart from a large Nestlé factory which makes the air smell of coffee! You can see my Tutbury photos here and Hatton here.

Review of 2024 : May

May was quite a busy month, the process of updating my photos of Warwickshire's railway stations hit high gear. We started off with a trip to Wood End, Tanworth and Danzey. There was a visit to Liverpool next, staying in the south of the city for a change.

Then came the big one, Polesworth! Polesworth railway station has only one train a day, and very early in the day it runs too. I had to get to Nuneaton by just after 6am to catch the only train to Polesworth that day. I was the only passenger who got off too, so on the 16th of May 2024 i was Polesworth station's only patron. A pretty surreal experience.

Then came the Severn Valley Railway diesel gala, always one of the year's highlights. Finally, i returned to Guildford for some more travelling around Surrey. A two day trip which helped me tick off quite a few stations.

Song of the month was "like a child" by Sferro X Tommy 96 featuring Mecha Maiko.