Where Station Road meets Lytham Road stood Lytham Road Station in the South Shore area. The station has long since been removed along with the long-standing Grand public house which was damaged by fire in 2009 and eventually removed to make way for a car park which remains to this day.

As can be seen in the 1905 photograph, this area used to be brimming with activity which also had multiple tram lines passing by.

Laurence Stephen Lowry, R.A. (1887-1976) 

Country Road, near Lytham

Day Seventy

I realised I'd accidentally missed a count whilst dealing with the injury, which means today is in fact the ten week mark!

Up early from the woods by Silverdale, the sun is shining and the wind is low, should be a good day for the mileage!

Today's ride starts out with a nice glide downhill from Arnside & Silverdale AONB and across the wetlands of RSPB Leighton Moss, before rolling into Carnforth for a quick stop for supplies.

From here, it's time to jump on to the canal towpath heading alongside the A6 for some nice level riding. The towpath surface isn't great, alternating between stoney gravel or pockmarked with holes, but it's still enjoyable going through the tunnels of trees along the canalside.

The canal is followed down to Hest Bank, where I swing west to jump onto the coastline for a lovely ride along the seaside across to Morecambe.

The tide is out, and a ceiling of cloud has appeared, but it's high up and still a warm day, with the air clear enough to gaze right across the bay to see Helvellyn and its surrounding peaks in the Lake District standing proudly on the horizon.

After taking in the views awhile, it's time to head back inland along The Greenway cycle path, a great long stretch of smooth paving through some lovely forested sections down to the River Lune and historic Lancaster.

Crossing ove the river via the Millennium Bridge, the cycle route turns and tracks along the River Lune for another few miles all the way down to Condor Green. The path turns to a rocky bridleway halfway along which does slow progress and requires a deal of concentration to find viable routes to prevent the bike shaking me to bits, but what scenery I'm able to take in is still enjoyable.

I opt to take the bike route inland to cut out a section of A road, which ends up leading me into a few stiff climbs as it loops out and back again around the M6, before heading back out westward through Cockerham.

The route here is branded as the "Lancaster Cycleway", but in reality there is no provision whatsoever for cycling infrastructure, and it's a long slog along some busy roads with the wind starting to come in from the west, making for a bit of a tough section across the flats.

With there being no route across the River Wyre along the coast, the route swings south across the fields to reach the toll bridge at Great Ecclestone. Heading a little further south through Elswick, it's a further jaunt through windy country lanes westward along the B5269 as the hills begin to roll in a little.

The day is brightening though, and before long tue busy lanes turn into bugger, busier roads as we ride into the outskirts of Blackpool.

Doing what I can to avoid the seriously heavy traffic through much of town, I carry on westward a little further and hit the seaside again, with a nice sight if the famous Blackpool Tower.

The air is clear enough still to even catch a glimpse of the beautiful peaks of Snowdonia far across the water.

From the pleasure beach, it's time for a jaunt along the promenade. I've really enjoyed riding along a good few seaside promenades through this journey, and the stretch along from Blackpool is some of the best yet.

Some great smooth level riding right along the waterside, with a short jump onto the road before continuing again around the sandy expanses of St Anne's and the nature reserves by Lytham.

The view across the Ribble Estuary is gorgeous, with so much of the upcoming coast on display.

With some big urban stretches ahead, I don't want to progress too much further today and get caught up in them when trying to find a place to sleep, so I resolve to find a spot prior to Preston. But the legs are still feeling energetic currently, so I push on from Lytham and into rish hour.

The traffic on the road by Saltcotes is as heavy as it gets, but with an adjacent cycle path I have a good deal of pleasure pushing on and zooming past the queueing cars as the sun shines out once more, and carey on past Freckleton.

It's a stretch if dual carriageway here, but I'm feeling bullish and start charging down it. I realise I may have miscalculated as the miles grind down as before I know it I'm hitting the outskirts of Preston.

There are aome good cycle paths around here though, and I start following the Guild Wheel route along Savick Brook to scout out some possible stopping points to setup in.

Then I receive a lovely and unexpected present from the wonderful Ellie! Given that my back is still playing up somewhat after my fall, I decide to use it to book into a nice cheap B&B just a little further down the road to give me a nice soft bed to help aid the recovery a little more.

That's been a decent day's progress! Honestly wasn't expecting to get this far on today, but starting out tomorrow this deep into Preston puts me in a great position to get through the main urban challenges tomorrow, and possibly get over the border to Wales. We shall see what the morning holds.

TTFN!

Encounters on the Road

Friday 3rd November 2023

We were just ready to depart from Papingo this morning when a green bus with a UK plate pulled up next to me. This was Nige, a climber from the Isle of Harris, and his wife from Sweden, and their two children, about 8 and 10 years old. Nige had bought the bus from eBay during the pandemic from the Wirral, from Merseyside Passenger Transport, and converted himself, and has been in the road coming up to two years. They will return to Falkirk in January.

They are big wild swimmers, and were heading to the rock pools just out of the village, but I ended up seeing them later, as they wanted to spend the night lower down, at the river at the bottom of the zig-zags, 400 metres lower. They arrived mid-afternoon, and their son, just 8 years old, spent the afternoon paddle boarding on the river in just his trunks, Greeks looking on amazed.. as they see it as being so cold, at around 16C.

Also down by the river was the Namibian lady I met yesterday. She is very interesting to chat to also. She is 69 years old, and lives in her van travelling Europe, and fortunately has a German passport.

I went to the local shop, which is actually called ‘the Local Shop’ a few kilometres away to pick up some bread for the weekend, and came away with a nice selection of local craft beer.

Just before midday Roja and I set out to walk a section of the Vikos Gorge. There was rain in the air, blustery drizzly showers, but a lot more on the way tonight and tomorrow we think. It was enough to make the trail difficult, and it was typically gorge terrain, tree roots, steep but short ups and downs on loose rock and mud. But it’s Roja’s favourite, as there are plenty of sticks, and plenty of swimming.

Midway through, we met an English guy and his Greek partner. Andrew was in a two week break from working for the EU in an advisory capacity on various aspects of the law relevant to the country being at war, and trying to chill our as much as possible. There can be few more potentially stressful posts. Initially we chatted for ten minutes or so, but we met again later back at the van. I asked him more about the sort of work he did, and he told me he had been a barrister, and worked in The Hague on war crime prosecutions following the Balkan War. I used to know someone very well who did that work, by coincidence also, an old cricketing friend from Lytham. It turns out that he, Martin, and Andrew, are good friends. Martin’s work now takes him all over areas affected by war, Ukraine, where they have worked together, Iraq, and the places that I was aware he worked, Kosovo and Bosnia.

There’s a severe weather warning out here for thunderstorms. It’s 8 pm as I write and 24C. Lightning lights up the peaks around every few seconds, but no rain yet. It’s supposed to last until tomorrow evening, so the two vans, and the green MPTE bus here are all prepared for an indoor day.

🚛 All aboard for a 5 day run this week with our Dublin, Murphys and country shows 🎻 🪕 Stopping at Mansfield, Redhill, Worcester, Buton-on-Trent and Lytham St. Annes - Check out tour dates at www.wildmurphys.com and we'll see you out on the road. 👍

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Address: Tudor Works, Tudor Road Lytham St Annes Lancashire FY8 2LA

Phone: 01253 643000

Website: https://www.storrielabels.com/

Services: Digital Label & Tag Printers

From initial artwork to correct choice of face material and adhesive we are here to ensure a quality product is delivered to exact specifications to any destination on time.

Our philosophy, in an ever-demanding world, is to provide the service you expect, with competitive prices and the quick turnaround times today's market demands.

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Projection Room: all Renata stories have a happy ending

Ahead of a major week for our joint winner of 2017 Film of the Year, it’s time to look back on the journey so far for The Renata Road.

This post has been one I have waited FIVE LONG YEARS to post. At the end of 2016, a production company by the name of Beyond the Bar, and more specifically its head honcho Ed Greenberg, reached out to me about a film he was in the process of finishing up. Independently crowd funded through Kickstarter, this was a thriller unlike no other, set in a remote hotel, following a mysterious stranger as he discovers that all is not as it seems with staff and customers in true Lost Highway and Exterminating Angel fashion. Headed up by former TV quizzer (and beacon of positivity) CJ de Mooi, this remake and reimagining of a short from 2011 that The Times had called a ‘tour de force of emotion’ went into production in early 2014, with two years of post production to ensure the film delivered on its promise of being a ‘psychological enigma’.

Just the premise of that plot alone was enough to convince me to come down to a cinema in Lytham on a cold, wet Monday night in January 2017 to provide the first review of this movie, as the backers got to see the finished film before it went into the cut-throat world that is the sales circuit. And I loved it. This was cemented by a second viewing, in the more homely confines of a certain cinema’s screen 2 (where the cast and crew joined me in VIP seats that were ripped out just hours later as refurbishment works commenced). But as is the case, these movies take time to reach the general public - the film went to sales agents as we went into lockdown 1. However, since November, there have been some big developments after partnering up with fellow local production house The Cannon Film Company - ones which mean I can say this:

This weekend, The Renata Road will have its world premiere in LA.

Knowing how much blood, sweat and tears that cast and crew put in to the film, it is a delight to be able to see the first audience reaction roll out just after 9pm on Sunday as the film finishes at the Believe Psychology Film Festival. I’m dead proud of Ed, CJ and everyone involved both on and off camera. It took them a lot of time, a lot of patience, and a lot of sacrifice to get here, but they did it against all odds. An actual, award winning movie (with proper festival laurels and everything) is starting to get some serious traction behind it, and they bloody deserve it. Pour a cup of Earl Grey, fasten your seatbelts, and prepare yourselves. This film is special. We’ve covered this film’s journey since that initial backers’ screening here on TheJackSmit.com, and it is a genuine delight to see it finally go out into the wild. Hopefully we’ll get news on a UK screening soon, it’s the inevitable next step following a US world premiere. On behalf of me and the entire backroom team at TheJackSmit Ventures - congratulations to the cast, crew and backers behind The Renata Road. But for now, one last time before it’s unleashed upon the world, here’s the trailer.

The Renata Road will premiere as part of the Believe Psychology Film Festival at the Skiptown Playhouse in Los Angeles at 10.30am (local time) this Sunday. Tickets for in-person and online screenings are still available from https://www.believepsychologyfilmfest.com/.

“ It was a town of red brick, or of brick that would have been red if the smoke and ashes had allowed it: but, as matters stood, it was a town of unnatural red and black like the painted face of a savage. It was a town of machinery and tall chimneys , out of which interminable serpents of smoke trailed themselves for ever and ever, and never got uncoiled” Charles Dickens.

The second part of my Preston trilogy (please see here for the first), this walk took me through the modern history of the city (this is the early history).

Preston became a market town which became steadily more important due to its location guarding the route from northern to southern Engand west of the Pennines, and the River Ribble, along which I walked from Ribchester to Preston and then from Preston to Lytham and Blackpool. (I had to make sure to stay on the right side of the river; there are no bridges after Preston and I couldn’t have swum it!)

The first cotton mill is recorded here in 1771, and the London Road Bridge was built in 1782. It still stands, and I walked over it on my way in, though by that point too tired for profound thoughts on Preston’s life and times!

In 1792, John Rennie began building a canal to Lancaster and Kendal which was built in stages and finally done in 1826; this furthered the growth of Preston as coal and cotton could be brought in, in exchange for finished goods. There was trade in food from Lancashire, the farmers having gone well beyond Preston market, and food from around the world brought in to Lancashire (I ate a very fine Levantine meal which I brought from some Palestinians on my visit).

In 1838, the railway came to Preston, cementing it as a trading and industrial town; then came Preston Marina in 1892. Although cotton began to decline in the early 20th century, it was replaced in 1922 by an aeroplane factory, which did sterling work in World War 2 and still exists as BAE Systems.

In 1968 there came the motor factory at British Leyland; although reflexively sneered at by conservatives, and a byword for everything Thatcherites hated, it was a boon to Preston and still exists, though with far fewer staff than in its heyday.

The decline of Leyland, and the shutting of the marina in 1981, many of the remaining textile factories going at around the same time (Courtaulds, a modern textile factory opened in 1939, was also shut in 1979), were all great blows to Preston, which also suffered from ‘austerity’ after the bankers’ recession of 2008-9.

This was not the end though; Preston has had a revival, spearheaded by the university; although its roots go back to 1828, it only became a university in 1992 and now thrives with 32,000 status; I stayed in the university quarter and despite the covid pandemic (STILL ongoing at the time of writing in September 2021) it hummed with life.

In 2002, Preston was granted city status. The former marina was not derelict after 1981 but is now housing, and old quarries have been turned into Red Scar Wood and Brockholes Nature Reserve (1-4), through which I walked on my way into town.

Preston is certainly much cleaner than it was when Dickens came here in 1867, but you can still see the legacy of those times at the Harris Museum and by walking the riverside and the places I went to in my other shoot; I’m pleased to say that the unceasing work of old Preston folk has finally paid off.

91-246 Peckett OY-1 Class 0-4-0ST with a mixed train at Quainton Road by Clive G' Via Flickr: Scan of a slide taken in October 1991 at the Buckinghamshire Railway Grand Autumn Steam Up. Having not been to Quainton for about 25 years a I scan these slides it is interesting to note which locos remain there and which have moved on. Whilst either 'King Edward 1' or the Ivatt Trust locos may be the high profile departures, No. 2087 is also one of the locos that have moved on and is now at the East Kent Railway. A history of No. 2087 from the internet: "This OY-1 class was built by Peckett & Sons to work at the Aber Works of Courtaulds in Flint. It was one of a class of six locomotives of which four were built for Courtaulds in 1948. At the Aber Works it was named Dafydd. This OY-1 class was built by Peckett & Sons to work at the Aber Works of Courtaulds in Flint. It was one of a class of six locomotives of which four were built for Courtaulds in 1948 as class OY1-S locomotives. These four were built for Courtaulds to undertake heavy shunting duties. They had 200psi boilers, 16in x 24 in cylinders, 3ft 10in diameter wheels, a tractive effort of 22,706lbf and weighed 41tons when working. 2087 started life at the Aber Works in Flint where it was named Dafydd. The locomotive was transferred to Wolverhampton where it lost its name. It then moved to the Red Scar plant at Preston where it was rebuilt with parts from scrapped classmate Works No 2086. Here it was given the name Miranda and remained working until replaced by a diesel in 1968. After withdrawal the locomotive was purchased by the Lytham Creek Motive Power Museum. In March 1980 it was transferred to the Lakeside and Haverthwaite Railway but was never steamed there. A Quainton Railway Society member purchased the locomotive in 1983, and in December of that year it was moved to Quainton. At Quainton it has appeared in a number of liveries, both permanent and temporary. These include BR Black, London Transport and Fords. It has carried the name Gibraltar in some liveries. During 2004 Gibraltar had a hot box, and was sent to Bill Parker’s Flour Mill restoration base for maintenance, including wheels being turned at Tyseley works. The locomotive was based on the Mangapps Railway Museum where it arrived in 2018 but spent time on the East Kent Railway in 2019. The locomotive moved to the East Kent Railway for the second time in February 2020 where it is to be fitted with air brakes in order to work the coaches available on the line. The locomotive is expected to remain in operation on the line until 2026." preservedbritishsteamlocomotives.com/peckett-sons-works-n...

Lockdown Diary Part 9

A personal account during the lockdown in the UK due to the Covid-19 outbreak.

23/03/2020 8:30pm Boris Johnson, UK Prime Minister, gives a live address to the nation to, effectively, put the country on lockdown to stem the spread of the deadly coronavirus strain, Covid-19.

Many of us have been self-isolating for days but this latest development within the UK in reaction to the pandemic feels very serious and very scary. I decided to keep a simple diary and where better but online.

Day 241: Shit day at work. To cut a long story short, I could complete a task Sueanne gave to me and then I got it in the ear, including a snotty email ay 5:40pm. Pissed off.

Day 242: Had a meeting with Sueanne (our weekly 1-2-1 actually) and she was alright. I feel much better tonight. Last night I didn’t even have an appetitie - unheard of! Going to make up for that tonight, pie and loads of veg! A much better day. Ridiculously, I believe yesterday was all my own fault - I take work for granted sometimes and I let myself down by ignoring the urgency of a task just because it was Sueanne asking me to do it and she was a peer. She is now my boss, and I should respect that.

Day 243: So-so day at work. It’s strange how used to work I am after over six months on furlough. It’s been less than two months back but all the highs and lows amd frustrations are commonplace. Most importantly, it being Thursday, I cannot wait for tomorrow eveninga dn to kick back, drink and smoke. Spoke to dad this morning, he’s same as...that’s always good to know. Sugar levels have been a fucking roller coaster today, and it has really fucked me off! No salad at lunch due to them being so fucking high when I got back from my walk. It ended up being my tea. Sarted watching The Undoing...it’s OK. 

Day 244: Glad it is Friday. Just cooking a (very hot) chicken madras, cracked open my first beer. Gonna eat, drink, smoke and watch a good film.

Day 245: Gold was the film I watched last night, with Matthew McConaughey and it was a good choice. I then watch a Kevin Hart stand up show on Netflix...very Eddie Murphy, very funny. I did a 12 km walk today...fucking felt it in my legs. Walked the footpath from Stoke Doyle road to Benefield road for the first time. I liked it and it comes out between Lytham Park and Wakerley Close....I posted on FB about the fact that when I move to Oundle, Clifton Drive was the last street heading out of town. Saw Becks on the walk down Benefield road, She mentioned she’s tired of lockdown. I replied that I’m tired of the virus!

Day 246: Up at 1pm, nice long walk, ordered new slippers and waterproof jacket (my Craghopper is bust again).

Day 247: I screwed up at work today, went for a (ridiculously) late lunch right when I was meant to be at an online meeting that Sueanne had reminded me about in the morning. There’s mitigation but, when push comes to shove, I fucked up and now Sueanne’s on the warpath - one more slip up and it’ll be an offical disciplinary matter. 

Day 248: Suzanne wants me to troubleshoot a ticket she has in her queue, some database request for a Cork guy. It’s a test and it’s fucking me off.

I did testing for a network change tonight...8 till 11:15pm.

Elliot and Aaron cleaned the windows today. It was nice to see them.

Rita sent a couple of emails recently. Dad’s ear is all clear but Paul has got testicular cancer.

Day 249: New waterproof jacket arrived today. It’s very nice, bargain for £25 odd. Also picked up slippers from M&S food hall in Corby so, while over their, did a shop at Tesco’s...£109 mainly booze.

By the time I was back, I ended up doing my evening walk at 9.30pm!

Day 250: Leigh from Oundle Chronicle has got back to me. She (he?) has selected the photos that are going to be in the article and wants me to write a sentence on each - where they were taken and what inspited me to do so. Whether that means the stuff I wrote before is not going to be used, or not, I dunno! New slippers are OK and the new jacket is still impressing me.

Day 251: Typing on Day 252. Usual Friday, beers, meatballs, pizza, long chat with Fog. I should mention that, as we approach the end of Lockdown2 in England, Boris and his government have laid out a three tier structure for how the second lockdown will be eased. It’s caused confusion and consternation across the board. None of it affects me, still isolating like I was on day 1. Day 252: Totally forgot about my diary entry yesterday! Up at 1pm, nice long walk, nipped rong Elliots to pay for my windows, had a chat with him, Artron and Camilla - it’s so nice to socialise! Gonna make fish pie and supp a few ales. Day 253: The weekend is over way too quickly. It’s 7.30pm on Sunday as I type and I wish it wasn’t. I wish it was 7.30pm on Friday. Day 254: In a meeting, a working Zoom, with Andy Ashler in the US re: qfiniti, which Sueanne pissed me off about earlier in te day (RCI diary updated), but the meeting went well. I am desparately trying to buy an iPad on Black Monday. As usual with tech, I cannot make my mind up which to buy! Day 255: I haven’t bought an iPad....I’ll wait for the 10.2″ iPad to come down in price. I had more involvement with Andy Ashler and in the US with the Qfiniti project at work. I’m really enjoying it, it’s very technical...although I didn’t finish ‘til 6pm because of it. The Oundle Chronicle is out and an article about me and my pics is on the back page. Leigh, the editor, sent it to me electronically. It’s good. I am chuffed!  Day 256: I booked some holidays today, making sure that I didn’t include any days off in the week December 14-18 (SB’s off). So, this coming Friday (4th Dec), Next Weds-Fri and Monday 21st. I know I have only been back from Furlough a couple of months but I am more than ready for some kick-back time.  1-2-1 with SB today, it was a relaxed affair, most espcially becaus eof my success thus far with the Qfiniti project - that being said, I got pretty much nowhere with it today.  Ordered a couple of long sleeved Ts and a fleeced hoody from a shop called Doubletwo today, well cheap in the sale. I saw half a dozen joggers on the Milton Road blind bend tonight, oblivious to any other potential path user. I posted about it (in my own, sarcastic way) on the Oundle Chatter FB group. It was met how I’d expected plus some direct digs so I deleted it. Cowardly but, I figure, I don’t get my point across, the vast majority of joggers really don’t think they are doing anything wrong by bulldozing there way around town and, lastly, I couldn’t be bothered with the flak, and its tennis like back-and-forth!

Day 257: Got tomorrow off so worked late tying up loose ends, including the qfiniti project - fucking nuts really, making sure no one asks any questions of SB or the team, in terms of my work load, for just one day off! Still, just had tea, cracked open a beer and am watching Shaun of the Dead. Nice.

Day 258: The main thing I did today is walk. It was about 12km but felt much longer ‘cos it was wintry, pissing down, windy and slippery as fuck. And I really enjoyed it! Badge messaged me today to ask how I am and, in replying, I mentioned that I think I am becoming addicted to walking...it wasn’t a throwaway comment. Just cooked up a chilli (which I think I have ruined with a Knorr beef stock pot), and will tuck in with beers, smokes and telly. While it’s been a day off, this Friday evening will be as all others are at the moment, late, drunken and solitary fun - no doubt.

Day 259: Typing on day 260. That chilli last night was actually OK. Plus I ‘invented’ a meatball wrap - moving on from the TikTok ham and cheese wrap you fold into the toaster, I tried the same with meatballs but no fucking way could I fold it into the toaster slot (pissed up kitchen shenanigans), so I wrapped it in tin foil and heated it in the oven, Fucking delicious. I watched Shaun of the Dead. I think it’s the first time since its release and I couldn’t help thinking “zombies just aren’t like that [in real life]” Wtf?

Day 260: I was quite sensible (for a Saturday) last night, in bed by 2am, up at my alarm this morning, 10:30am. Nice long walk, taking in a new path up by Biggin Grange and took plenty of pics that turned out really good. Btw, posh lost yesterday at Portsmouth (with 2000 fans there) and they lost midweek and last weekend in the FA Cup to Chorley, at home. 

Day 261: It’s freezing today...actually 0 degrees. This house is so fucking cold, even with the heating on.

Day 262: Typing on day 263. Last day of work for 5 days. Beers are in order. And a sausage casserole. Day 263: I completely forgot to do a diary entry yesterday....concentrating on starting my work break off on the right foot, which I did. As a result, I didn’t get up until 1pm. So, to stop that sort of day wasting, no beers tonight. Just got back from a shop (£90 in Tesco’s), trying to sort out Romiley’s Christmas present, then something to eat (more sausage casserole) and a early, sober night.

Day 264: So, after abstinence last night, I was up before 11am and did a walk that included the track from Benefield Road to Monson Way past Park Wood. It was fucking hard work due to mud. I have lost coumd the amount of times I nearly slipped right over. Throw into that a hypo, the 12-13km walk was tough. Sorted out Romiley’s present (guitar stand, music stand and guitar exercises book). Took soime nice photos today as well which I’ve prepared and shared. No booze today/tonight either. Some break, a younger me would say!

Day 265: Friday, and I am typing with a beer, balti on the hob and I am just gonna choose a film and roll a single skinner. I am knackered. Up at 10am, cleaned the hall and stairs after a 10km walk. Also, I spoke with dad who is, as always, fine.

Time to make up for the last two sober nights.

Day 266: I am typing this on day 267. So drunk last night I left nearll a full can of beer and went to bed in my jogging bottoms and t-shirt. I have had a day off from any exercise at all which felt very odd. A few beers and watched Snatch. Day 267: While I was nowhere near drunk last night, due to sleeping in late (2pm) I was up ‘til 3am watching TikTok so today I struggled out of bed at just before 1pm. Watch the start of the season’s final GP (Verstappen won from pole and it was boring af), back on the exercising including a 9km walk. Back to work tomorrow which I feel totally conflicted about! Posh won yesterday at home to Rochdale (with the allowed 2000 fans) 4-1 including a 17 minute first half hatrick from Jonson Clarke-Harris.

Day 268: Back to work - Sueanne’s off and it’s the first day I’ve been at work with Jon in charge which involves a daily ‘SUMO’ (whatever that acronym stands for?) at 9.30am every day. I am still involved with te qfiniti upgrade project which seems to have taken a step backwards in the 3 days I had off, so I was working until gone 9.30pm! I have decided to do a quiz, hopefully for Christmas, whereby I don’t want the actual answers (to 25 particular questions, all with a common theme in the answer), merely an omitted question!  

Day 269: Stand Up Meeting Online. SUMO. Ian Bird told me. I might struggle with double Y for my quiz. Work was OK, more Qfiniti stuff. Posh drew away to MK 1-1. Posh were 0-1 up but Lincs lost at home. I can’t undertsand why that pleases me so....oh, yeah I can Steve Dee.

Day 270: Struggling to order Dad and Rita booze for Christmas without it being a Morrison’s delivery that I can do through Amazon Prime. That would be OK but it’s just a bit clinical! Meanwhile, now I am paying for Prime, and they are showing some Premiership games (for example, tonight I watched Liverpool v. Spurs (2-1), I really have to contact Sky - I am paying £71pm atm! Sam posted pic of her Christmas tree but mentioned how she’s finding it hard to get in the spirit - Paul has testicular cancer and the outlook is bleak - fuck know’s what she’s going through with all that, trying to shield Romiley from the worst without lying!

Where Lytham Road meets Squires Gate Lane, South Shore.

May 28, 1903 - Tour along the new electric tram in Lytham, England (with...

Beautiful footage. It was a Thursday. Crisp clear and just like today except it’s the past, a totally different country with relatable people in post steampuk prim outfits.

6:57  The perspective is a bit surreal as the tram passes what first looks like a load of neatly positioned beach huts or shelters beside some flat bed railway waggons. There’s actually a line of single deck tramcar bodies at the side waiting to get lifted on. They might be getting rid of the horse trams.

8:25 Compare with Paris. You absolutely have to.

The station the tram is passing is possibly Lytham Road, having just been renamed that year from being called South Shore.

Body found on beach in Cumbria identified as missing woman Police searching for a missing woman have found a body. Aileen Rourke, 74, was last seen around 10am on Thursday 8th November Full story: https://www.cumbriacrack.com/2018/11/21/body-found-on-beach-in-cumbria-identified-as-missing-woman/

Day 93 - to PAARC Rives de l'Aa, Gravelines

It was a good stopover at Bertrix, but not far down the road, as I discovered this morning, was Han-sur-Lesse which looked better.. for next time. It has a really good aire by the river, hiking and biking tracks around dumpling-type hills, lots of forest, a scenic river, and a cave system that attracts enthusiasts from far around.

That was where I went this morning, having put together an 8 kilometre circuit last night. The humid weather blew away with the wind during the night, and the day was fine, fresh and clear, at just 4C this morning.

Three hours driving got me to the Channel, and the aire that I usually use before the Tunnel, at Gravelines. I stocked up with Belgian beer for the next few weeks, and fuel, and settled for a lazy evening. We are on the 4 am train.

This is the The PAARC Rives de l'Aa, constructed only 10 years ago as a water sports centre. It features a purpose built rowing pool more than two kilometres Longlist as well as other associated pools for canoeing and kayaking. I was last here at the end of November on a wet and windy night when only a brief time outdoors was attractive, but tonight we were out for an hour or so.

There are quite a few other vans and motorhomes here, but there’s plenty of space, and it’s away from big roads, so relatively quiet.

So another course approaches its conclusion. I’ve a 4 am Eurotunnel crossing that gives me a chance of beating the rush-hour traffic around London, and almost around Birmingham as well.

Each time I’m away in the van I feel more rushed than the last, and need more time. I find the 90 day restriction due to entering a Schengen area, now that Britain is no longer a part of it, increasingly difficult to deal with.

A change in life is due. Looking back the chapters in my mocked-up memoir break into 5-7 year chunks; the Wirral years, the Gap years, the London years, the Lytham years, the New Zealand years, the Chile years, and most recently, the Lake District years.

Now it’s time for the next chapter.

I’ve given my month’s notice on the cottage in Bampton. It’s well situated, but I’ve seen plenty of those hills for now. The problem with the party house rental nextdoor is one me and the neighbours have battled with for 18 months now, and we are not winning. It is not one I want to go back to. Though this is only a very small part of my decision, it has given me the kick in the pants I needed to get moving.

On 22nd June Roja and I will head north, about as far north as is possible in Britain, to serve the rest of my 90 days, and to spend summer in the Shetland Islands. We will head back to Europe as soon as we can. I await a date for the bionic hip, that could be anytime from late this year, to way into next.

I’ve various cunning plans to overcome the Schengen restrictions.

The van will be home for the length of this project, or chapter, which I guess could be anytime from 2 to 5 years.

I will take my writing more seriously. The dog and I will be on a mission to find Europe’s wild places, especially in mountainous regions. We want to experience the climate, the culture, the environment, the history. In the cases where these areas are losing population we want to understand why.

I’m not sure what I’ll do with the blog yet, but it will continue, maybe not if the same form. More on that in the next few weeks, in the meantime I’ve a few tweaks to make to the van, some boxes to fill, and a few bits of administration to get to get through.

Blackpool Central Station

History

Central Station opened in 6 April 1863 and was called Hounds Hill Station at the end of the Blackpool & Lytham Railway Line when it opened. It was renamed Central Station in 1878. By 1901 it had 14 platform. Even though it was Blackpool's busiest railway it closed on 2 November 1964. It closed down mainly because of the development potential of the land that the station was situated on as it was near the Tower and the Promenade. The railway was moved to the south.

On 27 August 1941 there was a major disaster at central station where server people died. (Full story below)

Part of the building was used as a Bingo Hall until 1973 as the building was then demolished, although the toilet block serviced until 2009. Coral Island Arcade now stands on the site of the ticket hall and there are/was plans to redevelop the old station are between New Bonny Street and Chapel Street. This will include demolishing the police building after it moved the new ‘Fylde HQ’ on Clifton Road in 2018.

Railway Disaster

On 27 August 1941, the familiar sound of aircraft engines could be heard overhead. A Blackburn Botha N1745 training aircraft and four 256 Squadron's Boulton Paul Defiant N1745 fighter planes where doing a training exercise near the Tower disaster struck. One of the Fighter Planes hit Botha in midriff of dipping its wing and did not see Botha underneath it. Botha split into two and the Fighter Plane lost its wing in the accident. It happened around 3pm and was seen by tens of thousands of people who were visiting Blackpool that day.

Debris fell from the planes hitting the near by town centre. The Botha’s fuselage crashed into the entrance hall of the Central Train Station. The whole area got covered in fuel which inevitably caught fire and the smoke could been seen from miles away.

18 people died from the incident and a further 39 people were injured.

Debris fell all over the south of the town centre. The tail section of Botha fell into the sea and and missed hitting the promenade by inches. The engine landed onto 97 Reads Avenue where the people living there survived but the house didn’t. The crew fell into the sea and only 1 body was found and was brought back for burial.

The 3 people who where on Bortha died and the rest of the casualties were at the station. Most were treated straight away and then they all went to Victoria Hospital. Some of the staff from the train station lost their lives in the incident.

The mayor of Blackpool and other local well known people visited some of the 27 people who were admitted to the hospital.

In the aftermath the town worked to rebuild itself. Coral Island Arcade now lies on the site of the entrance hall of the train station. Also the house that got destroyed never got rebuilt and is now part of Black and the Fylde College.

A plaque stands in Blackpool North Station as a tribute to the memory of those lost and the people who helped out in the disaster. The plaque reads:

“In memory of those who died at Blackpool Central Station on August 27 1941 and the brave efforts of PC Thomas Beaton (LMS Railway Police), Public Citizens and Rescue Services who did all they could to save lives.”