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Photo of the week: 17 Mar 2002, no.7
Every Sunday one of
my photographs and the story behind it
As I'm about to do the journey from the east coast
down to Manchester once again, this week's photo is rather appropriate. It was
taken from the window of the train during one snowy trip on the same route in
the 1980's. This line -- between Manchester and Leeds -- opened in 1841.
Soon after leaving Manchester, the train cuts through the Pennine Hills. Quite
literally, as there is a series of tunnels. The landscape is harsh and windswept,
but beautiful too. Especially around Stalybridge. Rows of isolated houses stand
perched on the hillside. Jagged walls and impossible roads snake down those hills.
Although very rural, in some spots the area has been scarred by early industry.
There are some magnificent cotton mill buildings and chimneys.
I don't know how many times I've done this journey. In the 1980's the train had
a guard's van, so it was possible to take along a bicycle. Once I even put my
Yamaha scooter in the guard's van! But then the railway scrapped those old 'slam-door'
trains on this route (a process which continues in other areas today). The modern
coaches have less space for legs and luggage and windows that don't open. Needless
to say, there's no guard's van either.
I used to like the grandeur of those old-style carriages. Though they could be
draughty, noisey and sometimes far too busy. These days the trains on this line
aren't as crowded and (in my experience at least) they are a bit more reliable.
However I always try to travel at off-peak times -- another benefit of being self-employed!
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