April 8th – The first big hayride of the year – out to Staffordshire, Weaver Hills and the Manifold, then around the Moors and Roaches and returning from Congleton on the train.
More photos on my main blog later today – a cracking ride; I was fluid, had energy to spare and it was a fast, warm ride on a day more usually expected in May than April.
Nice to be back in the saddle for long rides again!
November 14th – Lichfield Trent Valley railway station at night appears even more grim than it does in the day. The harsh lighting, surprisingly dark corners and hard, human-unfreindly surfaces make it oddly photogenic. I hate this station with a passion, and curse every time I carry my bike over that footbridge, but the metalwork and gas discharge lighting hold my attention at night. Dystopia or beauty? I can’t decide.
November 10th – An awful journey to work. It rained very heavily, and when I got to Lichfield Trent Valley station, my train was 30 minutes late, meaning I’d miss my connection and have to travel onwards to Leicester rather than South Wigston. Wet and miserable, my train finally arrived 45 minutes late, and I got to Leicester at about 9:30am, from where I had a lengthy journey by bike to my destination. By this time, the weather was clearing, and the sun trying to come out. I was in a unfamiliar city, and the cycling felt good. Perhaps it wasn’t all bad. The weak sun glistening off the wet roofs of Knighton made them unexpectedly precious. I arrived at work very late, but unexpectedly exhilarated – you can’t beat cycling.
November 9th – The start and end of the rail journey to Leicester today. When I arrived for my train at Lichfield, the information sign showed that the preceding Virgin express was running very late and was due to call just before my train. For a while, the sign showed the later train as coming in first, even though the timings on the sign meant that was impossible. 6 minutes late, after the express had hurriedly called, my train limped up. In the mean time, it had disappeared off the sign completely, with the train I was to catch completely absent from the system. I think they do it just to frighten us…
At the other end, it appeared that an all night party had been occurring in the shelter at South Wigston, chip papers were scattered throughout the platform. Sometimes I think we get the rail service we deserve.
July 12th – first of a couple of days in Leicester. I hop up to Lichfield Trent Valley and heft my bike on the train – a short change in Nuneaton gets me to where I need to be quite quickly. The London Midland Euston bound stopping trains recently introduced on the West Coast Main Line – Siemens Desiro 350’s – are much better for cyclists and wheelchair users with plenty of space, little fold out tables and wide internal clearances. So much easier than the older, cramped 170’s Arriva Cross Country use on the Leicester line. Shame they aren’t looked after more carefully. Would a decent cleaning regime really go amiss?
June 14th – Returning that afternoon, I noticed this new roadster locked up near to the railings in Trent Valley car park. Obviously a beginner to commuting, it’s a very new bike branded ‘Real’ – it’s a knock-off Pashley copy sold by Halfords, I think. Sadly, the owner hasn’t invested in a very good lock and seems to have missed the fact that there’s a decent, CCTV-covered bike park in the dry under the footbridge steps on Platform 1. I’m not going to state the obvious, I’m really not. You work it out.
Nice to see someone having a go. Cycle Chic comes to Ye Olde City?
June 14th – Lichfield Trent Valley is an awful railway station. Jammed into the chord junction formed where the Cross City Line intersects the West Coast Main Line, it’s a collection of huts, cabins and rambling, exposed platforms. It’s very busy with commuters and has still yet to get a functioning public information system. One of the worst aspects is accessibility; both the Cross City and southbound mainline platforms are utterly unaccessible to anything with wheels. I’m lucky, I can pick my bike up and carry it. Wheelchair users are stuffed.
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