{"id":713,"date":"2021-06-20T17:45:51","date_gmt":"2021-06-20T17:45:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/lancashireloominary.co.uk\/index.html\/?p=713"},"modified":"2021-06-20T19:41:35","modified_gmt":"2021-06-20T19:41:35","slug":"northern-weekly-salvo-294","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/lancashireloominary.co.uk\/index.html\/northern-weekly-salvo-294","title":{"rendered":"Northern Weekly Salvo 294"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Northern Wokely Salvo<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Incorporating \u00a0Slaithwaite Review of Books, Weekly Notices, Sectional Appendices, Tunnel Gazers\u2019 Gazette <\/em>and Northern Umbrella. <\/em>Descendant of Teddy Ashton\u2019s Northern Weekly <\/em>and Th\u2019Bowtun Loominary.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Published at 109 Harpers Lane Bolton BL1 6HU email: paul.salveson@myphone.coop<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Publications website: www.lancashireloominary.co.uk<\/strong><\/p>\n

No. 294 June 21st 2021 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong><\/p>\n

Salveson\u2019s half-nakedly political digest of railwayness, tripe and secessionist nonsense from Up North. Sometimes weekly, usually not; definitely Northern. Read by the highest and lowest officers of state, Whitmanites, weirdos, misfits, steam punks, yes women, no men, gay Swedenborgians, cat-spotters, discerning sybarites, bi-guys, non-aligned social democrats, \u00a0pie-eaters, tripe dressers, nail artists, self-managing VIMTO drinkers, truculent Northerners, grumpy Norwegians, absurd Marxists, sleepy Hungarians, members of the clergy and the toiling masses, generally. All views expressed are my own and usually nobody else\u2019s. Official journal of the Station Cat Improvement Network, Pacer Dining Club, Station Buffet Acceleration Council and the Campaign for a North with a capital \u2018N\u2019.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are far more united and have far more in common with each other than things that divide us.\u201d \u2013<\/em><\/strong> Jo Cox, maiden speech in House of Commons, June 3rd<\/sup> 2015.<\/p>\n

The 5th<\/sup> anniversary of Jo\u2019s murder was on June 16th<\/sup>. Still in our hearts.<\/p>\n

General gossips <\/strong><\/p>\n

Greetings from Bolton (Lancs). Thankfully, our premier position at the top of the Covid infection league has been usurped by our neighbours and Bolton seems to be the only place where infection rates are going down, at least in the North-West. Maybe some lessons there \u2013 throw substantial resources at the problem, vaccinate as many people as possible and behave sensibly.<\/p>\n

Down south, the outcome of the Chesham and Amersham by-election gives hope that the apparently indestructible Johnson may not be as invincible as he seems. The Lib Dems scored a great victory and there\u2019s no reason to think that it is that much different from other constituencies in the leafy south-east. Maybe HS2 was a factor (and good on them if it was) but it wasn\u2019t the whole story. What it does point to is a very pronounced realignment of English politics, with Labour struggling to find a role outside the major cities and Wales. More on that below.<\/p>\n

Elsewhere in this Salvo there\u2019s news about the Williams-Shapps \u2018Plan for Rail\u2019 and the Rail Reform Group\u2019s less than enthusiastic response. Much will depend on the people running the new entity \u2013 railway people are good at making even the most unpromising structures work, after a fashion. They\u2019ve had enough practice these last 30 years.<\/p>\n

Light shines in Buckinghamshire, but will it in Batley?<\/strong><\/h5>\n

After all the pre-election publicity about Hartlepool, the Chesham and Amersham by-election was little noticed, but the result was equally significant, maybe more so. While Johnson may try to justify the Tories\u2019 drubbing as being down to a few \u2018local difficulties\u2019 (HS2, planning law changes) the reality is more complex, with many longstanding Tory voters deserting their party in disgust at the lurch to a populist, anti-European agenda where corruption is obvious. Let\u2019s see what happens in similar seats in the south-east, there is talk that there might be a vacancy in Maidenhead quite soon.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, the outcome of the Batley and Spen by-election will be of more immediate interest. A few days ago I would have put money on Labour hanging on, but now I\u2019m not so sure. Starmer has become a lame-duck leader and switching a few of his back-office staff isn\u2019t going to make much difference. Batley and Spen isn’t ‘solid’ Labour (like many of the other so-called ‘red wall’ constituencies) and had a Tory MP not that long ago. I hope it doesn’t go back to that.<\/p>\n

The harsh reality is that the grand coalition that once made Labour such a powerful force no longer exists. The classic industrial working class, organised in strong, Labour-affiliated unions, has gone. In the large former industrial towns where it once ruled supreme, its influence has waned. Its support in Scotland has all but disappeared. Where it is doing OK is in the major cities of England as well as some of the south-eastern towns and cities with large university populations and Labour-inclined migrant ex-Londoners. And Wales. Taking these areas of support together, it isn\u2019t enough to form the basis for a majority Labour government. In fact it is very hard to see how Labour, for the foreseeable future, could regain power on its own. Boundary changes may not help, but with current voter realignment who knows.<\/p>\n

Going back to Chesham and Amersham, people voted intelligently; there was no need for a formal deal between Labour and the Lib Dems, people were shrewd enough to see that voting Lib Dem was the only way to get rid of the Tories (and many of these were of course traditional Tory voters who have fallen out with Johnson’s lot). While the Greens did considerably better than Labour there\u2019s no doubt as to who was the winner in all this. It\u2019s fine saying that proportional representation would solve the problem, and I\u2019m a strong supporter of it \u2013 but there\u2019s the inconvenient fact that you first need to get a Government elected that will legislate for it, under the existing unfair system. As things look today, that means a coalition government led by Labour with Lib Dem, SNP and Green support. Much as I\u2019d like to see the Greens having more MPs to work alongside the excellent Caroline Lucas, I think they will struggle to increase their seats in the short term, their focus should be on local government where they can do well if they target places. I just wish Bolton\u2019s hard-working Alan Johnson could get himself elected onto the Council.<\/p>\n

\"\"Back to Batley then. I hope Labour\u2019s gamble in selecting a candidate whose main claim to fame is being the sister of the late Jo Cox comes off; it could prove to be a tactical error. If Labour is defeated that will put a big question mark over Starmer\u2019s future. Several leading figures are already dropping hints that they could step into his shoes, including Andy Burnham and possibly Angela Rayner. I think both could make a half-decent job of it, but nether have them have the talent of previous Labour leaders, including Wilson and Blair (cries of shock! horror! from some readers). They (Andy and Ange) both have ambition but not much substance beyond basic rather old-fashioned social democratic policies with a bit of \u2018greenwash\u2019 added in Angela\u2019s case. A key battleground within Labour is going to be around building a new democratic Britain, with democratic devolution to the English regions and PR. Neither of them get those issues. The one person who does is, ironically, not a \u2018Northern MP\u2019 \u2013 I\u2019m thinking of Clive Lewis, the sparky and thoughtful left-of-centre MP for Norwich who is closely linked to the \u2018Compass\u2019 think tank.<\/p>\n

If Labour wants to re-unite a future United Kingdom (which may or may not include Scotland and Northern Ireland) it needs to devolve itself. Welsh Labour has shown that where the party can meld a progressive national identity with sensible centre-left politics, it can win. In the case of England, that means progressive regionalism, with the creation of a \u2018Northern Labour\u2019 that isn\u2019t beholden to an increasingly out of touch party HQ in London. So the Salvo solution, in a nutshell is: get rid of Starmer and bring in Clive Lewis as leader. Make Andy Burnham the leader of a \u2018Greater Greater Manchester (aka Lancashire and Cheshire) which has an assembly elected by PR. Angela Rayner to become head of \u2018Northern Labour\u2019.<\/p>\n

But, of course, it isn\u2019t just about leaders: Labour needs to rebuild as a popular grass-roots party which speaks a language that people recognise and identify with. Trying to struggle on with a plain vanilla politics that tries to speak to all of Britain (and will fail) isn’t the way to go.<\/p>\n

Great British Railways, coming to you soon<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Department for Transport published its long-awaited \u2018plan for rail\u2019 in early June. It was co-authored by former British Airways boss Keith Williams and Transport Secretary Grant Shapps, though the hand of Johnson\u2019s transport advisor Andrew Gilligan is all over it.<\/p>\n

After such a long time in gestation the Williams-Shapps Report is sadly disappointing.\u00a0 There is no analysis of the deep-rooted problems in the industry which led to the report\u2019s commissioning two years ago, following the May 2018 timetable meltdown. Nor is there much reference, let alone, analysis, of the other key issues that need to be addressed, such as decarbonisation (electrification) and infrastructure development\u00a0(e.g. Northern Powerhouse, Midlands Engine) or of why Great Western electrification costs rose so dramatically out of control.<\/p>\n

The imminent demise of the franchise system is over-stated in the document. The proposed new \u2018National Rail Contracts\u2019 are merely franchises with the revenue risk, to operators, stripped out.\u00a0 The same<\/p>\n

\"\"
east-wst links in the North need investment: a Northern 195 tiptoes over Copy Pit on a Blackpool – York service<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

issues that currently exist, including \u2018delay attribution\u2019 – which is detailed as an example of how contractual (and costly) the railways have become – will continue across the wheel\/rail divide (viz., the separation of infrastructure management from train operations), which has been perpetuated for no obvious reason and with no justification.<\/p>\n

The re-branding to \u2018Great British Railways\u2019 (GBR) covering both the English passenger railway and the Great Britain-wide network will add complexity and confusion as well as reducing accountability for the railways run by devolved administrations, (particularly Scotland and Wales, but also Merseyside and London) each of which has their own strong identity. It seems to be a political ploy to support the Government\u2019s \u2018defend the union\u2019 agenda. And I don\u2019t mean RMT.<\/p>\n

The claims to reform fares and ticketing are also over-stated. Some of the suggestions for fares reform have already been available with some operators – there are no new major proposals.<\/p>\n

It would be silly to say it\u2019s all bad. The support for community-rail partnerships is welcome, but the Government should put its money where its mouth is and give them further funding to develop their work. However, expecting them to bid on their own for ‘micro-franchises’ could be over-optimistic unless resources are made available to assist them. Who will be the CRP’s main partner? GBR, or the ‘contracted’ train operator? In London, this has caused some difficulties with TfL wanting to micromanage more things than they really ought. The new contracts should clealry set out what is expected of the CRP and whom should be their primary partner (I’d say the train operator).<\/p>\n

Railway people have proved adept at making the best out of a bad job and one cause for hope in the Government\u2019s plan is the likelihood that Network Rail leaders Peter Hendy and Andrew Haines will run the new \u2018GBR\u2019. Both are highly respected and committed transport professionals, but they will have their work cut out in making the new body a success. I hope they will be brave and sensible enough to give real power to the proposed regional divisions and encourage them to work with regional partners such as the combined authorities.<\/p>\n

There are fears among many rail professionals, such as the Rail Reform Group, that the new GBR \u201ccould be a return to the old days of London-based centralisation with little understanding of regional, let alone local, markets…..Centralised control of timetables and fares lacks any link to local markets which are key to growing rail business, yet whilst reference is made to the five current regions (one of which is Scotland and run quite differently) there is no indication that the regions will be the key specifiers and drivers.\u201d<\/p>\n

It appears that the \u2018single guiding mind\u2019 translates into a highly centralised operation, much like the railway of the 1950s, 60s and 70s. Anyone who thinks that this represents a change back to a publicly-owned and accountable railway are deluding themselves. In many ways it is the worst of all worlds, with the likelihood that the private operators who will operate the \u2018national passenger contacts\u2019 having little incentive to develop new products and services, and will look at ways to cut costs wherever they can. The response from some will be that the contracts won\u2019t allow them to do that, but you end up with a railway that is specified down to the tiniest detail, making any change, for good or bad, incredibly difficult to do.<\/p>\n

There is an alternative. In previous Salvoes I\u2019ve argued for mutually-owned and vertically-integrated regional companies to run the railways that Government and the public can trust – creating a railway for the Common Good, that is there for the long term, not just a few years. The \u2018plan\u2019 is a wasted opportunity, but Labour doesn\u2019t seem to be offering much of an alternative, other than a return to a different model of highly-centralised bureaucracy.<\/p>\n

Running a national railway network well involves a delicate balance with some degree of national co-ordination other issues such as fares, core timetables and passenger standards, with regional and even local initiative. If you think that\u2019s pie-in-the-sky, have a look at the railways of Switzerland.<\/p>\n

Make Greater Manchester Greater<\/strong><\/h5>\n

As a proud Boltonian I have never been comfortable with the idea of being part of \u2018Greater Manchester\u2019 preferring the original, admittedly cumbersome title of \u2018South East Lancashire and North-East Cheshire\u2019 used by the buses. SELNEC. They could have added \u2018with bits of The West Riding of the Yorkshire\u2019 recognising Saddleworth\u2019s inclusion in the area.<\/p>\n

Greater Manchester doesn\u2019t really work; ironically, I think it’s not big enough. And I deeply disagree with the contemporary obsession with \u2018city regions\u2019 in which the \u2018city\u2019 will always dominate the satellite towns.Years ago I remember my friend David Begg talking about \u2018Greater Manchester\u2019 in a transport context pointing out that its hinterland goes well beyond its current boundaries. He was right then (1990s?) and that perception is truer today than ever. Blackburn and North-East Lancashire are very much part of the wider hinterland that relates to Manchester itself. So is Preston and \u2013 more arguably \u2013<\/p>\n

\"\"
Looking over Bolton towards Manchester<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Warrington. Lancashire itself, in administrative terms, is a total shambles, with unitary authorities for Blackpool and \u2018Blackburn with Darwen\u2019 and talk of carving up what remains of local government into larger and even less accountable districts.<\/p>\n

There is an alternative! Make Greater Manchester into a much bigger entity, more or less recreating \u2018Lancashire\u2019 but with boundaries which make political, economic and cultural sense now. I\u2019d be inclined to leave Merseyside (or \u2018Liverpool City Region\u2019) as a separate entity with Chester. But it would all need a lot of debate and discussion rather than the forced imposition of an alien concept, as we got back in 1974. The new \u2018Greater Lancastria\u2019 should have an elected assembly along similar lines to the existing devolved administrations, with re-constituted local authorities which should have more, rather than less, power. Simple, eh?<\/p>\n

Bollington Bolsheviks<\/strong><\/p>\n

Did they exist? If not, it would be necessary to invent them, for alliterative correctness. Bollington is a small town just a few miles from Macclesfield. It was once a southern outlier of the Lancashire cotton industry, with a couple of large spinning mills. One, Clarence Mill, survives and prospers as a mixed-use hub with an excellent gallery<\/p>\n

\"\"
Clarence Mill at Bollington<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

(Northern Makes, specialising in Northern art), cafe and a number of other small businesses, with living space on the upper floors. It is superbly situated alongside the Macclesfield Canal. It no longer has a railway \u2013 the link from Macclesfield to Marple (Rose Hill) now forms part of the Middlebrook Way and makes for a good bike ride.<\/p>\n

Hearty art in Hale<\/strong><\/p>\n

Another trip in place of our Scottish holiday was an afternoon and evening in Hale and Altrincham, easily reached by rail from here. The station is very much unchanged, even with the signalbox at the end of the platform. Needs a bit of TLC though \u2013 in comparison, Altrincham is looking much better. I love the artwork, sponsored by the community iial partnership. How integration should be \u2013 trains, trams and buses check by jowl with good cycling facilities. Someone should enter it for an award. The booking office staff are excellent, which<\/p>\n

\"\"
Altrincham Interchange: The Cheshire Cat takes her leave<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

really makes it special. Back to Hale then \u2013 it has a couple of very good art galleries. The Clarendon specialises in contemporary works and has some great stuff. Clark Art (which seems to sponsor the station and is very close to it) must be the leading gallery for specifically \u2018Northern\u2019 artists (and has some similarities with Northern Makes in Bollington \u2013 see above). It had some originals by Adolphe Vallette for sale, but also showcased several contemporary Northern artists. In a way, talk of \u2018Northern\u2019 artists and a \u2018Northern School\u2019 is a slight misnomer. They\u2019re really \u2018Lancastrian\u2019. \u00a0But let\u2019s not get too picky. A final point, you may be wondering how we spent our evening (or maybe you\u2019re not). We had an excellent meal in a superb Sri Lankan restaurant, Sigirya, just down the high street from the station.<\/p>\n

Publish and be bxxxxxd<\/strong><\/p>\n

In the last Salvo <\/em>I optimistically suggested that a new edition of Socialism with a Nortehrn Accent would be out in July. Mmm. Don\u2019t think so. It\u2019s in a queue, with my new edition of the Allen Clarke biography first in line. Allen Clarke (\u2018Teddy Ashton\u2019) Lancashire\u2019s Romantic Radical<\/em> will be back from the printers by the end of June and I\u2019m going \"\"delay a full launch until September when something approximating \u2018normality\u2019 might be back, allowing a proper launch (Bolton and Blackpool). The first edition was published in 2009 and the new one substantially improves on the original, in my estimation. There\u2019s some new information about his life and work and entirely new chapter on his railway writings (\u2018Teddy Ashton Takes the Train\u2019).<\/p>\n

The current plan is once the Allen Clarke is duly launched I\u2019ll do a new book on the Lancashire \u2013Whitman connection. This will incorporate most of With Walt Whitman in Bolton (published in 2019) with an entirely new section on Whitman\u2019s wider influence on Northern socialism. It will be called Unlikely Pioneers \u2013 Walt Whitman, the Bolton Boys and Northern Labour 1885-2022<\/em>. I\u2019m not sure whether to do it as a print edition or just by kindle, which is much less trouble, but less fun. Comments welcome, I still have some copies of With Walt Whitman in Bolton<\/em> left, which I\u2019m selling for a fiver.<\/p>\n

After that I may do a pre-Christmas \u2018Bolton\u2019 book, which will hopefully repeat the success of Moorlands, Memories and Reflections<\/em> which came out in November last year and caught the \u2018Christmas present\u2019 market. After that, we\u2019re into 2022 \u2013 a new edition of Socialism with a Northern Accent <\/em>would be a good project, with time to reflect on post-Covid politics and whether Labour is able to turn the tide in its former \u2018red wall\u2019 strongholds. My usual optimism struggles with that.<\/p>\n

So no shortage of things to do and I\u2019ve hardly started on that \u2018Farnworth\u2019 novel which I\u2019d really like to do next year, as well as a railway title (Lines of Attraction: Railways of the North-West). <\/em>Or maybe, cheekily, \u2018<\/em>Great Northern Railways\u2019.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ll be doing a pre-publication offer on the Allen Clarke book \u2013 it will sell at \u00a318.99 in the shops and on Amazon (plus postage) but I\u2019ll do it for \u00a315 with free local delivery c\/o Bolton Bicycling Bookshop, or \u00a33 postage in the UK. I will start sending it out early in July, see www.lancashireloominary.co.uk<\/a> for details of how to buy it.<\/p>\n

Roaming around Radcliffe and Little Lever<\/strong><\/p>\n

Radcliffe is a medium-sized town north of Manchester, within the metropolitan district of Bury. Like many similar towns it once had its own local authority and the town hall survives, as a reminder of how local government was once just that. Recently, a \u2018hyper-local\u2019 party, Radcliffe Independents, have made sweeping gains in local elections. They now have four councillors elected onto Bury Council. The issues include a perceived lack of control over local issues, as well as proposal for huge housing development east of the town towards Bury, close to Elton Reservoir. They state: \u201cWe are not politicians we are everyday people who care about Radcliffe. At Radcliffe First we are not trying to build careers in politics, our only reason for wanting to become councillors is to make a difference for Radcliffe. Being a councillor is not a stepping stone to something greater it is our final destination. We want to give Radcliffe a voice in Bury Council, something it has been lacking for a long time. We are involved in the community not to boost our political careers but simply because we care about Radcliffe and want to make a difference. We need your vote to allow us to do that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"
Farnworh Town Hall: once the base of a thriving local authority<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The rise of \u2018hyper local\u2019 parties in places like Radcliffe, Farnworth and Failsworth is one of the more interesting political developments in the North, predictably un-noticed by the media.<\/p>\n

But what of Radcliffe today? It is on the Bury \u2013 Manchester Metrolink route though the line from Bury to Bolton via Black Lane closed. There are aspirations to extend Metrolink into Bolton with the option of using at least some of the old trackbed. Don\u2019t hold your breath, stupid planning decisions resulted in much of the former trackbed being built on.<\/p>\n

The town itself has, for a long time, had a run-down look to it. That is starting to change. It is nicely situated on the River Irwell, with \u2018Radcliffe Bridge\u2019 being a prominent landmark. The parish church, just<\/p>\n

\"\"
near the site of Ladyshore Colliery<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

up the hill, is a very fine building. If you carry on along the road towards Bolton you get to the point where the Bolton \u2013 Bury Canal once crossed. It\u2019s a pleasant walk in either direction, east towards Bury or west, as we did, towards Bolton. There are some attractive \u2018Radcliffe in Bloom\u2019 displays by the road so you get off to a good start.<\/p>\n

The towpath is well maintained and takes you past some examples of Radcliffe\u2019s old industry, mainly cotton spinning and paper. You reach the site of Ladyshore Colliery (on the right) at Little Lever and a little way further on the spot where the canal burst its banks, in 1942. This closed the canal to all traffic, and the breach has never been repaired. It would be a big job. A housing developer, Watson\u2019s, has said it would help fund the restoration if it gets planning permission for the 270 houses it wants to build. It would be good to see the canal restored though part of me likes it just as it is. Beyond the diversion (you<\/p>\n

\"\"
The abandoned flight of locks at Nob End<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

actually go into the bottom of the former canal for a short way) you reach Nob End. Here, the canal split with one section continuing to Darcy Lever and Bolton and the other descending to Prestolee, down an impressive flight of locks. The local canal society would love to see the locks re-instated; a big job but why not?<\/p>\n

Radcliffe Market<\/strong><\/p>\n

Radcliffe has the usual supermarket brands like \u2018Lidl\u2019 which is OK if you like that sort of thing. There are a number of smalls shops dotted around the town centre. But what is really special is the re-opened Radcliffe Market, next door to Lidl in the town centre, at Radcliffe Bridge. It was probably not the best time to re-open a local market, in \"\"the middle of the Pandemic last year. However, this brave effort deserves support. It is well designed with a god mix of shops and places to eat. It also hosts events including music and theatre. Its website (www.radcliffe.market<\/a>) says \u00a0\u201cWe are a community owned and run market hall. \u00a0Our aim is to bring you fresh and local food, ethical products, local services that you\u00a0cannot\u00a0find in any other place in and around Radcliffe and North Manchester. \u00a0We want to be that place you spend time to do a bit of shopping, relaxing and unwinding with your friends over a drink and a bite to eat and watch the world go by from the riverside. \u00a0We want to help bring our community together by providing thriving community venue for great events that\u00a0allows\u00a0you to enjoy this wonderful market hall.\u201d The market is run as a co-operative \u2013 it\u2019s a community benefit society. I\u2019ll go back to Radcliffe, for the market and another walk along th\u2019cut.<\/p>\n

Looking back on our history: Bolton\u2019s Other Railway<\/strong><\/p>\n

Readers of The Bolton News<\/em> will know about my fortnightly \u2018Looking Back\u2019 feature, which has grown to a double-page spread on aspects of Bolton\u2019s history. A recent one featured \u2018Bolton\u2019s other railway\u2019 \u2013 the London and North Western, which ran into (and occasionally through) Bolton\u2019s Great Moor Street station. The Bolton and Leigh Railway opened in 1828 and was Lancashire\u2019s first public railway, though it didn\u2019t start passenger services until 1831, connecting with the Liverpool and Manchester at Kenyon Junction. I think I can say that I was on one of the last passenger trains (apart from enthusiast railtours) to leave the station, on a Bolton Holidays\u2019 special to North Wales in June 1957. I can just about remember going up the stairs and being thrilled at the sight of a long train headed by a \u2018Black 5\u2019. The feature is on this link \u2013 possibly the most interesting bit is the tale of Bolton School Classics Master \u2018Butch\u2019 Ingham who did a bit of loco driving during his commute to and from Bolton.<\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.theboltonnews.co.uk\/news\/19321460.boltons-railway-served-great-moor-street-station\/<\/a><\/p>\n

Moses of the Mail and random acts of kindness<\/strong><\/p>\n

We recently enjoyed a trip over to Leeds on the Calder Valley Line, in my view the most scenic of the trans-Pennine railways and one I used to \u2018sign\u2019 when I was a guard at Blackburn (or at least the bit over Copy Pit and then through to Healey Mills). It was the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway\u2019s main line and was once graced by Aspinall\u2019s \u2018Highflyer\u2019 locomotives, which feature in Andrew Martin\u2019s novel, The Blackpool Highflyer<\/em>, mostly set in Sowerby Bridge loco shed (56E). I remember getting to Sowerby Bridge when I was about 8, by train \"\"from Bolton via Bury and Rochdale. After getting round the shed (no Highflyers by then, obv.) I decided to try and get to Low Moor shed. I was informed that there was a bus that would take me there so I jumped on, only to find I didn\u2019t have enough money for the fare. A kindly lady sitting opposite gave me the 2d (or whatever it was) to make up the difference and I got to Low Moor. I can\u2019t remember what was on either shed, though I\u2019ve never forgotten that act of kindness from the lady on the bus. And if anyone thinks that these things are dead and gone, my friend John in Portrush was recently helped out by a fellow shopper when he realised that he had forgotten his wallet and couldn\u2019t pay his (fairly modest) bill at the checkout.<\/p>\n

But anyway, the Calder Valley Line always reminds me of that song, recited by Ewan MacColl, called \u2018Moses of the Mail\u2019. He collected the song from a visit to Newton Heath shed in 1951, it appeared on his LP Shuttle and Cage. Moses \u2013 actually Henry Poyser – was an L&Y driver at Newton Heath and the song is about his misadventures working the night \u2018mail\u2019 from Manchester to York.\u00a0 It\u2019s an amusing ditty, though MacColl misheard some of the lines, when he sings:<\/p>\n

It was a dark and stormy night<\/em><\/p>\n

The snow was falling fast,<\/em><\/p>\n

I stood at Thorpbridge Junction<\/em><\/p>\n

When the reckless Moses passed<\/em><\/p>\n

His hair was wildly waving<\/em><\/p>\n

As through the air he sped,<\/em><\/p>\n

He\u2019d never had such doings since <\/em><\/p>\n

He started at the shed…<\/em><\/p>\n

So error number 1 \u2013 did you spot it? Thorpe\u2019s Bridge Junction, not \u2018Thorpbridge\u2019. OK, small point. He goes on to trill:<\/p>\n

In Moston\u2019s dreary cutting<\/em><\/p>\n

The struggle was extreme<\/em><\/p>\n

Both front fenders failed to work<\/em><\/p>\n

And the engine wouldn\u2019t steam…<\/em><\/p>\n

He obviously means \u2018injectors\u2019 not \u2018front fenders\u2019 \u2013 the dangers of oral transmission! Some lyrics show it as \u2018front sanders\u2019 but that\u2019s not right either. But anyway, it\u2019s a great song.<\/p>\n

Second-Hand Department<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Lancashire Loominary Secondhand Bookshop has stirred some interest. There\u2019s still some quite good stuff there \u2013 you can view it at http:\/\/lancashireloominary.co.uk\/index.html\/second-hand-books . I\u2019ve added a few more things to it and I\u2019m happy to consider swops for interesting books on Lancashire, politics, railways etc.<\/p>\n

My photo gallery \u2013 an emphasis on steam (but not completely)<\/strong><\/p>\n

I\u2019ve been making some changes to my website\/s…I\u2019m keeping www.lancashireloominary.co.uk<\/a>\u00a0 for all publications, including The Salvo<\/em>. However, www.paulsalveson.org.uk<\/a> has been re-born as Paul Salveson Photography: places, trains and factories<\/em> or summat like that.<\/p>\n

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Astley Green Colliery – ‘Harry’ crosses the cut<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

There are several pages dealing with different aspects of my photography: BR Steam, Continental Steam, The Modern Railway, Industrial Steam, Northern Rural Landscapes, Mills and Mines, and Strikes, Riots and Demonstrations. This is my current favourite: Industrial Railways UK 1966 \u2013 1980 \u2013 Paul Salveson Photography<\/a><\/p>\n

Good places to buy my books and other things<\/strong><\/p>\n

As lockdown eases, more shops are opening\u00a0 which sell my books. These include Carnforth Bookshop, Wrights\u2019 Reads in Horwich, Pendle Heritage Centre in Barrowford and Kelsall\u2019s in Littleborough. Please support your local bookshops, it\u2019s vital they survive. A great feature of any walk up Rivington Pike is the Pike Snack Shack on George\u2019s Lane \u2013 a long way up, the last place before you get on the track to the summit. They do coffee, pies, sandwiches and cakes for takeaway and you can sit amidst the heather and savour the view across the West Lancashire Plain. You can also buy copies of Moorlands, Memories and Reflections<\/em>.\u00a0 Another popular addition to my list of retail<\/p>\n

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A Small Good Thing – Lisa with a copy of my latest book<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

outlets is Bunbury\u2019s real ale shop at 397 Chorley Old Road, Bolton. Another slightly unconventional outlet is A Small Good Thing, on Church Road. This is a great little shop mainly selling organic fruit and veg and a range of \u2018small good things\u2019. Fletcher\u2019s Newsagents on Markland Hill Bolton are stockists. Justicia Fair Trade Shop on Knowsley Street, Bolton, is handy for the town centre and has a full set of my books available (and some great gifts from around the world, ethically sourced).<\/p>\n

Winter Hill 125 \u2013 this September, have a walk o\u2019er Winter Hill<\/strong><\/p>\n

Plans to celebrate the 125th<\/sup> anniversary of the 1896 Winter Hill \u2018mass trespass\u2019 continue to evolve with strong interest from a wide range of groups and individuals. The celebration will take place on Sunday September 5th<\/sup> 2021 \u2013 get it in your diary now! We now have a superb banner made by Andy Smith –\u00a0 it was unveiled on a wet and windy day at the start of Coalpit Road (the trespass route) a few weeks ago. We were joined by people from Country Walking<\/em> magazine \u2013 a feature on the \u2018mass trespass\u2019 will appear in their September issue, out in August.<\/p>\n

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The 1982 commemoration heads up Halliwell Road<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

My book on the mass trespass is available price \u00a35 (plus postage if not local) \u2013 see below. It is hoped to have some major events this year, circumstances permitting. More details to follow. The best way of keeping updated is to join the Winter Hill 125 facebook page.<\/p>\n

The Alternative Economy<\/strong><\/p>\n

Bolton Diggers are running a series of talks on \u2018The Alternative Economy\u2019 in the town\u2019s Victoria Hall. The first one kicks off on June 30th<\/sup>, at 6.00 These free talks and participative workshops will take place every Wednesday evening at 6pm in the old coffee bar at Victoria Halls between June 30th<\/sup> and September 1st<\/sup>. This will be followed by a \u2018Made in Bolton\u2019 local products fair (date to be arranged.) The first talks are as follows:-<\/p>\n

June 30 Domestic Production\u00a0: <\/strong>Vicky Urmston (Olive & Co.) on home-made soaps and Helen McGlynn on home made balms.<\/p>\n

July 7 Local Brews: <\/strong>TBA a local micro brewery<\/p>\n

July 14 Food Growing: <\/strong>Chris and Helen from the Kindling Trust have been promoting food growing initiatives in Greater Manchester for decades. From training up horticulturalists to distribution systems for existing growers, they have recently been raising funds for a new organic farm.<\/p>\n

July 21 Including the Excluded: <\/strong>Tony Stephenson of Bolton Emmaus links up on social enterprise with\u00a0 formerly homeless people. At their Fletcher Street base he and his team have spearheaded the development of a variety of imaginative social enterprises.<\/p>\n

July 28 Alternative Retail Distribution Systems: <\/strong>Established local permaculturalist Steve Jones looks at the pros and cons of locally accessible systems of retail distribution from car boots to online sites.<\/p>\n

Small Salvoes<\/strong><\/p>\n