Winter Series 2002-2003
Round 2 - 17th November 2002

Report by TX operator, John Heath:

Not all competitors found me last year, so I decided there was a chance Chris Heys just might stumble across me if I hid near where he had looked for me on that event. So I chose to hide on the West side of Radcliffe, near the Outwood Trail.

The old East Lancashire Railway crossed the River Irwell here on the Outwood Viaduct which for many years was derelict, but in 1999 was refurbished with a new deck, and now forms part of the Outwood Trail. I decided to hide adjacent to one of the supports and take the aerial up to the metalwork of the bridge and load it up.

The aerial was erected on the Tuesday morning preceding the event, luckily in between the heavy showers, and I was surprised to arrive on the site on the Sunday morning and be unable to find where it was tied off to the bridge. Assuming the wind had demolished it during the week a new one was hurriedly erected, and I clambered down the embankment to my hide only to discover that I now had two aerials. A quick assessment suggested the second was the better of the two and the first was hurriedly removed.

The weather was unusually pleasant for November and all the competitors were able to get a good bearing on the first transmission. Shortly after 11am noises were heard in the vicinity and Chris Plummer and Roger began to investigate the undergrowth around the viaduct. Unfortunately Chris noticed the disturbed ground where I had been out to retrieve the original aerial and was in at 11.09.

Dave Peacock arrived shortly afterwards and despite “help” from Chris was in after 10 minutes of searching.

I sat back for a long wait, but soon noticed Chris Heys with Giles in tow battling along the bank of the Irwell on the wrong side. Chris enjoys leaving the car a long way from the transmitter on my events and approaching on foot (see Dec 2000), but today had only left it a disappointing mile and a half away.

With some encouragement, I did wave vigorously to him, but he seemed preoccupied. Meanwhile Dave Chippendale arrived from the south, and both Dave and Chris were teased by the teams already in. Dave found me first at 11.38, to be followed a minute later by Chris.

Perhaps I made it too easy this time – or maybe I am becoming too predictable? Next year will have to be a bit more challenging!

Thanks to Andrew Handyside and Co. of Derby for constructing my aerial for the East Lancashire Railway in 1881, and to the 4 local authorities: Rossendale, Bury, Salford and Lancashire, together with the Arts Council of England National Lottery Fund who provided the funds to refurbish it. Chris Plummer may claim the heaviest aerial, but mine was a Grade 2 Listed Building.

Lunch afterwards was taken in the Rose and Crown, as visited twice last season (Nov 01 and Jan 02).

You can read more about the history of the Outwood Viaduct here.

John Heath's TX Site, under the left (south) side of the Outwood Viaduct	"WAKE UP!" They weren't going to let Chris H sleep in this time!
Chris P, Giles and Roger, awaiting second transmission at Moses Gate Country Park	"Ears open and mouth shut please Giles"
"It's where you left it!" Chris H finds his wallet	Coming out the pub, Plummer notices his car isn't quite how he left it