Sunday 2 March 2008

A Grand Day Out .

Our Grand Day out to York on a steam train started at 7-15am on our local station . We had to go to Preston to pick up the main train. It was supposed to leave Preston at 8-00 a m but there where several unknown delays . It didn't turn up till 8-35 a m.Papa Bear on the Station.
We found our seats and settled down ( please note DH is smiling )and waited for the train to pull out . It didn't leave till 9-05 am . The time when it should have been leaving Carnforth. We finally got to Carnforth at 9-30 am where the diesel engine was replaced by the steam locomotive. We finally got on our way at 10-20am . Rather late .

1960's carriage
The journey was great . The smells and sounds brought loads of memories back of train journeys when I was a child . We used to listen to the sounds of the wheels going "Eyenimanoosh" as we rolled along .
On the way up to Hellifield to pick up water.
Which took longer than expected so bit more delay. It was a good job I took my knitting. We were enjoying it though. The weather was fine and the fields where full of sheep with their new lambs . We followed the Leeds Liverpool Canal for quite a way and there were a few narrow boats out.

This is the engine that got us to York . We ended up arriving 2 hours late so our planned four hour look round York was condensed to just over an hour. So we had a quick look round and got some bits and something for tea and went back to the station. It was no good bothering and after all we had mainly gone for the train journey.

York Minster
Street Musician In Petergate
The Shambles

Carnforth Station By night. Scene of my favourite film Brief Encounter.
We were supposed to set off back at 4-15pm but it was 4-45 pm
but it was 4-45 pm. Don't know why. made quite good time to Hellifield to pick up water but again a delay . Some of the carriages were having trouble with the lights keep going out so they fixed that.

We finally got back to Preston at 9-45 pm and as you can see Papa Bear was knackered . Our connection to home had gone so we had to get a taxi. Luckily a guy I knew was on the same trip and we shared the taxi home to cut expences.
It was a very tiring day and not being able to spend much time in York was a dissapointment and took the edge off our birthday trip but the journey on the old train was great .
So it was more of a Grandish Day Out.
Today is Mothers Day and three of my four have been to see me with cards and gifts . The fourth rang me up to say flowers were on the way. He's the one in Somerset and i saw him last week when he came up for the birthday meal .

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