Dear reader, last weekend I sent Mr Him back in time. Truth be told, I'd been looking to do that with him for a while now. However best laid plans and all that, he took us all with him!
You see, our town had a celebration of a Victorian nature. We were celebrating the arrival of the train 175 years ago. Now I know we are served by Southern and if you are in the UK you will know that we've been waiting for one ever since we are enduring a challenging timetable. However let's not dally.
Miss 21, her automotive engineer, Mr Him and I went to the park in town on Saturday night for a nocturnal, al fresco and atmospheric viewing of the Railway Children.
We bundled in coats and in my case, picnic rug, took alcohol, fold up chairs and picnic . The automotive engineer needed to stop off at Sainsbury and Miss 21 fancied a rest whilst we waited. She asked us to stay with her as 'if you go on the automotive engineer might find me sitting here later with coins around my feet'.
We bundled in coats and in my case, picnic rug, took alcohol, fold up chairs and picnic . The automotive engineer needed to stop off at Sainsbury and Miss 21 fancied a rest whilst we waited. She asked us to stay with her as 'if you go on the automotive engineer might find me sitting here later with coins around my feet'.
We enjoyed the film and picnic followed by fireworks.
The next day I went on a special diesel train that was brought down to run on the newly cleared but no longer used route to Ardingly. It was a private shuttle which took me 20 mins into the country, as far as they've cleared the line. (Mr Him tipped the driver to leave me there but health and safety stepped in.) The ultimate plan is to bring steam trains from the Bluebell Railway into our station but there is clearly more work to be done. It was a one off experience that I felt I had to do, (so had Mr Him when he passed on the tip.)
Mr Him, meanwhile watched a cavalry charge. I met up with him later and we discovered the bar bus.
The town had a commemorative cake in the shape of a steam engine, which we watched the cutting of, and partook of. Mr Him ate some of the funnel, including rivets.
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| The Cake |
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| Part of the funnel |
Many people dug out their victorian clothes (haven't I done a style blog recently on not throwing out clothing ). Mr Him didn't as he hadn't kept his.
It's on weekends like this that only cost us the bar drink and a fiver for the train ride, that I don't mind paying council tax.
That is SOME cake! Looks like a fun time. And a bar bus, YAY!
ReplyDeleteThe Railway Children - loved that film.
ReplyDeletewhat a lovely family outing, I love how you do things together!
ReplyDeleteOh what fun. And how I loved that book.
ReplyDeleteDid Miss 21 not want bar money? Never let a chance go by I say...
Sounds like a perfect weekend. Just how clever would Ms Kondo feel faced with the Victorian outfit challenge, eh? Your earlier article was indeed timely as your whole village was able to 'shop their wardrobe' for the event. The era-appropriate apparel and thus the success of the event is clearly down to you and your blog and your mayor or whatever villages have should give you a knighthood or, at the very least, the key to the village for your services to the community. And so say all of us!
ReplyDeleteSounds wonderful, the cake looked amazing.
ReplyDeleteLooks like a fun time. Southern should take note of how wonderful railways used to be!
ReplyDeleteThis looks lovely. My husband loves trains, but they are ugly and ride through dodgy parts here in NC. I took one to NY to visit my daughter, though, and it was lovely.
ReplyDeleteWhat fun! I love the dresses and other period clothing. That's some cake!
ReplyDelete