A grand day out…

Phew, and home. I'm writing this from the workshop after a wonderful weekend away in Bath with Simon of 'Wild Swan' and 'Titfield Thunderbolt' fame. Setting up Friday, book launch event Saturday and day out Sunday, travelling back (via Modelu) yesterday - more on that on Friday's update...

Clinker, Simon's dog, and I watching the small prairie at Cranmore.

Sunday was a lovely day out meandering through various railway distractions and lots of pleasant and energising conversation. A perfect wind-down and relax from the day previous. After a leisurely breakfast we headed out via Morrisons (for some supplies) to Midsomer Norton to the station and preservation group. Simon did a bit of business dropping off some books for their lovely shop and we enjoyed soaking up some of the atmosphere before grabbing a very nice sandwich and drink from their cafe.

Onwards and with the afternoon stretching out before us we decided to push on to Cranmore and visit the East Somerset. I haven't visited this line since my early teens and it has been transformed. Lovely restoration of buildings at Cranmore, and with the depot away from the station, still a nice feel to the place, not overly crowded with half restored junk (although there of course, was plenty of that too...).

You can't escape BR blue and the line's active DMU is wearing a fresh coat with small yellow ends (slightly peculiar looking to those of us used to the full yellow ended version). She looked well cared for and echoes all my thoughts and feelings from the other week on this wonderful colour and the arrows themselves...

The yard and workshop were accessible which was rather a novelty and lovely to see things in various stages of restoration... the weathering perhaps slightly overdone!!

Back at the station the last train of the day had been prepared and the small prairie was rather sweetly turned out... was interesting for me was the first coach in the train, a PLASTIC bodied Mk1 surburban!

Tucked at the back was this noisy Shoc-van with a Lister generator installed (hidden from the platform side).

Our return journey took us via Merehead (more on that another time) and down the old Camerton branch, where I got the full 'Titfield' tour, a wonderful end to the day, and that too can wait for another time. I felt exhausted but recharged - a grand day out indeed. 

Time too to pause and reflect, and a good friend as well as business associate to discuss plans for the future. Time invested then, until next time, more soon...

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