Photos Copyright: Maggie May
You may have already learned through an earlier post that my daughter, Deb and grandsons Rick and Dean came to stay for a few days over the Easter Holidays. The weather could have been better but we did manage a really good day out on one of the drier days when we went by car to Bishops Lydeard station near Taunton.
From there, we boarded a steam train to Minehead, a forty mile journey that took one and a half hours. To me it was just like going back in time because that was they way trains were in my youth and I can remember just how long it took to go on what is now, a very simple journey.
Rick and Dean are very passionate about steam trains and spend much of their time studying them, reading journals, playing with models and visiting places with some kind of a steam train theme, such as museums or going on actual steam train journeys.
Such is their interest, that once the boys get talking about steam trains, then it is very difficult to get a word in about anything else.
So when Deb asked me if I'd like to come on this journey, then I was delighted, but knew I was in for an intensive steam train day!
I was looking forward to going to Minehead, a sea side town at the end of the journey but guess what happened?
As soon as we set foot onto the Minehead platform, the boys wanted to get straight back onto the same train and return to Bishops Lyeard, so we did another one and a half hour journey without actually seeing the sea. I did enjoy it though. It was especially good to get out of the house. Harry doesn't like to go far these days and I think the trip would have been too much for him to cope with. I do worry about him when I leave him for the day, though.
When we arrived back to the Bishops Lydeard platform, the train was uncoupled and in order to get it to face the right way round, off it went by itself to get onto the right track to pick up the coaches from the other end for the next journey back to Minehead.
We could have stayed on the train for the whole day on the ticket we bought, but we all felt we'd had enough by then.
It was a really good day out and I would recommend it even to non steam train enthusiasts.
27 comments:
A journey "there and back again"...to quote one of my favorite authors.
I'm glad you had a day out with your family, but it's too bad Harry wasn't feeling well enough to participate, and that you didn't get to see the ocean. At an hour and a half for forty miles, though, you DID get to see the countryside.
Blessings!
Sounds to me like it would be a fun journey and even better, that you could ride the train back and forth all day on the same ticket. See something new I bet on each trip if one were to try that, huh?
Just shown this post to MWM and of course he wants to do that trip!
It looks as though one steps back into a movie role! Lovely.
Great trip, good for you for getting out. I hope to take a similar train trip through the woods of Oregon this summer.
Dearest Maggie - I have just spent some time reading here and there through your posts - enjoying myself. I was with you on your bus ride to the sea and sat with you whilst you ate your sandwiches and listened to the two elderly ladies.
I grrrrrd right along with you about your neighbour. She almost seems a little nuts or maybe has an allergy or phobia? Have you ever had her over into your garden for a cup of tea?
I've read about Harry and you both having treatments and feeling so ill. It seems the whole world is suffering from some illness or another doesn't it?
And I've enjoyed following the rabbits around the house but wanted to blast the bin collectors for putting you through so much!
I'll be back again on another day when I have time such as I do now.
xoxoxo my friend -
What beautiful land to take a train ride through!!
Glad you had a great day out!
Cheers!
Looks like you were lucky with the weather.
We did that journey in the summer when Small Sprog was a baby. It was so warm and sunny and it felt like going back in time to a golden age. Such a lovely trip to do. Glad you and your family enjoyed it :)
Does look like a great outing Maggie!
My mum surprised me with this very trip the summer before last, it's a brilliant journey isn't it? And such fun to sit in compartments, or stand in the corridor again!
It's sad Harry couldn't join you, but I bet you took a good dollop of happiness back with on your return xxx
What a fun day with the family. Are you living in the town you grew up in or near where you live now? You have some interesting pictures in this post. I would have liked this trip.
Maggue, don't tell me you're really old enough to remember steam trains!
What a fun trip. Sorry you didn't get to see the sea though. That would have been an added bonus.
Hugs
SueAnn
I had four steam train journeys during Easter weekend and it was heavenly. Lovely to see your post. x
I find it interesting that your grandsons are so interested in steam trains! Maybe because we don't have any around here, it all seems a world away to me and inconceivable that any kids would sustain even a passing interest in such things.
My dad has always been fascinated with steam engines of all kinds. Good to see that the younger generation still finds them interesting. A train ride sounds like a lovely way to spend the day, though I would have been disappointed, too, to go all that way and not be able to visit the sea.
What a cool way to spend a day with family. We did a similar trip with my Dad when my kids were young.
What a neat way to spend a day. As a railroader's daughter, I love to take a train ride. The steam engines are just wonderful. I love sounds they make. Those sounds take me back to my childhood for sure.
My son is a train engineer. I love trains!
I smiled when I read your post about getting off the train and then getting back on and returning to Bishops Lyeard. "You can take the boy out of the train, but can't take the train out of the boy!!" :))
I will add extra prayers for our dear Harry, Maggie. I am so sorry to hear that he didn't feel like going on the trip. Would you please please PLEASE give Harry a hug from me and tell him that extra prayers for him are being lifted. I love you both dearly...
J.
Looks like a fantastic time was had by all.
Oh Miss Maggy, what fun!!! I used to love to ride the rails as a youngen!!!
Thanks for sharin' your trip with us through your beautiful pics!
God bless an have a most wonderful week sweetie!!! :o)
They must visit North Yorkshire's Moor Railway! And Maggie....we MUST meet up when we circumnavigate the South! Week commencing July 2nd! We will pop in for a cuppa??????
What a wonderful way to spend the day.. on an old-fashioned train with people you love. Your photos are lovely - particularly that last one with the steam escaping the tunnel.
oh wow...what a journey...i would love to travel again by steam train...we rode on in PA once...my boys would love it too as they barely remember it...
I was delighted to read that Rick and Dean like steam trains - thanks to my Folks' healthy appetite for steam trains and traction engines I grew up with special steam visits too.
I'm still recovering from the shock that Aims arrives here in a weeks time - she only told me last week! I hope that between us we have some happy photos to send to you,
sending care, huggles and - oh, it is snores just now from Zeb Cat -
Michelle xxxx
Fabulous post and pictures, Maggie. We have a railway line at the edge of our fields, it's the East Coast Line. We still get steam trains, usually the Northern Belle and another one I can't quite recall the name of. My husband has lived here all his life (he's 62 now) and he remembers the steam trains going past very well. They used to stop at the nearby station (now closed) and use water that my husband's family would leave out for them. It must have been a very exciting childhood for him.
CJ x
Sounds like a fun adventure. We have an old steam train museum just a couple of hours away and my grandchildren love to go. They offer rides to another town for a small fee. We did that quite often when they were small, but they always have other things to do now that they're getting older.
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