A trip on a Scots Guardsman

 Saturday 29th,  a day we had been looking forward to since booking the steam locomotive Hadrian. A return trip from Leicester to Carlisle on the LMS Royal Scot Class no. 6115 Scots Guardsman Locomotive. Now around these parts (Langley Mill) I am known as that paparazzi women. Why?? Because I never go anywhere without my camera. So imagine my distress at getting to Alfreton station at 6.50am and Ian asking me where the camera was. I just couldn't believe I had been so stupid as to leave it behind. All I had was my phone camera and Ian had his small Nexus i pad. I certainly got a lot of ribbing from the others in our party for forgetting it. So the photos wont be brilliant but at least I will have something to show for our trip.

For the first part of the journey our carriages were pulled by diesel train. We were due to change to the steam locomotive Hadrian at 10am so, although the scenery was lovely, the first part was a bit boring. The excitement for me would have started when Hadrian was hitched to the main carriages as I so wanted to watch this procedure. Unfortunately the change over happened at Hellfield goods yard so no platform and all we could do was watch Hadrian go flying past our window and then the feel  the clunk as she was coupled to the main carriages. 40 minutes after arriving at Hellfield  a loud Toot Toot heralded our departure and we were off on the final leg to Carlisle. Listening to the engine sound, the clattering of the wheels on the rails and the smell of the smoke and steam as it wafted past the window brought us right back to that of our childhood. It was such an adventure in those days to ride on a Loco. I used to hang my head out of the window and mum was forever wiping the soot from my face. Oh happy days and such a treat to experience this again.  It wasnt until we stopped for water at Appleby station at midday that we finally got off to look at the Locomotive.

The nearest carraige (H) was ours.

At Appleby Station.

Eventually we pulled into Carlisle station at 13.10 and here we had a three hour stop to wander about the place.

We made our way to Wetherspoon where another excellent meal was forthcoming. Then it was a walk to the River Edan before making our way back to the station to board Hadrian for the journey home. Going back along the Cambrian countryside was wonderful and a joy to behold. All to soon the we stopped at York where the diesel train was to take us back to Leicester. The change was only suppose to take 25 minutes but for some reason the diesel didn't get connected to the main carriages for another 15 minutes after that. It was here I finally got to watch the uncoupling of the Loco but with the delay on bringing the diesel round, I wandered back to the carriage instead. This was the first delay in the whole of the journey but once we got underway we flew along and made up the time. We arrived back at Alfreton dead on time at 22.30. We couldnt have asked for a better day. It was long old day having got up by 5. 45am and not returned to Free Spirit until 23.10. But what a fabulous day. The weather was warm, company great and the memories it brought back made the journey all the better.

Heather, Micheal, Dave and Carole

Michael feeling cold so Heather covered him in her scarf.

                            Dennis                                                                                        Margaret