A Pinch & The West Somerset Railway.

















Tina and I have to pinch ourselves to believe that the wonderful visit and holiday with Velia, Grace, and Jack actually happened so that's the "pinch" in the title of this blog. They went back to Canada just 6 days ago. It was magic.....


Why do I pick the West Somerset Railway to highlight their visit? Well, the decision to go on this day out really spoilt me because I have a long passion for trains and railways since I was a little boy and to take Tina, Velia, and the Grandchildren out to share this was terrific.

















Take a look at the map - it's a brilliant journey along the Somerset Coastline, this gives a view of the castle at Dunster, the seaside at Blue Anchor, the medieval port of Watchet, and then past the Quantocks to Bishops Lydeard.

Right from the outset the children were introduced to sights, sounds, and smells of yesteryear. Steam trains have a lovely smell of coal, steam, hot oil, and huge energy, the train hisses, and rumbles, clanks, chuffs, and has a very loud whistle - all a delight to a child and Thomas becomes very real.
The old trains were comfortable for a family outing; you can all sit together, children can play with toys, watch the world go by, draw pictures, have a picnic - all the time the rails go clickety-clack and you can hear the steady chuffing of the engine in the back ground.











And if a little boy gets tired it's very easy to have a snug with Grandad and Granny.
















And it's good for Mums too! A Cornish Pastie and glass of really First Class Cider aboard a train takes some beating.

The Railway is actually run by men and women who are usually Grandparents and bring all the values and sense of a bygone era. The stations are full of flowers, the milk churns are there, leather luggage on old trolleys, baskets for pigeons, staff all wear uniforms and big smiles with a posy in the buttonhole, they all take time to talk to children as if the child is important [which they are] and all the courtesies are always there.














The Station Master in this picture told the children to look at the train going by on the other track. And then when the whistle blew LOUD Jack was very surprised but did enjoy the incident!



























































Jack and Grace met the Guard who let them inspect the lamp and everyone said thank you



' What a day out!

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