Well, what an odd weekend! Despite it being the first week of flaming June, it has been anything but flaming! After the sunshine of the week, it was a shock to find almost total cloud cover on both days of the weekend coupled with a keen north-easterly breeze that really took the heat out of the day. In fact, I would go as far to say on Sunday it was positively chilly.
We have neglected the garden, and with the wind making macro shots impossible, we decided to do some garden related chores in the morning before setting out on train chasing at lunchtime. So, Jools weeded and I mowed the lawn. It look very presentable, and an inspection of the plants reveal a potential bumper strawberry and gooseberry harvest in a few weeks. We hope so!
So at half eleven, we set off for the line between Ashford and Canterbury, but this time heading to Wye for a change of scenery. I parked at the Tickled Trout, a fine looking pub I spotted on GSV and thought a post train pint might be good here. I left Jools to her book and half a cider whilst I walked the 50 yards to the station to get a good spot on the bridge. As I walked on the platform, the stationmaster rushed by shouting that another railtour was coming. So, I get my cameras out, head up the bridge, look back down the line to Ashford and see a train about two miles away.
I could see no smoke, and so doubted the stationmaster’s insistence that it was steam hauled. And indeed as it got close I could see it was diesel for sure, top and tailed by class 67s. It roared through, hauling a fine rake of Pullman coaches, as this was the VSOE luncheon special. Many people having paid near to £600 for lunch as it toured round the garden of England.
Ten minutes to wait then for Tangmere, and like always spotters and snappers swap train news, showing us all the be the geeks and anoraks we surely are.
Right on time the gates were closed, and in the distance we could see smoke rising. He she comes. With the view down the tracks we had about a minute to wait before she crested the rise about half a mile away and the driver opened the throttle again and smoke poured from her chimney. And then she was upon us, passing below me to the right. I cross the bridge to get a shot as she thunders through the station with the small signal box at the end of the platform in shot.
Got it! Another fine photoshoot; now to be rewarded with a pint and maybe a meal. I joined Jools in the Tickled trout, we find a table, choose our meal and wait. The wait some more. Before getting down to some serious waiting action. Now, I will be honest and say we were told there would be a delay, but just half an hour. 75 minutes later the food arrived. And just as well it was good! But the wait meant that there was just enough time to head to Minster to see Tangmere again. So, we set off across Kent on up to Thanet.
We arrive with ten minutes to spare, and a good crowd had already gathered. And once again bang on timr Tangmere appeared from round the bend, slowing down ready to cross to the down line in preparation to take the chord to Sandwich. I like this as there is plenty of time to take loads of shots during this manoeuvre. However, in changing to my other camera as she neared me on the bridge I had failed to remove the lens cap and switch it on, so I only grabbed a few shots as Tangmere rounded the chord and away.
Back home for a coffee, and we see that next door’s parents have turned up and are trying to work out how the strimmer works in order to take the jungle that the garden has become. We leand them our petrol mower, and so go round for a chat. He is an old soldier who likes his brandy. And beer. And already had wet his whistle. I am persuaded to have a beer, then they come round ours so I can ply him with Madeira and some of our Sloe Gin. And all this before dinner.
Thankfully they went back next door and so we could get our dinner and me sober up some before it was time to head to bed.
Sunday.
If anything, Sunday was windier and cooler that Saturday. And so any idea of orchid hunting was abandoned and we went back to doing chores around the house. I started to creosote the fence, and next door came out to chat and enquire if I wanted a beer. At half nine! Early even for me. I declined.
I carried on working, with plenty of tea and internet breaks until lunchtime. Next door had also provided us with some fresh rhubarb, and so I stewed it and Jools made the crumble mix so we could have rhubarb crumble for dinner. Along with some fresh cream we just happened to have. It was delicious and a perfect way to end the day, munching that away as we watched the program on the Dark Ages again on BBC4.
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