Wednesday 10th April 2024

Wednesday, and a day of stuff.

I could be honest and say the exciting stuff happened after work and that would be that.

But it would not be true.

I played hooky from work for three hours, made up two when I got home, and being a manager gave myself the other hour off for being really, really good.

Or something.

A couple of weeks ago, I missed a second steam railtour over Easter as I got confused with what day of the week it was. When I posted this on a friend's shot, he gave me a week's warning of an unusual working on the 10th, the only Observation Saloon still running was being pushed and pulled round Kent, and sent a link for the timings.

In spotting circles, the saloon, Named Caroline, is famous, and being the only one such vehicle left and is usually being pushed by a big locomotive, which looks wrong.

Anyway.

It was due at twenty to eleven on Wednesday. I got Jen's car to use so I didn't need to take Jools to work and collect her in the evening.

So, all was set.

And it was a fine, warm sunny Spring morning, Shepherdwell a fifteen minute drive, if that, away. So I left at ten, there by ten fifteen, and waiting for it to emerge from Lydden Tunnel

On the platform, a dozen or so people arrived for the 10:28 to Victoria, which got cancelled, so folks either had to wait an hour or go home. Most went home.

In the end, the failed EMU did rattle through ten minutes after it should have, though did not stop as I guess it was on the way to the depot for repairs. And five minutes later, the lights went green and lights could be seen entering the tunnel half a wile away.

Sadly, Caroline was being dragged, not pushed, so it was the long nose of the 37 that emerged from the darkness, dragging the saloon.

In seconds it was below us, then away, accelerating up the hill, past the sidings and entrance to the East Kent Railway, growling its way back to Victoria.

Myself and half a dozen others, all looked at our cameras to check on the shots, then turned and walked back to our cars.

Now, I could have driven back home and knuckled down to work, but where's the fun in that?

No, I drove back to the A2, up to Bridge and across to the little layby at Yockletts.

I was going to do the full circle, but in the end, due my knee complaining, I turned back at the road, but saw more than enough.

A good few Early Purples on the climb to the lower meadow, plenty of Fly Orchid spikes behind the seat, though none in flower.

But further on, down at the fallen tree, inspection of every spike revealed the usual earl spike to have a single flower open. I found a second, emerging from the sheathed stem, further on.

Common Twayblades in partial flower everywhere, both species of Bee Fly seen within a few steps, though just the fleeting glimpse of a butterfly, gliding across the lower meadow which makes me believe it was a Large Tortoiseshell.

Lady Orchids close, and the Spike of a Greater Butterfly a good four inches high.

But I turned round, walked a while along the upper path before turning back down and going back to the car.

It was quick to drive back to Bridge, up the hill and backonto the A2, calling in at Tesco on my way home for lunch and a few other essentials, and some not-quite-so essentials too.

Back home, and I log on eating a cold Cornish pasty and supping on a pint of fizzy squash. No one missed me, apparently. A couple of mails to follow up on, and that was that.

But I stayed online until five, then packing away and coating boned thighs for buttermilk chicken, which I cooked and put in rolls.

Then there was yet more football in the evening: more Champions League, and more Championship games. Though with me drinking less beer this time.

The evening grew old, some lost, some won, some drew.