It's
not every Saturday morning I stand in a field in Gretton for nearly an hour,
but the first weekend in June I did exactly that.
Having
first headed to Lydia's Coffee Shop for refreshments - not sure how I managed
to resist the fabulous bacon butties, I must have very high levels of
self-control because they smelt so good! - we walked down past the Church and
made our way to Tythe Field.
The
sheep that graze this corner of Northamptonshire looked slightly surprised to
see their field fill with people, their usual visitors being those who travel
past on the nearby railway line, who probably don't even give them a second
glance.
And
that's the clue to why we were all there, for this was our chosen vantage point
from which to see The Flying Scotsman.
Now,
I'm not usually a trainspotter, but this is quite a significant locomotive and
worth the effort to catch a glimpse.
We
had quite a wait as it happens - I believe there was some trouble with people
on the line, or at least that's what I was told on Twitter - but eventually it
arrived, steaming gracefully past us whilst giving us a toot on the whistle.
We
waved at the passengers, who waved enthusiastically back at us - I even saw my
friend Joan who was aboard with her husband Stephen for his significant-birthday
treat. What a lovely way to celebrate (and
apologies once again for letting slip about the surprise birthday party!).
There's
something about steam trains which gets those of us who aren't normally
interested in trains enthused. It's almost
like we are transported back in time, or become extras in The Railway Children
- although none of us were waving red flannel petticoats to make the train
stop, thank goodness. Well, not in
Gretton at least.
If
you missed it, The Flying Scotsman is returning to Northamptonshire on 25th
June - please remember to watch it from a safe, legal place.
No comments:
Post a Comment