I read this
quote the other day and the sentiments behind it are very fitting for when on
holidays (or anytime I suppose). “And
above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the
greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don't
believe in magic will never find it.” This quote is the ending from Roald
Dahl's last children's story, The Minpins. Stopping and noticing the big and
the small things, and sharing them with friends and loved ones is very much
what makes a holiday for us.
Today was no
exception. I must say that if someone suggests a motor museum, a railway museum
or a stationary engine demonstration I am tempted to run in the opposite
direction or at least avoid if I possibly can.
Having said that, a number of people had told us to go to the railway
museum in York. If so many say it is
good, maybe there is something in that.
Besides- we had Thom with us, and it just would not be right (given his
early love of trains) not to do something “trainish” while we were in the UK
with him. Soooo Laura and I agreed to go to the Railway Museum, for a short
time at least, since entry was free and we could always just read a book and
sit and wait for the boys. This was no ordinary Railway Museum and I could have
taken a little longer there quite happily. If you are in York I can even
recommend it.
 |
| a view inside a steam engine |
Highlights of
the Railway Museum would be the big and beautiful old steam trains.
They have one
cut in half so you can see how the workings look. They do a talk, but it wasn’t on while we
were there. Would have been interesting
to understand a bit better how it all works.
They also have
Queen Victoria’s Royal Saloon built in 1869 that she used to ride the London
and North Western Line.
They also have
a huge winding engine which was used to haul loads (of coal I think) up hills
too steep for normal trains to do the job. This was due to have a demo done ,
but it never happened. I think the guy
doing a very long winded talk about Victoria’s Saloon may have gone overtime
there and forgotten that he needed to talk about this one.
In one of the
display areas they have massive storage for all sorts of railway paraphernalia
(signs, crockery, models, etc) including a massive training table (excuse the
pun) used to train in the use of signals. There was no time to do anything but
breeze through a tiny section of this area.
My favourite
was the ambulance train- devised for use in the war. This was basically a
hospital on a train, but staffed so badly that it is amazing. 3 nurses, 3 doctors, 3 chefs and 47 orderlies
to look after 500 patients!!
We had a long
way to drive, so pulled ourselves away from the Railway Museum and bought fast
food lunch on the run at one of the roadway stops off of the main motorway. The
drive to Oxford was at least at normal road speed since the tyre had been
replaced.
We dropped
“the kids” off outside their gate and drove back to check in at our lodgings,
then walked into town again to meet them for one last evening meal
together. They took us to a little Thai
place down a laneway, hidden away from any but the locals, where we ate
outstanding food and tried some of the local cider. One last evening of sitting
in their little sitting room chewing the fat before we headed once more out
along the Abingdon Road for our last sleep in Oxford.
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