I arrived at Moor Road, home of Middleton Railway on a very dull Saturday, for my second visit for the blog in as many months. There was a large amount of cars already parked up and families on their way into the Festival. I paid entrance fee in, which included a pass into the train sheds and exhibitions and a train ride to Park Halt.
I paid my £8, but being a Yorkshireman I asked if it was any cheaper for the 3 days, otherwise it’s going to cost me £24. “No sorry my friend” came the reply. Not even concessions for an old gimmer like me? “no”.
I bought the latest Journal of Middleton Railway (very informative) plus a sandwich and coffee. I proceeded to the engine sheds taking many photos, but trying not to duplicate the ones I did for my last visit to the Railway.
The smell of oil and coal when I entered the sheds (the part of the brain that deals with smell and memory are very close in the brain) also brought back memories of when I used to as a child caught the steam train from Leeds to Otley, then walked up the Chevin to where we had a caravan.
I spoke to a guy with a Australian accent, wearing a Sydney polo shirt. He said he’d come 12,000 miles just to come to railway, yeah right! He thought it was brilliant seeing all these engines under one roof. The last time I came to the Railway, I counted 14 engines in the sheds and 3 outside. I also gave him a bit of banter about the Ashes.
I had a pint of beer, brewed especially by Leeds Brewery called Pioneer, named after a steam train. Very nice too, but I wondered why the hand pumps were manned by York Camra (see photo) and not Leeds Camra?
NB This post was written before the accident occurred on Monday, when a woman was injured by a horse drawn tram. See here for full story.
