I just thought I would post an update on my trip to Newcastle. We went on Saturday 2nd February, I must admit after the weather on Friday I was quite apprehensive about us getting there at all! Anyway, we had a really early start - had to be out of the house at 05.45 as we had to walk into Manchester to catch the train (when I booked it the provisional departure time was 7.30 but was resheduled to 06.37 from Manchester Victoria). Snow lay on the ground, but the wind had dropped and it was so quite!! My son has never been out at this time before. Halfway there it started to snow. We arrived quite puffed out and I was somewhat regretting...... but a memory to store as we arrived just in time to pant up the platform to have a look at the engine "Duke of Gloucester", it was still dark and the glow from the firebox was something to behold. My son tells me this steam engine was the last one built for BR and we have not seen it before. Anyway had a long walk down the platform to find coach D - I do not remember steam trains in action but I do remember long trains and this one fetched back those memories as it had 12 carriages. I am not a train enthusiast myself but can highly recommend this trip (we have visited many heritage lines but their steam trains are restricted to 25 mph). The train pulled smoothly away from the platform with a haunting whistle. We were really lucky because there were some real train enthusiasts near us and they kept us informed as to what was going on - I really admire them for they are both very knowledgable and willing to share without being condescending. It brought to mind the old "Swan Vista?" advert. The engine had to make an extra "water stop" as the first place they tried the water pressure was too low this made us late - but the enthusiasts explained this was better as it allowed us to go 'fast' presumably to catch up. Anyway we arrived at York on time. We fair flew up the east coast mainline - although of course 'today's' trains easily passed us on the fast line. But I didn't care. Our seats were soft and squishy (paid extra for first class - well worth it comfortable seats and a cup of tea in a real cup), the carriage was lovely and warm, a smooth ride and the music of the wheels clattering over the rails and the distant chug of the engine without the usual squeaking and tapping you get on modern trains. Now one might be saying what has this to do with family history......well I spent much of that journey pondering on the past. Was this the way they travelled in the past? when they went from Newcastle to Lancashire? The earliest relatives did the journey sometime after 1852 and later my greatgrandfather went back up to Durham and we know he went back to visit family in Lancashire - did he use the train? My mum visited family up in Durham in the 1940's and they used the bus. All the branches of my family all moved around plenty. And on a more general note what impact had the railways on the industrial revolution and the life of this country. Back to the trip....all was fine and on time until we were 5 miles from Newcastle when we were crawling along only to come to a final halt. We were due in at 11.50. I don't know how long we were stood certainly longer than 30 mins, the driver had gone through a red light but the signal had been on the opposite side of the engine (so explained the enthusiasts). This meant he could not drive the engine any further, we had to wait for a diesel engine to come and pull us into Newcastle station. Well, I was in the company of civilized people because I heard noone complain about the train being late - it was just one of those things. Everyone had sympathy with the driver and so did I. As compensation we got to go into Newcastle station via the Highlevel bridge. I have seen Newcastle on the TV of course but the reality of it was so much more impressive and exhilarating. After alighting we hung around to watch the 'Duke' depart - it did look a little sad behind the diesel. The train back was due at 15.45 but was suppose to come into the station at 15.15, I told my son we would come back to watch it come into the station. So we, along with a fair few others were back at the station for 15.15 however nothing appeared until 15.40 and then it was the diesel - well you can imagine what my son was saying. It was a very glum lad who boarded that train ........until it started- going out of the station the opposite way to that which it had come through we heard THE WHISTLE the steam engine was at the other end. All was well. We had an uneventful journey back arriving in Manchester Victoria at 21.05. So a long day, was it worth it?
