Bradford 25th - 28th April 2019

Thur 25th
It was our turn to do the driving this visit so we picked up our passengers at Gretna and set off down the M6. A short pause for refreshments and a leg stretch, before reaching Warrington. We were pausing here for lunch and a visit to QVC outlet shop. It has been several years since we visited and although the shop has moved it was still there - full of "returns" There was nothing in particular we were looking for but it is one of those shops that you need to keep visiting as you never know what they will have in! Unfortunately there were no bargains for us today but it is quite an eye opener to look around.
Moving on we experienced thunder and lightning as we travelled across the M62 and the sky was black, but eventually reached Bradford. The volume of traffic here was more than we are used to (!) although some of it was due to an accident! Considering the weather we decided to eat before going to the hotel and the traffic queues told us we had made the right decision.  Don't know how long it would have taken to come back again later! 
We had been given what sounded like complicated instructions for parking at the hotel. The hotel has no parking so we needed to go into the public car park and park on level 4. Walking through the plaza past the ten-pin bowling and next to the cinema was the entrance to the hotel. Reception is then on the second floor! Although they sounded complicated, the instructions were spot on and just to round off the day we even had a nice pink sky. Hope that means a nice day tomorrow! 

Fri 26th
One of the reasons for coming on this trip was to go to Eden Camp, the Modern History Theme Museum where you can experience the sights, sounds and smells of life on the Home Front and the Front Line. The museum is set in the buildings and grounds of an original World War II Prisoner of War Camp. It took quite a while to get there as the York by-pass was rather busy!!

There are over 30 huts - all containing information about different aspects of the war. We began at Hut 1 - how war broke out. We then moved from hut to hut. Some had sound effects, some were almost dark while others were more factual. The one replicating the inside of a U-boat was extremely dark but very life-like - and somewhat scary. 

We saw shops, food rationing, the Music Hall and much, much more. 

Having walked for what seemed like miles we went for refreshments and decided that perhaps we had walked enough for today. A second visit might be needed to see the rest.

The return journey - again around the by-pass was no better than this morning (slight understatement!) - doubling our journey time, so by the time we got back to the hotel we had decided NOT to go back tomorrow! Just to round off the day the restaurant we chose had the noisiest clientele/music you could imagine.
Sat 27th
Sat didn't start too well either - with rain! We headed off to the Bradford Industrial Museum. Slight problem in that we got there half an hour before it opened! It was worth the wait however.

It is set up in an old mill and contains numerous machines and models. There are machines from the Industrial  Revolution including water wheels and steam engines. 

There is a transport display, including cars, vans, a locomotive and a tram. 

There is a print section with numerous printing machines, including some stamps for children - or adults - to have a go.

The textile gallery had examples of all the processes involved in spinning and weaving.

Outside there is a row of Victorian terraced houses, a horse emporium and a stable.
A wonderful museum  - an ideal place on a rainy day.
Later in the afternoon the weather improved and we headed off to the Police Museum. Just in time to join the last tour of the day. The museum is on the site of the original 19th century police station in City Hall. What a stunning building to look at even before we went inside.

Some of the volunteers are ex policemen - some of whom worked in the building before it closed in 1974. Our guide Les took us outside to begin the tour - as an arrested person would - and ended in the court! 

We saw the charge room and the cells where numerous prisoners were held before reaching the amazingly decorated court. Apparently it is now used for TV dramas! 

Les was a really great guide and an hour soon whizzed past. We returned via the small museum where we began, and had time to look at the exhibits, documents and memorabilia relating to the history of policing in Bradford.

Sun 28th
A very hectic breakfast at the hotel today - there were many, many guests and the poor staff (could have done with more!) were rushed off their feet refilling everything.
We headed off for what we hoped would be a day at a more leisurely pace. The Keighley & Worth Valley Railway is situated in the station, next to the main line platforms. It is possible therefore to watch old and modern trains in one place! Keighley has four platforms, two of which are used for mainline trains and the other two are leased by KWVR. As soon as you enter the station the reminiscenses begin - the smell of coal and smoke, the old fashioned ticket office, the station clock etc., etc. 

All before you even get on a train! The train was sitting there waiting - they were just about to uncouple  the engine and take it to the other end of the carriages.  We climbed aboard a carriage and sat down with eager anticipation - and we didn't have to wait long. We heard the guard slamming the doors - then he waved the green flag and blew his whistle - and we were off. Just sitting in the carriages is nostalgic but to hear the engine chugging away, then the feel of the train moving along at a good speed is great. The excitement of a tunnel or two along the way and the stopping and starting at the stations is equally exciting. Although the track is only about 4and a half miles long it has 6 stations. A rover ticket allows you to get on and off as many times as you like.
We began by riding all the way to the end of the track - to Oxenhope. 

There was time then to look at the engine and grab a coffee from the buffet car before we set off again. We were somewhat hampered on the day we visited as there was only 1 train running (a signalman had not turned up!) so if we got off at any station along the way we had to work out how long it would be before a train passed by our station again.

Leaving Oxenhope, the next station along the track was Haworth - a mecca for fans of the Bronte sisters. Many passengers got off here but we opted to stay on board. Oakworth station is famous for being the station in the 1970 Railway Children film but we bypassed that too. Damens station came and went and we finally reached Ingrow where we did decide to alight. 

It is famous for two award winning railway themed museums, which is where we decided to spend our time today. The first museum was the Bahamas Locomotive Society, so named because they rescued the former LMS locomotive "Bahamas" A lovely little museum which also maintains and restores locomotives.

The Museum of Rail, also at this station, houses several Victorian and Edwardian carriages. You can sit in the carriages and experience the difference between first, second and third class travel. There are presentations in some of the carriages and knowledgeable staff offer information and answer any questions you may have. Many carriages in the museum have been used in TV or film productions and have blue stickers on their windows telling who sat in which carriage, for which production. 

The walls of the museum are covered in railway signs and posters and display cabinets are full of exhibits from days gone by. 

Two lovely little museums, both well worth a visit. A short sit outside in the sunshine passed the time before our train was due and we arrived back at Keighley having had a great time. The day was not yet ended however! Refreshments in the aptly named Choux Choux Bar preceded a short ride through the Yorkshire countryside to Skipton. The dry stone walls in almost every field are famous in Yorkshire and they looked spectacular in the sunshine. How they built them right up and over the top of some of the hills must have been such hard work - but what skill. We had all visited Skipton before but it is a lovely place and always worth another look. On a sunny day there were boats and wildlife to watch on the water. The Choux Choux Bar had been so nice and friendly we returned on our way home for a home cooked Sunday roast. Very, very tasty and a fitting end to Sunday. 

Mon 29th 
Our visit to Bradford at an end, we headed home. A really enjoyable time in a city we had only just scratched the surface of. A return might be on the cards but the amount of traffic was a slight disappointment. 

Washington 5th - 8th April 2019

Fri 5th
Our chauffeur picked us up in Gretna at the beginning of our journey to Northumberland! We were going with 2 friends and one of them was doing all the driving on this trip. We set off in lovely sunshine but the wind was rather chilly.
We headed across country, travelling on the military road rather than the busier A69 and stopping briefly at The Sill for refreshments. On reaching Northumberland we headed for the coast at Blyth. Our chauffeur was also our personal tour guide, having lived in this area for several years. A commentary on the area was therefore forthcoming and very informative, although we did get "that never used to be there! a few times too.
Travelling down the coast, via Whitley Bay, we saw a variety of sights - ships and boats of all sizes, impressive buildings -

and although the sea was a mass of choppy white waves -

there were plenty of people walking - or flying above - the beaches.

Reaching Tynemouth we were ready for another break and on parking the car found the rates were 2p per minute! Never seen it calculated that way before.

Crossing the Tyne bridge and passing the Angel of the North eventually led us to our hotel for the night.

Sat 6th
One of the reasons for coming to Northumberland was to go to Beamish - an open-air museum preserving examples of everyday life in rural and urban areas of the north-east of England. It has areas reflecting life in the 1820's, 1900's and 1940's.
We began with a ride - the museum has buses and trams of various ages travelling around the site all day, so people can hop on and off whenever and wherever they want.

We began in the 1900's town where we found a terrace of houses and several businesses, including a garage, stable, Co-op, printer, bank, chemist and photographer.

The baker was very busy - they had made hot cross buns and huge iced buns for the public to buy- and most people had one or the other in their hands! The sweet shop also make sweets to sell, but they were not quite ready when we visited.

The station is situated at the end of the village so we headed off there next - just as the train was coming in! Although only a short piece of track we couldn't resist having a ride on the train!

After a look round the station and sheds, and a look at Lilian, Marie and Doris (station hens!) we headed off to catch a bus to go to the 1940's farm and the Pit village.

There were plenty of animals to be seen around the farm as well as an authentic farmhouse.

We moved on to the Pit village and Colliery but met a couple asking for directions. Answering their question became more difficult as we stood smelling the poke of chips the lady was holding! A visit to the chip shop became irresistible. The chips are cooked in beef dripping on a coal fired range - and were well worth it!!
Moving on we decided to visit the colliery tomorrow and went back to Town for the Band Concert that was advertised in the Park. It was very pleasant sitting listening to the band playing, and many other people had the same idea.

After the concert we headed back to the entrance and concluded our first day at Beamish.
Sun 7th
We made an early start and went back to Beamish to visit the 1820's with the Waggonway and Pockerley Old Hall.

We began at the wagonway - while inside we began talking to one of the volunteers who was repairing the engine that should have been running today, but wasn't! He took us through into the workshop (where the public were not supposed to go) and told us all about the engine and gave us a really informative talk about the engines, wagons and the history of the shed. A real treat for us and one member of our party in particular.

We finally headed off towards Joe the Quilter's cottage and the church. The volunteers at Beamish are all very friendly and full of information and it was a pleasure to talk to many of them.

Pockerley Hall was the last house to visit in this area -

Revisiting the Town for refreshments we then waited to catch the Daimler bus we had spotted earlier.

We rode around the site and alighted at the Pit Village again. We paid a quick visit yesterday but didn't cover everything there. Today we inspected the miners cottages, the engine shed and the Pit head. Another brilliant volunteer explained the system for raising and lowering the pit cages and gave us a real insight into working in a pit.

As the sun had now come out we opted for an ice-cream - the first of the year for all of us - but the weather didn't last and the sun disappeared very quickly! As we had just about covered everything we wanted to see we headed back to the entrance and subsequently the hotel.
Mon 8th
Having passed the Angel of the North on a few occasions we decided it was time to pay an official visit. A short walk brings you to her feet. Sir Antony Gormley was asked to design a landmark sculpture for the north of England and she appeared in 1997-1998. The angel is made of steel, in 3 sections that were assembled on site in one day. She stands 20 metres high with a wing span of 54 metres. The angel is very securely built and can withstand winds of over 100mph. Seeing her from a distance she has always looked huge but standing at her feet and looking up is quite awe-inspiring.

We drove along the coast pausing at Newbiggin Bay, where we found the UK's first permanent  offshore sculpture. Couple, are two figures standing on a pier looking out to sea. They look lifesize at first glance but birds and boats make you realise that they are actually 3 times larger than life. The Newbiggin Maritime Centre provided delicious refreshments to keep us going too.

Tue 9th

Another enjoyable weekend away came to an end. The company was good as usual - especially as we had our own personal tour guide to the area - and we found some stunning places and sights.