National Railway Museum
(Written about Sunday, posted Thursday at home)
Today we went to the Railway Museum in York. We got there and a short look around in the Great Hall but didn’t get very far before they said a short 20 minute play was on called ‘Wish you were here’ about holidaying by rail in the 1960’s. We went to watch it and it was very good. There were only two actors but they played a variety of roles of refreshment lady, porter, engine driver, husband and wife, young lady and lecherous young man, mother of young children etc. It was very entertaining.
We then looked around the Station Hall and had lunch (sausage and chips) until the performance of The Railway Children was on. This lasted two hours and was really well done. The area was like two platforms set either side of the central part which was on rails and where the action took place. There was a bridge at the end and there was rolling sets which bridged the gap and provided more space for the actors. There was also a real life huge steam engine which came in as part of the performance. It wasn’t really steaming even though it looked like it but pushed by a diesel, the driver must have had brilliant control. No photographs were allowed but I spotted some people who took them anyway.
After this we went and looked round the rest of the museum, I took so many photos my camera grew hot in my hand, the battery went down and I ran out of room on my 512mb SD card. Still I saw everything I wanted. We then came back to the hotel and got quite a shock. We’re staying at the Grand Hotel in Scarborough. Last Thursday we’d seen notices that they were going to be filming The Royal outside the hotel Wednesday morning 7.30-10.00 which would have been slightly inconvenient because that’s the day we were checking out but it would have been fine and I was quite looking forward to watching it happen. Even though I don’t watch the show anymore I find the process fascinating. Anyway, there were more notices saying the entire car park was going to be closed from 7am Tuesday until 11am Thursday.
Now this was really quite difficult because of having luggage and wheelchairs not to be able to bring the car anywhere near so we decided to leave early. I had thought we’d have to call it a day and go home but my grandparents really wanted to see some friends of theirs and so we decided to switch hotels. I can’t exactly remember where we’re staying but it’s about 50 miles from here inland closer to Middlesborough.
We had had plans for tomorrow to go and visit Goathland village itself but that isn’t possible now. Instead we’re going to go to the new hotel via Whitby and have takeaway fish and chips from Mr Chips. It’s regatta week so we have no hope of getting into the restaurant but I have fond memories of Mr Chips and Grandma is desperate for some real Whitby fish and chips – Scarborough might not be the same. Tuesday won’t be anything to blog about either really as they’ll be meeting their friends; mum too as she knew them when she was a child and they’ve kept in touch. I don’t know them that well but I’m sure it’ll be nice to see them.
Then on Wednesday it’ll be home time. I’m quite looking forward to it. I recorded a fair bit of TV while I was away so it’ll be good to catch up on that, the Heartbeat from Sunday and the CSI:NY which is on on Tuesday. They have to be reaching some sort of forward movement on Mac’s 333 stalker surely.
Tags: Vacation