Tuesday, May 27, 2008

All Steamed Up....

If you're a bloke of a certain age the sight of a steam train is the sort of thing that makes you glow as the wave of nostalgia washes over you. I arrived at Berwick-Upon-Tweed station this afternoon to catch the 16.43 National Express train to London and was greeted with this sight.It's an A4 locomotive built in 1937 and today operates steam train 'specials' throughout the UK.

4 comments:

r morris said...

Does it pull a few passenger cars?

Richard Havers said...

It does, a whole trainload of them.....

Anonymous said...

The Boy In The Train
by Mary Campbell Smith

Whit wey does the engine say ‘Toot-toot’?
Is it feart to gang in the tunnel?
Whit wey is the furnace no pit oot
When the rain gangs doon the funnel?
What’ll I hae for my tea the nicht?
A herrin’, or maybe a haddie?
Has Gran’ma gotten electric licht?
Is the next stop Kirkcaddy?

There’s a hoodie-craw on yon turnip-raw!
An’ seagulls! - sax or seeven.
I’ll no fa’ oot o’ the windae, Maw,
It’s sneckit, as sure as I’m leevin’.
We’re into the tunnel! We’re a’ in the dark!
But dinna be frichtit, Daddy,
We’ll sune be comin’ to Beveridge Park,
And the next stop’s Kirkcaddy!

Is yon the mune I see in the sky?
It’s awfu’ wee and curly,
See! there’s a coo and a cauf ootbye,
An’ a lassie pu’in’ a hurly!
He’s chackit the tickets and gien them back,
Sae gie me my ain yin, Daddy.
Lift doon the bag frae the luggage rack,
For the next stop’s Kirkcaddy!

There’s a gey wheen boats at the harbour mou’,
And eh! dae ya see the cruisers?
The cinnamon drop I was sookin’ the noo
Has tummelt an’ stuck tae ma troosers…
I’ll sune be ringin’ ma Gran’ma’s bell,
She’ll cry, ‘Come in, my laddie’,
For I ken mysel’ by the queer-like smell
That the next stop’s Kirkcaddy!

Richard Havers said...

Love that poem....