Are We There Yet?
28 May 2011 09:02 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
curiouswombatHa! Even more about our train trip - well it was a big event, and a long day!
Finally the train was able to start back south - we were so happy to get back into our seats - look at how happy I was...
And how welcome to see this -
Because by 8PM I was well ready for my
dinner!
The catering staff had to work hard all day - this is the menu for our trip -
But they must have worked even harder than expected in the train kitchen to try and make sure that dinner wasn't ruined by the delay. They were all unstintingly cheerful and efficient, even though they would not get back to their beds until at last 2.30am, having been up to be on board before the carriages left Sheffield about 7.30am.
I thought to take pictures of the food at dinner -![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
bojojoti and her family would be proud of me. So I chose the smoked salmon mousse for my starter.
Then there was roast lamb with haggis stuffing - I almost forgot to take the picture! There had been more potatoes, both boiled and roast, but I had passed them to S4C. And the mint sauce came a moment later.
Then pears with boozy chocolate sauce -
S2C doesn't like the mixture of pears and chocolate and so they found him strawberry gateau instead -
I'm quite pleased that that picture came out - a train travelling at about 70mph does tend to give a spot of camera shake!
And then there was a big basket of biscuits brought around for us to choose from - with grapes, celery and a choice of cheeses. This time I got over half way through, having eaten my oatmeal covered soft cheese and a couple of biscuits, before I remembered the picture.
There had been a box of chocolates for us, to celebrate our wedding anniversary - that's the shiny pink box - but the final touch, at the end of dinner, was a small box of two chocolates for everyone courtesy of the catering company -
By this time it was dark outside. I felt so sorry for the men in fields with cameras - "they must have wondered where the train had got to," I commented to S2C. He pointed out that they had probably all been on Twitter and knew exactly what had happened.
Somewhere there will be some pictures of the Duke of Gloucester proceeding through the dusk, looking slightly embarrassed by her diesel assistant. I could just imagine the engine going "It isn't my fault... It isn't my fault... It isn't my fault..."
S2C suggested it was probably saying "Take no notice of the diesel in the front - it is not the engine you are looking for..."
The diesel made sure we got to our first watering stop just outside Berwick - and then stayed with us, not pulling the train, until we got to just outside Newcastle, where there is a shunting yard that it could safely be left in - from there on south there was no question of any assistance for the Duke and he could hold his head high.
Even as we got to Durham, after 11pm, there were still people with cameras - and as we reached Darlington, by now just after midnight, alongside the two members of staff who were keeping the station open for those getting off there, at the end of the platform there were two men with cameras.
Now - I mentioned earlier that steam trains are meant to stick to a 75mph maximum on the main line - even though other trains do 140mph on the line. However after midnight, on empty tracks, it was pretty obvious that between Darlington and York the Duke was going somewhat faster than expected...
The gentleman from the organisers who was doing occasional announcements simply said that 'sadly all the stop watches on board seem to be broken tonight and so it is difficult to be sure that we stayed under 75mph there..." with a decided smile in his voice. S2C was really thrilled as we sped through North Yorkshire - he thought at least 90 mph by the feel of it - and the journey time would tend to confirm this!
S2C had described parts of the journey north as awesome - even in the dark he found the last leg of the journey back to York equally so.
As befits true enthusiasts, even as we made our way away from the platform to head back to our hotel (3 minutes walk - thank goodness) there were men with cameras admiring the engine...
Finally the train was able to start back south - we were so happy to get back into our seats - look at how happy I was...
And how welcome to see this -
Because by 8PM I was well ready for my
dinner!
The catering staff had to work hard all day - this is the menu for our trip -
But they must have worked even harder than expected in the train kitchen to try and make sure that dinner wasn't ruined by the delay. They were all unstintingly cheerful and efficient, even though they would not get back to their beds until at last 2.30am, having been up to be on board before the carriages left Sheffield about 7.30am.
I thought to take pictures of the food at dinner -
bojojoti and her family would be proud of me. So I chose the smoked salmon mousse for my starter.Then there was roast lamb with haggis stuffing - I almost forgot to take the picture! There had been more potatoes, both boiled and roast, but I had passed them to S4C. And the mint sauce came a moment later.
Then pears with boozy chocolate sauce -
S2C doesn't like the mixture of pears and chocolate and so they found him strawberry gateau instead -
I'm quite pleased that that picture came out - a train travelling at about 70mph does tend to give a spot of camera shake!
And then there was a big basket of biscuits brought around for us to choose from - with grapes, celery and a choice of cheeses. This time I got over half way through, having eaten my oatmeal covered soft cheese and a couple of biscuits, before I remembered the picture.
There had been a box of chocolates for us, to celebrate our wedding anniversary - that's the shiny pink box - but the final touch, at the end of dinner, was a small box of two chocolates for everyone courtesy of the catering company -
By this time it was dark outside. I felt so sorry for the men in fields with cameras - "they must have wondered where the train had got to," I commented to S2C. He pointed out that they had probably all been on Twitter and knew exactly what had happened.
Somewhere there will be some pictures of the Duke of Gloucester proceeding through the dusk, looking slightly embarrassed by her diesel assistant. I could just imagine the engine going "It isn't my fault... It isn't my fault... It isn't my fault..."
S2C suggested it was probably saying "Take no notice of the diesel in the front - it is not the engine you are looking for..."
The diesel made sure we got to our first watering stop just outside Berwick - and then stayed with us, not pulling the train, until we got to just outside Newcastle, where there is a shunting yard that it could safely be left in - from there on south there was no question of any assistance for the Duke and he could hold his head high.
Even as we got to Durham, after 11pm, there were still people with cameras - and as we reached Darlington, by now just after midnight, alongside the two members of staff who were keeping the station open for those getting off there, at the end of the platform there were two men with cameras.
Now - I mentioned earlier that steam trains are meant to stick to a 75mph maximum on the main line - even though other trains do 140mph on the line. However after midnight, on empty tracks, it was pretty obvious that between Darlington and York the Duke was going somewhat faster than expected...
The gentleman from the organisers who was doing occasional announcements simply said that 'sadly all the stop watches on board seem to be broken tonight and so it is difficult to be sure that we stayed under 75mph there..." with a decided smile in his voice. S2C was really thrilled as we sped through North Yorkshire - he thought at least 90 mph by the feel of it - and the journey time would tend to confirm this!
S2C had described parts of the journey north as awesome - even in the dark he found the last leg of the journey back to York equally so.
As befits true enthusiasts, even as we made our way away from the platform to head back to our hotel (3 minutes walk - thank goodness) there were men with cameras admiring the engine...
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 28/05/2011 08:13 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 28/05/2011 08:16 pm (UTC)Glad to see that both of you had a wonderful time.
no subject
Date: 28/05/2011 08:17 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 28/05/2011 08:21 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 28/05/2011 08:29 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 28/05/2011 08:30 pm (UTC)And it looks like the caterers did you proud!
no subject
Date: 28/05/2011 08:35 pm (UTC)It all looks (and sounds) wonderful. So glad you had such a good time!
no subject
Date: 28/05/2011 08:35 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 28/05/2011 08:36 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 28/05/2011 08:39 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 28/05/2011 08:41 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 28/05/2011 08:43 pm (UTC)Actually they asked in the morning whether everyone was happy with the dinner menu - and there were a number of plates of vegetarian lasagne and roast chicken dinners being eaten as well as the roast lamb. Most impressive, really.
no subject
Date: 28/05/2011 08:46 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 28/05/2011 08:49 pm (UTC)The caterers were fantastic - hanging around not knowing when they would finally have people to eat the food - all turned out of a swaying kitchen in a carriage; very impressive. It was all very tasty, too!
no subject
Date: 28/05/2011 08:50 pm (UTC)Thank you - I was thinking 'just press the button - it's not that difficult!' at the time... :~)
It was a lovely way to celebrate - recommend it to anyone.
no subject
Date: 28/05/2011 08:51 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 28/05/2011 08:54 pm (UTC)*g* at the catering company's choice of name.
no subject
Date: 28/05/2011 09:10 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 28/05/2011 09:24 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 28/05/2011 09:26 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 28/05/2011 09:26 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 28/05/2011 09:42 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 28/05/2011 09:47 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 28/05/2011 09:54 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 28/05/2011 09:55 pm (UTC)