Absent friends
I am going to avoid ranting about the troublesome aspects of my life for a little while and write about something nice for a bit.
Yesterday Gerry, with his mother, picked me up at 7.30 and we traveled up to Grosmont (North Yorkshire Moors a bit before Whitby, in case anybody doesn’t know). We had been invited to attend the uncovering of a plaque and a memorial train for the late John Boyes. John had known Gerry’s family for about 40 years and had been like an uncle to him as he grew up, regularly taking him out to help with his work on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway (those steam trains that go into Whitby some times). The railway owed a lot to John, they would not have had the signaling system without him, and consequently totally insufficient health and safety.
So after driving through the predicted rain we arrived at Grosmont early on a lovely sunny morning. After tea and greeting a few of the others who had come along especially, we all gathered at the signal box for a couple of speeches and the unveiling of the small bronze plaque. Shortly after this the specially laid on train, with a lovely little plaque on the front, bearing the legend “John Boyes, Farewell Express, Signaling Engineer pulled up to the platform. The little box containing his ashes was loaded onto the engine with the drivers, they had decided to put it into the fire box at an appropriate moment, he apparently would have appreciated this. It was a lovely ride through beautiful countryside to Pickering, only the second time I’ve done that route. The first time was with John and Gerry, with John telling us the history and stories along the way.
At Pickering one of the senior members of the NYMR asked if we would like to have lunch on them in the station café. Which we gratefully accepted. We got a different train on the way back and sat in first class. We even had one of those carriages that they have in old films and in Harry Potter, the separated ones. Gerry wandered off and I sat watching scenery whilst the other ladies (John’s partner, her friend and family and Gerry’s mum) talked. Back at Grosmont we said our farewells and headed back home.
It was a lovely day, sad but thoroughly enjoyable. I was so tired by the time I got home I went to bed for three hours, by which time it was too late to do anything. So I ended up sat alone with beer and a computer.
Photos will follow, and Whitby ones too when I finally get around to it.
Yesterday Gerry, with his mother, picked me up at 7.30 and we traveled up to Grosmont (North Yorkshire Moors a bit before Whitby, in case anybody doesn’t know). We had been invited to attend the uncovering of a plaque and a memorial train for the late John Boyes. John had known Gerry’s family for about 40 years and had been like an uncle to him as he grew up, regularly taking him out to help with his work on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway (those steam trains that go into Whitby some times). The railway owed a lot to John, they would not have had the signaling system without him, and consequently totally insufficient health and safety.
So after driving through the predicted rain we arrived at Grosmont early on a lovely sunny morning. After tea and greeting a few of the others who had come along especially, we all gathered at the signal box for a couple of speeches and the unveiling of the small bronze plaque. Shortly after this the specially laid on train, with a lovely little plaque on the front, bearing the legend “John Boyes, Farewell Express, Signaling Engineer pulled up to the platform. The little box containing his ashes was loaded onto the engine with the drivers, they had decided to put it into the fire box at an appropriate moment, he apparently would have appreciated this. It was a lovely ride through beautiful countryside to Pickering, only the second time I’ve done that route. The first time was with John and Gerry, with John telling us the history and stories along the way.
At Pickering one of the senior members of the NYMR asked if we would like to have lunch on them in the station café. Which we gratefully accepted. We got a different train on the way back and sat in first class. We even had one of those carriages that they have in old films and in Harry Potter, the separated ones. Gerry wandered off and I sat watching scenery whilst the other ladies (John’s partner, her friend and family and Gerry’s mum) talked. Back at Grosmont we said our farewells and headed back home.
It was a lovely day, sad but thoroughly enjoyable. I was so tired by the time I got home I went to bed for three hours, by which time it was too late to do anything. So I ended up sat alone with beer and a computer.
Photos will follow, and Whitby ones too when I finally get around to it.