Steam in Staffordshire Sun 24th Jan

[Julie Hall - WSCC AO Representative]

Meet at Halfords, Ashbourne, DE6 1DU, 10.30 am. We will take the short journey to Froghall and get tea and cakes in the station cafe before watching the arrival of the 12:03 steam train. Then it's off through pretty Staffordshire countryside to Darley Moor Airfield to have a look at the planes over more refreshments.

 

Weather permitting, who is coming?

[dhutch]

Currently free, so plans/weather/car permitting I am very much up for that.

Daniel

[Julie Hall - WSCC AO Representative]

Daniel,

If the weather is OK, if you can still come along on Sunday and you still have them, can you bring the chrome springs with you please?

Thanks

Julie

[dhutch]

No one else up for a blast out then?

 

Look to be cold (circa 12deg) but warmer than Saturday and basically dry, if I expect damp on the road.

Daniel

[Martyn Vann - Warwickshire AO]

We will probably be there Dan!

[Julie Hall - WSCC AO Representative]

It was just us and Martyn/Sue at Ashbourne as Daniel was still busy with his Saturday night activities and would join us later at Froghall. Without delay we set off to the Froghall train station to get refrreshments before the train arrived.

 

Ashbourne

 

 

It was 13 degrees warmer than last week which was nice. I am not a fan of Satnav's because I like to learn where I have been and know where I am, so I memorise a route and jot it down on a bit of paper just to remind me. I do not know this area of Staffordshire and have only been once when Glen was driving, so today the Satnav was 2 pages long, we didn't get lost though so it must work.

 

At Froghall station we were joined by Daniel, who did not look like he had been out all night, oh to be young.

 

 

After the train arrived and we had a good look around it, and a sniff of it, we set off to Cheddleton station which is it's next stop. It is a bit like Top Gear, we can drive there and beat the arrival of the train. We got into position, listening for the whistle, before filming it's arrival. The canal is next to the train line so we went for a nosy at the boats. Daniel owns a steam canal boat and taught us a bit about their construction - Wellyjen - you would have enjoyed it too. 

 

Cheddleton Station

 

 

 

I tried Daniel's car on for size, it being a narrow body and it fit's perfect, I like it. This car has character, it is well used and spent last weekend at Autosport wizzing people around cones to promote Autosolo. Glen listened with dread as Daniel explained it all to me, hoping it would not become my next hobby. Sounds like damn good fun to me, it was certainly good fun having a moving display with you for the day.

 

Next we went to find some planes at Darley Moor Airfield but it must close for the winter as the gates were locked. So we went to the pub instead to discuss the forthcoming Warwickshire track day, before heading home in the light. Hopefully Martyn had parked his rain cloud up for the day and got home in the dry too. Thank you everyone for coming, it's been great fun and yet again I have learnt a lot.

 

 

Next weekend, if it is good weather on Saturday we will be doing the reservoirs, Snake Inn and round to Glossop/Buxton. If the weather is better on Sunday we will be doing the Monsal Head-Litton road with a stop at the Yonderman (reservoir road is closed to traffic on a Sunday). See separate posting in events for details.

[TAFKARM]

Looks like a good day out!

[Julie Hall - WSCC AO Representative]

The style of driving would have suited you, it was warm and dry too for a change. Maybe next time.

[dhutch]

Excellent write up and a great day out.

 

Thanks all!

 

 

Daniel

[dhutch]

Having given up on ever being able to upload photos directly onto this site again, I have done battle with photobucket, perhaps the most add-ridden site this side of a tabloid newpapers.....

 

 

Ready the night before!

 

Arrived 

 

Saw trains

 

 

Daniel

[Martyn Vann - Warwickshire AO]

Just to add to the story with a few more pictures of cars, trains and boats! Its a shame we did not get the planes in too 

 

 

 

 

[dhutch]

Because I cant help myself, here are some autosolo videos, cheap easy fun!

 

 

 

 

In case you want more, a National autotest....?