Saturday 29th December 2018



It has been so quiet at this mooring, once all the walkers have stopped. Once darkness falls, it is eerily quiet and pitch black with just lights showing from Dadlington and Stoke Golding in the distance, and one or two scattered farms.

We walked along the bed of the railway track and caught the 11:35 Battlefield Line train to Shackerston. The return fare was £12 each and £2 for Harvey.

What is it with steam trains that makes us British all nostalgic? Most people these days would not have been born when steam was king. There is something about the sight, sounds and smell though.

We were lucky that there were two locos pulling the train, both sisters, one on loan from the Dart Valley Railway in Devon and one from Llandudno. The Battlefield Line is just five miles long running from Shackerstone to Shenton via Market Bosworth along the long abandoned Ashby and Nuneaton Joint Railway, part of the London and North Western and Midland Railways.





 

                                                                                                
                                                                  Classic 1930’s Art Deco splendour in the Dining Car



As we always do, we enjoyed the trip going over ground we had covered in the boat, albeit, much quicker. We were surprised at the state of Market Bosworth Station, a real mess and in need of some serious tlc.






                                                                      Market Bosworth Station



At Shackerstone we disembarked. The station buildings house a museum that has so much stuff crammed in to such a small space, it is hard to take it all in. We watched the train leave on its journey back down the line, Harvey almost died of shock when the safety valves of one of the engines blew off, poor thing. It was a real surprise to learn that, twice a day, a coach used to leave Shackerstone direct for London Euston. It





                             
                                                                                     Shackerstone Station          
                                                        
                                                                                    Shackerstone Station Museum



We had coffee and lunch in the tea rooms, which was like stepping back in time, before catching the next, 2pm train back. We were treated to sherry and white wine with mince pies on this trip. A rare treat to get something for nothing. Made it taste much sweeter.

Back at Shenton, walking back to the boat, the flags on Ambion Hill were flying proudly. Every day we had been up there they had been hanging limp with no breeze.

We had really enjoyed the day.

Brenda had prepared a soup before we left this morning, and left it cooking on the stove. Lovely smells when we got back. I came over feeling like shit, think I need new glasses, and so went to bed for an hour.

For supper, the soup was delicious.

I had been hearing from colleagues from my days working at sea, leading up to Christmas and New Year. I was grateful for this as we had inadvertently dumped our address book with their contacts details in it. Amongst them were Rob from South Africa, who had been made redundant in December 2015 just before me and was now back deep sea doing long trips. His son has just qualified as a Gamekeeper, leading parties on safari’s.

Also heard from Samuel, a Brasilian 2nd Mate who was with me on Maersk Handler including the time she was laid up in Rio. I had always got on very well with his family. Samuel had eventually married Barbara, his long-time girlfriend in October. Very pleased to hear that.

I had also been tracing the family tree of Phil, one of the guys who ran a business next to Cunliffe Boats. Phil had asked about his family when I was going to the boat during her build. I had always told Phil I would trace his family once the winter set in. Really looking forward to hearing back off him to see if I have been following the correct family.



Weather: again a very mild, pleasant day.


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