Choo choo train

I foolishly forgot to take my camera with me on our exciting expedition to the steam train yesterday, so my pictorial depiction of our trip to Launceston Steam Railway will be somewhat lacking. I did buy some postcards, so a photo of them and the visitor's guide will have to do. I like to stick in pictures to break up the monotony.

We rode the train shown in the top postcard, CovertCoat. It's just a couple of miles journey, ideal for short attention spans :D. It stops at New Mills Farm Park, which is lovely for children, and we had a nice warm sunny day for it too.

I took my Gran, who is not very mobile these days and our timing was such that we delayed the train, as the people who run it were kind enough to hold on while she got up to the platform. We really needed to have got there about 5/10 minutes before we did, as I hadn't reckoned on how out of breath she gets walking. M suggested that we talk about her getting some help with her mobility, such as a wheelchair for trips out, but I don't know how she would react to that. She was reluctant to start using a stick. But it might be worth it, as I feel concerned about the future. We were talking about possibly visiting the Donkey Sanctuary next week, but I'm not sure she is up to it, and it's a shame to be thinking in terms of not taking her places because of her mobility.

Anyway, shall put that in a box for thinking about later.

The engine was of great interest to T. It puffed out great quantities of steam and whistled, and he enjoyed watching it especially when they were moving it from one end of the train to the other. Coupling and uncoupling, possibly shunting? All sounds rather rude.... a bit like bum!



New Mills Farm Park is fabulous for children, it has a field filled with outdoor activities: two or three huge sandpits with buckets & spades, etc, lots of ride-on toys from pedal carts big enough for adults and teenagers to little scooters and cars for toddlers. There were swing-balls and giant trampolines, slides and climbing frames, all in a beautiful setting with a river running alongside. Then there was also the petting zoo of farm animals, rabbits and poultry. T liked the pigs in particular. S liked the rabbits and guinea pigs. There was a big orange hen that T sort of chased, and it was as big as he was, just about. I felt a little sorry for the rabbits and guinea pigs in the main petting cage, as if I were them I'd get cheesed off with all the children. But I suppose they get a lot of bunny treats out of their visitors. All in all it was very nice, and I'd certainly take the children again.

What was really nice was that my aunt & uncle and my cousin's children were there - they'd decided to surprise Gran. It was lovely to see them, and it meant that I could relax a bit as they helped look out for the children and Gran.

We had a good time there, and although I think Gran was thoroughly exhausted by the end, I hope she enjoyed it too.