Followers

Wednesday 27 October 2010

I've taken over for the day.....

MWM here.   Akelamalu has given me permission to do a guest post today regarding my birthday yesterday.   My darling wife bought me a very special birthday present - I got to experience riding on the footplate of this




60163 TORNADO - the first steam engine to have been built from scratch for 50 years and it took 19 years to build by the A1 Steam Locomotive Trust at a cost of £3.1 million.  For any anoraks out there reading this, it is a Class A1 Pacific loco originally designed by A. H. Peppercorn in 1945 for the London and North Eastern Railway (LNER).  Unfortunately none of the original 49 that were built were preserved, hence this new build.

Here's me on the footplate being given instructions of where to sit so that I was out of the way of the footplate crew.


Here's the driver Brian

and the machinery that makes it all work so magnificently.


Here's the view of the track from the fireman's perspective.


 It has been a lifetime ambition of mine to enjoy a footplate ride and to realise this ambition on such a unique engine, on my birthday, was absolutely wonderful.    All too soon the 50 minute journey was over but the memory of this day will be something I will cherish forever and I have a certificate to prove I did it.

Here I am looking very happy riding the train back home





PS TORNADO is off to Scotland next week.

29 comments:

jabblog said...

What a lovely unforgettable experience for you. Happy Birthday!

MorningAJ said...

Having grown up in LNER land that's what I call a train!

Ron said...

First of all MWM, HAPPY BIRTHDAY to you, buddy!

Secondly, it's so GREAT to see you guest posting on Akelamalu's blog. She's talked about you (always with love) for so many years, I feel like I know you!

WOW....what a fabulous birthday present she gave you! I too have a love for trains, and would have found this equally as memorable.

Thank you for sharing!

Great post! Awesome pictures!

X to you and Akelamalu!

Daryl said...

What a wonderful wife/woman she is .. and I hope, well I can see, your birthday was a fabulous success! Here's to many more!

Finding Pam said...

Happy belated birthday! Now that is what I call an unique gift. She is so very thoughtful.

Nice to meet you. Akelamula is one special Lady.

Thank you for sharing you birthday with us. Where's the cake?

Elaine Denning said...

Happy Birthday! It sounds like you had a wonderful day. And what a wonderful woman she is :) x

Linda said...

Belated happy birthday to you MWM and what a fantastic gift you got! I am beyond envious - not only of your chance to ride on the footplate but of having a partner who loves you so much she'll get you the very thing you've always wanted for your birthday!

I sure wish they still built steam engines here in the States!

aims said...

What a fabulous present! I could here the happy sighs from here!

Mike Golch said...

Happy Birthday to you!Great photos thanks for sharing them.

A Lady's Life said...

What a thoughtful loving wife you have.
Happy Birthday and may you continue to live in joy and peace and love and prosperity. :)

Anonymous said...

Hau`oli La Hanau to you MWM. What a great birthday present. Trains can be so fascinating. Thanks for sharing this.

nitebyrd said...

Well, HAPPY BIRTHDAY! What an amazing gift to receive! Your smile says it all!

Empress Bee (of the high sea) said...

what a lovely present! happy birthday!

smiles, bee
xoxoxoxoxoox

Akelamalu said...

Indeed it was, thankyou Jabblog

LNER had some beautiful engines AJ

Thanks for the birthday wishes and lovely comments Ron. I'll keep taking the picture for Akelamalu to share with you.

I agree she is wonderful Daryl. Thankyou for the birthday wishes.

I can't disagree Pam and I'm happy to share my birthday gift with you.

Cheers Mama Zen

I did and she is Elaine :)

I am lucky on both counts Linda for sure. You'll must visit England and experience our steam trains. Thanks.

I'm still happily sighing Aims :)

Glad you enjoyed them Mike and thankyou.

Thankyou for your lovely comment and good wishes Lady's Life :)

Can I assume that's Hawaiian for 'Happy Birthday Thom? Thankyou and yes, I agree, trains are very fascinating.

Akelamalu said...

BTW all those replies to your comments were from me MWM!

Winifred said...

Those were the days. I loved to ride those trains, the smells, sounds and the feeling of the motion of the train were fantastic.

What a brilliant birthday.

Valerie said...

What a fabulous birthday present. I daren't show my hubby, being a train buff he'd definitely want to have a go.

Akelamalu said...

MWM here

Even better on the footplate Winifred!

Thanks Valerie Go on, show him.

Annie said...

Hellooo there MWM! Good to see you here, and belated Happy Birthday!!
My brother was really into steam trains, and spent a lot of time clearing old tracks :-)

The guys that live next door to me re-build steam engines (though not train ones, the old work-horses) and we have a couple outside the front door :-D Every now and then they blow the whistle from the bottom of the garden!! :-D

Hope you gave your lovely MWW a huuuuge hug for that!

snowelf said...

Awww!!! What a super sweet present!! I think my son loves trains just as much. ;)

Happy birthday and many more wonderful memories!!

--snow

Akelamalu said...

Thanks Annie, it's nice that people keep the old traditions going. Hugs aplenty.

Keep your son's interest alive Snowelf.

Charlene Amsden said...

Happy Birthday! What a great present. Thank you for sharing it with all of us.

Travis Cody said...

What fun for a train enthusiast. Happy Birthday Sir!

Queenie said...

you could have borrowed my whistle if you had asked me. Glad you had a great day..... Liz X (Queenie)

Susan at Stony River said...

What a magnificent present! I wish I could have come along too --
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Linda Bob Grifins Korbetis Hall said...

Happy Belated Birthday.

CrystalChick said...

Happy birthday!! What an awesome gift, so glad you enjoyed yourself. Nice pictures, I always love seeing them. You go on such interesting trips!

TBM said...

Your wife is a darling indeed! Looks like you had a lovely birthday. Many happy returns!

Akelamalu said...

Thankyou Quilly, it was!

Fun doesn't come close Trav, thanks for the birthday wishes.

Whistle Queenie? what whistle? ;)

I was happy to share my day with you Susan albeit only through this post. :)

Thankyou Jingle

Thankyou for your nice comments CrystalChick, glad you enjoy our trips.

She is and I did, thankyou JAPRA :)