Event
Report
2019 Club Excursion to Shildon Railway Museum
Report by John Gill
Dad and I planned to start this run from the Applegarth Car park but a
couple of days before the run we dicovered that the roads in
Northallerton would be closed for a 10k race. We had to therefore make a
rapid change of starting point, we selected Bedale but that meant doing
the first part of the run again. We hoped that when we got to a common
point on the route we could with some maths merge the mileages. We were
worried that as we used a Mercedes odometer for part of the route and an
MG one for the rest of the route things would not add up! I am pleased
to say that despite my worries everyone found there way with no mishaps.
On the day of the run it dawned wet and windy and a few members turned
out in their every day cars, despite the weather we had 17 entries for
this excursion into the unknown badlands of Durham. Mike and Kevin being
the exception as Durham is their stomping ground.
The route took us through Streetham and past the Cowtons, we passed the
entrance to Croft Autodrome before heading to Darlington. Then came the
shock the next instruction was “at the roundabout head south A!(M)”,
this was just a minor detour to avoid Darlington town centre and get us
to the old Roman road at Piercebridge. We went through the pretty
villages of Cleasby and Manfield before crossing the Tees again in
Piercebridge. We were now in Durham and headed for Gainford, Ingleton
and Bolam.
It took about one hour and fifteen minutes to complete the run and the
cars all arrived within ten minutes of each other. The paking attandants
reserved a row for us at the rear of the carpark.
Members were then free to enjoy the Locomotion Railway Museum at their
leisure. There was a Meccano exhibition on which a number of members
found intresting.
Sheila Mason and a number of members went off to a local pub for a meal.
Below is her account of the day and the meal is below.
Thank you to you and Ken for organising a very successful run with an
excellent turn out, the museum visit was a great success even those that
are not railway enthusiasts enjoyed it. The Meccano stands were
brilliant although I have never built Meccano, but Tony remembered his
childhood building it, in fact, he treated himself to a box and has
ready started it, cheaper than a new car.
It was good to see 3 generations of the Bowes family enjoying
themselves, Grandad, John Bowes with 13 year old Granddaughter
navigating and Dad, Jonathon Bowes with 11 year old son as his
navigator.
The 16 of us enjoyed our meal at The Bay Horse and as usual there was
much chat and laughter. Neil Robertson made us laugh by recalling a run,
quite a few years ago, when the group went in for a meal and the
waitress apologised for the smell coming in from the car park, some old
cars had just driven in!
Not sure what Tony is praying for, good weather, the car runs smoothly,
or Sheila can find Shildon?
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