Severn Valley Railway Fun!

We spent a day playing on the Severn Valley Railway line last week, taking advantage of an off-season offer and we had such a great day! The railway line was saved from extinction by local people and sections were purchased from British Rail over a number of years and reconstructed by volunteers. The work continues today with steam engines being saved from scrap yards and lovingly restored to chuff up and down the line between Bridgnorth and Kidderminster. All the stations are decked out with stacks of trunks/suitcases and the original waiting rooms and ticket booths - so lovely!

Our view from the first carriage - you can see the driver and the coal man looking out of the engine! Lots of people waved at us as we chuffed past, it was great fun. As it wasn't their busy season we had the carriage to ourselves so no matter when the girls squealed with delight when we saw two elephants and a rhino out of the window!! Yes really, I'm not joking - we think it might be the safari park maybe?

Faith spent ages with her head thrust out of the train window watching the steam engine and looking back along the line of carriages. The window was lowered using a leather strap and she thought that was great too, as well as the really traditional toilets with scrolly handles and wooden seats!!

Idris loved watching the world go by from the train window - steam trains are slow enough to actually enjoy the scenery as you go along! (Dewi is wearing a fleece hat that Eve made for him from one of the patterns in the sewing book that Santa brought for Christmas!).

This is Eve reaching up to pull the chain that sounds the Engine's whistle (a mock-up one in the indoor Steam Engine Museum!). Listening to the real one blow and watching it from the carriage as we rode along the tracks was a great review of the states of matter science lessons we did last year! Faith thought it was great that the driver's flask of tea (or hot chocolate as she insisted it was!) was kept on the boiler ledge to keep warm!!

Eve had a go turning the brake wheel in the brake van - he had a tiny little stove to keep him warm on the journeys!

I have to confess - I love steam trains! I love the mechanics of a steam engine and I love the nostalgia of 'the good old days' I never knew! I took a few pictures like the one above accompanied by groans from Dewi that had he known I was a closet train spotter he'd never have married me! I told him that he had my mum to thank as she loves steam engines too. That made him roll his eyes even more! There was loads of fascinating information about the engines and carriages, including the royal carriage that King George travelled around war torn Britain in! Loved it, despite the rain - see below for smudgy raindrop soaked photo of train pulling into the station!

Face painting Fun

I took the girls to a Birthday Party this week. Let it be said that I am not a fan of children's parties - I won't go into it here in case I offend anyone but I much prefer our special 'Birthday Days Out' that we do for the children's special days!

I digress...... inside the party bags were a mini face painting kit with red, black and white paints and some ideas. Of course the girls wanted to try them out so as soon as we got home we broke out the paints and a lot of silliness ensued! This is Eve who wanted to be that cat (painted by me!)

 This is me, painted by Faith who decided I should be a ladybird...... what a great job she did!

 This is Faith as a ladybird.... painted by Dewi...... she went to check on his efforts in the mirror and declared "hmmmm, it's very nice but would be better with more spots I think!"..... more spots duly added!

And this is Eve painting Dewi. She wanted to make him the 'scarecrow' a.k.a ghost and I can't put the finished face on here because it was truly quite disturbing once finished!

The funniest part of the whole silly scenario were the things the girls came out with!

As I painted Eve's face I commented on how very long her eyelashes were to which she replied "Good, just like a camel, only they have two sets cos they can't wear sun hats!"...... what?? Where did THAT come from??!!

And then Faith was painting me and I reminded her to be gentle around my eyes and told her that the skin was delicate there to which SHE replied "that's cos you're old now mum!"..... what?? WHAT?? Er...... hello? I'M 30!!!!

Dewi and I were in fits of giggles the whole way through which the girls enjoyed even more than the actual painting I think!!