Saturday 11 February 2017

The atmospheric Caldon canal

Last Sunday saw us meet up with our youngest who had flown in to Birmingham airport after a weeks skiing in the alps - nice.  His partner Emma came up and she and Rachel had a girly day shopping while I was Cindafella cleaning the boat, emptying cassettes and fettling the engine.

We all stopped in the Boars head hotel on Saturday and on Sunday went for a walk from Froghall wharf down the (more muddy than we expected) Caldon canal. As we got to our terminus close to the footpath up to the Falcon centre a large American steam loco came past which was a sight to behold. At that point we decided to walk on the Consall forge and get the train back.

It was muddy but still beautiful. 



I have reported the tree down....

When the train passed us going to Cheddleton we could hear its urgent whistle all down the valley - a simple but engaging pleasure for me !


 We timed our arrival at the station well with a five minute wait 


 This is the train arriving with the loco going backwards 



 Leia got a nights stay in a hotel, a train ride as well as a great walk - she does live an interesting life !

 
Sadly my phone ran out of battery at the station but while watching the engine run around and then couple up the boiler made too much steam and I know where the term  - 'let off steam' comes from, my goodness the noise was literally deafening.

These machines are real living beasts and beautiful to be exposed to, so close as well.

The Caldon canal and the Churnet Valley have some real treasures.

3 comments:

Halfie said...

Cindafella - good one! I hadn't come across that before.

Nev Wells said...

... a name I am very familiar with. Hope all is well, come on do some blogging let us know when you are off out and where - of have I missed that?

Halfie said...

Just for you (not) I have done a blog post. No details about forthcoming adventures, though. You'll have to wait for that.