Chugga, chugga, chugga, chugga... Chooo Chooooo!!!

Saturday 24th April 2010 we had a very early start... 5.30am wake up!!!

It was an important day for Duncan (my husband) as he was having the experience of a lifetime with the chance to drive a steam train!

We left for Loughborough at 7am as we had to arrive for 9am, his Itinery for the day was as follows:

• 9am: Welcome by host for the day & meet with other participents to be paired up with for the experience. Lunch orders will be taken & a video highlighting the main driving controls of a steam locomotive will be shown to you & you will be fitted with a smock coat.
• 9.45am: Depart in the diesel multiple unit for route observation trip to Leicester North returning at 10.45am.
• 10.45am: guided tour of locomotive shed & signal box.
• 12.55pm: You & your partner board the footplate of a main line steam locomotive & have the chance to take the controls to Leicester North, sharing the driving on the double track main line returning back at 1.49pm.
• 2.15pm: Lunch is provided on this service returning at 3.28pm.

The weather was on our side & the sun was shining, we went with Duncan's parents & we also took the children for the day too, although the passengers had a lot of waiting as the train drive was just the engine without carriages... I am glad I took 'Breaking Dawn' with me to read!



Just as well the children didn't get too bored waiting, it was also lucky that Nanny & Grandad took snacks with them as the wait till lunchtime was a very long time considering we had breakfast before 7am!


Eating lunch in the train was fun, even if the plates did move around a bit, LOL! The food was excellent which was also a bonus too :)

When we arrived at Leicester North we had 10 minutes off the train to stretch our legs while the steam engine topped up it's water for the return journey... time for me to have a quick cigarette break!


Doesn't Duncan look just the part with his smock coat on, he really enjoyed the day so much that he came home saying he wanted to buy a train!!!

I am so glad that Duncan got the opportunity to do this experience as it was a dream he has had since he was young... I haven't really got any big lifetime experience's I want to try, but I am starting to think if there is anything that I fancy doing before I get too old to enjoy it.

Well I have a few years yet to try & think of a good once in a lifetime experience that I'd like to do, although I am not sure I could top this!

If it was your choice... what would you choose to do?!