Well it is Bank Holiday Monday in the UK so as usual the weather is atrocious. The rain is pouring down. I have a sweater on as it is cool to say the least. I feel so sorry for all the residents of local North Cotswold villages and towns who had planned fetes, festivals, open gardens and the like. Their long planned for events will all be a washout.
I had planned to go to Childswickham for the ‘retro’ English Village Fete on the village green. There was to be a flower festival in the church too. After this I had planned to go to Dumbleton, which is a quintessential English village. It has a pretty church, a well-used cricket club and a picturesque 19th century Hall which is now a hotel. There are magnificent trees around beautiful parkland all set off by pretty little cottages and some rather grand houses. Later I would have gone along the road to my favourite village of Broadway for good food and live music on the green.
I imagined I would get some good shots with my new digital camera (Panasonic Lumix TZ70) that I could take from every angle for this week’s photo challenge. But it is not to be. Instead I will use some shots I took some time ago at Toddington Railway Station.
This wonderful old steam railway takes me back to my childhood when we would take day trips by steam train from the grime of Gateshead to the fresh air and fun of the seaside at Whitley bay or South Shields. It is beautifully restored, maintained and run by dedicated volunteers of the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway. The route it takes gives wonderful views of the Cotswolds, and the towns and villages it passes through.
It is so beautiful that it is sometimes used as a film set and that is how I got my shots. Alex Sibo, who was studying at our local university, wrote, directed and produced a short documentary film about his family history. It follows the story of his grandfather, Bruno Siba, as he managed to escape WW11 Czechoslovakia. He had to hide his identity and change his name in order to escape. I played a minor part in his film, which was great fun. You can watch a bit of the film here.
Here are my rather atmospheric shots of Toddington railway station early on a damp morning. There are more recent shots on a previous blog.
Heavenhappens 
I love how the greyish mist of the day naturally resonate with the cloud of steam the train is letting out. It’s like a picture book story.
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What a lovely comment Neha! Thank you so much. Maybe you could write the story!
Sent by Brenda Kimmins
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Thank you 🙂
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Beautiful collection. The fog adds beauty to these pictures.
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Yes it was a very cold morning with fog early on which the steam from the train added to. It cleared later thank goodness as we went on to film up a very steep hill!
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Great photos. I love the old steam trains – they are much more exciting than our modern trains.
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They certainly are and they smell gorgeous- all coal fires and gas lights- very emotive smells for my generation x
Sent by Brenda Kimmins
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There’s nothing like a reminder of the ‘good old days’. 🙂
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True although I’d rather be here and now!
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Probably on balance, so would I, but I miss some aspects of the ‘olden days’.
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Awesome shots for this week’s challenge.
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Why thank you x
Sent by Brenda Kimmins
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It’s so horrible here in Surrey that I didn’t even bother bringing the camera out today 😦 Somehow the steam trains actually look at home in the grey though! It adds to the nostalgic mood 🙂
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Oh lord isn’t it awful! I did eventually go to a flower festival but it was a dismal drive there and back x
Sent by Brenda Kimmins
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I hope it was indoors!!
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Yep st Mary’s church Childswickham x gorgeous little village of 2 halves! Ancient side with a mill, a forge and a manor house and thatched cottage near the church and a fast flowing stream running along and under the road, then a more modern half with lovely bungalows and houses.
Very quiet though- not my cup of tea!
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I do love pretty little villages like that 🙂
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Oh me too Sarah , so pretty!
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maybe you like to join my challenge http://www.sylvain-landry.com/sl-week/sl-week-9-school.html
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Beautiful shots.
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Thank you x
Sent by Brenda Kimmins
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