Bewdley 2003
During the 1st weekend in May 2003, I found my self between business engagements in London and in Dublin. As it turns out, a friend and colleague who lives in UK has an exotic hobby he invited me to share. He owns an antique steam locomotive. If I have my facts right, this particular locomotive auditioned for the part of the Hogwarts Express in the Harry Potter movies but lost out to another. But the story doesn't end there. This locomotive is being used to promote the movie and has been trucked around Britain on the back of a flatbed truck. In one town, the truck broke down and created a disturbance worthy of Harry himself.
On Friday, I finished my work and took an express train from London to Kidderminster. After the 2 1/2 hour ride, I spent the night in the George Hotel in nearby Bewdley; which according to Nicholas Pevsner is "one of the finest Georgian towns in Worcestershire." The hotel is a family-owned jewel of 12 rooms, each with a character all their own. Recommended.
I got up early the next day and returned to Kidderminster which is the jumping off place for the Severn Valley Railway. Upon meeting my friend, I got a tour of the locomotive and the antique rail cars it would be puling that day. The next thing I knew we were boarding, and I was invited to make the first leg of the trip in the locomotive. Wow. The trip up the Severn Valley was truly a nostalgia trip, one that I will never forget. If you're interested, check out the website for the Severn Valley Railway. Here you can book passage, learn something of railway lore, and even sign up for locomotive driving school. Quite reasonable, actually.
Read MoreOn Friday, I finished my work and took an express train from London to Kidderminster. After the 2 1/2 hour ride, I spent the night in the George Hotel in nearby Bewdley; which according to Nicholas Pevsner is "one of the finest Georgian towns in Worcestershire." The hotel is a family-owned jewel of 12 rooms, each with a character all their own. Recommended.
I got up early the next day and returned to Kidderminster which is the jumping off place for the Severn Valley Railway. Upon meeting my friend, I got a tour of the locomotive and the antique rail cars it would be puling that day. The next thing I knew we were boarding, and I was invited to make the first leg of the trip in the locomotive. Wow. The trip up the Severn Valley was truly a nostalgia trip, one that I will never forget. If you're interested, check out the website for the Severn Valley Railway. Here you can book passage, learn something of railway lore, and even sign up for locomotive driving school. Quite reasonable, actually.