Lots going on and a new locomotive

John, today's Garden Line guard

Today did not start as a blog day, it was just a visit with number one son and grandma as mum is in hospital having given birth to number two son on Tuesday. I wonder if in the next eighteen months or so he will have a similar fascination with trains and cars. I'm sure that if his older brother has anything to do with it he will!

However, things happen and I started chatting to a couple of people. As a result I have several updates worthy of posting.

Teddy Bear Family Day at Bressingham

Meeting a large teddy bear

As each special event comes round at Bressingham, I am trying to attend as many as possible so that I can share some of what happens. Since I come with my family it gives me the opportunity to enjoy myself as well so that I can hopefully be more objective in my reporting.

Today's weather forecast threatened heavy showers, and as we arrived at 11:00 it had just started to rain. I always feel a little downhearted when going to any event when the weather is inclement. Anyone organising an outdoor event works incredibly hard to bring things together, and nothing must dash their spirits more than a rainy day. Just because it's not sunny and dry doesn't mean that any less effort has put into the planning and organisation beforehand.

Gallopers assembly timelapse sequence

As soon as I had decided to become a Bressingham Volunteer ideas started racing through my mind.  One of those was to produce a timelapse video when the Gallopers were being assembled following their winter overhaul.

A family visit to Bressingham at Easter

Seeking out Seymour

After following all of the activity surrounding the 2010 season opening it was nice to be able to enjoy a day with the family this Easter. Our first port of call was the Gallopers where we sought out Seymour especially. I'm not sure if a three and a half year old quite understood fully when I explained the significance, but he grasped "man on horses" and was happy enough. Oddly enough one of his middle name is Seymour, taken from my late step father's middle name, so maybe it's a portent!

It's always great to see the Gallopers running as they were intended - on steam. Somehow it's just not the same when they're on electric, maybe it's the near silence with which they turn that takes some of the fun away.

Au revoir Seymour, not good bye

Cake decoration captures Seymour's character perfectly

After sixteen years of working at Bressingham, today was Seymour's last official day at work as he retires. A gathering of staff and volunteers in the afternoon presented him with a specially designed cake and a Corgi model of a carousel similar to Bressingham's in recognition of his long and valued service to Bressingham.