A GRAND - IF DAMP - DAY OUT

Bill shares his trip out to Beamish although he didn't think that he would be visiting Beamish in the rain, or even taking his scooter to Housesleads Roman Settlement.  Having a fit and active Canadian visiting caused Bill to get off his chair and out into the fresh air and rain.

Bill had thought that he was dressed for the part but by the end of the Beamish trip, He was "Well Wet". On a mobility scooter it is the legs that catch the rain, but we do tend to 'not think' below the belt.   Beamish has chair lifts on some of their transport but don't allow scooters to be lifted. Bills wonders about this as the scooter weighs a lot less than HIM! Bill also wonders if his next project will be helping them to run a mobility scooter friendly vehicle.

In the beginning Bill booked tickets online, there's no necessity to do this but, if you can do so then it does speed up your entry. Bill's visitor was enthralled from start to finish. The picture and video presentation, immediately after reception, he readily absorbed, even having his picture taken with his face in the mock-up of a miner ... with Davey lamp.

They set out on the pathway to the miner's village, in the rain. The forecast had suggested that the rain would abate from 11am, the suggestion was wrong!!  John entered the miner's cottages, marveling at the heat radiating from the coal fire. He didn't enter the drift mine, having just missed the guided tour, but he checked out the church and stables. A very placid, pregnant pony was being led through the village, giving great authenticity to the scene.

They made the mistake of not crossing the road at the transport sheds and ended up, a little more damp, at the farm. Retracing their steps to the bus shed, they continued the 'Other' side of the road, past the tram crossing and along by the 'Shuggy Shoes', as Bill's grandmother would have called the carnival installation, and on to the town.

The Sun Inn beckoned, and they stopped for refreshments, a black 'decaff' for Bill and a pint for John. The drink was accompanied by a pork pie which Bill was forced to consume! Sitting in the back room they were indeed transported back to the smoke-filled bar rooms of long ago. The decoration was perfect, as far as they could see. The white ceiling was the dirty brown colour of old. Bill could feel the crackling of tar, coal dust and mucus filled lungs, struggling to absorb some oxygen from the air. I guess that you had to see it to believe what we subjected our bodies to, in the name of fashion!

John works in the Automotive field and was well taken with the vehicles on show, in the town. The harness room and the horse drawn vehicles are quite the sight too. The cafe and bakery take some beating, which one of us isn't attracted by cafes and bakeries? The fact that there is a fish and chip shop there, selling its wares, was too much for me. Thankfully Bill had already partaken of a morsel in the pub!!

They began to retrace their steps, this time walking and scootering through the carnival.  John's eyes were everywhere but not everything was, yet up and running. The station was quiet, a steam engine sitting without any fire in its belly is a sad sight to behold. They moved on past the bus and tram terminus, catching sight of the huge Ruston Bucyrus steam shovel off to the left. The rain had finally slowed to a drizzle as they re-entered the reception building and took their last cup of coffee. They had been to Beamish in the rain and survived, amazed that we were, by no means, the only people leaving there that day, very wet but very satisfied.

Plan you day out just check the weather so its not a damp day https://www.beamish.org.uk/