Pickering Wartime Weekend
October 10th-14 2013
Rally Report
October 10th-14 2013
Rally Report
Well this rally coinsided with the start of winter or so it seemed, our rather good summer decided to end two days before the rally started.
We set off in a full gale and lashing rain, after an exciting tow over the more exposed parts of the North York’s moors we arrived safely on
site to find John & Tina, Stan & Kay and Pat & Hugh already there, with Bryan & Betty arriving shortly after us. We decided to go to the Black Bull pub for our evening meal that first night (Thursday) as we figured we would not get a seat on Friday as Pickering swells to three times its usual population over this weekend. One very nice meal and several beers later we retired for the night having drawn up plans for the next day.
We set off in a full gale and lashing rain, after an exciting tow over the more exposed parts of the North York’s moors we arrived safely on
site to find John & Tina, Stan & Kay and Pat & Hugh already there, with Bryan & Betty arriving shortly after us. We decided to go to the Black Bull pub for our evening meal that first night (Thursday) as we figured we would not get a seat on Friday as Pickering swells to three times its usual population over this weekend. One very nice meal and several beers later we retired for the night having drawn up plans for the next day.
We decided to go to the Black Bull pub for our evening meal that first night (Thursday) as we figured we would not get a seat on Friday as Pickering swells to three times its usual population over this weekend. One very nice meal and several beers later we retired for the night having drawn up plans for the next day.
The following morning dawned wet and windy and six of us caught the bus into Pickering which was still gearing up for the event and not a lot going on.
So after perusing the scene a while we went to the station to get the train to Whitby. Bryan was particularly chuffed, (excuse pun) when the Sir Nigel Gresley drew up at the platform which he immediately set about photographing.
On the way to Whitby we stopped off at Goathland and walked up the hill to Aidensfield to have a look round the Heartbeat village taking in Scripps garage, Oscar’s pub and the village shops. We then continued on to Whitby hauled by some lesser locomotive that didn’t excite Bryan as much.
On arrival the biting wind was apparent so we hurried into town where it much more sheltered. After looking around the shops we partook of the obligatory fish n chips followed by more shopping. So far so good, but it wasn’t to last.
We got to the station in good time to catch the 6 o’clock train back to Pickering, by 6-30 we were becoming concerned by the lack of said train as it was the last service of the day. Eventually a young lady turned up to say the train had failed and there was a coach laid on to take us back to Glaisdale where there was a working train waiting to take us back. After boarding the train it sat in the station for 20 mins before setting off, eventually getting us into Pickering at about 9:10 pm, from there it was a short walk to the bus stop to discover the last bus had left about an hour since. Oh joy I thought. Luckily a taxi drew up next to the bus stop to discharge his passengers and after a bit of wrangling by Mandy the driver agreed to take us to the site.
Next morning dawned cold and damp but that biting wind had finally died down. We headed back into town as there was to be a parade of wartime civilian vehicles. The town was very busy and there was an air of
excitement as the parade got under way with some very
tidy looking motors but bringing up the rear and drawing by far the largest round of applause was a gentleman dressed as an army padre pedalling his 1940s cycle and
puffing merrily on his pipe, “pure class”, The rest of the day was spent taking in the sights around the town and watching the many little sideshows and scenarios being acted out. That evening we walked up the lane next
to our site to a club house that had just finished being built where we ate our evening meal and listened to the wartime music that was being played and generally enjoyed ourselves.
Sunday morning came and we all decided to go off and do our own thing, Mandy and I went off in the car to Levisham which is the next station up the line.
This was in German occupied territory and we had a brief look at it from the train a couple of days previous where we saw some right looking surly brutes sat in gun positions.” Fair sent a shiver down your spine it did”.
However that was all we were destined to see of it as by road Levisham is down a long and winding lane and we kept passing signs that said there was no parking facilities at Levisham. As it was raining very heavily we decided to turn around at the next opportunity and filled in the rest of the day looking around some of the local villages before returning back to the site.
Monday morning came all too soon and there was time for a last chinwag before we had to pack up and leave
for home. The weather had done its worst and the wartime weekend event seemed somehow a more low key event than previous years, but having said that we all had enjoyed ourselves because we’re all Polar pals and love the opportunity for a catch up !!!
See you all soon, Neil & Mandy
EXTRA
Pickering Sunday/Monday 13th 14th October 2013
On the Sunday it was deemed a do your own thing day so whilst Neil and Mandy were out looking for Germans at Levisham ourselves Bryan & Betty accompanied by Stan & Kay decided to find a under cover venue for a visit –we went to Castle Howard.
On the Monday we decided on a trip to York where the girls saw the
Minster and shops Stan and I went to the National railway Musuem
where they were displaying five of the famous A4 class locomotives including Mallard it was great to see them all together. We then met up with the girls and made a visit to the famous Betty’s Tea Rooms and partook of tea and cake.
Bryan & Betty
More Photos In The Gallery
