Foremarke Hall

We walked 4.5 miles today from our house. The Song thrush warbled its endearing accompaniment. The blackbirds countered with their familiar trills. The occasional blue tit swooped by for ornithological balance.

In the distance the steam train whistle could be heard as it departed Cheltenham Race Course station. Its smokey progress through the lush woodland was easy to see. As it came into sight half a mile away at the foot of the incline it got stuck in to its climb towards us. The familiar steam
exhaust sound echoed off the Cotswold escarpment. We felt as if we were catapulted back to 1952 and the beginning of our Queen’s 70 year reign!

The locomotive steaming towards us was called Foremarke Hall and had been built in the GWR works at Swindon in 1949.

As the train whistled past, the ground shook and the bolted rails almost seemed to dance under the weight of the loco and its six carriages.

This evening we watched an excellent BBC film of the Queen’s unseen home movies. It was surprisingly moving.

Next weekend, we are spoilt for choice as to what to see and do. There are platinum street parties in every village for miles around. The Tall Ships are visiting Gloucester Docks. The heritage steam railway is importing some of the countries biggest steam locomotives for their steam gala. Gloucester Cathedral and Tewksbury Abbey are promising full programmes of song, celebration and thanksgiving. Oh, and of course there may even be a sighting of the platinum jubilee fly past at the end of its route?