Budget, What Budget?

(Caution ... boring, anorak blog follows ... El)

Firstly back to last Friday where the usual suspects from Aston Marina went to The Exchange for early doors (16.00).  There was nothing unusual about that, but somehow we ended up leaving The Three Crowns at 23.30, and I still don't know how that happened!  I do have it on good authority that one of the lads ended up driving the porcelain bus in the night, but as it was on a boat it was probably a plastic bus!

It was however a most fantastic night, out with some really good friends who we are going to miss dearly in the next few weeks when we all start going our different ways.

That's my wallet on the table ... it was a lot thinner at the end of the night, never mind live and let live, the budget starts next millennium!

Saturday was a chill-axing day.  Elaine's brother came over for a chat and to sort out computers!  In the evening we couldn't be bothered to cook so had a Chinese takeaway, plus we popped into The Exchange for a quick pint whilst waiting for the takeaway.  

Today (Sunday) we decided to take a trip to the Great Central Railway at Loughborough where they were having a Steam Gala Weekend.

Elaine was so excited she had had trouble sleeping Saturday night.

(Hmmm ... bit of artistic licence there ... El)

Off we went, passing this sleeping truck on the way! 

When we got there, we discovered there were a lot of locos in steam plus a few diesels as well ...

King Arthur Class 777 Sir Lamiel ...

LMS Stanier Class 8F ...

Brittannia Class 70013 Oliver Cromwell ...

There were also a plethora of anoraks ...

... for some reason they are attracted to Elaine! They enthral her with stories of their Walschaerts Valve Gear and their Klychap Blast Pipes! (It's all true ... they also all love Sam! El)

OK more pics of steam engines ...

Filling the tender with water ...

The star of the show, the newly restored 9F Cock O' The North ...

This magnificant machine was built in 1959 at Swindon and was withdrawn for scrap in 1965....six years later!  Luckily it was saved from the torch ...

A Pic for Carol (NB Rock n Roll) ...

We had to go for a steam train ride while we were there ... here is Elaine enjoying her tuna sarnie ...

(The best part of the day ... plus the great coffee!  El)

Sammie took a selfie ...

The boys enjoy steam trains as much as Elaine ...

There she is again, such a beautiful machine ...

Bombo enjoyed the trip ...

A pic for Roly from Aston Marina ...

... and that was that another wonderful budget breaking weekend!