It took me most of the day to get to Wenbury Junction – my old Morris Minor Traveller wasn’t built for speed. But I was there by four, and got my return ticket. Ten pounds to go one stop and back was outrageous, but they had a 2-6-0 engine and, they claimed, the original carriages. And I’d not yet travelled the Wenbury and Dorningham Steam Railway. It had only been open two months; as soon as I’d seen the announcement in September’s Steam Fanatic Monthly I’d booked a room at the Black Bull in Wenbury and made my preparations.
The next train was at 4.30, and took twelve minutes to get to Dorningham.
There was apparently a bar in the old waiting room, so there would be time for a gin and tonic there before the return trip at 5.15.
I decided to inspect the stock. The engine was a nice one, certainly not an original; according to SFM they’d picked it up for tuppence in Slovakia in 1992. But the carriages – there were only two of them – did look right.
They’d done a nice job repainting them too. I got into a compartment near the engine, and leaned out the window – I find that’s the best way to deter others from getting in. I can do a good scowl, which helps.