Trip Report: London and Norfolk and riding the rails
Apr 25th, 2006 | 11:31 PM
#1
Original Poster
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 6,260
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Trip Report: London and Norfolk and riding the rails
To say that this trip to the UK was done for "niche" activities would be an understatement. I'm recounting the visit for those who might find some of the details useful. Sorry, but it is more about a few "nuts and bolts" topics and my steam railroad locomotive driving experience than anything else. PalQ I hope you, in particular, will find some of the aspects interesting.
I took this trip with a long-time friend who simply wanted to get away for a week.
We flew "Envoy Class" (business-first) on USAirways. FF miles were used and the trip was booked in October 2005. We had absolutely no trouble getting the dates and flights we wanted without having to resort to any of the oft-described "strategies" such as waiting until Wednesday morning at 1:00AM to book, pretending to be on a honeymoon, or pulling an "I'm so stressed out I just don't know what to do" act in front of the gate agent to get an upgrade. One simple phone call was all it took to get the seats for a Tuesday afternoon/evening departure outbound and a Tuesday morning return.
Given the horror stories about how bad it can be to do anything at the Philadelphia airport, much less actually flying through it, we decided to minimize the possibilities of delay/anger by traveling with one rollaboard each as well as one small (crammed full I might add) backpack each.
Our flight left Washington-National on-time and we had about a two-hour layover at PHL awaiting the flight to Gatwick. We spent that time in the USAirways Club/Envoy Lounge on Concourse A and it was relaxing. Plenty of space as well as the usual drinks, snacks, and a full small buffet of sandwich makings were available.
The flight to Gatwick was on an Airbus 330. During the flight over to LGW I was mentally comparing the service to that in Continental's "Business First" which I had used from Newark to LGW last year. PHL was easier to negotiate than Newark. There were minor differences in terms of the actual service(s) aboard. Continental's was more "refined" (silver serving pieces, warm nut snacks with the drinks vs. USAirways' use of plastic and cold nut/sesame stick snacks) etc. The Continental seats recline to 170 degrees; USAirways 160 degrees and I found the USAirways seat a bit more comfortable for sleeping somehow. Food choices on both seemed basically comparable in terms of what was actually offered although Continental's service was somewhat more elaborate in comparison. Unfortunately, the days of First Class "Five Cart Service" are long gone on most airlines along with a lot of other things so no complaints, just fading memories.
Our flight arrived on time at LGW (0930)and the Immigration/Customs drill was a breeze. Walking from one point to another took more time than anything. We had bought Gatwick Express tickets on-line and literally walked to the rail platform and onto the train without problems. All we had to show was the booking confirmation number and we were at London Victoria well before 1100.
Took a taxi which we knew could be time consuming to the Covent Garden Hotel on Monmouth Street. Congestion in London doesn't seem to have gotten any better since last year and the trip took a little less than 1/2 hour. The room was ready which is always nice.
I'll post a review of the hotel on TripAdvisor and will only say here that the hotel again lived up to expectations and the staff seems to know that one measure of any establishment's success is consistency between one visit and the next. The place is pricey but for what we wanted to do it was the location we wanted so no use of Priceline, etc. (where it probably never comes up anyway).
The main focus in London was shows and we saw one on the arrival Wednesday night, "The Producers" and "Mamma Mia" on Thursday. We got excellent tickets to both by simply calling the box office directly from the US several months beforehand. I had never seen "The Producers" and thought the production was wonderful; the whole thing is so absurd that too much "overplaying" could ruin it but the cast seemed to do it just right IMO.
I've seen "Mamma Mia" twice before but my friend had never seen it, hence the choice. I think this is the best production of the ones I have seen. Extremely energetic and good voices in the roles. I wasn't bore in the least despite knowing the story by heart at this point.
We used Tube passes to get around during the day and given the congestion tying up the taxis <b>and</b> the busses this was a good choice for us. We made the usual rounds of the sights for my friend's sake and browsed the usual stores such as Harrods and Fortnum and Mason, window-shopping on Jermyn Street, etc. All very pleasant and, of course, for you fashion mavens, they are <b>still</b> wearing every conceivable sort of shoe, denim, those scarves looped around the neck in that certain way (although the weather was mild with little, if any rain, so why anyone would really meed a scarf I am not sure) and all the other attire one expects to see in a city of this sort.
We did make one necessary shopping stop and that was at Stanford's which has to have one of <b>the</b> greatest collections of travel maps, etc., I have ever seen. We needed driving maps for Norwich and Norfolk and easily found both.
On Thursday morning we took a day trip to Avebury. My friend is into all things druidic/magic/pagan so he really wanted to see "the stones." We decided against Stonehenge since we had read that the stones in Avebury are more accessible.
We had booked train tickets to Swindon using the National Rail website and got APEX return tickets for 20 Pounds each. We were able to retrieve these at the ticket machines at Paddington without any difficulty whatsoever by inserting a credit card and a reference number (the latter supplied when we booked on line).
The train left Paddington and arrived in Swindon on time. Standard Class on the train was adequate and fairly full. The bus station in Swindon is less than a five-minute walk from the RR station and we caught the next bus to Avebury.
Naturally, <b>this</b> is the day it decided to rain. It was mostly on and off with those usual low-lying clouds obscuring the sun and the periodic squall of rain. The short bus ride through the countryside of Wiltshire was really wonderful. Everything looking quite green despite the drought conditions so we kept any regrets about the weather bottled up
in deference to the folks who really need the moisture.
I noticed as we rode along in the bus the signs with pictures of a camera on them posted <b>frequently</b> along the route. I honestly thought these were some sort of tourist-related marker indicating a "good photo point" which, I suppose could really include the entire county although at times when I saw one of the signs I was a little baffled. Only later did I learn that these signs which seem to be everywhere are "reminders" of speeding surveillance cameras...and that would come more into play in the coming days of this trip.
Avebury was delightful. The stones are, literally, <b>right there</b> to be touched and photographed, along with the sheep and goats grazing nearby. It was fun walking into these fields amongst the animals and seeing the stones, some of which are pretty massive, as long as you are mindful of the "pies" those cute little sheep and goats have left behind.
We also spent some considerable time in the village itself, particularly the village church which dates back for centuries, literally,and in the nearby National Trust shop. There were many people out and about trooping through the damp along with us but the area was in no way crowded. I had a long conversation with one of the Trust shop workers about the differences between crows and ravens and rooks; a bunch of the latter were carrying on in their nests in the just-budding trees and they were making a continual racket.
Spent a good part of our day just wandering around and soaking it all up (the atmosphere, not the rain). Took the bus back to Swindon and then the train back to London.
More coming....
I took this trip with a long-time friend who simply wanted to get away for a week.
We flew "Envoy Class" (business-first) on USAirways. FF miles were used and the trip was booked in October 2005. We had absolutely no trouble getting the dates and flights we wanted without having to resort to any of the oft-described "strategies" such as waiting until Wednesday morning at 1:00AM to book, pretending to be on a honeymoon, or pulling an "I'm so stressed out I just don't know what to do" act in front of the gate agent to get an upgrade. One simple phone call was all it took to get the seats for a Tuesday afternoon/evening departure outbound and a Tuesday morning return.
Given the horror stories about how bad it can be to do anything at the Philadelphia airport, much less actually flying through it, we decided to minimize the possibilities of delay/anger by traveling with one rollaboard each as well as one small (crammed full I might add) backpack each.
Our flight left Washington-National on-time and we had about a two-hour layover at PHL awaiting the flight to Gatwick. We spent that time in the USAirways Club/Envoy Lounge on Concourse A and it was relaxing. Plenty of space as well as the usual drinks, snacks, and a full small buffet of sandwich makings were available.
The flight to Gatwick was on an Airbus 330. During the flight over to LGW I was mentally comparing the service to that in Continental's "Business First" which I had used from Newark to LGW last year. PHL was easier to negotiate than Newark. There were minor differences in terms of the actual service(s) aboard. Continental's was more "refined" (silver serving pieces, warm nut snacks with the drinks vs. USAirways' use of plastic and cold nut/sesame stick snacks) etc. The Continental seats recline to 170 degrees; USAirways 160 degrees and I found the USAirways seat a bit more comfortable for sleeping somehow. Food choices on both seemed basically comparable in terms of what was actually offered although Continental's service was somewhat more elaborate in comparison. Unfortunately, the days of First Class "Five Cart Service" are long gone on most airlines along with a lot of other things so no complaints, just fading memories.
Our flight arrived on time at LGW (0930)and the Immigration/Customs drill was a breeze. Walking from one point to another took more time than anything. We had bought Gatwick Express tickets on-line and literally walked to the rail platform and onto the train without problems. All we had to show was the booking confirmation number and we were at London Victoria well before 1100.
Took a taxi which we knew could be time consuming to the Covent Garden Hotel on Monmouth Street. Congestion in London doesn't seem to have gotten any better since last year and the trip took a little less than 1/2 hour. The room was ready which is always nice.
I'll post a review of the hotel on TripAdvisor and will only say here that the hotel again lived up to expectations and the staff seems to know that one measure of any establishment's success is consistency between one visit and the next. The place is pricey but for what we wanted to do it was the location we wanted so no use of Priceline, etc. (where it probably never comes up anyway).
The main focus in London was shows and we saw one on the arrival Wednesday night, "The Producers" and "Mamma Mia" on Thursday. We got excellent tickets to both by simply calling the box office directly from the US several months beforehand. I had never seen "The Producers" and thought the production was wonderful; the whole thing is so absurd that too much "overplaying" could ruin it but the cast seemed to do it just right IMO.
I've seen "Mamma Mia" twice before but my friend had never seen it, hence the choice. I think this is the best production of the ones I have seen. Extremely energetic and good voices in the roles. I wasn't bore in the least despite knowing the story by heart at this point.
We used Tube passes to get around during the day and given the congestion tying up the taxis <b>and</b> the busses this was a good choice for us. We made the usual rounds of the sights for my friend's sake and browsed the usual stores such as Harrods and Fortnum and Mason, window-shopping on Jermyn Street, etc. All very pleasant and, of course, for you fashion mavens, they are <b>still</b> wearing every conceivable sort of shoe, denim, those scarves looped around the neck in that certain way (although the weather was mild with little, if any rain, so why anyone would really meed a scarf I am not sure) and all the other attire one expects to see in a city of this sort.
We did make one necessary shopping stop and that was at Stanford's which has to have one of <b>the</b> greatest collections of travel maps, etc., I have ever seen. We needed driving maps for Norwich and Norfolk and easily found both.
On Thursday morning we took a day trip to Avebury. My friend is into all things druidic/magic/pagan so he really wanted to see "the stones." We decided against Stonehenge since we had read that the stones in Avebury are more accessible.
We had booked train tickets to Swindon using the National Rail website and got APEX return tickets for 20 Pounds each. We were able to retrieve these at the ticket machines at Paddington without any difficulty whatsoever by inserting a credit card and a reference number (the latter supplied when we booked on line).
The train left Paddington and arrived in Swindon on time. Standard Class on the train was adequate and fairly full. The bus station in Swindon is less than a five-minute walk from the RR station and we caught the next bus to Avebury.
Naturally, <b>this</b> is the day it decided to rain. It was mostly on and off with those usual low-lying clouds obscuring the sun and the periodic squall of rain. The short bus ride through the countryside of Wiltshire was really wonderful. Everything looking quite green despite the drought conditions so we kept any regrets about the weather bottled up
in deference to the folks who really need the moisture.
I noticed as we rode along in the bus the signs with pictures of a camera on them posted <b>frequently</b> along the route. I honestly thought these were some sort of tourist-related marker indicating a "good photo point" which, I suppose could really include the entire county although at times when I saw one of the signs I was a little baffled. Only later did I learn that these signs which seem to be everywhere are "reminders" of speeding surveillance cameras...and that would come more into play in the coming days of this trip.
Avebury was delightful. The stones are, literally, <b>right there</b> to be touched and photographed, along with the sheep and goats grazing nearby. It was fun walking into these fields amongst the animals and seeing the stones, some of which are pretty massive, as long as you are mindful of the "pies" those cute little sheep and goats have left behind.
We also spent some considerable time in the village itself, particularly the village church which dates back for centuries, literally,and in the nearby National Trust shop. There were many people out and about trooping through the damp along with us but the area was in no way crowded. I had a long conversation with one of the Trust shop workers about the differences between crows and ravens and rooks; a bunch of the latter were carrying on in their nests in the just-budding trees and they were making a continual racket.
Spent a good part of our day just wandering around and soaking it all up (the atmosphere, not the rain). Took the bus back to Swindon and then the train back to London.
More coming....
Apr 26th, 2006 | 12:53 PM
#6
Original Poster
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 6,260
Likes: 0
Sorry for the delay...
On Friday morning we checked out of the hotel after breakfast and took the Tube to Liverpool Street station. We again retrieved pre-paid (on-line) rail tickets for the 2-hour trip to Norwich and the ticket machines worked as expected.
Liverpool Street, like Paddington, was filled with morning commuters and we again boarded a Standard Class coach which was fairly full. Train was clean and in good repair.
This segment brough back some memories of my first ever visit to the UK which occurred in 1970 when I took the overnight ferry from The Netherlands to Harwich and the train from there into London. Now, as then, the countryside was green and this despite the drought conditions. "Spring" appeared to be about two-three weeks behind the Mid-Atlantic US and I was struck by the similarities in landscape. I found later that the Norfolk Broads are particularly akin to the Maryland/Chesapeake Bay Eastern Shore and the Delaware portion of the Delmarva Peninsula. The marshy areas reminded me of the inlets and creeks of southeastern Maryland.
We arrived in Norwich after an uneventful trip and caught a taxi to the National Car rental office. I am convinced we would never have found this place on our own since it is tucked away behind a petrol station with no signs on the street indicating its location.
We had just read a London newspaper piece about how car hire concerns can do all sorts of nasty maneuvers to get the max amount of money out of travelers so we were vigilant. The clerk was very friendly and helpful and pleasantly pointed out all the features of the car including the various knobs, buttons, and switches on the steering column and the dash...I should have listened more closely. We noted any dents and scratches..none seen.
I asked him for a map which pinpointed the rantal office location. Unfortunately, he was forced to give us a print-out of a Mappy.Com map since he didn;t have the usual ones we are used to. I immediately found the location on our own map and marked it...BIG circle.
Let me say here that a LOT of thinking went into this rental and the "forces" that impacted on the final decision were topped by the fact that I drive a sports car at home and I have a very heavy "lead foot." Ergo, I got every bit of insurance possible and had reserved an automatic. I was not inclined to waste time or invite the stress that could have come with learning to shift left-handed. We ended up with a Ford Focus. I actually gpot into the car on the correct side on the first attempt which bolstered my confidence.
Loaded the car and took off, remembering that we could not make turns on a red light and the old "tight left" and "wide right" hand turn maxims.
<b>The biggest challenge</b> was learning to judge where the left front fender was positioned...I ran over more than a couple of curbstones but managed to miss all those side mirrors on cars that were "parked" (half on the sidewalk and half on the street) to my left.
And now, of course, the inevitable: <b>roundabouts</b> which were OK in the "sticks" of the Loire Valley last Summer and daunting in Norwich traffic! (Will that person <b>rapidly</b> approaching from your left stop or keep going????)
Verbal "consultation" by the "map reader" in the passenger seat which sometimes was a few beats <b>behind</b> our present location ("There's another roundabout coming up...quick!!!..get in the left lane so you can exit at the 4 o'clock position..." blurted out as I am now already at the six o'clock position) and I was going to do this with a stick in my left hand?...oh, I so don't think so.
After a couple of wrong position roundabout exit moves we managed to get to the hotel, The Old Rectory (the one in Thorpe St. Andrew).
The place is absolutely charming, sits back from the street surrounded by big old trees and lots of green grass. The owner, Chris Entwhistle met us at the door and we quickly settled into our room on the top floor which was comfy and large. The bathroom, located under a dormer eave was beautifullly done with a separate shower from the large soaking tub and beautiful hardwood floors.
I was scheduled to start the steam locomotive driver course the next morning in the neaigboring town of Aylsham and I insisted that we make a "dry run" so we wouldn;t get lost the next morning. So, armed with our "East Anglia A (to) Z Regional Road Atlas" we started out.
We easily got onto the A140 toward Cromer but it seemed like Norwich was a <b>lot</b> bigger than I had thought...we never seemed to actually get into the countryside and Aylsham isn't that far away. Suddenly I realized that we were, in fact, still on the A140 but somehow we were headed toward Ipswich..in other words going South instead of North...it must have been that last roundabout.
Turned around, back through the city and finally, that green countryside. It was wonderful just to be cruising along amidst all that green. Surveillance camera signs everywhere and those wonderful flashing signs that work with some sort of sensing radar or microwave that tell you to <b>slow down</b> which I obediently did most of the time.
More coming...
On Friday morning we checked out of the hotel after breakfast and took the Tube to Liverpool Street station. We again retrieved pre-paid (on-line) rail tickets for the 2-hour trip to Norwich and the ticket machines worked as expected.
Liverpool Street, like Paddington, was filled with morning commuters and we again boarded a Standard Class coach which was fairly full. Train was clean and in good repair.
This segment brough back some memories of my first ever visit to the UK which occurred in 1970 when I took the overnight ferry from The Netherlands to Harwich and the train from there into London. Now, as then, the countryside was green and this despite the drought conditions. "Spring" appeared to be about two-three weeks behind the Mid-Atlantic US and I was struck by the similarities in landscape. I found later that the Norfolk Broads are particularly akin to the Maryland/Chesapeake Bay Eastern Shore and the Delaware portion of the Delmarva Peninsula. The marshy areas reminded me of the inlets and creeks of southeastern Maryland.
We arrived in Norwich after an uneventful trip and caught a taxi to the National Car rental office. I am convinced we would never have found this place on our own since it is tucked away behind a petrol station with no signs on the street indicating its location.
We had just read a London newspaper piece about how car hire concerns can do all sorts of nasty maneuvers to get the max amount of money out of travelers so we were vigilant. The clerk was very friendly and helpful and pleasantly pointed out all the features of the car including the various knobs, buttons, and switches on the steering column and the dash...I should have listened more closely. We noted any dents and scratches..none seen.
I asked him for a map which pinpointed the rantal office location. Unfortunately, he was forced to give us a print-out of a Mappy.Com map since he didn;t have the usual ones we are used to. I immediately found the location on our own map and marked it...BIG circle.
Let me say here that a LOT of thinking went into this rental and the "forces" that impacted on the final decision were topped by the fact that I drive a sports car at home and I have a very heavy "lead foot." Ergo, I got every bit of insurance possible and had reserved an automatic. I was not inclined to waste time or invite the stress that could have come with learning to shift left-handed. We ended up with a Ford Focus. I actually gpot into the car on the correct side on the first attempt which bolstered my confidence.
Loaded the car and took off, remembering that we could not make turns on a red light and the old "tight left" and "wide right" hand turn maxims.
<b>The biggest challenge</b> was learning to judge where the left front fender was positioned...I ran over more than a couple of curbstones but managed to miss all those side mirrors on cars that were "parked" (half on the sidewalk and half on the street) to my left.
And now, of course, the inevitable: <b>roundabouts</b> which were OK in the "sticks" of the Loire Valley last Summer and daunting in Norwich traffic! (Will that person <b>rapidly</b> approaching from your left stop or keep going????)
Verbal "consultation" by the "map reader" in the passenger seat which sometimes was a few beats <b>behind</b> our present location ("There's another roundabout coming up...quick!!!..get in the left lane so you can exit at the 4 o'clock position..." blurted out as I am now already at the six o'clock position) and I was going to do this with a stick in my left hand?...oh, I so don't think so.
After a couple of wrong position roundabout exit moves we managed to get to the hotel, The Old Rectory (the one in Thorpe St. Andrew).
The place is absolutely charming, sits back from the street surrounded by big old trees and lots of green grass. The owner, Chris Entwhistle met us at the door and we quickly settled into our room on the top floor which was comfy and large. The bathroom, located under a dormer eave was beautifullly done with a separate shower from the large soaking tub and beautiful hardwood floors.
I was scheduled to start the steam locomotive driver course the next morning in the neaigboring town of Aylsham and I insisted that we make a "dry run" so we wouldn;t get lost the next morning. So, armed with our "East Anglia A (to) Z Regional Road Atlas" we started out.
We easily got onto the A140 toward Cromer but it seemed like Norwich was a <b>lot</b> bigger than I had thought...we never seemed to actually get into the countryside and Aylsham isn't that far away. Suddenly I realized that we were, in fact, still on the A140 but somehow we were headed toward Ipswich..in other words going South instead of North...it must have been that last roundabout.
Turned around, back through the city and finally, that green countryside. It was wonderful just to be cruising along amidst all that green. Surveillance camera signs everywhere and those wonderful flashing signs that work with some sort of sensing radar or microwave that tell you to <b>slow down</b> which I obediently did most of the time.
More coming...
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Apr 26th, 2006 | 03:07 PM
#8
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Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 6,260
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After finding the railway site and checking in with the folks there, confirming the next morning's start time and puttering around amongst the locomotives and rolling stock we next ventured over to Cromer.
My "map consultant" really wanted to see the North Sea so we parked in town and ventured onto the beach where he picked up some beach rocks and collected a sample of the sea water to bring home.
After this we made our way back to the hotel for dinner. The in-house chef is wonderful and we enjoyed a beautifully-prepared four course meal; both had lamb which was served along with roasted vegetables to include parsnips which I had never before tasted. It was truly wonderful to be eating in this old, restored home with understated but very elegant furnishings that beg to be used and enjoyed. Afterward we were treated to the delights of the two resident pet felines..one of whom insisted in joining us in our bedroom later on for a nap. We were asked to "kick her out" at 10 PM so she could make her way to her more usual bed...believe me, this was hard to do..animals are so beguiling.
Now for the truly arcane part..the two-day steam locomotive driver's course (PalQ, are you listening????...I hope so because you and I are probably the <b>only</b> ones who can truly understand the allure of the rails.
The railway is nine miles in length running through the countryside from Aylsham to Wroxham. It is a very narrow ga....only 15" and there are nine locomtoves and various sorts of coaches and rolling stock.
The operation runs all year and draws many visitors. The course itself is limited to four participants so that everyone gets plenty of time and experience "on the footplate" of the locomotives which are, with one exception, coal-fired.
We learned everything you could possibly want to know about steam, Boyle's Law, gearing, pistons, valves, bells, whistles, airbrakes, etc., etc., and what makes these things run. You can actually get inside some of the boilers and my coveralls got plenty dirty.
Actual driving was done under the supervision of an instructor. We learned how to brake the train so that the coaches stop at the right place on the platforms, how to get max power out of as little coal as possible, how <b>not</b> to run over anyone or into any cars at the two unguarded at-grade road crossings, how to couple and uncouple, how to turn the loco around on the turntables, how to "blow out" the boilers and clean the injectors, etc.
As I said: arcane, rolling across the Norfolk countryside "at speed" (by regulation only 20 miles and hour but <b>what</b> a thrill! I was in heaven for two days.
And then there were the people..not only the wonderfully patient and fun folks who run the railway but also (waving and tooting the whistle at) the people and their dogs and children on bicycles passed along the route on the walking path which runs the length of the tracks.
I was so hooked by the whole thing I am already planning to go back next year for the so-called "gold course" which allows one person to drive these little babies all day long.
And then there were the wonderful included lunches in the station cafe..."typical" food to include meat pies, fish and chips, and on the second day, treacle tart...bad for your heart but absolutely great for the soul. Tea and coffee breaks, wonderful conversations about any manner of life in the UK and the US with "ordinary" people who are, of course, just like the rest of us: concerned about their country and its traditions, the high prices, health care, the world and where we are all going.
At the end of the second day we very reluctantly said good-bye and at the last minute decided we wanted to see some more of the "real" Norfolk. Yes, we had been to Blickling Hall and enjoyed it; has visited the Norwich cathedral and enjoyed a meal in what at first appeared to be some sort of sanwich shop in the city which turned out to be a Parisian-style restaurant owned and operated by a man from Paris who had "come to Norwich for love" and was a great cook. We had gotten lost on a couple of those wonderful one-lane roads with hedgerows you cannot see over the top of; enjoyed the lateness of the oncoming darkness (well after 8PM)..that wonderful golden time when dusk begins to crowd in over the fields...all that "stuff" of which period movies are filled.
But no, we decided to venture to that absolute monument to British decorum and reserve...the town of Great Yarmouth.
A honky tonk beach town of beach towns..lots of faded elegance amidst the somewhat garish tackiness of neon-lit piers and pavilions..in other words...wonderful to experience. We even ate at a so-called "American style" diner and had the absolutely deepest fried everything..and those French fries were pretty good, too..the onion rings a little less so but the vanilla shakes were great.
I suppose some of the "locals" wandering around the basically deserted beach would qualify for the Fodorite "I wouldn't go all the way to the UK to see that sort of people" but we came for the real thing and are glad we did.
That night back at the hotel we heard some noises..some sort of bat species lives in the attic and since they are protected they cannot be eliminated. The owner's five-year-old is enchanted by them, as were we. Flying around in search of a meal..the cats were enchanted, too.
Monday morning we managed to find the rental agency and I finally learned how not to turn on the windshield wipers when giving a turn signal.
No dents, no dings, no scractches...great relief...but give me a week and I think the lead foot would probably rear its ugly head.
Back to London by train and for this last night a room with a real balcony and Thames view at the Marriott County Hall.
There is something to be said for arriving after the influx of visitors in the morning from the airports. No rooms left in our category so we got a complimentary upgrade to a river-view with balcony suite. All this at a ridiculously low (for London anyway) Marriott "government rate." We were delighted.
The Eye was right outside the window; the infamous "long halls" in this hotel really are long; the view from the balcony, especially at night, was magic.
We walked over to Covent Garden and ate at Mon Plaisir...the last time I ate there I thought the coq au vin tasted more like prok than chicken but this time the food seemed better and the whole experience was pleasant.
Our last show was "The Woman in Black" which is a ghost story if there ever was one. Superbly acted IMO and the gaggle of British and American college-age kids who were the majority of this audience screamed and carried on at every single "terror moment." A wonderful way to end the week.
Flight home was p[leasant and uneventful; Immigration and Customs in Philadelphia brief and easy.
OK..not the usual trip report but then again not the "usual" trip. Hopefully someday someone, even if it is just one person, will find some of the information useful.
Cheers, Folks.
My "map consultant" really wanted to see the North Sea so we parked in town and ventured onto the beach where he picked up some beach rocks and collected a sample of the sea water to bring home.
After this we made our way back to the hotel for dinner. The in-house chef is wonderful and we enjoyed a beautifully-prepared four course meal; both had lamb which was served along with roasted vegetables to include parsnips which I had never before tasted. It was truly wonderful to be eating in this old, restored home with understated but very elegant furnishings that beg to be used and enjoyed. Afterward we were treated to the delights of the two resident pet felines..one of whom insisted in joining us in our bedroom later on for a nap. We were asked to "kick her out" at 10 PM so she could make her way to her more usual bed...believe me, this was hard to do..animals are so beguiling.
Now for the truly arcane part..the two-day steam locomotive driver's course (PalQ, are you listening????...I hope so because you and I are probably the <b>only</b> ones who can truly understand the allure of the rails.
The railway is nine miles in length running through the countryside from Aylsham to Wroxham. It is a very narrow ga....only 15" and there are nine locomtoves and various sorts of coaches and rolling stock.
The operation runs all year and draws many visitors. The course itself is limited to four participants so that everyone gets plenty of time and experience "on the footplate" of the locomotives which are, with one exception, coal-fired.
We learned everything you could possibly want to know about steam, Boyle's Law, gearing, pistons, valves, bells, whistles, airbrakes, etc., etc., and what makes these things run. You can actually get inside some of the boilers and my coveralls got plenty dirty.
Actual driving was done under the supervision of an instructor. We learned how to brake the train so that the coaches stop at the right place on the platforms, how to get max power out of as little coal as possible, how <b>not</b> to run over anyone or into any cars at the two unguarded at-grade road crossings, how to couple and uncouple, how to turn the loco around on the turntables, how to "blow out" the boilers and clean the injectors, etc.
As I said: arcane, rolling across the Norfolk countryside "at speed" (by regulation only 20 miles and hour but <b>what</b> a thrill! I was in heaven for two days.
And then there were the people..not only the wonderfully patient and fun folks who run the railway but also (waving and tooting the whistle at) the people and their dogs and children on bicycles passed along the route on the walking path which runs the length of the tracks.
I was so hooked by the whole thing I am already planning to go back next year for the so-called "gold course" which allows one person to drive these little babies all day long.
And then there were the wonderful included lunches in the station cafe..."typical" food to include meat pies, fish and chips, and on the second day, treacle tart...bad for your heart but absolutely great for the soul. Tea and coffee breaks, wonderful conversations about any manner of life in the UK and the US with "ordinary" people who are, of course, just like the rest of us: concerned about their country and its traditions, the high prices, health care, the world and where we are all going.
At the end of the second day we very reluctantly said good-bye and at the last minute decided we wanted to see some more of the "real" Norfolk. Yes, we had been to Blickling Hall and enjoyed it; has visited the Norwich cathedral and enjoyed a meal in what at first appeared to be some sort of sanwich shop in the city which turned out to be a Parisian-style restaurant owned and operated by a man from Paris who had "come to Norwich for love" and was a great cook. We had gotten lost on a couple of those wonderful one-lane roads with hedgerows you cannot see over the top of; enjoyed the lateness of the oncoming darkness (well after 8PM)..that wonderful golden time when dusk begins to crowd in over the fields...all that "stuff" of which period movies are filled.
But no, we decided to venture to that absolute monument to British decorum and reserve...the town of Great Yarmouth.
A honky tonk beach town of beach towns..lots of faded elegance amidst the somewhat garish tackiness of neon-lit piers and pavilions..in other words...wonderful to experience. We even ate at a so-called "American style" diner and had the absolutely deepest fried everything..and those French fries were pretty good, too..the onion rings a little less so but the vanilla shakes were great.
I suppose some of the "locals" wandering around the basically deserted beach would qualify for the Fodorite "I wouldn't go all the way to the UK to see that sort of people" but we came for the real thing and are glad we did.
That night back at the hotel we heard some noises..some sort of bat species lives in the attic and since they are protected they cannot be eliminated. The owner's five-year-old is enchanted by them, as were we. Flying around in search of a meal..the cats were enchanted, too.
Monday morning we managed to find the rental agency and I finally learned how not to turn on the windshield wipers when giving a turn signal.
No dents, no dings, no scractches...great relief...but give me a week and I think the lead foot would probably rear its ugly head.
Back to London by train and for this last night a room with a real balcony and Thames view at the Marriott County Hall.
There is something to be said for arriving after the influx of visitors in the morning from the airports. No rooms left in our category so we got a complimentary upgrade to a river-view with balcony suite. All this at a ridiculously low (for London anyway) Marriott "government rate." We were delighted.
The Eye was right outside the window; the infamous "long halls" in this hotel really are long; the view from the balcony, especially at night, was magic.
We walked over to Covent Garden and ate at Mon Plaisir...the last time I ate there I thought the coq au vin tasted more like prok than chicken but this time the food seemed better and the whole experience was pleasant.
Our last show was "The Woman in Black" which is a ghost story if there ever was one. Superbly acted IMO and the gaggle of British and American college-age kids who were the majority of this audience screamed and carried on at every single "terror moment." A wonderful way to end the week.
Flight home was p[leasant and uneventful; Immigration and Customs in Philadelphia brief and easy.
OK..not the usual trip report but then again not the "usual" trip. Hopefully someday someone, even if it is just one person, will find some of the information useful.
Cheers, Folks.
Apr 26th, 2006 | 06:26 PM
#10
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 2,472
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My husband's family are big train buffs, so I enjoyed the train bits as well as the rest of the trip report. My husband had a thrill when we were in the Canadian Rockies several years ago. We were poking around the rail yard in Field BC (near where the famous Spiral Tunnels make a very steep grade - 4.5% - into a 2.2% grade). I asked a question of the crew of a nearby train that was stopped for a crew change. The crew offered me a ride in the engine up the grade. I asked if they would take my husband instead, and they agreed. He rode up the grade and through the tunnels and I met him at the Lake Louise Station. On the way, I got to stop at the Spiral Tunnels overlook and see the train go through the figure 8 tunnels. When I picked him up, he was on cloud nine! Not a steam train, though, but still very cool.
Apr 27th, 2006 | 12:08 AM
#11
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 2,637
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I have taken the same little train journey - for anyone wanting to see more details go to www.bvrw.co.uk
It was not far from here that my husband got caught by one of the speed cameras. We received a notice and charge from our car rental place for responding to the authorities as to who had been driving the rental car caught on camera. Husband did pay the fine that came in the mail to our address here in the US.
Lots more to see in this area when you go back for the gold course.
Sandy
It was not far from here that my husband got caught by one of the speed cameras. We received a notice and charge from our car rental place for responding to the authorities as to who had been driving the rental car caught on camera. Husband did pay the fine that came in the mail to our address here in the US.
Lots more to see in this area when you go back for the gold course.
Sandy
Apr 27th, 2006 | 05:38 AM
#13
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 1,672
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Thanks for a great report!
Had to smile at you eating parsnips. I love them but I understand the French think they are only fit for pig food.
Norfolk is a wonderful county (and a large one as you discovered!) and along with Suffolk is very much neglected by tourists.
We always used to holiday in Yarmouth when I was small (I grew up in Suffolk)but latterly the town seens to have got a poor reputation which is a great shame.
Next time you must explore more of the North Norfolk coast (nicknamed Chelsea on sea). Some wonderful villages, great sea food restaurants, seal watching tours, Sandringham House, wide open beaches etc.
M
Had to smile at you eating parsnips. I love them but I understand the French think they are only fit for pig food.
Norfolk is a wonderful county (and a large one as you discovered!) and along with Suffolk is very much neglected by tourists.
We always used to holiday in Yarmouth when I was small (I grew up in Suffolk)but latterly the town seens to have got a poor reputation which is a great shame.
Next time you must explore more of the North Norfolk coast (nicknamed Chelsea on sea). Some wonderful villages, great sea food restaurants, seal watching tours, Sandringham House, wide open beaches etc.
M
Apr 27th, 2006 | 06:10 AM
#14
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 7,313
Likes: 0
Great trip report, Intrepid! I especially enjoyed the driving bits -- been there, done that! Including the inability to discover what each lever does. My 2000 trip to the UK involved us sitting at the first parking lot we got to (after renting the car) which happened to be the airport McDonalds. We had stopped to get our bearings and plan our drive to Nottingham. We took 20 minutes to figure out how to get the stupid thing into reverse! (you have to pull UP on the gear shift while pushing it into reverse gear. Go figure.)
Apr 27th, 2006 | 06:41 AM
#15
Original Poster
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 6,260
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Thanks for all the comments. We all travel differently and I suppose we all think that we do it best.
I'm really happy we went to both Cromer and Great Yarmouth even though I am basically an Outer Banks and Hawaii beach type person...but there is something wonderful about the Norfolk coast just as there is also that same "something" about the Broads and marshy ground that somehow appeals to me. When the landscapes "speaks" to you then you really owe it to yourself to listen.
I'm all for the excitement and diversions of London but there is a different joy which comes from being out in the countryside and seeing other types of people and places. I already know I'll go back and for more than just the railway experience.
Great Yarmouth reminded me so MUCH of so many East Coast US beach towns..their heydays gone before a lot of us were old enough to experience them. It is sad to see them although younger folks probably look at these places in an entirely different light.
As to the driving....I am convinced it can all be done but the first time keeping your wits about you isn't always easy. You can imagine what it felt like the first time I drove one of the locomotives but at least I didn't have to worry about the location of the front fenders!
I'm really happy we went to both Cromer and Great Yarmouth even though I am basically an Outer Banks and Hawaii beach type person...but there is something wonderful about the Norfolk coast just as there is also that same "something" about the Broads and marshy ground that somehow appeals to me. When the landscapes "speaks" to you then you really owe it to yourself to listen.
I'm all for the excitement and diversions of London but there is a different joy which comes from being out in the countryside and seeing other types of people and places. I already know I'll go back and for more than just the railway experience.
Great Yarmouth reminded me so MUCH of so many East Coast US beach towns..their heydays gone before a lot of us were old enough to experience them. It is sad to see them although younger folks probably look at these places in an entirely different light.
As to the driving....I am convinced it can all be done but the first time keeping your wits about you isn't always easy. You can imagine what it felt like the first time I drove one of the locomotives but at least I didn't have to worry about the location of the front fenders!
May 9th, 2006 | 08:41 AM
#20
Original Poster
Joined: Nov 2004
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You're very welcome, Mvor. Actually, I'm not sure about where to stay next time...I'm torn between staying closer to the railway vs. staying at The Old Rectory which I really enjoyed.
I think when I go back I'm going to do some volunteer work for the railway for a couple of days before actually taking the course. Originally I thought this whole thing would be an opportunity to "move up" to bigger locos but the whole thing, people, area, etc. was so charming I'm not sure I need or want to.
I think when I go back I'm going to do some volunteer work for the railway for a couple of days before actually taking the course. Originally I thought this whole thing would be an opportunity to "move up" to bigger locos but the whole thing, people, area, etc. was so charming I'm not sure I need or want to.
