CHOO CHOO

My little girls love playing with their train set, arguing over who is going to have which train and it ultimately ending in Ava's tears as Esme dismantles the track--the joy of 18 month olds.  So it seemed a natural choice to take them for a trip on the Severn Valley Railway.

Both girls have been on the Santa Special (big tick on the things you do if you are a good parent list) but I am not sure if they remember it, and also the whole gift from Father Christmas kind of overshadowed the old fashioned steam train, so it was about time they got to appreciate the glamour of old school train travel.

I loved it.  I think travelling on steam trains is so much more glamorous and luxurious than modern trains.  It is a slower pace of life which was great appreciate in my often rather hectic and manic life.  Also I was sold on the whole idea of compartments because it means your children are trapped so they cannot run up and down corridors, which makes the whole thing way more enjoyable.  But most importantly because it makes me think of Harry Potter and being on the Hogwarts Express: and yes guilty as charged I am a massive Harry Potter fan.

Back to our trip, we got day rover tickets which meant we could jump on and off as many times as we wanted.  We decided to go all the way to Bridgnorth where we enjoyed a wander and a spot of lunch before heading back.  It was so much fun and the girls couldn't stop pointing at things out the window.  Esme even got to sit in the engine, although Ava refused as it was too noisy and dirty!  Who says she is a princess!?