The traditional side coexists

This could well of been a scene from my childhood past, going around a vintage usually steam railway getting all upfront and personal with the working parts of the locomotive, smelling the grease  lubricating it all so it all works smoothly.

You'd find yourself transfixed so much by it you'd be almost in a daydream, with no idea of the time or if your mates were still around or drifted off somewhere else like the little souvenir shop pouring over things to buy, a kit, a picture or postcard perhaps.

This is integrated today with my feminine side which makes sense.

That won't be happening this week as it's felt with it being very busy there may be more risks involved than desirable given we even got as far as going away and sharing a property but all being well we'll be be able to do so in the future.

Trainspotting in the Lakes

In 2020 I accepted an offer to go trainspotting, just like they did while in the past I'd of passed up on it unless it was part and parcel of being under the care of an Uncle or my Dad, taking pictures and even volunteering to go into a railway station museum.

I actually loved doing it in the company of men

This is Carnforth railway station in Lancashire out and about visiting things which I'll post over the next few weeks.

I'd of been in toned down uniform as the plan did involve some suitably brownie like rovering, gathering things for art projects, going on hikes in the great outdoors so a little bit of thought to how some items *may* look to the muggles helps although to be honest everybody accepts me as that "Little" here with those changes. 
I'll talk about those bits next week

One thing that used to irritate me was how dad always took us to train places when we'd rather do other things  so one thing I have been doing is visiting those things from the side the gurlish me loved on my own terms.

The Museum at Carnforth Station and then on to a live steam railway.

Plumpton Bear

The very train I travelled on from Haverthwaite to Lakeside and back by steam traction.

There I am on the train!

In the engine shed, the smell of oil bought back boyhood memories of the many sheds I went around but I was in here cos I felt I belonged, talking with men about the exhibits on my terms.
I always loved engineering as a boy then and today I felt at peace with being here and being who I am. A Little who is a sissy.

That to me is the point apart from going places I've never been before and creating new 'little memories' which bearing in mind my disabilities is no bad thing at all as helps when I'm not so good and also helps with my memory which I have problems with.

I am moving on.

See you next week!

Mallard

 

One steam locomotive I loved as a child was Mallard which I saw at a number of occasions owning postcards and mugs of it.

The London and North Eastern Railway locomotive number originally 4468, 22 and 60022, named Mallard is a Class A4 4-6-2 Pacific steam locomotive built at Doncaster Works, England in 1938. 

It is historically significant as the holder of the world speed record for steam locomotives at 126 mph, aided by Sir Nigel Gresley's streamlined design.

To my eyes it was beautiful.