Teatime at Winchcombe station

I took Helena to Cheltenham at lunchtime as she was running a stall at an afternoon event. Having dropped her I had about three hours in which to amuse myself so headed northwards to the GWSR heritage railway which runs for ten miles between Cheltenham racecourse and Toddington.

I headed to the northern end of the line having worked out where I might see a steam train and having driven through the ancient town of Winchcombe, I went to the local station. Once upon a time this was a mainline station on the Honeybourne Line but now it is in the private hands of the railway enthusiasts.

You can walk onto the platforms without having a ticket to travel so I walked to the end of the platform and watched a small diesel multiple unit arriving. I nearly blipped a view of the far platform where old goods vans are permanently settled in a siding, next to the elegant old water crane which was used for topping up the steam engines' water tanks.

But I can't resist blipping this gentleman as he pours his tea from a teapot with a beautifully coloured woollen cosy. Once he had poured his cup he tucked into a scone and settled back to enjoy the setting. I rather envied him.

I returned to my car and drove the final three miles to the main station on the railway at Toddington where for a few minutes I was able to watch a fine engine called Foremarke Hall 7903 at the head of the next southbound train. I watched its departure before heading to the tea rooms for my own cuppa, and then drove on a single track cross country road via Belas Knap, an ancient long barrow, to pick up Helena.