PINKTOBER - DAY 18 - WHAT AN EXCITING DAY!

Hello Lovely Blippers,

Reeth here again - and I’m glad to be back - although I know that Laura Lamb did a wonderful job yesterday at the Community Fridge.

We have had a great morning, which was very exciting - even if it did involve 4 jabs for the HCBs!  Mr. & Mrs. HCB were due to have their Covid boosters this morning and were asked when they arrived if they would like to have a flu jab as well - of course, they said they would, so after waiting about 10 minutes, they took their places in the queue.  They didn’t have to wait for too long and after answering lots of questions, including whether they were allergic to eggs (not sure why that was asked) but having assured the nurse that they weren’t, she then proceeded to give them their jabs.  Mrs. HCB sat me on one of the barriers and took the first shot - and you can see someone in the background rolling up his sleeve ready to have his jab.  

Jabs done, they were told that they shouldn’t drive for about 15 minutes, so decided to wander through the Steam Museum foyer when Mrs. HCB spied a very old fire engine - she read out to us that this was a Dennis fire engine and was purchased for the Great Western Railway Works at Swindon in 1912 - so it is over 100 years old.  Mr. HCB was able to tell me that the Works had its own Fire Station located in the Railway Village and because this fire engine was so small it could get around the Works very easily.  This was the Brigade’s main appliance until a new Dennis engine was purchased in 1942, the year Mr. HCB was born.

One of the stewards, who was wandering around, saw Mrs. HCB taking my photograph, so when he came over, she told him about Blip and he said that she should put me in front of the plaque on the fire engine, which would make a great photograph - how kind was that?

Then a few minutes later, having heard the conversation about Blip and BCAM, a lady came over from the desk nearby and said that Mrs. HCB should also take a photograph of me sitting on Isambard Kingdom Brunel’s arm!  Well, what an honour to be near this great man - although not a real person, but a model of him - because he was a famous man in Railway circles.  

Not only did Isambard Kingdom Brunel design the Clifton Suspension Bridge to span the River Avon in Bristol, but he was the Chief Engineer of the Great Western Railway and was responsible for many amazing projects on the railways, including Box Hill Tunnel in Wiltshire, which is 1.8 miles long and was the longest railway tunnel of its time.  He also worked with others on the design and construction of Paddington Station - so you can imagine how impressed I was to be this close to this model of him.  Brunel also built dockyards and a series of stemships and many other important bridges and tunnels.  What a great man!

Mr. HCB then spotted a sign that said “Lord of the Isles”, a Great Western Railway Iron Duke Class steam locomotive in use from 1851 to 1884, so of course, because that is their name, Mr. HCB wanted a shot of that with me sitting on one of the huge wheels in front of it.  

As if this wasn’t enough excitement, when the HCBs were wandering around the shop, another man came up to Mrs. HCB and asked if she was the lady with the pink pig - of course, she said she was, so he suggested that she put me next to Brewer the Bear, who wears a GWR Station Master uniform, complete with hat, double-breasted jacket and carnation and is exclusive to the Steam Museum in Swindon.  Brewer is inspired by John Brewer, GWR Station Master between 1897 and 1909 and again, I was delighted to sit near him and in front of several bottles of special beer - all with railway linked names, such as Funnel Blower, Piston Broke and Tunnel Vision.  

It was all such fun and I really enjoyed it - and I must say that people were so kind to let us get involved.  Of course, Mrs. HCB told the people she spoke to not only about Blip but also about BCAM and you know what to do - in fact, I’m sure that most of you would be able to do it in your sleep by now!  You just need to click on this LINK, so that those who cannot afford to pay may have a free mammogram.  Thank you so much - keep clicking!

Love to you all from Reeth xx

P.S.  Please don't make a noise when you click, because Mrs. HCB was up for a long time in the night, said she couldn't sleep, so she is having a little nap before she goes out to a meeting this evening.