Fleur de Fer

For what seems like a millennium, Great Malvern station has been 'under refurbishment' with intrusive boarding everywhere.  Some parts of it are still in that state but, at last, the refurbished Victorian ironwork is back and it's glorious.

Malvern used to have four stations such was it 'the place to be' in the Victorian age.  It's down to a mere two now.  Historically, only First Class passengers were allowed to use Great Malvern station - hence the finery I guess.  There's even a tunnel through to what was then the Imperial Hotel so that guests didn't have to do all that messy stuff of crossing the road.

This station visit marks the beginning of a staycation*.  I'm picking up M&C+B, and J for a family weekend.

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* in it's original, meaningful sense - a holiday based at home: as in your house, not your home country.  I'm all for evolution of language but the abuse of staycation since the pandemic is really irritating - mainly because there is now no word that uniquely means staycation.

PS, though my parents would describe it as holidaying in Ourgate.