Midsummer and a train journey

Today is the summer solstice and we can finally say summer is here. It was another warm day. I am very pleased we have finally got some decent weather.

After I walked Xena I went to the hairdresser. One of the roads on the route was closed so I had to do quite a detour but luckily I made it to my appointment in time.

Later I got the train to London as tonight we were doing something special - we were joining friends on a sunset steam train journey from Victoria station through the hills of Surrey and then back to London. The train departed promptly at 18.17 and we could follow the journey on the route map we were given. The locomotive, the Royal Scot was built in 1927 for the London Midland Scottish Railway, and eventually ended up as a museum piece at Butlins holiday camp in Skegness! In 2015 she returned to steam and made her first run in over 50 years in February 2016. 

We were welcomed onboard with champagne which was followed by a delicious three course dinner, and they catered very well for the dietary requirements. It was extremely hot in the train and we were quite relieved when the sun set at 21.21 and it got slightly cooler. We arrived back at Victoria Station at 22.00 and then walked back to Gavin's office which is almost next door, before driving home.

It was a very enjoyable evening but quite a late one, and when I got home I quickly uploaded this image of the locomotive after we returned to Victoria Station.