TYNEDALESMAN
MAGAZINE OF THE SOUTH TYNEDALE RAILWAY PRESERVATION SOCIETY
NUMBER 149��������SPRING 2007�THE OLD GUARD� STORY PAGE
I was an Easter Egg!
By �The Old Guard�I recently became an Easter Egg - or rather a cut out picture of one, with a large black number on my middle.
My life began when I was cut out and stuck on a very orange piece of paper, beside a curious photograph of what? When my number had been stuck on I was then put through some very hot rollers and came out �laminated�. Not a very comfortable procedure, but my creator said it was necessary for longevity!
Finally, I was stuck on a wooden pole (beautifully painted grey), and then positioned near the ticket office on the station platform. I began to understand that I was about to take part in the first ever South Tynedale Railway Easter Egg Hunt.
The great day arrived, and first a few people gathered around me, and then more and more and more. The comments were interesting:-
�What's that picture?�
�What number has that egg got on it?�
�What a funny colour egg!� (that comment was a bit close to, insulting).
No one said I was a beautiful egg, or what a pretty colour. My feelings were quite hurt.
In the ticket office I could hear many comments from the staff - �Oh you�ve got all the answers right� or �all ticks today� or �here�s your prize�; or even �did your big brother get all the answers right? - well, you can have an egg too!�
This noisy thing called a steam train kept coming and going, passengers were pushing and shoving to get on it before it went off down the line, and to and behold 45 minutes later they were back.
At one point the train came to a very sudden halt in the middle of the platform as two dogs who had been making rude comments to each other (we eggs understand dog talk) around the passenger�s legs decided that a proper dog fight would enliven proceedings, and jumped off the platform to have a real ding dong battle on the track. It took some while before peace was restored.
As the first day drew to an end I could hear frantic comments from the ticket office �where are the reserve eggs?� - �there aren�t any� - �get some more� - �where from?� - �try anywhere within a twenty mile radius� - �send Sean to the Co-op� - �send Sooty to the chocolate egg factory� and so on.
Children began to emerge with sickly smiles on their faces, dribbling chocolate and sticking their sticky fingers on my beautiful colours. At least most of them also wore smiles, as did their parents - so it seemed that everyone was happy (except the egg providers!).
For four glorious days I was pinned outside the ticket office. Now I am a �has-been�, discarded in a dark and dreary carriage shed, where I suppose I shall lie forgotten. Will I ever be used again?
Above photo: A picture from the Easter Egg Hunt. Where is it?
Photo by Clare Le Marie.
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For more information about the South Tynedale Railway, please contact:-
THE SOUTH TYNEDALE RAILWAY PRESERVATION SOCIETY,
Registered Office Address:-
The Railway Station, Alston, Cumbria, CA9 3JB.
Telephone 01434 381696.
Talking timetable - Telephone 01434 382828.
Registered Charity No. 514939.
Limited by Guarantee: Company Registration No. 1850832 (England).E-mail enquiries - please click on links below:
South Tynedale Railway information - Send e-mail to South Tynedale Railway
STRPS membership information only - Send e-mail to Kathy Aveyard
Tynedalesman information only - Send e-mail to Tynedalesman compilersMission Statement for the South Tynedale Railway:-
�To provide satisfaction for our customers and volunteers
by operating a friendly, safe and efficient narrow-gauge railway.�
� South Tynedale Railway Preservation Society, June 2007.