Travels with my Wife

Queen Anne 31.8.24

1 September 2024 / admin

DFDS Cross Channel Ferry

Today we are at sea – all day with docking in Southampton due in the early hours of Sunday morning. If anything looking out of the windows at time are progress not only seems glacial – more like non-existent. I assume we are moving forwards but we really are moving very gingerly – the average will be under 10 knots for this journey.

To ensure we are au fait with the dining options we go to the Artisans Foodhall for breakfast – it is of course simply a renamed buffet and here I sense a real design problem. The counters are set high and plates are all passed over it with all food being served by the chefs. Fine – except that the plates are pretty warm and we have seen a lot of people this week on board using walkers and wheelchairs who simply cannot reach that high (and can probably not so easily manage a hot plate). I assume the high level design emanates post-covid – but to me it feels like a step backwards. However I do get both black and white pudding – which is rare anywhere else – so well done Cunard.

White Cliffs Dover

Regrettably the fine weather has vanished and it is grey and overcast outside; if it were not for the excessive number of windmills on the various horizons it is similar to being mid-Pacific – although as the day progresses we get views of coast lines and indeed intermittent 4G signals enabling a partial football score – until the signal is lost!

We have not previously visited the Observation Deck so head up there – it is open air and as we soon find it is the only location onboard where smoking is permitted – well there has to be somewhere! We do some reading but head elsewhere in favour of fresh air after a while. I think we have seen most of the ship on our various peregrinations around the boat. We did plan a burger on the Pavilion Deck – which is the main pool area – but it is both busy and noisy so decide on a light lunch up in the Grills restaurant.

Appealing activities were limited this morning but we have a busy afternoon. Jackie does her packing and then heads off to Bingo. I make use of the balcony – the seats are comfortable and I can listen to some podcasts and also observe the white cliffs of Dover as we are proceeding (still pretty slowly) along past Dover and Folkestone – with cross channel ferries crossing in front of us at one stage.

I then attend to some of my packing and then I attempt to find out progress in Brentford of the Southampton team – once we go 1-0 down I am fed up and almost glad that we lose the signal. I then join Jackie for some music in the Queen’s Room before attending most of the evening performance in the Royal Court theatre – but it is not as enthralling as “Brief Encounter” so depart for dinner.

Come Sunday morning we are docked and an early breakfast beckons before we can disembark, find our suitcases and car and return home.

Queen Anne 30.8.24

31 August 2024 / admin

Cube Houses Rotterdam

We remain moored in Rotterdam and following breakfast we take the free shuttle bus which is running from outside the cruise terminal to the Markthall. Shuttle buses are running about every 15 minutes and take about 15 minutes with driver commentary on the surroundings. He refers extensively to “livings” – flats or apartments. The Erasmus bridge is one way for cars and buses so we take a slightly longer route across a couple of other bridges to reach our destination.

Even so we had no need to start this early as the Market does not open until 10 so we have time to look at the outside of the Kubuis houses – surely the result of a joke rather than a serious design approach plus a building with all the pipework on the exterior which houses the library (and a Starbucks).

Surfing in the Street Rotterdam

We walk through the Markthall stopping to buy some local cheese and then in the direction of the main shopping area just to see some of the City. In a small cut off the city has placed some water and a wave machine and the local surfers are all practicing their craft on this resource in the bright sun which we have today. Not quite a beach – but earlier the bus driver had pointed out another end of a waterway where a beach is being created in a former port area with diggers and so on at work spreading sand – a little late for this summer but it should be ready for next year!

We wander through the City and then back over the Erasmus bridge to Queen Anne – and soon enough as it is quite warm walking through the city today.

Queen Anne Rotterdam

One delight of Cunard is of course afternoon tea and so to the Queen’s Room at 3 for tea. Sandwiches, cakes and the obligatory scone, jam first and cream to go with the tea all delivered with silver service. Excellent and as it is later than lunchtime ideal for the late dinner we are planning after going to the Bright Lights Society!

Tonight is also gala night – so DJ and dress shirt are donned – the latter with more difficulty than anticipated as it seems I am no longer 16 1/2″ around the collar – doing up top buttons on my old shirts is proving distressing as it seems I have expanded. I do manage it eventually.

We take a drink up in the Commodore Club – deck 14 (there is no 13) forward with a view of the outside world and listen to some jazz before our 19:30 appointment at the Bright Light Society back down deck 2. When we get there we find that the performance tonight is cancelled due to illness – disappointing.

However we determine to simply advance dinner and go to the Queen’s Grill where as it is on the main menu we can have chateaubriand tonight. Another lovely piece of steak and so stomachs sated we retire earlier than planned.

Queen Anne casts off in the middle of the night and commences the return journey to Southampton.

Queen Anne 29.8.24

30 August 2024 / admin

Queen Anne Staircase

As breakfast serving time feels early, especially given the lost hour, we have ordered room service with an omelette and accompaniments which gets the day off to a very solid start. Nicely delivered and a little touch of luxury. We have a decent size couch for two, a rotating single chair and a very solid table. Outside on the balcony are two comfortable loungers and another smaller table.

Various sounds and noises disrupted sleep last night, in particular when I think the engines were working harder than they do throughout most of the cruise – I suspect we were given a specific period to traverse the narrowest section of the English Channel between Dover and Calais. Otherwise given the sailing times on this holiday we are progressing at fairly low speeds. Google reports that the distance is 221 nautical miles (254 land miles). Given that the outward sailing is around 20 hours in elapsed time we are doing little more than 10 knots – Queen Anne is capable of just over 20 knots which is slower than either MS Queen Elizabeth or MS Queen Victoria as a top speed.

Queen Anne Deck 11

Jackie wants to play bingo this morning which is in the Golden Lion, which is forward on deck 2. Once she is there I take myself up to the Terrace on Deck 11 to do some listening and some reading. There is some low level music playing on the Terrace but it is not too intrusive as I am using earphones. Given that the weather is looking good we decide, after taking a light bite in the Carinthia lounge – just to maximise our sampling of all outlets, to return to the Terrace. Notable aspect of our light bite was that the yolk of the egg was still slightly frozen! Although regrettably the sun disappears behind clouds whilst we proceed along many miles of industrial docklands as we head towards Rotterdam.

Eventually we reach our berth which is very conveniently located in the centre of the city, immediately adjacent to the Erasmus Bridge. We are adjacent to a terminal building and can see coaches parked alongside for those going on trips this afternoon. We are taking it easy and I manage to get a booking for the Bright Lights Society which is a second entertainment venue on board. This seems to have limited capacity and books up rapidly but I can get into the earlier session tomorrow evening – although I think I bag the last availability.

We dine in the Queens Grill tonight and then head to the Royal Court Theatre for a stage version of Noel Coward’s Brief Encounter. This stage version was devised by Emma Rice in 2007 and adds some additional detail around the lives of the supporting class plus an express train headed by U class 1638 which is based on the Bluebell so I assume the other trains projected at various points are also from filming at the Bluebell – all very clever. Although filmed in Carnforth station the setting is supposed to be somewhere in Southern England in the early thirties. The locomotive is currently stored awaiting a full overhaul – which will be expensive as it will need boiler and firebox repairs and new tyres.

Queen Anne 28.8.24

29 August 2024 / admin

Queen Anne Southampton

Embarcation for our cruise is Southampton ocean terminal and whilst we are half an hour early many others are well in front of us. We join short queue but soon a man is taking notes and then photos of the car, key handed over and we walk across to drop our main cases and head into the Ocean Terminal.

Check in is busy and passport dates are closely checked but we remain well within validity at the moment. They decide to retake our security photos with glasses on but the longest delay is the check at the ship, although I cause a delay as my watch has tripped the security gate as I forgot to take it off.

We are asked to also visit our muster station and have our passes scanned as a double check that we are on board and also know the location of our muster station. As the muster station is on stairway C, at the aft so having walked back we get scanned. Next we want the Queen’s Grill where we will be eating our meals so we take the lift up to level 10 which is the location of the Grill restaurants. Only to find that there is no entry from this direction – it is closed off – so we have to go down a floor, through the buffet restaurant (re-imagined as an “Artisans’ Foodhall”) to the mid-ships lift.

We head up in the lift to the Grill restaurants which will open at 1300 and after a drink we are positioned at a table behind a pillar and close to a serving station so the good lady wife is not at all happy and asks if we can be relocated, we shall see.

Lunch devoured we find our suite on deck seven which is towards the aft of the ship. Jackie’s case arrives and she unpacks and mine then appears quite a bit later. As ever I suspect we have both over packed.

Queen Anne remains stationary and we head up to deck 11 and the Grills terrace where we can sit in the sun for an hour or so, although it is cloudier than early and even spits with rain at one point.

Showing that the ship is new it is announced that the usual emergency sirens will be heard and we have to go to our muster station. Given our earlier visit this is a surprise! However shortly before the alarms are sounded the instruction to visit the muster station is counter-manded; obviously scripts are not up to date!

Queen Anne

Warning sirens sounded we commence sailing and head steadily down Southampton Water past Fawley and Netley and then we start heading eastwards towards the English Channel, turning as we get close to the Isle of Wight following the marker buoys.

Arriving back at the Grill restaurant for our dinner it is pleasing to hear that an alternative table has been found from which we can view the passing landscape on the port side, Gosport, Portsmouth, Spitbank Fort, distant Wittering and Pagham are all out there somewhere.

We each have excellent steaks for dinner.

Post dinner we visit the theatre but are not greatly taken by the entertainer so slip out and return to our suite for a drink and bed. We lose an hour tonight as we move to Rotterdam time ahead of our arrival there tomorrow afternoon.

Sleep is a little disturbed, hot, then cold, then hot again, odd noises and some strange notions. First night is often short of sleep.

Welshpool and Llanfair 29.6.24

30 June 2024 / admin

ZB.2 ‘Zillertal’ footplate

Following another excellent breakfast it is time to start our homeward journey. Having found the right way out of the hotel by decent roads yesterday I follow the same route today and then we head towards Llanfair Caerinion which is the base of the Welshpool and Llanfair Railway.

My last visit here was in 1978 with Geoff – and whilst parts of the railway have improved the gentle rolling scenery remains unchanged. Indeed the biggest improvements are at Welshpool where there is now a proper station building and facilities and an exhibition building which we do not have time to visit.

The staff are all very friendly and despite threatening rain we manage to stay dry. I was kindly invited onto the footplate of ZB.2 ‘Zillertal’ which is our locomotive today – by someone who was probably not born when I last visited. The highlight of the trip is the climb out of Welshpool on the return as the loco has to work hard ascending Golfa Bank. Traffic all appears end to end today – brief pauses at some of the intermediate stations do not seem to have any traffic.

ZB.2 ‘Zillertal’

Our onward journey is to Ettington Park near Stratford upon Avon which we have visited before. Aspects of the bar and drinks service are a little disappointing but the surroundings are very nice. On the way the M6 signs are being poorly managed causing delays and inconsistencies – I also get flashed but no penalty notice ever turned up.

Finally on the Sunday we head onwards to home.

Llangollen Railway & Meanderings 28.6.24

29 June 2024 / admin

Hellfire Pass

Jackie decides not to move far today and I set off first to drive around Lake Vyrnwy which takes 35 or 40 minutes. My next task is to find the way out without using that narrow little road we used on the inward journey and I find that the signposted route consists of fairly normal roads. Ignore the satnav folks!

My plans for today had originally been quite extensive – but given recent driving I know that the AA times simply are not possible and so visiting both the Talyllyn and Llangollen railways was going to be an almost impossible ask as the traffic simply does not travel fast enough (well to ensure I managed both trains and not wanting too long a day).

My first target is the Bwlch-y-Groes pass, also known as the Hellfire Pass with the uphill section from the south having historic uses as a test climb for new Austin cars before WWII. I find the route and I am pleased that I can see to near the summit and there is nothing coming the other way so I am able to reach the top without any problems.

The descent towards Bala is less spectacular – but had the drawbacks of numerous (well 5) vehicles coming the other way. For 4 of these I am the one to have to find space to pull over – the first being most threatening – a tractor with mowers mounted being wider than normal – but I actually find a pull off and can watch it advancing up the hillside and can stay well off the road until it has passed.

Regrettably the Bala Lake Railway is not operating today and so cannot be visited on this tour and must await a future visit.

When we visited the Llangollen Railway 10 years ago they told us they were on the brink of opening the line into Corwen but were then terminating at Carrog. So today I drive to Carrog to park and then do the journey over the now opened line into Corwen – where I eventually buy a ticket before returning. Buying a simple ticket is so difficult – nothing as simple as an Edmondson card ticket these days – I understand the till and computer records – but there was a queue and I missed the loco running around whilst waiting to be served. Annoying.

Carrog – 47+5

In common with other railways these days off peak services are noted as diesel hauled so I am somewhat surprised to find a long train hauled by a class 47 – I was expecting a small multiple unit. However the loadings seem to justify the length of train and the loco duly runs around the coaches to return me to Carrog and everyone else to Llangollen I assume.

I return by a slightly more direct route to Lake Vyrnwy – although not quite the route I had planned as I miss a turning at one point, but return much earlier than if I had tried my somewhat more complex outing today.

Vale of Rheidol 27.6.24

28 June 2024 / admin

No 7 VoR

We travel further down the coast this morning, again with the top down, to Aberystwyth and the terminus of the Vale of Rheidol railway. This has been transformed in recent years. Since my last visit (undocumented) a couple of years ago they have opened a museum which I wander around. There is a mixed collection of locomotives and other stock – at the time of my visit it includes the Dukedog from the Bluebell, a WHR Garratt plus other locos – but it is an interesting collection and well housed.

The floor is notable as it is made of small wooden blocks which are removable and it means that tracks can be laid to take rails which can then be any gauge allowing a huge and varied range of exhibits over the years – in a light and spacious environment. Externally there is a small segment from London Bridge which was moved here for preservation when the station was rebuilt. It is all a long way from the BR owned line I first visited in 1976.

Whilst the first part of the line remains unexciting further up the closed in nature was eased many years ago by some tree clearance and there are still some great views plus the hard work of the locomotive as it ascends the gradients and tight curves is very obvious as we wind up to Devil’s Bridge. Less has changed here – although far more exists than in 1976 – but then it is not long since my last visit.

On the return trip we have a discussion with other passengers who are relatively local residents as far as we can gather.

Our onward journey is to Lake Vyrnwy in mid-Wales and is uneventful until the sat nav decides to make use of a very narrow road with grass growing in the centre of the single track with not much in the way of passing places. We emerge to quite a major road and the hotel tells us that all the satnavs follow that route – whilst the road signs take a far better route as I will discover tomorrow.

Lake Vyrnwy

The hotel at Lake Vyrnwy has a high location overlooking the lake – which is in fact a reservoir – and faces west with the sun setting over the hills on the far side of the lake as we eat dinner. The main drawback is that it feels like a huge hike from our room to the reception and the dining room but even so I like it. It is very quiet and even though the hotel is busy the dining all seems to run smoothly.

Ffestiniog Railway 26.6.24

27 June 2024 / admin

Merddin Emrys

We retrace our steps slightly this morning into Porthmadog and one major improvement is that the Ffestiniog Railway have implemented a parking area in a near by car park which is a few minutes walk – but obviates all the previous difficulties. I am not sure how I did not know about this as I do not recall it from the last visit 10 years ago – but we were then staying close by so walked to the station.

Jackie takes our seats in the rear observation car and I walk out to the front and onto the Cob to take photographs of trains moving around the railways. I just about see the departure of a Welsh Highland service to Caenarfon. However the railway seems busy this morning and again it is very warm. it is nice to be able to traverse the line about which I read far more than I ever see.

The journey to and from Blaenau Ffestiniog behind Merddin Emrys appears pretty trouble free – uphill we are a long way back to hear how hard the locomotive is working and of course the return journey is downhill. At Blaenau the sun is beating down and shade is limited. I manage to get some photographs of the locomotive before we return.

Merddin Emrys at Blaenau Ffestiniog

On our last trip (as mentioned 10 years ago) I was struck by the wide open spaces as there had been a lot of tree clearance, Views now are much less as the trees (or new ones) have grown back and so like many other trips these days the views do not seem as good – I particularly noticed this on the Heart of Wales line recently.

Once re-united with the car it is great to have the top down and finding the new much improved road bridge at Pont Briwet which is a complete transformation. I decide to take the coast road and almost miss one turning – it looked like we were supposed to go straight on and so we pass Harlech Castle – I have never previously driven down this route.

Further down the coast we use the unimproved Penmaenpool Toll Bridge as we are heading to Aberdyfi. The satnav does not think much of the cut off as it seems to neither reduce the distance or time for the journey. Our accommodation for the night is the Dovey Arms with dinner at Seabreeze which is a few minutes walk away. Dovey Arms is a Marston house and the rooms in this case seem great value for money – with an excellent breakfast the following morning. Dinner is reasonable too.

Puffins and more 25.6.24

26 June 2024 / admin

Puffin in flight

Today we head a little way along the Menai Strait to Beaumaris where we are going to catch a boat courtesy of Seacoast Safaris for a trip up to Priestholm (Ynys Lannog/Glannog in Welsh) but which now seems to be known by just about everyone as Puffin island. The island is uninhabited by humans but the numbers of birds are enormous. Careful management has ensured that bird numbers have been steadily growing for many years. It is situated off the north east corner of Anglesey, just at the end of the Menai Straits and the journey there takes about 20 minutes with entire trip planned to take around 90 minutes.

Luckily it is extremely calm as we head along the Strait and a little further so that we can slowly circumnavigate Puffin Island. There are birds everywhere and some seals on the far side of the island although we are too late to see them basking, largely shapes moving under the surface. Although named Puffin Island and we see a few they are heavily outnumbered by all of the other species.

We have an extended session as they ensure we see everything we can so it is early afternoon and we head over the Britannia Bridge and then along the coast to Portmeirion where we are staying tonight, arriving at Castell Deudraeth in time for a late sandwich for lunch.

Portmeirion was built over a period of nearly 50 years to the design of Clough Williams-Ellis in an Italianate style. We are staying in the main hotel on one of the hottest days of the year. We wander around most of the village and I take a large number of photos. I then decide to go and walk around the wooded area to see a little more of the estate heading down to the lighthouse. It first came to my attention with “The Prisoner”.

An excellent dinner is taken later in the dining room and tomorrow we will enjoy an excellent breakfast. There are many villas around the estate which can also be rented – and certainly our night here was very nice.

Snowdon Mountain & Llanberis Lake 24.6.24

25 June 2024 / admin

Snowdon Mountain Railway

We have had three previous attempts to visit the Snowdon Mountain Railway. 10 years ago the weather forecast for the following day was poor and we then drove past Snowdon in bright sunshine with the peak clearly visible! A couple of years ago we were returning from Ireland and the booked trip was cancelled ten days earlier as the railway had been unable to complete repairs to the track and the visitor centre.

The sunshine bodes well as we drive to Llanberis first thing on a Monday morning. Even the Ringgo app works first time to pay for the parking and we join the 09:30 departure. Like too many other railways the absence of a proper timetable is an annoyance. In particular I had originally wanted to book the afternoon steam train but it was sold out when I did book – which was fine as it was easy enough to book the morning train – as only one engine was in steam and the other workings are diesel.

Which would be well and good but on arrival there is a second steam engine in steam and which took a steam service up the mountain at a time which was not advertised for booking and would have permitted a leisurely breakfast.

We are pushed to the summit by No 5 Moel Siabod, the locomotive dating back to 1896. Along the way the number of walkers seem high – but it is a bright sunny day – and at the summit itself reaching the top is not easy. It is not just the slightly uneven steps but building works continue eliminating some of the route and the numbers at the top soon fill the available space!

From the top the view is pretty good – we can see northwards but to the south of the peak there is cloud – which is impenetrable! I do not envisage another visit – but at least to see some of the scenery is good. It does mean that the route for the trains is fairly clear and so the views can also be enjoyed on the train returning to the base of the mountain.

As already mentioned a second locomotive, No 6 Padarn which is of the later 1922 batch of locomotives, is also in service today. This is the only one of the later batch of steam locomotives now remaining in service with the other two requiring replacement boilers and therefore now laid aside.

These days, unlike a previous visit many years ago, you now simply walk across the road to the Llanberis Lake Railway which extended here some years. It is quite a contrast – the line must be nearly flat as it progresses along the side of the Lake and passenger numbers are nothing like the Mountain Railway.

Llanberis Lake Railway

It runs down the back of the Welsh Slate Museum where it used to terminate in what is now the car parking area and then runs along the lake – the far end is not at a station, just a run round loop before returning to the picnic area – where it did not stop on the outward journey. The only extension since the previous visit is at the start as previously we had to go in via the Slate Museum (I think) rather than it being a stand alone attraction.

We now meander over to Anglesey where our progress is delayed by major work being undertaken on the Thomas Telford designed Menai Suspension Bridge – all of the suspension is being checked for the first time in many years – Michael Portillo mentioned it when he visited earlier in the year.

Once back at Chateau Rhianfa I seek assistance for the car. It takes a couple of hours before they reach us as their base is so far away. A faulty ABS sensor is likely and all should be well until we are home and it can be replaced.