Yesterday marked the 53rd anniversary of the much documented “15 Guinea Special,” the unofficial name bestowed on British Rail’s Last Steam Train for which tickets for the journey between Liverpool, Manchester and Carlisle cost £15.15 shillings, £236.88 today, which actually, doesn’t seem all that bad for the occasion which, although in Second (Standard) Class throughout, did include morning coffee, cold salmon salad for lunch, and high tea.
Huge green tickets were the authority to travel on The Last Steam Train; passengers were also issued with commemorative certificates which I have never seen for sale on eBay. Mine remains in an album purchased at the time, still awaiting framing! Red seals of the former railway companies over whose territory the the train travelled, embossed on the certificate makes forging just about impossible, and probably not worth the expense. Back in 1968, I could never imagine life fifty three years hence. Looking back over that same period of time seems stranger still.
I thought very little about what I have just written about yesterday. I was to be taken along an unfamiliar but very popular walk near Glossop – Werneth Low, a gentle hill from where magnificent panoramic views of distant Manchester, Ashton Under Lyne, Oldham and other surrounding towns can be had. A path follows the circumference of the hill, but today, we covered probably just a mile in each direction, as far as a WW1 cenotaph. This area is more like a park with innumerable walking routes to explore, and park benches to sit quietly on.
I had intended resuming the 10,000 steps walking yesterday, but actually, just over half that amount felt more than enough. However today, by the time I reach Parsley Hay from where I had followed the familiar route to Hartington, I should be well in excess, having walked four miles, albeit along level terrain.
Tonight, back at home, I prepared a meal of minted lamb-burgers, cauliflower, cabbage, onion, carrot, mushrooms and potato. Not a bad effort ‘though I say it myself! I rounded off this “health kick” with fresh kiwifruit and an orange.
That’s it for today. Many thanks for reading, David, 23.58hrs 12/8/21.
David's Cruise 