It started not too well, our timings meant no cooked breakfast before we went to Cannock station - & Neil really missed his 4 slices of toast & jam! Well priced off peak return to Tipton, nice journey (change at New Street), then a brisk mile walk along busy Black Country roads to the museum.
I would urge you to go - especially if you travel by train & use the 2-for-1 offer available until the end of 2017 (check out this & similar offers here - download & print vouchers, present'em at the venue with your rail tickets) - the Museum is entertaining & informative. I'd go back simply to look at the buildings...
There was an awful lot to see, but plenty of space & time to see it. Shaun was somewhat 'challenged' by the demands of the smoking 'ban', & we really should have sat down a lot more (if only to shut Terry up moaning about his own knackered knee, & stop him wandering off every 10 minutes or so!)
Still, plenty of added extras, such as the historical vehicles dotted about the various buildings & driving around the site - we never did get on that coach - & I still want a go on their trams (have to check the BCLM website for dates).
Lunch proved a bit of a running affair. We'd no sooner got there than Neil was all about the butties - missing his morning toast, you see? Shaun had brought enough to feed the lot of us - & proceeded to try (the 'fish & chip' corn snacks went down especially well). Jim shot off for a bag of historical chips: Rob & Terry followed his lead: lo & behold, there was more sharing!
With the guy forging chain, the living history staff, & the standing exhibitions, there was so much information we decided to spring for their most informative guide (we're mean & just bought the one, to share around...)
The gardens of the small cottages & houses were often little oases of calm & quiet &, on a lovely summers day out, might lead you to believe that outside plumbing, coal fires, incessant domestic drudgery, & a lifetime of hard, filthy work, before an early death, are the sorts of outcomes we should aspire to after Brexit - they ain't!
One final thought: how come the Midlands, in the middle of the country, miles from the sea, has so many sea cadet groups? The kids at TS Centaur (Dudley) even have Bofors guns... & look, proper davits!
The journey home was a bit of a mare, delayed trains, increasing numbers of delayed commuters, Terry moaning more... Rob had been sensible enough to bring a book! Back into Cannock for 7.00pm, an hour+ late, tired, hungry, thirsty. But, having enjoyed a fine excursion, we all agreed we'll do it again! Maybe take the other 'knackered knee folk' with us.
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