The non-choir tour outing

Today our very good friends Felicity, Sue and Ray came to visit. 

We wanted to thank them for all their efforts at our wedding and as we've been on Sue and Ray's boat twice, this seemed perfect. 

It was a nice, partly sunny, and certainly warm day. 

Everyone duly arrived at 10:00. 

And we set off. 

We sailed to Tibberton and found a lovely mooring just by the railway and the old church. We had trouble at the winding hole as someone had moored right across from it but they moved on when we asked them to. 

Alison had made beef bourguignon for lunch which was delicious and then her special Cassata cheese for dessert. 

All to soon it was time for the return journey. Sue helped at the locks which was greatly appreciated. 

Hanbury locks are quite deep and very dark. I still think they are a brilliant invention, so simple and effective. 

We had at thoroughly enjoyable day and are already looking forward to the next one. 

My other hobby.

Yesterday I was booked as Driver 1 which meant first choice of tram to drive.

Heidi, my conductor for the day, quite fancied having Rack 2. She hadn't driven it before and when she mentioned she would like to do a trip as it was being withdrawn from service at the end of the year we quickly chose it. Rack 2 is probably my favourite tram and I didn't realise it was being withdrawn, so the chance to have a day driving it was brilliant. 

I drove 9 trips and Heidi did 3. The fine weather trips were great but we did slip slide away on the wet ones. 

We also had trainee conductor Luke with us, pictured here helping Heidi with the information talk at Glory Mine. 

The other trams in service were 273,

and 510. 

Blackpool 40 was doing an Ultimate Driving Experience and luckily for them, when waiting at the staff post became too frustrating they could just turn and go. 

After all the long waits for other vehicles and crews, we ended up last tram as usual, but I'm not complaining, we got one more trip than anybody else :-).