All Aboard the Gwili Steam Train!

Until last week, I didn't know how absolutely wonderful steam trains are! What fun!

I had decided that our main character Dafydd should leave the Dance of the Ribbons at The Wind Farm and travel to the next part of his quest on a train .. I have written a banjo piece to represent the chug of a steam train struggling up hill and then racing off into the distance ...

I was coming back from a meeting at The Arts Council of Wales with my Grant Supervisor when I passed a sign for The Gwili Steam Train.

I popped in and the trains run regularly throughout the day (best to look on line and check before you go though)  www.gwili-railway.co.uk

So, the next day I took my cameras and tripod and set off to throw myself back in time. I half expected to meet Poirot on the platform!

I set up myself up in one of the compartments. The Guard was lovely. We chatted about Fusion Inspire, my Individual Mainline Grant & the blog, then about his life before he retired in banking and how he now enjoys volunteering at the station as a Guard.

When we got to the end of the short track the driver, fireman and guard asked me if I would like to film 'up front in the plate room.'

This is the actual steam train bit at the front!
With the fire and the driver! WOULD I!!! WOWOWOWOWOWOW!!!!!

It was AMAZING!!!

It is from this very priveliged vantage point that I have made the film scape to go with the piece of banjo music which will be projected during this part of the story line. You'll be able to see it when you come to the production tour  in January/February next year :)

When I got off the train I immediately joined as a member/volunteer because the money raised by this, goes towards keeping a very beautiful piece of our  history alive.

It is the dedication, passion and love of steam trains from the volunteers that make it happen & live on.

They only have a few miles of track and are raising money to build further lines to link up to others, but even so, the whole experience is magical and definitely worth the £8.00 ticket.

On thursday afternoons, they bring the dining coach out and you can go for afternoon tea on the train for an extra £3.50 .. I quite fancy that, tea and scones on the steam train & will definitely be sipping from bone china in the luxury of a by-gone age!

They also have evenings on the dining coach such as Murder Mystery or 1940's which sound like really good fun.

Here's an information film about the station that I found on youtube:

Thank you so much to the Gwili Steam Railway & in particular the Fireman, Driver and Guard who made me so welcome and gave me a lifetime memory which I will always cherish :)