Jack and Katrina's Place

On the 5th January, while Granny was helping out and Katrina was sleeping in, Guy, Jack and Granny got up early to drive to Paekakariki. The vintage train folks at Steam Incorporated, http://www.steaminc.org.nz/ where running an excursion through the Manawatu Gorge to Dannevirke. They were using their fleet of vintage carriages and a J class Steam locomotive.

Guy was very impressed to see the engine 'Chuffing along' making up it's train and backing down into the station. He was a little bit less brave when he fund himself standing next to the hissing black monster on the the platform. He clung very tightly to my arm while peering intently at the wheels and pistons.

The train was going to be away for 12 hours on it's return trip so we had not intended to travel. Realising the likely perceived injustice of bringing him up just to watch the train depart without him, I spoke quickly to the train manager. The excursion was picking up more passengers up the line so there were spare seats until those passengers boarded. For a donation to the coal fund we boarded the train to Paraparaumu,the next station. Here is Guy bouncing gleefuly on the seats as he watched the cars travelling alongside. One of which was his Granny who picked us up at Paraparaumu and took a very happy little boy back home. Cheers Steam Inc.