On a midsummer Sunday in a grassy oasis not far from the Island of Sodor the Fat Controller, aka GM, gathered his engines around him, the High Speed Trains, aka Rambos , the shunting engines, aka Wimps, the troublesome trucks, (Big Fish, Spare Bed and the dog), and visiting engines from the far side of the world.

The timetable for the day was discussed, the points had been switched right at the start so the Rambos wouldn’t be travelling on the same tracks as the wimps until the refuelling stop. We were to take care on level crossings where the rails travelled along the road and some barriers would need manual operation.

Sadly we had no Henry, Gordon or Edward to lead the charge for the express trains but Sir Thomas Thomas was with the shunting engines.

Both groups of trains managed to lose a truck, Disgusting from NZ eventually managed to find the refuelling stop and had to be towed back to the station. Dormouse became uncoupled from the express but as always made up time and so couldn’t get a refund on his ticket.

A grand day out for everyone followed by a jolly picnic with lashings of ginger beer.

Down Downs for our visitors and others and a renaming for Cotside Manner who has definitely outgrown her name - arise Prima Donna!

Very many thanks to the Hare who managed to lay two totally different trails since he got out of his engine shed at 6am and also cheers to those who baked, cooked and shopped to provide the feast which was wolfed down just before the threatening rain came to flood the tracks.