Crich Tramway museum this weekend

Hey all

We are at the time of year when myself and Heyday are simply jumping from one event to another. There is more than one massive event every weekend in summer, if not 2 or 3. I come home, wash, wash again (often I camp without any facilities) wash everything else, go grocery shopping, re-load the car and off I go again.  They are all so fabulous that I am not sure I could bear to miss any of these events. I am really sorry if you are living elsewhere than in the UK and are not able to come and join us, and here I am rabbiting on about them.

This weekend we are off to the Crich Tramway 1940s weekend (and yes, vintage holiday makers, that means we can't be at Vintage at Goodwood...so many events, so little time). This event is slightly understated, in that it is relaxed and chilled and not crowded, and it is the most delightful day out. And because it is so lovely I thought I might let more of you know about it and show you our pics from when we visited last year.

The little village of Crich has been preserved, as it might have looked when it was steeped in the golden olden days, along with 60 or 70 beautiful trams, most of which are still working and now service the little route that leads up to an old mine. You can ride the trams all day by handing over the old penny they give you when you arrive.

(all of these pics are shamelessly nicked from the website, see more here)

There is a full museum, complete with wonderful stories of how the trams came to be here, and where they had been before.  Some spent time as make-shift homes or storage units before coming back to life at Crich.

The Pub itself was transported, literally brick by brick by a keen architect who could not see it fall into ruin where it first stood.  He moved a piece of it every day, in the back of his car, and stored all the bits for years until a suitable venue was found.  Can you imagine the jig-saw puzzle that must have been?

In the late afternoon everyone heads to the pub to meet old friends and make some new ones. As the light fades, the blackout curtains go up and the tram moves eeriely along the street. A sober moment, amougst much revelry as we laugh and sing with Lola Lamour leading the way.

But my lovely readers, that is not all.  There are many surprises along the woodland walk and around every corner...

camping luxury, complete with old newspaper, and a make do and mend style camp stove

Scattered in the hills are re-enactors displaying a 40s outdoors lifestyle, and a new way to use an old rocket shell!

A grocery truck. The blackboard states "No purchase without coupons (unless you are a pretty girl)"

People really go all out on the displays, and exquisite cars are there to drool over look at from a respectable distance.

A vintage beauty gets a tough inspection from Mr Wolf

stunning

Possibly Dr Who's car!

Heyday is there this year with our wares, as are a mix of other stallholders that we love to meet up with (lets face it, we practically spend the summer with these folks!).

Last year we came just to look around, and loved it so much we stayed really late and were forced to find a room for the night and then come back on the Sunday.

another cheesy pic!

If you can come, even for the day, I recommend it, and leave time to stay on at the pub for the sing-a-long, and do stop by and say hi to us.

Shona x