Jacky's place of birth and Finale!!

Not quite finished yet!

There were still family members who had not been involved!! - those living in the north of England - where of course Jacky hails from. So not having been on a train for a couple of weeks and because the North York Moors Railway ran a restored A4 Pacific called Sir Nigel Gresley; a ten inch model of which my brother and I had shared almost from birth (below left) - a lunch on the said railway was a no brainer! (Right) Author with brother are seen with sister checking out the real thing.

In addition to the Ruby celebrations it was Jacky and her sister's same date birthday. Jacky and members of her sisters family are shown below (left) and (right) G and J check out the 'real thing' This engine holds the world speed record for steam on a level run (116 mph). Its more famous 'class mate' Mallard reached 126 mph but on a downhill run.

(Below left) Not quite the Orient Express but Jacky climbs aboard .......and waiting for the 'off''

(Below left) G photographs the roaring fire as it gets up steam for the climb out of Grosmont and for the technically minded (right) a corridor through the coal tender enabled crews to change on 6-7 hour none stop trips between London and Scotland.

(Below) The driver looks ahead as "Nigel" powers up the 1 in 40 gradient towards Goathland

_______(Below) Typical moorland hills through which Sir Nigel Gresley travelled............

Some 30 miles to the west of the Moors lie the limestone Yorkshire Dales through which we detoured on the way back. The next four shots show the variety, colour and shape of hills which don't even reach 2,500 ft. The fourth of these shows the huge Ribblesdale viaduct - a testiment to Irish labour in the nineteenth Century

These were taken late in the afternoon. All that remained now was the 280 mile drive back home. Seven weeks after the first night at the Four Seasons the celebrations came to an end!

Finale ______________________________________________________________
Finally three photographs out of quite a lot!! which capture the spirit of the thing First - a shot which brings together family, friends and the forty years. This is a completely unscripted and unposed photograph of friends gathered round trying to get a look at "the book".

_______Last but one, to Caroline Jo Ali and Charlie who made both "the Book" and

___________the Golf Club lunch happen - thankyou - you were fantastic

And finally, if two shots from 'quite few' can be selected which capture the magic of both these few weeks and the forty years we were celebrating then these two would do it for me. If they don't 'say it all' they say most of it.

__________________________ Until 2017!!!!! The End