Last Weekend in Aylesbury

 David and I went away for an overnight stay in Aylesbury on Saturday as it was just a little to far to go there and back in a day and it was our first stay away this year.  We visited the Buckinghamshire Railway Centre in Quainton, which was once the end of the Metropolitan Line of the London Underground. Last weekend was their steam weekend with not only steam engines running but also traction engines, static steam pumps and old vehicles on display.  There was also two Royal Mail rail carriages, with history of the travelling post office. 

One of the engines doing rides along the line.

Section of one of the Undeground cars

A half size traction engine

A former coal board engine, doing rides along the railway

A Royal Mail van with the travelling post office (TPO) behind it.

As well as full size locos there was also a miniature railway and we had to have a ride.

A little signal box

The little diesel engine.

There was a notice about train services for the Coronation, but not Charles III’s ! It was 17 June 1902, so that was King Edward VII’s.

On Sunday we went to a couple of National Trust sites near the railway centre, Claydon House, which was surrounded by little villages with the Claydon name.  A house that should have been larger had the occupant at the time became bankrupt, but still amazed at the height of the ceilings - I didn’t take photos though.  Out in the garden, part of which was private there were spring blossom and one of the trees was just humming with buzz of bees.

A glimpse into another garden

This was the ‘buzzing’ tree.

We moved on from there to Waddesdon and the Manor. This was a house built to impress, owned by he Rothschild family

It was getting on for lunchtime and after that we explored the grounds and visited the parterre at the back of the house. We didn’t expect to see hundreds and thousands of tulips, it just took our breath away.

After viewing the aviary, which had this grotto in the middle, we looked in the house.  

I didn’t take photos in the house, but it was opulent and lots of Sevres pottery, some of which was very rare. 

Alice, sister of Ferdinand Rothschild, was a collector herself and a lot of her china and glass was on display too.  I’m not sure if this is her collection of buttons but there were a couple of frames with button displays. 

This button collage of the Queen was in the restaurant and there were reflections of the lights 

We took a selfie just as proof we’ve been here!

After this we travelled back home and while of the A34 came across the tender for steam locomotive Eddystone, which was heading back to Swanage Railway.  The engine itself arrived on the Monday morning.

It was good to get away and we are planning our holiday trip in June to Scotland.