A Day Trip From Cambridge To Stanhope

A Memory of Stanhope.

On the 9th of April, this year, 2011, I travelled from Cambridge to Stanhope on the train. The Diesel pulling us was the 'Roy Castle'. I hadn't travelled on the route since the 1960's, especially from Darlington to Bishop Auckland, and I had never been on the line from Bishop to Stanhope. It was very nostalgic for me as my Grandparents had lived in Bishop Auckland and my Grandad would meet us at the station when we arrived. I can remember very clearly, the trains going along the line to and fro to Stanhope, as we would go to the park nearby and sometimes we would stand on the railway bridges to watch them. As we passed through Bishop I could see the Wesley Church where my parents married and my brother and I were christened. The view towards Newton Cap Viaduct was amazing, I hadn't seen it like that before, from that angle. Journeying down the line towards Witton le Wear, where my Grandad's parents were married, and, although I couldn't see Howden le Wear, where they lived, I could see Crook in the distance, where my Mum was born.

I had told my cousin I would be coming to Stanhope that day, so she travelled to meet me. She took me down to the stepping stones that cross the river, where she hadn't been since her childhood. We chatted about the old days and our families that were no longer with us. I felt that I was 'coming home' to Weardale, where my ancestors were born, lived, worked and died. It was a lovely day, the sun was shining, but I can remember the Coal (and Lead) mines, how different it was then. The steam engines whistling and clanking backwards and forwards, I still miss them. Stanhope is in such a beautiful setting and I can't wait to take the trip again. Maybe one day I could travel along the line to Stanhope on a steam train, who knows?

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