Veluwsche Steam Train Association
Thursday, 5th May, 2005
|
| Today was Hemelvaartsdag (Ascension Day) which meant Joop was free from work. As it was pleasant weather and the steam train was running, we decided to make a little outing of it. It was the perfect excuse to use our new digital camera! |
|
We left home just before 9.00 so we could hop on a bus and be at the station plenty in time for the train's departure at 10.00. Just as well we did. When we arrived at the train station we had to get to the other side of the tracks for the steam train, but there is currently a lot of building work going on at the station and we thought the underground passage would still be closed off. We had to walk a short distance to get to get to the crossing, but even from the other side the track was unreachable because of the building work. |
| So we went on what turned out to be a very long detour to get to the tracks (I knew it was a mistake to wear high heels!). Still we got there about 10 minutes or so before the train arrived. |
|
We bought bought some special tickets that were valid for the whole day.
We climbed the steep steps onto the train and took our seats in a second class carriage.We took a few photos inside the train while waiting for its departure.
|
|
|
|
|
| In the carriage next to us was a cafeteria, where you could buy snacks or even meals. Julian bought some M&M's. |
It was a short but pleasurable ride and we passed by many pretty fields and farms. Along the way there were lots of people trainspotting and taking photos. The train stopped (with a jolt) a couple of times while they operated the car barriers manually. The ride took just 20 minutes then we were in Beekbergen. |
|
|
We took a few photos of the outside of the train and then had a little look around. A man was handing out "totaltrain" catalogues and gave Julian a copy, as he said he could tell Julian was enjoying the trains. |
|
|
There was a little market here, where they were selling all kinds of train related items, like model trains, magazines and souvenirs. Celia, of course, had to buy some postcards and a keyring.
We bought a little snack and sat down on the little benches here for a short while.
|
|
We crossed the tracks and had a look at some of the old engines on display. Above you can see the platform where the trains used to drive onto, and it would then turn in a circle to allow them to change to another track.
|
|
| We went into a loods where there were many more old engines being restored, although we didn't venture too far in because there was a lot of oil on the ground. |
|
Celia got carried away with taking pictures and, before we knew it, it was time to cross back over the tracks in order to get the next train which was leaving at 11.25 to go to Loenen.
|
This train was a bit more modern and comfortable inside. We managed to find a carriage without too many noisy kids and we sat down to enjoy the ride. Julian read his totaltrain magazine while we looked at the scenery outside.
A family the opposite side from us gave Julian a sweet shaped like a hamburger. Looks like it was his lucky day today!
|
|
| On the way we passed hundreds of very nice looking holiday homes. There weren't any barriers in that area and we were surprised to see children standing so close to the tracks watching the train go by. |
 |
The train stopped once, directly beneath the A50 to let people in and out, and then carried on to Loenen, but it took only about ten minutes to get there. We didn't get off there though, we just went to enjoy the ride. The train stopped here for 15 minutes and we watched people taking photos of the train from the outside. At 11.50 the train headed back to Beekbergen. |
| When we arrived there we starting to feel a bit hungry, especially as we could smell hamburgers and hotdogs cooking in a nearby stand. They weren't cheap, €3 per burger or hotdog, but we counted up our eurocents to see if we could treat ourselves and were pleased to see we could! Celia risked indigestion to eat her burger with plenty of onions. Mmm wonderful, eh Julian?! |
|
| Then we took some more pictures of this beautiful engine which was to take us back to Apeldoorn. |
|
It was due to leave Beekbergen at 12:45 but the carriages first had to be coupled on. Only problem was by 13:00 the engine going towards Beekbergen hadn't shown up with them. The engine driver was on his mobile phone obviously trying to find out what was happening. It was funny to see; the mobile phone somehow didn't fit in with the scene!
A train did come along, and some people started getting in. But one of the train personnel shouted for them to stop, as this was a train that had come from Germany and was only letting passengers out. We figured that our train had been held back to let this train in first.
|
Our train evenutally came around at 13:10. We saw that this time we were sitting in the 3rd class carriage! The sign says "forbidden to smoke". That was the old-fashioned way of spelling 'rooken'. These days it is only spelt with one 'o'.
In smaller letters underneath the sign reads "In case of need pull the handgrip. Misuse will be punished." |
|
| Before we knew it were back in Apeldoorn and waving goodbye until the next time. We went down the steps that go underneath the railway and discovered the passage was open all along, so within a couple of minutes were back on the other side of the tracks! |
|
