Great End to Summer at Buzzrail
Summer ended on a high at the Leighton Buzzard Railway with really popular events on the last two weekends of the summer holidays.
August Bank Holiday weekend saw the return of the popular Pirates Days. Pages Park station became Treasure Island and Stonehenge was overtaken by a band of cutthroat pirates.
Volunteers from the Leighton Buzzard Drama Group were called to bear arms. They joined members of the Junior Railway Club and volunteers in water fights around the station and in forcing small visitors to walk the plank over crocodile-filled lagoons. Every visitor who dressed as a Pirate was given the King’s gold shilling and a voucher to travel again for free. Whilst waiting to sail, people went treasure hunting, with seven treasures hidden all around the station buildings, along with the ship’s rat, some ship’s biscuits complete with weevils and a wooden leg! Successful completion earned them another gold coin.
The highlight of the day for everyone who rode the trains was the water fight between passengers at Leedon Loop, where the trains passed. Everyone was encouraged to sit in the open coaches and water pistols were loaned to those who needed them. Everyone got a soaking! On approach to Stonehenge the train was attacked by a band of pirates and the double line saw another water fight all the way to Munday’s Hill.
Over 430 people travelled over the two days making it one of the railway’s most successful events.
Sunday 31 August added over 600 passengers who came to meet ‘Bluey’, with five extra length trains to accommodate everyone, and special non-stop running all the way from Page’s Park to Stonehenge Works so everyone could have as much time there as possible. The miniature railway was also in operation for children and adults alike.
The railway’s season continues with the two-day Steam on 6 & 7 September with eight engines in steam working passenger and demonstration freight trains.
Trains then run every Sunday through to Halloween with extra trains on Thursday and Friday of October half-term.
Plans are also being finalised for the now-famous Christmas Train Service with free Mince Pies and Punch for adults before taking Children through Santa’s Magic Tunnel into the Christmas Grotto to meet Santa himself and get a quality present.
For further information visit www.buzzrail.uk.