Steam

My father had a model static steam engine [looks a bit like these http://www.mamod.co.uk/stationary.htm] that I always loved, but never remember it actually working. Rowan has been badgering me to get it working, so this week we cleaned it up and steamed up. Our pride at getting it working was replaced by anxiety and fear as it picked up speed way beyond what seemed safe. The three of us crept back away from the rocketing machine. Just before it broke the sound barrier I managed to pull the burner away from the boiler and it eventually subsided. Exciting though

Meanwhile another steam engine, The Flying Scotsman http://www.nrm.org.uk/html/home_pb/menu.asp, has started daily trips from York to Scarborough. At the end of each trip it is shunted on the sidings across the moor from our house, so we sometimes get to see it shuffling about.

The picture is of the balloons over the moor - always gets us excited