Took a drive up to Pickering to take a ride on a North York Moors steam train (Dad's birthday present)! I was a bit disappointed to see this engine come down the track but the coach cars were great - little private compartments just like in Murder on the Orient Express or Harry Potter! Lovely scenery and our trip ended in Goathland - the setting for Heartbeat (any of you TVO fans!) and was also the setting for Hogsmeade Station in the first Harry Potter movie! Quite amazing being in these places I've seen on TV or in movies or just read about. Too bad about all the tourists!! We did visit the Aidensfield Arms and see Scripps' Garage. There are sheep wandering the green spaces - totally disinterested in the tourists!Our ride back was on a "Harry Potter" type steam engine so I was happy! It was a 1920's train and Dad even got to go up into the engine when we got back to Pickering (although the young engineer DID invite me first!!). Quite an adventure and lots of great photos in Goathland and enroute!
