Steam on Sunday

Steam engines and pubs seem to go together just like sunshine and smiles. The last steam engine run of the season before winter maintenance was met with a warm welcome at The Bell pub in Smarden.

As I talked to an engine owner about his 1917-built engine Endeavour I noticed how the gentle sound of the steam engines was gently soothing, while the smell of coal and oil reminded me of steam rallies with my grandad when I was a child.

This engine 'Flower' was pretty as a picture but my favourite has to be my friend's Burrell engine no 394 'Titaness' who I waved off down the road. See a video here.

Later in the afternoon my friend invited me to fly a Spitfire on a newly installed Virtual Reality simulator complete with vibrating seat! It was an amazing experience and as a computer simulator skeptic I was rather impressed. Maybe I'll go back for another go sometime...