The Brick Train

Couldn't leave Northallerton without a tour round the market, stocking up on fresh veg, cheese and baking, followed by coffee and chat in the coffee Pot, a cafe in the Methodist church.

On the way home we paid a visit to the Brick Train (which I first heard about on blip). This amazing structure was built in 1997 by David Mach, to a design based on the record-breaking A4 Pacific 'Mallard'. It still looks good despite white streaks of salts leaching from the bricks and insalubrious surroundings - this probably as the signage takes one through the industrial estate - although we saw several blue butterflies in the grassy bank close by.

From there it was homeward bound along the familiar Roman-straight switchback of the A68.