Trip out to Beamish Museum & update on Bowman Pilgrims

 


Its been a few years since we last visited Beamish so this visit was well overdue. We used to enter a running race based in the grounds of the museum, the 5 k started & finished in the old town and the 10k starting in the old town, taking in a couple of laps of the road/tram way before heading off onto trails out the back of Beamish and finishing at Beamish Hall. It was a great shame when this event stopped as the course was fantastic and everyone really enjoyed it.
Onto todays visit, they opened at 10am and we pulled into the car park at 9.50am and there was massive queue's waiting to get in. I can never remember the car park so busy and so many people waiting for it to open. I know its the school holidays but! Once inside we took the tram down to Home Farm then walked over to Pockerley Wagonway which was quiet. By now the chippy was nearly due to open so walked back over to Colliery / Pit Village for lunch. Once we got to the chip shop it had opened early and there was masses of people already tucking into fish & chips. After nearly a half hour wait we were severed and eat them on the grass. By now the trams / buses etc were rammed full and every stop had massive queues so we walked down to The Town, it was very busy and massive queues for the shops etc. By now the temperature had dropped, a few spots of rain and the wind had picked up - time to head back to the main entrance building. Arran wanted to go back on the tram but there must have been over an hour's wait so walked back. We had a great day out but would recommend to go on a normal weekend and not a school holiday period. As we were driving out of the car park every row / tier on both side were nearly full, unreal.
Here is a link to the Beamish website and map

9.50am, masses of people waiting to get in

our only tram ride of the day

chickens hopped up & down these steps

ready for action, not as fast as the quads yesterday

ey up how's in there

one of many vintage vehicles driving around

nearly chopped my head off

quick where are the wet sponges / rotten toms / eggs

Arran playing tricks as ever

Chippy time

Arran was on the Dab n chips £4.95, fish n chips £9.95

go on Arran, you show them how its done son

biggest machine at the museum

£1.50 for a spin of the steam powered horses

organ music as well

The town, bus stop on the right



Walking back to the visitors entrance, tram was still taking people down to the town



UPDATE - BOWMAN PILGRIMS
frameset is landing with Bowman today/tomorrow so hopefully have it here in the NE by the weekend. Another shipment of Di2 parts landed today. Everything sorted apart from the six cables which will need measuring when the frame lands.

tub filling up fast now!