Our members Will and Sam regularly bring and set up this model railway display. For this 1940's weekend they had a theme of the war and brought along some model tanks a Spitfire aircraft and buildings that looked like they had been bombed. 

"Food Glorious Food"  so the song goes. To the left we see our junior members eating what is probably a sensible packed lunch as approved by Jamie Oliver, in the middle our APR Warden Bob is about to eat a sandwich of a type that was sometimes eaten during the war from the snap can that his father Walt Ashton used on railways. To the right Matthew is about to pour a welcome mug of tea from the William Can something else that train crews used to use, especially on the footplate of the steam locomotives, The fire box used to keep the tea warm and well mashed.

Before the arrival of Winston Churchill it was a train service as normal. Our ARP Warden with overall fitted out with ARP buttons off E-Bay as was the ARP whistle, helmet  sees that the steam train safe to set off.

Above; The telegram that our ARP Warden is showing to Churchill about the intended assassination.

Seen approaching shortly after receiving the telegram was a suspected assassin about to remove a gun from a box. Churchill's bodyguard takes aim and fires his gun as the ARP warden helps Churchill to safety. The assassin falls to the ground and Churchill is safe from the attempt on his life. (photographs by Jenny Lamming)
Footnote: The assassin was played by Graham Lamming (Stuart's father). James Newton was Churchill's bodyguard, the ARP warden was played by Bob Ashton.

Our main enemy on both days had not been the un-exploded bombs, mines and the attempt on Churchill's life it was the weather. After a long dry spell the rain came down both days. For the last train on the Sunday as the rain really set in, an umbrella was used to give the passenger some cover from the rain. The driver a very wet looking Stephen Baines had no such cover as the rain set in heavily on his last circuit.
We would like to thank all the visitors and the volunteer members who bravely battled against the poor weather to help make the event such a success especially on the Sunday. A special thank you to Stuart Lamming (Winston Churchill) and James Newton (Churchill's bodyguard) for planning the event. Both James and Stuart can be seen at many other 1940's re-enactments around Britain. For photographs and further information please click here.