Festival of Transport and Historic Boats in Audlem

Sunday 30^th July

Boat Gerald

Historic Boats

Little Steamer

There is the Festival of Transport today here in Audlem, it is held every year and there is around 300 vehicles. They assemble in Hankelow, the next village and then parade along the street into Audlem and park up on the playing field there.  Also over this weekend, there is a gathering of Historic Boats on the canal and there was around 30 boats attending, it was great to see all the old boats and there was one called Gerald (which is my dad’s name) and it came from Halesowen (and Hale is our family name), how funny is that so had to take a picture of that one.

Old cars coming through the streets

We walked up to Jane’s house and then me and Kev, Jane and Malc and little Harry walked up the road and stood by the corner and soon they all started to come through, it was a great sight seeing all the old cars, bikes, lorries, bus, tractors, etc.  We stood with Malc’s parents, Tony and Sheila, it was lovely to see them again as well.

Three Wheeler Car

We then walked down to the field and had a look around all the vehicles, we met Malc’s brother Michael and his wife Ruth so had a nice chat to them.

Old Guernsey Bus

You can walk down the bank from the field to the canal where the Shroppie Fly pub is so we went down there and stopped for a drink.  Of course Jane, me and Sheila had Gin!

Suitable refreshed, we walked back through the village to Jane’s house, but on the way we have to pass the The Lord Combermere pub so obviously we had to have a pit stop!

Cars parked up on the field

They have a very good selection of gins and the girl serving us let me go behind the counter and look at the all the gins, I chose Slingbury’s Rhubarb Gin and the three of us had that and very nice it was too.  It had been dry most of the day, but we did have a shower while we were having our drinks, so had to go inside, but it soon passed over and we walked back to  Jane’s house in the dry.

Having a pit stop at Sheila & Tonys

In the evening Dave and Anthea joined us and the six of us went to the Farmers Arms which is owned by Dave’s relatives.  We had a really nice meal and a lovely catch up and lots of laughs as always. We then all went back to Janes for a coffee and then Dave and Anthea went home and Kev and I walked back down to the boat.  We had a lovely evening and I will be seeing Anthea at the weekend as it is her 60^th birthday and she had invited all the girls to her house for afternoon tea so looking forward to that.