A ramble, treats and poignant verses
This year’s ramble was a six-mile walk from Kiveton Bridge railway station to Woodhouse railway station.
On terminating the event we were treated to festive sherry and mince pies before catching our train services home.
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Hide AdParticipants came from far and wide, including Cleethorpes, Scunthorpe, Brighouse, Bawtry, Alfreton and Chesterfield.
A special festive thank you to all staff at the Lakeside Cafe, Aston Ponds, and the Stables Cafe, Rother Valley Country Park, who provided everyone with delicious food and drink? Not forgetting my good friend and noted Sheffield historian Graham Hague, who provided olde-worlde maps of our route. Also Denise Herring for providing sherry and mince pies.
En-route on my annual walk, I always like to stop off at an appropriate point and read out some of my written poetry; this year’s walk was no exception.
I would like to leave Star readers with one of my poems I read out at Beighton. This poem is dedicated to our Armed Forces and veterans, the pride of the nation! With very best wishes and a Happy New Year.
A Soldier Down The Line by Stephen Gay
It was a cold February night in 1942
A military train was Glasgow bound
Soldiers and sailors aboard
Then the engines whistle and brakes did sound
Just before Beighton in a nearby siding
Was stabled a wagon of steel plate
The sheet had become dislodged
Thus sealing a number of poor souls’ fate
Rescue teams were soon on the scene
Greeted with screams, groans and crying
Carriages had been sliced open
Armed forces all around injured and dying
From the Civil Defence, Miners and Home Guard
Into the dark of night rescuers fought to save
With dim lights and torches
Sadly 14 went to an early grave
The dead were taken to the waiting room
A mortuary became Beighton station
But with wartime restrictions
Little news broke across the nation
For in the subsequent inquiry
A loose wagon movement was to blame
Hump, shunt and bump
And then passed the ill-fated troop train
Today this area is supposedly haunted
Sightings of the unexplained still shine
Yes on a cold winters night
One may see a soldier down the line
Stephen Gay
Darnall, Sheffield