The Northern Vicar Blog

We left Melton on the B676 and turned right to Brentingby, where the church is now a house. I didn’t stop and photo it as I didn’t feel I should, but then found out that the tower is owned/managed by the Churches Conservation Trust and I could have done – website. Here is their photo. The next church is St Mary Wyfordby – SK793189. The noticeboard is blank, the door is firmly locked, the lead has gone. The church is mentioned on “A church near you” with a contact number for the Secretary, but no mention on any services....

Wednesday 25 January and we are staying at Norman Cross Premier Inn. That is not very far from Derby. We left about 10.45, drove down the A6 and across to Melton Mowbray. We found a parking place at the north side of the town and the main drag is very Julie-friendly. The Age Concern charity shop has books on sale, and a coffee bar – two toasted tea cakes, a latte and a chocolate for £5. I couldn’t really complain when J bought books.  The she (actually, we) bought books at Works. Spotted these two converted chapels. I then left...

On Friday 23 December I needed a morning out. There is a wonderful website called “Passenger Services over Unusual Lines” which lists all the unusual passenger train workings across Britain (wow, you said). In the new timetable there is a new morning train north from Corby over line mainly used for freight trains over Harringworth Viaduct and round the Syston North Curve (I can feel your exciting boiling). In addition to this, the first train of the day from Alfreton to Nottingham has a meander through Toton freight yard, so Alex and I were at Alfreton for 0630. It was...