Choo choo trains

A perfect summer day really. Sunny and warm, but not too hot, so we decided we had to get out and do stuff. Tom's favourite word at the moment is choo choo train, so we figured that a day on a heritage railway would be nice for all of us. Instead of the nearby Telford Steam Railway or SVR, we decided to venture further afield and try out the Churnet Valley Railway in Staffordshire. One problem with heading that way from here is Stoke-on-Trent (depressing, full of speed cameras), so I was determined to find another way. Mission very much accomplished thanks to a succession of unclassified roads between Stone & Cheadle.
Following a look round the well-stocked souvenir shop at Kingsley & Froghall station, we had a light lunch in the tea shop there and caught a steam train up the line to Consall, where we spent a very pleasant 45 minutes playing on the lawn next to the station. Football to start with, but Tom then decided it was his job to water the flower beds and veg patch, much to the delight of the lady who was doing it up to then.
We then caught a 1950s diesel unit, which took us to the "end" of the line at Cheddleton, and about 10 miles beyond down an old branch line to Cauldon Lowe quarry, where they run trains a few days a year. Pleasant scenery, but the somewhat shambolic state of the track meant that we didn't ever get beyond 30mph. Tom got very excited on this train and spent far too much time jumping up and down on the seats - lucky the train wasn't that full.
We got home around 4.30 and, realising that we had next to no food in the house, headed swiftly out to Shifnal Cottage, a local curry house owned by a friend of ours. A good meal as always, and Tom ate masses - rice, 3 types of curry, more than a whole poppadum, some naan bread and most of a chapati - the little piggy.
We were all pretty tired, so we put Tom to bed without a bath. He woke up crying around 10.00, though, soaked in sweat. We were worried that his amazingly long run of good health was over, but he was just too hot in his pyjamas - we put him in something cooler and didn't hear from him again until 8.30am.