AUNT DAISY brings you the WEEKLY CHEER BUDGET

Radio Record, Volume XII, Issue 36, 17 February 1939, Page 17

AUNT DAISY brings you the WEEKLY CHEER BUDGET

A RIDE ON A WONDER TRAIN AND A VISIT TO YORK

. ale # E were very loath to fr {i leave beautiful Scotland where we had been entertained so royally. Still, all good things must come to an end; and as we were due in Hull early on a Monday, we left Glasgow by an early train on the Saturday before, in order to have a little time in York, that most fascinating old English city. This time we travelled by an ordinary fast train-very good, like all English trains, but not so wonderful as the famous "Coronation Scot" by which we had travelled up from London to Glasgow. bd My word, that is a "Wonder Train," ail blue and silver outside, and beautifully appointed inside with panelling of fine English decorative wood, and comfortable upholstery of some blue woven material; running at an average speed of over sixty miles per hour, yet never seeming to hurry, and not swaying or bumping, but just skimming along like a beautiful blue bird. There are nine carriages to each train, four of them being diningcars, which are serviced by two kitchen cars; and there is no crowding, for every traveller must reserve his seat-paying an extra alf-crown for it, too, We found that the "Scot" was yooked up several days wvead, yut, of course, it was during Augist that we travelled by it-the aniversal holiday month at Home. As usual, there are two classes, first and third. We got down early to the station (Euston) and enjoyed walking up and down the platform, peeping in at the firstclass carriages and admiring the tremendous lIccomotive with its queer, blunt, stream-lined nose and its two lamps, one each side, like gleaming eyes. The whole train is painted light blue, and the silver bands run horizontally down its full length, curving downwards in a V-shaped point at the front of the engine. The carriages are all air-conditioned, and the temperaa can be adjusted by the pasSengers themselves. B left Euston at half past one in the afternoon, and did not stop till we reached Carlisle, on the Scottish border-299 miles from London, with 1023 miles still to go. It was then thirteen minutes pact six, and we only stopped for two minutes, just to set down passengers. One cannot join the train at Carlisle on the upward journey. Coming back, passengers are picked up there, but not dropped-that is to say, bookings from Glasgow to Carlisle are not accepted. About ten minutes after leaving Carlisle, we passed Gretna, on the actual border between the countries; but although we strained our eyes to see the old toll-bar of Gretna Green, we caught no glimpse of it. Of course, the whole journey had been one of thrilling interest, especially as every passenger was given a little booklet which described "the route in detail, , eer, 9

giving the name of every town and village we passed, and a little interesting note about each. Old castles and churches, bits of local history about the old Roman sites and roads, views to watch out for, the forests, the industrial areas where work never stops, day or night-every thing was set out clearly in the book, so that one might not only see, but observe, old England, as one sped swiftly along. Attentive waiters took one’s orders for refreshments, which were served on the little tables between every two seats, We had a very comfortable tea at half-past four-meals are at dilferent times at Home, and most people don’t dine till after eight, by which time we had arrived in Glasgow. Tea is quite a substantial meal, however, with jam and elotted cream and bread and butter «nd lots of cake. It took just six and a half hours to go trom Loudon to Giasgow. 3UT I was telling you about going to York. We stayed at one of the splendid railway hotels which the L,N.E.R. maintains in many cities, and which are famous for comfort and conveni-ence-beautifully run in every way, and so very handy for travellers; for the porter who "unpacks you" from your railway. carriage-and how well those English porters do take care of you, doing absolutely everything for you as if they were your personal friends, so that you relinquish all responsibility and leave everything to them!-just puts all your luggage on his trolly and shows you which door to go through while he goes in by another; and there you are, with no bother of taxi (or expense either)-just registering in the handsomely appointed hotel lobby; and your luggage goes up by a service lift and arrives at your bedroom door as soon as you do. You don’t even have to cross a road! Yet you never hear any train noises in the hotels, which are really excellent. We stayed in one of them at Hull, too; and our Caledonia Hotel in Edinburgh was another of the same kind, only not L.N.E.R., but L.M.S. lt is extraordinary how strong a "personality" the old cities of England and Scotland haveeach one entirely distinct, and all so powerful, that one is involuntarily absorbed into their atmosphere — their manners and customs-and cannot help entering into the spirit of the place. Within an hour of reaching York, my Scottish attitude of mind had faded out, just as scenes at the cinema merge into fresh ones, and it is not until the whole thing is over that each separate part is found to be still in its own place in your memory, like the different bits of colour in a kaleifloscope, . ., i ;

Leoking back now over my tour, I see each place and city as a separate and complete whole, and none more distinct than York, though we were only there for twenty-four hours. T was nearly mid-afternoon when we began to explore the teautiful old city, and, of course, made tor the Minster first of all. On our way there, we found the quaint market, like a big bazaar in a cobblestoned square, with rows and rows of stalls or benches set out with almost everything you could wish to buy-bookstails, from one of which I bought a large and splendid cookery book for two shillings!--many poultry stalls, all evidently belonging to the pouitrykeepers themselves, for rosy girls and women sat beside them, wearing clean white aprons, and beside them the big baskets with clean covers of coarse linen, in which they had brought their fresh produce from home. In most cases there were only a few pounds of butter and one or two dressed chickens or ducks left at that time in the afternoon, and they urged these upon the crowd which foitered past, so that they might pack up and go home. There were awnings over all the stalls in the market place, to keep off the sun, or rain; and one did indeed. feel in touch with ages past, for these old country markets are really traditional. There were clothes to be bought, too-men’s suits and women’s frocks-factory made, and just as we have tiem here in our big cheap department stores. There was even a fur stall, with quite good fur coats and necklets-not particularly cheap either. When we next passed the marketplace it was dusk, and stalls and trestles were all taken down, the last of the men were driving away, some in motor trucks, but many in horse drays and carts; and everything was being swept up and made tidy for Sunday. YHEN we asked our way to the "Shambles," I had quite a wrong notion that this was a place where an old battle had been fought, and gutters had run deep with blood and so on; but I found it was really the butchers’ quarter, with very, very narrow Winding streets, with the upper storie~ so bulging out and overhanging the lower that the occupants could indeed have shaken hands across the road. The small windows of the butchers" shops were wide open, and the cuts of meat were arranged on the deep window ledges as well as on the benches inside. Some of fie shops had striped awnings; the paving stones were very narrow and irregular; and the street itself was cobblestoned. I’m sure every one of those stones has been there since the very earliest days of York; they were only irregular through sheer hard wear. The "Shambles" -were purposely built as a. .very . narrow, ° m3 chi ta de ah hee tives

and winding street, so that the sun should be shut out and the wind weep sharply through, thus keeping the butchers’ wares cool. Even on that summer afternoon, it was quite cold down there. There were a few other old shops, too, with small square window-panes, and bits of old china in them-cups and saucers and quaint china dogs and ornaments. It all looked as if it had been undisturbed for centuriesexcept the meat, which looked fine. Then we came to the Old Parkin Shop! This was in High Petergate, number twenty-seven. It is kept by the Misses Pearson, and a notice in the window said that the celebrated Parkin was posted from there to all parts of the world! So we at once went in and bought some, arranging for it to be sent to some of our Yorkshire friends in Wellington. Miss Pearson told us that Guy Fawkes was born in that very house, and christened ‘in the old church near

the Minster called St. Michael ie Belfrey. It is a queer sensation to buy cake in an old place like that-cake made exactly as it has been made there for centuries! A placard in the window gave a modern advertising touch to the place, however, for it declared that: Pearson’s Popular Parkin Pleases Papa, Princes, Potentates, Powers, Parsons, Peers, People, Postmen, Policemen, Politicians, Pianists, Publicans, Pugilists and Potwallopers!!1] Next week I must take you into the beaut*ful York Minster.