Lilly’s first trip on a train

This time last year, Lilly’s obsession with Thomas the Tank engine and trains in general was at its peak.

Everywhere we went, Thomas had to come too. We were planning a Thomas filled birthday and Christmas – she got train sets, Thomas figurines, Thomas puzzle, Thomas scooter. Her birthday cake was Thomas. She has a Thomas duvet cover. When we dropped her off at nursery, she’d leave a Thomas in the car for when she was picked up – as soon as she went into nursery, she’d make a beeline for the two Thomas toys in there, and keep hold of them ALL DAY!

So, as you can see, she liked Thomas.

In the last year, we have been (numerous times) on the miniature railway at Southport. We’ve been to the model village in Southport, with the model railway. We’ve ridden on fairground trains. But we had never taken her on an actual, real life train. Until recently, when I decided to ask my mum to help me take the girls on a little train trip to Manchester.

It didn’t start too well – my mum was rather late arriving at our house, bearing in mind the train was only every hour and we had two children to organise when we got to the station. As soon as she parked her car, I bundled her into mine before she even had time to say “hello” to the grandchildren!

We had to park a few streets away from the station as parking is a nightmare on weekdays. Cue frantic scramble to assemble double buggy, decamp both children, gather the many required bags of baby and toddler paraphernalia and take up a light jog to the station. Which, I may say, is up a rather steep, cobbled hill.

Puffing and panting, we arrived at the station with a good five minutes to spare. Result, we made it! Oh, wait, there are no stairs to the platform. Get both girls out, take bags off the buggy, lug bags, babies and pram up two flights of stairs. More puffing and panting. Worry about making sure Lilly doesn’t break free and fall onto the tracks. Desperately start coordinating a plan with my mum about who will do precisely what when the train arrives – i.e who will carry what bags, who will supervise which child, and in what order we will do this. Train approaches platform… mad scramble to carry out aforementioned plan… and finally… we are on!!!

Luckily, once on board, Lilly was suitably impressed, watching the trees and fields wizz by and looking all around her at the carriage. As we drew into Manchester we pointed out all the tall buildings and other trains which could be seen on railway bridges etc.

I’d planned to take my mum and the girls to lunch at the Printworks, but unfortunately got mixed up between Manchester Victoria and Manchester Piccadily. (We wanted Victoria, we got off at Piccadily). Never mind, we went for a wander and discovered a Bella Italia, which wasn’t too busy and they found us a table where we could spread out our millions of bags and park up our double buggy without causing too much of a health and safety risk to other diners.

After a little bit of a grizzle while we finished our meal, Isla went off to sleep which meant we could even stretch to coffees and an ice cream for Lilly, who was being very well behaved.

Afterwards we went for a bit of an explore, saw a lovely fountain

Chased some pigeons…

And admired the water features…

(You know what she’s thinking, there, don’t you…)

Yep, that’s right…