One of our biggest problems in the early days was how to restore the canopy. St Germans station is very unusual in that we have what is called a flying freehold over the station platform. This means that we have the right to have and maintain our canopy over railway land. This was deeply unpopular […]
Passengers – A new travel crew hit the rails
A year after we moved into St Germans station, in April 1993, a new Care in the Community act was passed. This involved the closure of many hospitals that had been the home of people with mental health illnesses. Part of the reason for closure was that there was concern that these hospitals caused the […]
How to give up the right things for lent
Although ultimately rewarding, living a green lifestyle can at times be tough. Sometimes it can be hard to give up things, even though we know we would like to. This is why at this time of year I like to try and make one change through season of lent. Lent begins this year on March […]
How to build a railway empire part 3 – Living the life
Living the life When we first moved in we had very little in the way of possessions; just two chairs, a workmate and a Baby Belling cooker, and until a kind neighbour gave us their old sofa, this was our only furniture. For a bed, we had two pallets on the floor in the room […]
How to build an empire. The story of Railholiday Part 2 – Unforeseen Challenges
The station was finally ours on the 4th of May 1992. Because we were getting married on the 18th of July and intended to move in on our wedding night, there was no time to lose in preparations. The day we completed the purchase we slept in sleeping bags on the floor of what would […]
How to build a railway empire. The story of Railholiday part 1 – All Enquiries for St Germans Station
Although the story of Railholiday officially began on the 20th June, 1998, when we welcomed our first guests into The Old Luggage Van, the true beginnings came much earlier than. Perhaps the story starts in April 1996 when Dave, on a train trip to Truro, spied a derelict carriage in a builder’s yard in Liskeard. […]
Love local and keep our town centres alive
Several years ago I decided to give up supermarkets for lent, then found it was so convenient I’ve stuck to it ever since. I have never regretted it, although I do allow myself some flexibility on special occasions if there’s something I simply cannot source anywhere else. This rarely happens. The majority of our food […]
Top tips for seeing snowdrops in the Tamar Valley
February is a wonderful time to visit The Tamar Valley. Not only is Cornwall famed for its early camellias, many of which will be in full bloom, but there’s the added attraction of snowdrops. Here are a few suggestions for some of the best places to see them. Formal Gardens Cotehele National Trust property Cotehele […]
Solidarity with those risking liberty to save the world
Do you have anything you feel really strongly about? Are there things that worry you about your future, or the future of your children and grandchildren? If so, how far would you go to try and save the situation? Would you risk your liberty? And if so, what would you risk your liberty for? We […]
New Year’s resolutions. Who needs them?
I couldn’t write a new year’s column without making some reference to resolutions. We all tend to make and break them. I resolved not to do new year resolutions a few years ago. However I do still give time for reflection, and think about the person I would like to be. I want to do […]