Article: Stephen Bishop.
Another enjoyable day trip by coach to Standen House & Gardens which was visited in the morning before transferring to the Bluebell Railway in the afternoon. At Standen we started with a welcome tea & coffee and pastry before receiving an extended briefing by one of the National Trust volunteers. We then toured the very homely house which was still fully furnished with arts and craft items most of which belonged to the last owners of the house before it was taken over by the National Trust. Following a quick lunch, we were off to our afternoon steam train ride from Sheffield Park to East Grinstead and back. Before the train ride many of us had a wander around the impressive museum and some had a go operating a signal. There was also a chance to get on the footplate of our locomotive and experience the heat and smells from the footplate.
All in all a good day out.
Thanks to Brian McGibbon for arranging.