End of an Era

Given that I only managed 5 nights away in the campervan this year, and not many more last year, I’ve sold it. It’s the first time in many years that I’ve not had a boat, tent, folding camper or campervan. It’ll also bring to an end 37 years of Caravan Club membership (not all mine - I’m a joint member with Dad). 

The blogs will continue with more adventures in Suzie Too. 

Suzie’s Adventures in Sunderland - Conclusion

Having had a reasonably easy drive home here’s a few conclusions and thoughts from the trip. 

Stopping in a city hotel certainly had some advantages, for two days the car didn’t move as I could cycle or catch the train (and could have caught busses); the downside is it wasn’t a peaceful spot with building works behind the hotel and loud, often thumping, music from the adjacent buildings. The hotel itself was excellent though, with helpful friendly staff and good food and drinks. I’d probably not stay in this particular one again but would visit one of the others in the group. 

It wasn’t a cheap hotel but I reckon it cost me about £100 per night extra compared to using the campervan. As I’d estimate the ‘van costs over £1,000 per year in insurance, tax and servicing/MOT that means I’ve got to use it for a minimum of 10 nights to be worthwhile, and at the moment it’s just not happening. It will be different when I finally retire, and I’ll then think again, but my inclination is to sell this one on while it’s still got some MOT. 

The folding bike worked, if only used one day (it could have been more under other circumstances). It gives me an extra option when I’m away in the car. Cycling does restrict me camera wise, as I’ve found the normal camera is a bit too cumbersome on a bike, but the smaller waterproof camera has proved an excellent buy, with decent quality photos (and it has an electronic viewfinder, not just a screen, which is unique in that sort of cameras). 

I need to sort out the underfloor storage in the car boot slightly so that, for example, the tyre compressor is readily available. I also need to add a basic picnic set - I’ve been spoilt having the camper as it’s got knives, plates, etc to hand. It doesn’t need to be anything sophisticated, I’ve probably got what I need already, but when picking up pies and the like from farm shops it would be easier to be able to cut them up. 

Suzie’s Adventures in Sunderland - Glass and Planes

The day started early again - I’m generally awake anyway so I just popped out to the beach steps opposite the hotel for some more sunrise pictures. Conditions weren’t quite as perfect with just a little cloud on the horizon but I got a few more shots. 

The first port of call was the National Glass Centre, on one of the University of Sunderland’s campuses. It’s been on the bucket list for quite a while and it was only just over a mile from the hotel - if I hadn’t been going on elsewhere I might well have cycled. It was certainly worth the visit, and is free (apart from the reasonably priced parking), with more than just glass to see. The history of glass in Sunderland is interesting, at one point the town dominated UK production based on three things, starting with coal for fuel. The main ingredient of glass is sand, brought in as ballast on the colliers (coal carrying ships), and finally the access to shipping for carrying the finished products - glass tend not to survive long distance carriage on carts or pack horses! 

The Romans don’t seem to have spent much time around Sunderland, or at least little evidence of occupation has been found, so the first major appearance of glass in the area was at St Peter’s Monastery where it’s written that Bishop Biscup, who built it and the sister house at Jarrow, imported glass makers from Gaul to produce both window glass and vessels. Scroll on a few hundred years and the town became a centre for innovation in commercial glass production, both for plate glass and pressed glass vessels. 

The other glass that Sunderland is famous for is Pyrex. In 1921 James A Jobling and Co secured a license from American company Corning to produce and sell their borosilicate glass throughout the British Empire (except Canada), by 1960 the company concentrated solely on Pyrex  and employed around 3,500 people. Sadly the plant closed in 2007 and production was moved to France so it’s likely the jug I have in my kitchen isn’t from Sunderland (but I’m sure there’s some pieces at Dad’s that are!)

Also at the centre are a couple of contemporary art display spaces, one of which had little to interest me, I just don’t get a lot of modern sculpture but the other had an exhibition of photographs, mainly from around Teeside and dating back to my childhood. I could certainly empathise with many of them, even though I didn’t experience the world of commercial fishing that formed the basis of many of the images. I also have to commend the cafe there for an excellent cup of coffee. 

The next visit was to NELSAM, the North East Land, Sea and Air Museum. I’ve been before but there were a couple of things I specifically wanted to see so a return was required. The museum was developed by the Council out of the North East Air Museum, based at what was Sunderland Airport, which was struggling at the time. In addition a military vehicle collection was needing a new home so the Council planned a more comprehensive transport museum - unfortunately until recently the Sea part never really happened! The main attraction for many people is the Vulcan Bomber, XL319, which flew in while the airport was still open. Last time I visited it was looking very sorry for itself, and it still really needs an indoor home, but it’s undergone some refurbishment work including getting Engine 4 running (courtesy of the team that restored the boat Bluebird to working order) - sadly that was a one off. 

There is a new exhibition space since I was last there, which is mainly housing some trams and a trolley bus belonging to NEET, the North East Electrical Traction Trust, but there are also some pop lorries and a display of Nissan cars built next door (the factory takes up most of the old airport site). 

A friend will recognise one of the destinations on this Blackpool tram, The motor car in a rare two car set. 

Lorries from probably the three largest suppliers of soft drinks in the area. 


The red sports car isn’t a Nissan, it’s a Clan Crusader, also built at Washington and based on a Hillman Imp Sport - they weren’t very successful with only 315 produced in either kit or ready built form. The owner volunteers at the museum and bought it for display there. 

As it was time for lunch, and because a visit to Penshaw Monument is generally a given when I’m up here, I headed for the farm shop that’s nearby. It would have helped if the sat nav had taken me to the monument itself, not the pub of the same name, but they’re less than a mile apart. The cafe was absolutely packed with a long queue so I just picked up a couple of things from the bakery thinking I’d eat them on the beach. 

I was flying without aids heading back to the hotel,  knowing roughly where I was going until I took a wrong turning and ended up at the riverside in South Hylton. That was no bad thing though as it was a nice spot for lunch and there were a couple of interesting things to view, including this boat with a huge rock in it (and no, I couldn’t find an explanation but the Brother might) and a wooden crane post. One thing I must do on a future trip is to follow the River Wear Trail to the west of the city centre as there are a few interesting sights. 

On the way back to the hotel I spotted a Sainsbury’s so took the opportunity to fill up with petrol and attempt to sort the tyre pressure warning, however although the machine was pumping air it wasn’t getting into the tyres! I can fix it in the morning by getting the compressor out of the boot before I load the suitcase or I can ignore it until I get home. It’s showing 1psi under, but won’t reset until it’s back to 30 or over. 

Suzie’s Adventures in Sunderland - Trains and Boats but No Planes

No planes today, there might be some tomorrow!

The day started early as one of the photos I’m hoping for  from this trip is a sunrise picture. Having checked with the Met Office signs were good, a clear day and 06:40 being the critical time. I won’t know until I’m home and put them on the laptop but I’m hoping one of the pics works - I took a few. Aside from the photography though all I can say is wow! It’s easy to see why the ancients attribute mystical and religious significance to the sun. It’s probably nearly impossible to capture on camera but there was literally an aura appearing, rising out of the water, to herald the appearance of the sun itself. Of course, if you look at it scientifically, it’s just planetary motion and refraction artefacts! 

Not one of the planned photos, just a snapshot from the phone as I walked back to the hotel. 

The main aim of the day was a simple one - travel the entire length of the Tyne and Wear Metro system. I’d done most of it before, either as Metro or BR services but I hadn’t covered the whole system as it is now in one go. I decided to leave the car at the hotel and walk up to Seaburn Station - not the first time ever I’ve caught a train there but it’s probably over 55 years since I last did so! It’s changed a bit as well since being “Metrofied”, the picture I have at home is much nearer to what I remember. From there I traveled through Sunderland to South Hylton, one end of the Green line (there are only two!)

Seaburn Metro - The canopies and tower are relatively new. 

The line runs back through Sunderland, and along the old BR route to Newcastle then out to the airport. The stretch from Sunderland to Felling was used for my regular visits as a student to my Nan’s and Great Aunt’s in Sunderland, and Felling to Haymarket was my daily commute to the university, so I know those stretches of line very well - one oddity is that Boldon Colliery is now known as Brockley Whins - apparently it’s original name dating back to 1839 although it was Boldon Colliery from 1925 to 1991. 

I wasn’t aware they’re building a new footbridge across the Wear. It looks a lot more conventional than the Northern Spire Bridge of a few years ago. 

After the Airport station the next part of the journey was simply to swap lines so back to Monument then one station along the Yellow line to its terminus at St James. I could then stay on the same train for the long run round the North Tyneside Loop, back across the river and out along the riverside to South Shields. Unfortunately, and not for the first time, the on train indicators and announcements managed to  “lose” Byker station (some might say losing Byker would be no bad thing), announcing it as the next stop,  Chillingham Road, but by the time we reached the latter they were back in synch with reality. 

As we reached the coast I decided it was probably time for a wee break, I did hop off the train at Tynemouth just to get a pic of the magnificent canopy but then carried on a couple of stops to Whitley Bay where I visited The Old Fire Station, a Wetherspoon's pub, donned my mountaineering gear to visit the toilets then had an excellent pint of Black Sheep Bitter for the huge sun of £1.99! One thing with visiting Spoonies, you can generally tell where you are in the country by the clientele! No insult to the people there but you’d know you could only be in the North East. 

Part of the train shed roof at Tynemouth. 

South Shields provided lunch, a Cheese and Onion Stottie from Greggs, not up to the standards of the ones served in the Student Union but not too bad. The next stage of the journey was the Boats part of the title, the Shields Ferry. It’s included on the all zones travel card and I’d never done it so I couldn’t resist. 

In hindsight I should probably have crossed back but I had a tentative plan to get the Metro from North Shields to Howdon, cross under the river through the foot and cycle tunnel and then back to the Metro at Jarrow. The walk up the hill to the Metro convinced me that I’d struggle with the walking involved as I was starting to get tired and my back was complaining so it was straight back to Monument in the centre of Newcastle to pick up the train back south to Seaburn. It had reached the time of day when the trains were getting busy but I managed to get a seat so the way, albeit in the “Priority” seats at one point, my need was genuine!

I’ve had quite a few reminiscences while travelling, strangely many of them involving beer! There were several stations we’d used to visit outlying pubs, often on the hunt for a half decent pint. You do go through bandit country in places as well, the Stephenson Steam Railway runs to Percy Main (pronounced Porcy May-yen) but they have to take the signs up on the first train and return them on the last train otherwise they’re stolen or used for target practice! 

Suzie’s Adventures in Sunderland - A Lighthouse Bimble

I suppose a bimble implies something unplanned which today wasn’t entirely! I brought Mike, the folding bike, with me as I wasn’t keen on having the big bike on the back of the car for a few days, had I realised the hotel had some undercover bike racks I might have thought differently but it’s exactly why I have the folder. 

The loose plan was to cycle up the coast to Souter Lighthouse, somewhere I don’t ever recall visiting before. It’s now managed by the National Trust and, as a bonus, entry was free as it’s a National Heritage Day (although I did make a donation anyway). The route up is part of National Cycle Route 1 which runs 1,264 miles from Dover to Tain. From the hotel the route is on the pavement, sometimes segregated from pedestrians, sometimes not, then on a gravel path through a park. The next stretch of the coastal path looked beyond the bike’s capabilities (if I’d had the larger hybrid I’d have tackled it) so I stuck on the official route for the only on-road section, a couple of back streets then, obeying the sign, I rejoined the A183 carriageway for all of about 30 yards! I hadn’t realised the next bit of shared use pavement was that close, and it made no sense that it didn’t extend to the turning. 

Mike the Bike parked outside the lighthouse and foghorn. 

The lighthouse itself has an interesting history. It was the first purpose built lighthouse in Britain to be powered by electricity but, slightly bizarrely, it was later converted to an oil burning lamp. The reasoning was simple, there was no mains electricity (indeed the keeper’s cottages didn’t get mains power until 1952) so there were coal boilers powering generators, these were expensive to run and needed specialist staff to operate them. As well as the lighthouse there is a large fog horn, the machinery is still there for this (and is used occasionally), with an electric and a diesel compressor and an emergency diesel generator. Unfortunately when they used the fog horn last weekend the control box got rather hot and it took a long time to get up enough pressure, an electrician has been arranged, so it wasn’t sounding today. Hopefully it’s just a loose connection but there’s also a leak somewhere which needs sorting.  

Having had a coffee I had a good look round and went most of the way up the tower - I skipped the last bit up to the lamp room as it was very steep and my fear of heights was kicking in. Even at the level I reached there was a curiosity I’d never seen before. Lighthouses in general have “lost light” as they only shine out over the sea, at Souter this was directed by a series of lenses and prisms to provide an added safety feature of a white and red light shining Southwards; if ships could see the red light they were straying too close to rocks down the coast. 

The real version of the modern “Edison” LED bulbs. 

I returned back past the hotel to take in the two lighthouse I’ve known all my life, The White Lighthouse and Roker Lighthouse. 

It was getting quite dull by this time. 

There is a tunnel through the centre of the pier to the latter, used by the keepers in bad weather, which I’ve actually been through as it’s open to the public for guided tours when the pier is open (sadly at the moment storm damage means it’s closed with no indication when it will reopen). On that occasion I did get all the way up to the lamp room where they had the biggest LED bulb I’ve ever seen! 

Amongst the other well remembered landmarks along the coast are St Bede’s Cross, a memorial to the monk who was born near St Peter’s Monastery and spent time both there and at the sister house at Jarrow; another childhood favourite was the mine outside the lifeguard station, which has a slot for donations. 

As it was getting to about lunchtime I rode back down to the hotel and loaded the bike back into the car before going next door to The Stack, a shipping container built entertainments, food and drink venue. It’s not really my sort of place but it does have a major plus point, there’s a branch of Downeys Fish and Chips there. I sat out the front to enjoy mine, not the best I’ve ever had (they were very slightly better at their place in Seaham) but streets ahead of what we get at home.

I’m slightly hampered today having picked up a toe injury yesterday - I lost part of the nail bed on my left little toe and it’s very sore; cycling was fine, walking not so much, so I’ve had a lazy afternoon. One of the things I’m here for is to get a backscene photo for my planned tram diorama, so part of the task today was to scout out a suitable spot. I have found one, which doesn’t show too much modern stuff and should work from a panned photo so I dodged the afternoon rain and did a couple of test shots, of course the sun then came out just after I got back to my room! 

Trial panorama - I’ll go back for several more and some editing will be needed but it works in principal. 

Finally another nice touch from this hotel, it’s dog friendly to the extent of having a stack of dog bowls and a water dispenser available. 

Suzie’s Adventures in Sunderland - Do the Locomotion

The first visit of this trip was to Locomotion - The National Railway Museum outpost at Shildon (known as The First Railway Town). It was by no means my first visit, but they’ve opened a new exhibition hall since I went a couple of years ago so I thought a return trip would be productive, and I was right. 

Having set off early from home the drive up was fine, except that I’d just pulled out of the drive when the first orange lights appeared on the dash! They were nothing important, just one of the cameras was misted up so the lane departure and crash avoidance systems were inoperative, but they’d not long gone out when the tyre pressure warning came on - this seems to be an annual event when it gets colder. I did pull in and check the readings (you can’t do so while you’re moving) and one tyre is a couple of PSI down, nothing to worry about but I’ll have to put some air in when I get the chance. 

The main hall at the museum hasn’t changed much, a few changed displays but that’s all. They are working on a model layout of Durham which could be spectacular however it hasn’t got beyond the baseboard stage yet so nothing to see there.

It’ll be nice when it’s finished!

The new hall is very much given over to industrial locos and Shildon built freight stock - I don’t think there’s anywhere else that you could see the development of coal wagons from an early Stockton & Darlington 5 ton chaldron right through to the last 110 ton hoppers (I found it interesting anyway 😊). I took plenty of photos for future modelling reference rather than showing as it’s all a bit tight to get a decent pic. 

Modelling one of these would be tricky but possible. I’d use a motorised wagon behind it probably as there’s nowhere to put even a tiny motor. 

There is a secondary site of S&D related buildings about 1/3 mile walk alongside the active railway line so, as I didn’t go up there last time I visited, I decided to walk up before lunch. Sadly, at the moment, there’s not much happening and none of the buildings are open to the public but I had visited them on my first trip to Shildon so I wasn’t too worried. On the walk you go past the still active manual signal box, although it’s scheduled to close in 2027 (the building itself is listed so will probably remain). On my first visit they were still using a manual token system to control the single line running, literally someone had to come down from the box and hand over or collect the token from the driver. That doesn’t seem to happen now so they’ve clearly gone over to electronics. 

After lunch and a browse round the shop it was about time to travel to the hotel in Seaburn (Sunderland), very near where I was born. I took a slightly scenic route as I was going to be a bit early to check in, although in the end it didn’t really matter. The hotel is literally on the sea front although being a cheapskate my room is at the back. 

View from the hotel terrace! 

It’s not the quieter place I’ve ever stopped, particularly on a Saturday, but I’ve got some photography plans that mean being close to the sea front will be very useful. One good thing they do here is that if you don’t want your room cleaned the next day they give you a free drink which I think is an excellent idea. 😊 

Suzie in Somerset

Only a few weeks after my last trip to Somerset I was there again, this time with friends at the Warners Hotel in Cricket St Thomas. 

I had considered a stop on the drive down but in the end did it in one go, letting the SatNav do its thing on Eco did give me a different route to what I’d expected! I’d assumed it would go towards Swindon but instead it dropped down to the A303. I was prepared for the usual short delay at Stonehenge but if I’d been aware of some major roadworks (they’re dualing another stretch and the work is too advanced to be cancelled*) I’d probably have gone a different way, not that it mattered as I had plenty of time. The route also took me through some very narrow lanes towards the end of the journey, they’re really not very relaxing to drive on, I had a couple of reverses and one narrow squeeze, and you don’t even get a view due to the high banks! Once I’d checked in to the hotel I had a drink and lunch; the afternoon was spent greeting people and not doing much else! 

Saturday’s fun started with the Big Breakfast Quiz, where we did OK with 18/20 but the winning team got all the questions right. I was very good in not correcting the lad who was acting as question master, largely because he didn’t write the quiz, Thomas Edison was not the inventor of the lightbulb, he was one of several people at that time working on the problem and Joseph Swan (from Newcastle) demonstrated a sustained electric light some months before Edison. In the afternoon I joined a walk around the hotel grounds led by another member of the entertainment staff, shame he hadn’t been given any information on the estate, history, plants, etc. so we were teaching him things. I wasn’t bothered about the entertainment on offer (a Bon Jovi/Brian Adam’s tribute) so after dinner I had a last drink in the bar before heading to bed. 

Sunday started the same as Saturday, breakfast followed by the quiz. I’d planned to go for another walk around the grounds and take some more photos so went back to the car for my walking shoes, unfortunately by the time I’d got to my room at the far end of the hotel sciatica was kicking in. I headed out to the nearby terrace to settle down with a drink and painkillers while chatting with friends and basically didn’t get much further. Some of the group took part in various games, some of us didn’t - there was some more quiz answering to do as well but largely we just chilled until getting ready for dinner. The afternoon had included our supposedly responsible adult getting up a tree but that’s just normal for us. Given that we had two large tables in the restaurant, and things started getting just a little boisterous, it’s a good thing the couple sat near us were friendly - they even threw back the misdirected paper aeroplane that landed on their table! 

The drive home largely mirrored going down, although I avoided the really narrow roads. I made a brief stop at a Sainsbugs for supplies and arrived home in time for a late lunch. This is the second time we’ve had this annual event at a Warners hotel, and in the end the organising all worked out, but I believe it was quite a strain as answers weren’t forthcoming before arrival. They redeemed themselves over the weekend though, with some very pleasant and helpful staff so we’ll likely use them again next year. 

*This was written a few days after the new government cancelled the proposed tunnel and bypass past Stonehenge.