A weekend for reflection

Over the weekend N and I attended a Festival of Remembrance with some friends.  We've not been to one before but came away feeling glad we had done so this year.  There was some rousing band music (and wonderful corps of drums), a bagpiper and some thought-provoking displays by army and airforce cadets, before everyone joined together in a poignant Service of Remembrance.   Whilst there were a number of serving personnel attending, the thing that stood out for me was the pride with which the old soldiers, sailors and airmen wore their medals on this special occasion.  Boots has been polished, regimental ties carefully adjusted and medals shone.  I became aware of a comradeship and pride in serving one's country that perhaps I'd not fully appreciated before.  During the silence, I thought of my own father who served in the RAF in WW2 (although I know almost nothing of his experience in the war); my step-father who was a Marine in the Far East after the war; my friend who saw duty in Northern Ireland as an army driver; and her daughter who has completed a tour in Afganistan.  I gave thanks for their duty to King, Queen and country, and to all those who continue to do so on our behalf.

Sunday was a beautiful crisp bright autumn day.  We joined some other chilly spectators at the U9s football match, and our team learned that for someone to win, someone has to lose!  They played well on a very cold day and by the end, small faces were glowing red with effort.

I'm standing on the car/pedestrian lane of the pier, with the disused tramway in the middle and the rail-track on the right, stretching out in to the sea.

I made the most of the day and went off for another lovely walk of just under 5 miles, along the seafront and then I walked the length of the pier and back.  I've mentioned the pier before (but now can't find the right post in the archives *sigh*), and as there weren't many cars going to and fro, I was able to stop for a while and take some photos.  

The Pier Head station.  Only one line is in use now, but in it's heyday I think both lines were used.  The train links with the catamaran ferry service to Portsmouth.

The sad state of the ironwork that used to carry the tramway the length of the pier.  

At the 'land' end of the pier, part of the old tram station is still standing, although looking a little worse for wear.  I think it still retains a certain nostalgia, and the yellow and grey lichen on the cutwork boarding almost glowed in the autumn sun.

At one point in the pier's history, there was a train track (opened in 1880), a tramway (opened in 1864) and a promenade along the length, but the tramway finally closed in 1969 and is now in a state of some disrepair.  The promenade for cars and pedestrians was replaced in 2010-2011, after it failed a safety inspection - I do recall a couple of rotten wooden planks being sectioned off beforehand.  For 6 months while the work was underway, no cars were allowed down the pier, and engineers fixed up a temporary pedestrian way on the old tramline.  My daughter has fond (OK, maybe not so fond) memories of having to walk down the pier in a blizzard, when it became too dangerous to drive down - she was somewhat less than impressed by that, I seem to recall!

When the car lane was rebuilt, all the iron railings were replaced at the same time.  I loved the effect of the late (and very low) autumn sun casting long shadows on the wooden planks.  I think there might be a quilt pattern in there somewhere ;-)