Santa Special

[Pol]

The Romney/Hythe/Dymchurch (RHDR) miniature railway run 'Santa Special' excursions each year. Sometimes they run a Diner, where there's a Christmas Dinner served in addition to a visit to see Santa Claus. There's also a gift from Santa for the kids.

We were on the way home from the beach today when we noticed the train returning in the distance. So we dashed ahead and got to the terminus just in time to capture it approaching the station. Just quick snapshots, also cropped as I only had a 70mm prime lens on the camera. But the little kids' delight was just so heartwarming to see. The little fella in the second shot was so thrilled, couldn't believe he'd actually been to see 'the man' himself.

Two shots coming up. One of the train and one of the little fella clutching his gift from Santa Claus. Aaaaaah





Sheer delight!

Pol

[cowcrzy06]

Re: Santa Special

Pol,
AWWWWWWWWWW! He looks to be on top of the world!!

[Blithe]

Re: Santa Special

Definitely worth the dash to see the look on that little lad's face. Pretty good shot of the choochoo too.

[Pol]

Re: Santa Special

I felt tempted to scoop up that little lad and take him home! He was so thrilled with everything, talking ninety to the dozen and wanting to get back onto the train and do it all over again.

They must have been freezing cold on that little chuffabilly too! It was no more than about 2-3C outside and the train has open carriages, though little kids don't seem to mind. They're taken to a location about 10 miles across the marshes and along the coast for their visit to Santa.


Pol

[coupekid]

Re: Santa Special

couple of great captures there Pol!
lovely.

[fluffy penguin]

Re: Santa Special

good capture Pol.
And so brilliant to see the excitement on the lads face.

I think around that age is when christmas is magical, and the I want scenario has not started.

Amazing though excitement can warm you up, so the little ones would not notice...

[Pol]

Re: Santa Special

good capture Pol.
And so brilliant to see the excitement on the lads face.

I think around that age is when christmas is magical, and the I want scenario has not started.

Amazing though excitement can warm you up, so the little ones would not notice...

That's exactly what we were saying. Magical when they're 3 and greedy by the time they're about 7.

I'll never forget the time I'd taken ours to the large toy store in town and told them they could choose one toy and that was it. No arguments, no discussion, just ONE toy. So our middle son, aged about 7 at the time, came staggering across the shop carrying a HUGE box of Lego, the largest, most expensive box he could find with a big smile to match.

I told him he couldn't have it and sent him to put it back - and he stood there and argued his case like a good'un telling me he'd done as I said and chosen "just one toy and it wasn't his fault if they'd packed it in a big box". It ended up as one of those occasions where size really did matter ...... and I was bigger than him so he didn't get it. I chose a smaller box for him and I also learned to choose my words more carefully with him after that.


Pol

[yoshi]

Re: Santa Special

You have an amazingly logical son, Pol. I just feel I wanted to make a strong protest to you on behalf of him, if he so wishes.
yoshi

[Pol]

Re: Santa Special

You have an amazingly logical son, Pol. I just feel I wanted to make a strong protest to you on behalf of him, if he so wishes.
yoshi

He's the same son who spends a fair amount of time in Japan, also speaks enough Japanese to get by so if you ever see a "Guijiin" being stubborn, digging his heels in and arguing his case it'll be him.

Here he is obliging a group of schoolkids who wanted to try out their English on him. I'd need to look at the map again to find and write the name of the place but it was about 50km south of Tokyo.

Pol

[Pol]

Re: Santa Special

I'd need to look at the map again to find and write the name of the place but it was about 50km south of Tokyo.

Pol

I've been looking it up and the name of the place where the photo was taken is Kamakura.

His friend is originally from Niigata and they shared a flat together for a while in the UK when his friend was over here studying English. So they meet up in Japan each year. I think his friend is based in Tokyo at the moment.


Pol

[fluffy penguin]

Re: Santa Special

That has turned into quite a candid photo there.

The little lad on the front right has the most wonderful expression.
Of here we go again my photo being taken...........

[Pol]

Re: Santa Special

That has turned into quite a candid photo there.

The little lad on the front right has the most wonderful expression.
Of here we go again my photo being taken...........

We all had a smile about that lad on the front right.

The kids were on a trip with their teacher and she'd stopped my son and asked if he minded spending a few minutes with the children so they could talk to him in English. She also took pictures before they parted company.

It happens quite a lot when he's in Japan, especially away from the main cities where they don't see so many foreigners, but he usually obliges because he says "Japanese children are always so polite and they also thank me and bow to me"


Pol

[yoshi]

Re: Santa Special

I've been looking it up and the name of the place where the photo was taken is Kamakura.
Pol

Kamakura - I see. I haven't been there for long time. Two decades ago or so I sometimes went there on a weekend, often with my camera friends, with a camera of course.
Maybe your son and his friend visited here in Kamakura - the great buddah.

http://www.kmine.sakura.ne.jp/kantou/kamakura/daibutu/daibutu.htm

BTW a question about the Steam Locomotive. Was it originally built for business use such as timber transfer ... or for sightseeing / amusement purposes from the very beginning? I assume it is a real SL and not a faked one powered by electricity/diesel... and smoke/steam are just gimicks?

yoshi

[Pol]

Re: Santa Special

Kamakura - I see. I haven't been there for long time. Two decades ago or so I sometimes went there on a weekend, often with my camera friends, with a camera of course.
Maybe your son and his friend visited here in Kamakura - the great buddah.

http://www.kmine.sakura.ne.jp/kantou/kamakura/daibutu/daibutu.htm

BTW a question about the Steam Locomotive. Was it originally built for business use such as timber transfer ... or for sightseeing / amusement purposes from the very beginning? I assume it is a real SL and not a faked one powered by electricity/diesel... and smoke/steam are just gimicks?

yoshi

Wow - thank you for that link! I'll send it to my son!
He did indeed visit and photograph the great Buddha and was also delighted to see and get some shots of a Shinto wedding during the same outing.

The miniature railway engines are genuine steam engines. They have several steam and one diesel, which they added maybe 4-5 years ago. I think the track was originally opened circa 1927 and was built as a novelty attraction. It's mainly used by tourists but it's also been used as a 'working' railway during WW2 or for a few workers who commute to and from the nuclear power station nearby. Here's a link to their website, which has more details and pictures.

I'm attaching a copy of one of my son's pictures of the Buddha - not as good as the one on the website though! He'll love that link. I wouldn't be at all surprised if he books a flight back to Japan soon after he looks at it. He never needs persuading - he loves it over there!

Pol

[Pops]

Re: Santa Special

I can almost smell the sulphur from that train and the excitment of those children is priceless