OK folks, here's the master plan.

The assembly shall assemble at about 1140 at KEIGHLEY Railway Station. The station is on Bradford Road (A6035), just south and east of the town centre, and is clearly signposted from both the A650 and A629. Free parking is available at the station.

If coming by train, the train you need leaves Leeds at 1108 (arr 1132) and the fare is GBP2.60 @#$%& day return. To catch this train at Leeds, anybody coming by train from Sheffield should leave there on the 0953 (arr Leeds 1034), @#$%& day return GBP8.00.

Once assembled we will troop down onto the Keighley & Worth Valley steam train, which leaves at 1200 sharp. The return fare is GBP7.00 (under 5s free). A leisurely puff along the valley gets us to Haworth at 1220. Anybody not keen on walking up the steep hill into the village can catch the little 812 bus (leaves KWV station at 1230, fare 55p).

The next item on the agenda is beer, I mean lunch, to be taken at the Haworth Old Hall on Sun Street, which is well spoken of by both the Good Beer Guide and the Good Pub Guide, and does proper food. Children welcome, one room non-smoking, Jennings beer.

Once fed and watered, the next stop is a visit to Haworth Parsonage, childhood home of the Bronte sisters and now a very good museum of their lives and works; it was here that Thursday Next first jumped into Jane Eyre (as a child) and from here that Acheron Hades stole the ms. of that very book. Alas, we are not likely to see the ms. in question (it normally lives at the British Library), but there will certainly be other writings in the Bronte's own hand. I shall be interested to see if TEA is on sale in the museum shop!
Entry fee is GBP4.80 (under 5s free).

After the Parsonage those of an energetic bent can (if the weather is clement) walk off lunch by heading off to Top Withens, a moorland ruin supposedly the model for Wuthering Heights. Others may care to potter round bookshops (of which there are several) or craft shops, or sample the delights of the Old White Lion, the Black Bull (Branwell Bronte's local) or the Woolpack.

Finally, we all meet up again about 1620 (that's twenty past four) in order to return to Keighley on the 1636 train, bearing in mind it takes about five or ten minutes to walk to the station (all downhill). Arrival at Keighley is at 1655, and there is a train to Leeds at 1728 (arr 1754). A train to Sheffield leaves Leeds at 1835 (arr 1916).

That's it. Objections, suggestions and additions welcome. See you there.



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I am very interested in the Universe. I am specialising in the Universe and everything surrounding it. - E. L. Wisty

sounds great, thanks for planning it all, I hope I'll be up to going, think so I'm improving everyday :-)



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Sylvester says.... *plock*




actually he says peep, cheep, chirrup, squalk,muttermuttergrumblegrumble, oh and now he falls off his pirch whish is followed by a sheepish peek round to see if anyone was looking and a quick scramble back up

David has now decided that if he is able to come along, he'll be on the train, which rather means that so will the rest of us. Skiffle - I/we shall catch you on the relevant platform at Sheffield Station at 9.45 am if that's OK.



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That which does not kill us makes us stranger.
(Llewelyn the dragon, Ozy and Millie)

Sarah

OK - ulp. Better practice getting up at civilized hours then. Wonder if I can be organzed enough to get new batteries for my camera ?

righto. Count us in. Eddie included. He likes trains. Not sure if he's into bronte, but we can but try.

Room in our car for one extra (rob, I suspect...)

SOMEONE had better take plenty of pics! I'm smelling a great feature article for WN!

I wanna go SO badly, but for those of us who can not make it, there better be some good pics and even better stories to tell!

note to self: remember camera.

note to Rob: remind me to bring camera.

Wonder if I could sweettalk Paul Harrap into lending me his digital camera. I think it's Paul that's got one. Dave does, doesn't he, Sarah ? He used it to take photos of the mushrooms growing in my spare room. (Said mushrooms have now gone for good as result of all the blasted renovations I've been whinging about. There's a good reason why I've put up with all of this messing about. Several in fact.)

Jon: Thanks for organising. That looks like a fine plan.

Dave: A lift sounds great. Thanks. I'll try to remember re: cameras.
I need a new film for mine - used it up on the canal this weekend.

Yes, David has a digital camera.

Andrea: I really, really hope David's decision not to drive hasn't left you in the lurch. I can understand why he's done it - he's currently trying to beat his sleeping hours into some kind of sensible shape, so he tends to get very tired at odd times and it might not be safe for him to risk a long car journey at the moment - but if it means you can't get to Haworth after all, I shall feel very sorry. If you're able to get to the station, you'll soon spot us; I always wear a hat, and unless there is any danger of rain it will probably be the enormous white one. The penguin and the dodo may also be a bit of a give-away!



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That which does not kill us makes us stranger.
(Llewelyn the dragon, Ozy and Millie)

Sarah

I was hoping to be up to going but have been out today to the market here (5mins walk from my house) it was the first time I'd been out since Friday and I'd been feeling a lot better but I ended up having to rest on the way back and I had a lie down when I got in. It is a great improvement on how I was before though as I'd sleep 2 hours after a trip out like that



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Sylvester says.... *plock*




actually he says peep, cheep, chirrup, squalk,muttermuttergrumblegrumble, oh and now he falls off his pirch whish is followed by a sheepish peek round to see if anyone was looking and a quick scramble back up

Hope you keep on getting better, Andrea. I know what it's like to be so tired. I could come round and see you some time, if you like.

Thanks to everyone who offered me floor space - I'm coming up to stay with Skiffle and cause some Nextian mayhem... You have been warned...



PSD

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This is the work of an Italian narco-anarchic collective. Don't bother insulting them, they can't read English anyway.

Nobody allergic to dogs, are they? Only it seems the pooches are coming too. I don't think they'll be terribly interested in the Bronte family, myself.



- - -
I am very interested in the Universe. I am specialising in the Universe and everything surrounding it. - E. L. Wisty

Andrea: Sorry your recovery is slow. Hopefully we'll all meet again when Jasper's doing his tour.

PSD: Cool. I'm ready...

Jon: No. I'm fine.

Jon: are your dogs allergic to small children? Eddie loves dogs...

good thing i'm not going then, i'm not allergic, i'm just scared to death of unknown dogs

Our dogs are very good with children (if not with cats). And nobody could possibly be scared of them .... two softer wusses it would be hard to find (they're only little). I suspect Eddie will be fully employed on tickling duties.



- - -
I am very interested in the Universe. I am specialising in the Universe and everything surrounding it. - E. L. Wisty

Well, it's all right, I'm not bringing Minsky. He wanted to join us, but he had other commitments... territory to rule, don'tchaknow...

These dogs don't eat cuddly penguins or dodos, do they? It is only knickers they eat?



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That which does not kill us makes us stranger.
(Llewelyn the dragon, Ozy and Millie)

Sarah

Just don't leave them where Mia can get her teeth into them. She will chew anything, and could probably destroy Wilfred in seconds. However, she is easily distracted by food. Or beer. Or a clip round the ear'ole.

Bob isn't a danger to anything except himself.



- - -
I am very interested in the Universe. I am specialising in the Universe and everything surrounding it. - E. L. Wisty