Stafford and beyond

Although this poem provides an overall summary of our holiday, the following poems were also inspired/based on occurrences during our trip to Stafford - The Gloucester Branch, Looks like Rain!, Shut that Door!, North Wales Coast, Give us a Brake! and Did you enjoy your Break?.

Through Cheltenham And Birmingham For Walsall then We caught a bus To Chasewater For their railway They had a cat! And then onward Unto Stafford To find our flat

Out via Stoke And a taxi To take us to Leek and Rudyard’s Lake with railway Back into town To Brampton Park A small railway And town museum With time to spare We headed south Wolverhampton For trams down to Birmingham but Not Edgbaston Morrison’s fire!

Stafford Castle Was quite a trek Train to Penkridge In-laws we met To Weston Park Rode, walked and ate Garden Centre And then it rained

Morning in town Did this and that E’en saw a cat Ancient High House To Brum again And Edgbaston!

To Stoke by train Taxi Hanley And thence a bus Plus a mile’s walk Churnet Valley Busy station Where is the train? No one did say At last it came Quite a long ride Then back in Stoke A museum ‘bout potteries

Set out early But could not go Crewe to Chester Instead of that Via Warrington So eventually Changed at Junction For Llandudno After a big queue The Great Orme tram Took us uphill But sad to say No cable cars Then in Chester We went to eat Due to a leak Just takeaway Yorkshire pud wrap

A day ranger Do what we please Crewe, Manchester Looked at the trams Then Liverpool And Ellesmere Port Back through Chester And to Stockport

Got Stoke Plus Bus Trentham Gardens In ample time But no train rides Their Newcastle Is under-Lyme Apedale Valley A Light Railway Only a short Ride there and back Re-trace our steps Trentham again This time we could Ride on their train

Pack up to go Leave them the key Back via Tamworth A vintage bus To Statfold Barn A big event Road, rail and ale Plenty to do Trains, tram and more We did explore We were worn out We better go And head onward Back to our home