Wensum Column: Fakenham writer Jim Harding discusses family railway journeys, cinema, and the British Heart Foundation
In his weekly column, Fakenham writer Jim Harding discusses Fakenham’s cinema and family railway journeys…
It’s hardly a secret that this area of north Norfolk used to be criss-crossed by miles of railway tracks connecting villages and towns.
As previously mentioned, Fakenham had its fair share with most of the old lines near us now serving as welcome footpaths.
My family down in Surrey had a long association with trains, starting with my grandfather and continuing with his three sons, all of whom worked in different capacities at stations both overground and underground in the south east.
As children we well remember annual summer holidays to resorts on the Isle of Wight, always travelling by train. I later learnt that my father was entitled to reduced fares for this particular excursion which for a family of five children and two adults was a significant factor in that post-war era.
As we never even saw the sea at other times of the year, our excitement was sky high. My cousin Sue, who lives in Penarth, not too far from Cardiff, sent me a lovely train story that I would like to share with you.
She was travelling home from a rail day out with her daughter and two grandchildren but got stuck when the lift to get them to their platform 8 was out of order. Coming from a long line of railway employees, Sue asked how they might get to Penarth in the circumstances.
This was explained onwards to a senior colleague, stating that a young lady with two children, one of whom was in a pram, could not reach their platform because of the lift malfunction.
The person who dealt with the enquiry provided a very positive response. In essence her words were: “No problem, we’ll re-route your train to platform 7.”
This is what took place and my cousin reckoned it was the best thing that had happened to any of them in their railway experience.
“We all felt very important,” she said.
She also felt very strongly that her grandfather, her father and her two uncles would have been mightily impressed by the reaction of the staff and the driver.
It was certainly an incident to treasure and also convey to the widely-spread members of the family, including those now living in America and Australia.
I just thought amidst all the grim news which seems to dominate the world these days, this tale was worthy of repetition as a reminder of the basic good-heartedness of so many people who go the extra mile in order to help others.
What a wonderful night out we had at our cinema just recently, thanks to the joint efforts of the local British Heart Foundation fundraising group and the cinema manager.
I may have been one of the few who had never seen Mamma Mia before but it was a brilliant charity choice to raise funds for the British Heart Foundation during its Go Red For Heart month.
It also roughly coincided with the 50th anniversary of ABBA’s win in the Eurovision Song Contest. A good crowd turned out, with the majority dressed in something red and there was a very festive atmosphere as the film kicked off on the big screen inside the cinema on a rather damp February night.
To be suddenly transported to a land of sunshine accompanied by vibrant singing and dancing - with most of the songs fairly familiar - was, to this spectator at least, a great tonic.
It was back in 2011 that Jane organised the first such charity film night at this venue which led to the foundation of the very successful Fakenham Film Society which shows monthly filmsthere which do not normally feature in what is regularly scheduled.
As was to be expected, the ladies dominated the fancy dress domain but I somehow walked off with a prize of bubbly thanks to what I considered a minimal effort involving my Sunderland supporters red and white scarf and a rakish red trilby a.la Humphrey Bogart.
Regardless, over £580 was raised for the BHF which was the main priority of it all. On behalf of everyone who put themselves out to organise this evening, my thanks. It was fun.
