2003-02-28 07:17:12阿耀

讓蒸氣火車實現你的夢

這是我第一次撰寫所謂的Review,也就是評論性文章,只不過這是英文版的,希望能藉此分享我那天搭火車的經驗給予大家,那天我可是坐在蒸氣火車頭,看著兩位年過六旬的老司機認真工作的神情,讓我好感動,希望你們從照片能感受到.

全文刊載
If anyone has ever dreamt of taking a train journey of the old traditional steam variety, now could be your chance.

It was a sunny day one afternoon when the Swanage railway station platform was crowded with tourists.

The air was full of smoke from the coals burning in the engine of the train and as soon as I set foot on the platform the smell overtook all my senses.

Michael Standhaft, the driver of the steam train, invited me to join him for the journey.

The engine cab was a tight squeeze allowing only two people access–the driver and the fire man, to work. When I stepped in, the space suddenly became very narrow.

There were no modern electrical instruments, only an oil gauge, thermometer and levers for accelerating and braking. With the burning coal, the temperature in the cab is always like a scorching summer hence why the men wear T-shirts even through the chilly Winter months.

When the train was moving, it was hard to see clearly ahead because of the smoke. Mr. Standhaft needed to pop his head out of the window from time to time to check the route. In the meantime, the fireman exerted all his strength to put coal into the boiler to keep the train moving.

The journey was quite different from any other I had ever taken before. In London like most other cities, everyone walks quickly and in a rush failing to absorb their surroundings.

In Swanage, when the train arrived at each stop, both adults and children took great interest in the beautiful landscape. They all looked forward to the following stops hoping they would provide as a sceneric stop as the last.

Watching the two men both over 60, who had committed their lives to the working of the steam train for more than 40 years, drew me back to the nineteenth century when the steam train was first invented.

After this journey my clothes were full of coal dust but my mind was full of the excitement of the ride.

The Swanage Railway is situated on the Isle of Purbeck in the south east corner of the picturesque county of Dorset. It has five stops during its journey- Swanage, Herston Halt, Harman’s Cross, Corfe Castle-the dramatic castle ruins and the beautiful village- and the final stop at Norden.


圖片說明:Fireman Larry(Left), Driver Michael(Right), also my homestay father.

網站連結:http://snap.bournemouth.ac.uk/doc.asp?docId=7502