Blists Hill...A Victorian Town!

Blists Hill is a rebuilt Victorian era settlement. The first sigh,t as we entered, were these lovely draught horses and waggon. They aren't as busy as they would have been 150 years ago but they wander around a few times a day so that we can all go up and stroke them and I think they give waggon rides when it's busier. We were lucky to be there on a sunny day with few visitors.

Trevithicks early locomotive chugged up and down and...

other early engines toiled away...

singalongs were held in the pub at lunchtime...
and lovely shops were set in historic streetscapes with people in costume behaving appropriately.
But what I liked best was the originality of the artifacts. The realness of the workings. Some buildings had been shifted and bits rebuilt but for the most part it was all as it was and craftsmen worked in the sheds as tinsmiths, foundrymen, blacksmiths, woodturners, bakers and such.
There is a similar place in County Durham called BEAMISH and I remember well SOVEREIGN HILL in Australia. This ranks up with them.
It also helped that it was a glorious day weatherwise.
The next day was the day that the Olympic Torch Relay went over the ironbridge itself. Again the weather held and thousands turned up.

The main street a few hours before was quite busy but the crowds began to gather from then on.

Clog wearing Morris dancers arrived to entertain us and hit big sticks together....

until the torch bearer appeared over the brow of the bridge.
We had holed up in the Tontine Pub, just in front of the route and were able to come out at the last moment and stand on tiptoe to see it all. We are lucky to be a tall family on occasions such as this. I'll give you a close-up of him.......

As you can see, everyone was keen to get a pic.
After that we all went away and soon after the streets were fairly clear except for the enormous queue waiting for the park and ride buses.We went off to look at Much Wenlock (the town with a name of much innuendo) and the village of Broseley. More later. I need my breakfast.
Cheers Gillian