Nostalgia Day

 Wednesday 7th May 2025.                    Nostalgia Day

Today’s outing for some of the Lads would take them to pastures new so to speak, it would be a significantly nostalgic day for Dave, he has planned this outing, it will take the Lads on a train journey to the South Yorkshire village of Silkstone Common via the town of Barnsley, from there they will join the Trans Pennine Trail and follow it for a distance of about 2miles or so heading for the village of Gilroyd, a location that played a big part in Dave’s younger days etc. 

Those joining him on this venture will be John, Derek, Glenn and Mark, an arrival time at Silkstone Common is scheduled for just after midday. Upon leaving the station the gang now crossed over the main road and headed down Moorend Lane for about a quarter of a mile to reach the Trans Pennine Trail. This is part of the disused goods railway line that ran for miles around this area collecting coal wagons from the various Pits situated nearby. A few yards beyond the trail there is a poignant monument dedicated to 26 young children that tragically lost their lives in a disaster during the early days of coal mining in this location. A few moments were spent here reflecting upon this tragedy, with our thoughts now returned to our task in hand we ventured on along the trail, several other points of interest were recalled by Dave has we took advantage of our surroundings, the open meadows, the peacefulness interspersed with birdsong, wonderful. 

We did eventually find a suitable spot to continue with our picnics after having to cut short a previous earlier attempt due to the coldness of the stone slab monument. This new location was more suitable to our needs and obviously much closer to our intended next stop of Gilroyd.

Once in this village we slowly made our way to the bus stop, this was in order to catch the No 22 c bus that would take us along to Dodworth and the railway station where we can take a train back to the town of Barnsley and then on to Wakefield or Leeds and then our respective journeys home etc.

Upon reflection today’s adventure was a truly nostalgic experience for Dave, memories of bygone times spent in the various locations that we have passed through on this journey

. I know the other Lads have enjoyed this trip and I am so happy to have shared it with them. 

Cheers Everyone