STEP BACK TO THE @1940s Severn Valley Railway July 1940s

This was the scene at @Kidderminster Railway Station.  The D Day Darlings entertained the visitors to the steam railway.

Authentic homefront 1940s costumed re-enactors were everywhere including @WWII evacuee's waiting for their train.

A wartime shop with  tins of spam and vegetables, and clothing was ready for customers who had their ration books.

Laurel and Hardy were there chatting to everyone.

It was as if we had all stepped back in time!

Bantock House 1940s Weekend 2nd and 3rd September 2017

It was sunshine and sunglasses on Saturday, as #Bantock House and Gardens again re-visited #WWII.

There were lots of wartime re-enactors at this picturesque venue in the West Midlands, and also military and #homefront displays and activities.

Also some  sparkling #1940s entertainment from the Bluebird Belles, its no wonder that there were so many visitors to this very popular event!       

WARTIME IN THE COTSWOLDS 22nd APRIL 2017

It was a cool start to the day, not unexpected for April.  Surprisingly though, by lunchtime we were enjoying a heat wave.

 There were lots of #1940s events, exhibitions and displays at all the stations at the Gloucester Warwickshire Railway and lots of #WW11

 and #HomeFront #re-enactors  to set the scene and make this an enjoyable day!

 

 

 

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE! ... FROM THE 1940s PICTURE POST

HOOTON PARK 1940s WEEKEND 20TH AND 21ST AUGUST 2016

Built in 1917 and operational during #WWII, as an RAF base for coastal command, Hooton Park, Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, staged it's second 1940s weekend. One of the aircraft hangars was the venue for lots of 1940s entertainment, which included the Victory Girls.

There were lots of WWII and Home Front re-enactors and #vintage shopping opportunities with militaria and  clothing stalls.(Pictured below #Navy Online Re-enactors.)

With Wartime re-enactments, military and civilian vehicles, and equipment and uniforms on display,

 and also plenty of tables and chairs for everyone to enjoy the music and a cup of tea, this was a relaxed and enjoyable event!

1940s WEEKEND AT BLACK COUNTRY MUSEUM 2016

It's a journey back in time to wartime Britain and what makes it really interesting is that it's all staged within the picturesque setting of a Victorian village!

Set in 26 acres the Black Country Living Museum celebrates the region's proud industrial heritage and once a year presents the highly popular 1940s Weekend.

There's was so  much to see with Homefront displays and 1940s costumed re-enactors everywhere,

and military re-enactments and exhibitions, and vintage vehicles lining the streets.

 This was a really great two day event! Very enjoyable!

Second Weekend at Severn Valley Railway 1940s Event 2016

This is why I like taking photo's of 1940's events! Sometimes its like capturing a moment in time.

It's easy to imagine you're back in wartime Britain with so many authentically dressed actors and their military displays and vintage car's.

Severn Valley Railway is one of the premier Midland 1940s events and is always very popular, drawing large crowds, and not surprisingly there were lots of photographers at this two weekend WWII event.

It was great talking to the re-enactors and veterans and I'm already looking forward to next years "Stepping Back to the 1940s" at Severn Valley Steam Railway.

#SevernValleyRailway   #SVR1940sEvent  #1940sRe-enactors  #1940sEvent  #WWII
All the photos shown are of 1940s re-enactors.

SEVERN VALLEY RAILWAY STEPS BACK TO THE 1940s 2016

The entertainment starts as soon as you arrive at Severn Valley Railway's "Stepping Back to the 1940s"!

 Outside Kidderminster Station are classic 1940s cars, military vehicles and costumed wartime re-enactors.

Once inside, it's a journey back in time to the 1940s with lots of Home Front displays to set the scene, authentically dressed actors and vintage shop.

At all the stations there are re-enactments including a 1940s wedding, battle re-enactment, and flypast by a WWII plane. And the entertainment and nostalgia continues next weekend. Fab forties event!

#severnvalley  #1940s  #ww2  #SVR1940s  #ww2re-enactors  #re-enactors

1940s WARTIME EVENT GREAT CENTRAL RAILWAY 2016

We all took a nostalgic journey back in time to wartime Britain,

 as the 1940s came to life thanks to the many costumed re-enactors at Great Central Railway, Leicester!

There were lots of exhibitions and demonstrations including a static Spitfire display

and of course there were rides on the steam trains to enjoy.

Great talking to the re-enactors and a lovely weekend at Great Central Railway!

#1940sevent  #ww2re-enactors  #GreatCentralRailway

OPERATION TUTBURY CASTLE- 1940s WEEKEND 2016

Situated on the site of a Norman settlement in Staffordshire, Tutbury Castle once again became the setting for a scene from wartime Britain. Operation Tutbury Castle 1940s included hundreds of costumed re-enactors, civilian and military.

Also, there were lots of demonstrations, camps and displays and stalls with vintage memorabilia and clothing.

Music echoed through the Castle and grounds mingling with the sound of air raid warnings and battle fire making this a nostalgic and enjoyable event!

#Tutbury   #OperationTutbury #1940sevent  #WWIIRe-enactors  #1940sre-enactors

FORGE MILL NEEDLE MUSEUM - REMEMBERING THE #1940s!

There were lots of  re-enactments, displays, exhibitions and #vintage vehicles, with many from the Forever Forties re-enactment group, at Forge Mill Museum's 1940s event, 2016. 

 A  fashion exhibition featured vintage sewing patterns, sewing basket and Second World War clothing.

There was a WWII Tea Wagon,  wartime music was  performed throughout the day,(really enjoyed 'Summertime' and 'A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square')

a Special Operations Executive (SOE) display featuring French Resistance re-enactors, and also a spy suitcase radio with top secret documents.  With sunny weather, and lots of costumed Home Front and Military re-enactors to transport us back in time this really was an event to remember!   

  #ww2  #homefront  #re-enactors  #1940sevents

Crich Tramway Museum 1940s Easter Event 2016!

Crich Tramway Museum and Village was transformed into WWII Britain for the Easter Weekend  Event.

There were vintage vehicles, 1940s re-enactors, and visitors could also enjoy rides on the trams. Pictured below ATS re-enactor.

The Navy Re-enactors On-Line provided an exhibition of naval artefacts and uniforms,

and also a bomb disposal demonstration. There was also wartime music and entertainment. This was the first day of a three day event and it was thoroughly enjoyable!
#cricheasterevent  #crich1940s2016  #crichtramwaymuseum

WWII Telegrams Mysteriously appear on Bermondsey Archway!

Messages from wartime Britain have been pasted onto the wall of an archway in SE London! The telegrams reveal the moving stories of  loss and survival by Bermondsey residents during the Blitz, as they informed relatives of the death of loved ones, the location of evacuees, and their survival despite the bombing raids.

Air raids were widely reported by newspapers during WWII and closely followed by the Home Front. Bermondsey was amongst the most severely bombed areas in Britain.  Several hundred civilians were killed and thousands were injured.

Why were the telegrams, believed to be copies, placed on the archway? Is the location, the arches between Tanner Street and Maltby Street, important?  Is this a memorial? As yet, there is no explanation. If you have any information about this, you can email joey@southwarknews.co.uk.

Source
www.southwarknews.co.uk
http://southwark.gov.uk/info/200159/history.
#WWII   #Bermondsey  #WWIIBermondsey #WWIIsouthwark

CANNOCK CHASE MUSEUM WELCOMES RE-ENACTORS FOR WWII EVENT 2016!

During Spitfire fundraising week in May 1941, the people from Cannock in the West Midlands raised 6,00 pounds and the result was a Spitfire, named the Cannock Chaser, which went into operational service.
On May 7th 2016 there is a VE Day Celebration at the Museum of Cannock Chase with Home Front food rations and sewing demonstration, 1940s choir, WWII displays, dancing and much more including a fly past from a Spitfire!

WWII Re-enactors are welcome and also vintage vehicles and table displays and exhibitions.  Contact r.gentle@wict.org (email) for a booking form or for more details ring 01543877666 or  view website at www.museumofcannockchase.org. The postcode for this event is WS12 1TD.

#spitfire  #cannockchase #cannockmuseum #1940sre-enactors #VEday
Pictured are re-enactors at a 1940s event 2015.

COMMANDERY WORCESTER - FEBRUARY 14th 2016

Icy temperatures didn't deter the re-enactors who turned out in their numbers for this multi-period event at the Commandery in Worcestershire.  WWII was also represented with a display from the Victorian and Westerners re-enactment group.  Their exhibition was based on the work of the American War Correspondent including Lee Miller who is to be the subject of a new film with Kate Winslet playing the leading role.

Costumed re-enactors from WWII represented the Army, Navy and Airforce also the Home Front and the French Resistence.

Considering this was an early event in the UK 2016 re-enactment season, there were plenty of visitors and the re-enactors put on a great show!

#commanderyworcester   #WWIIre-enactors   #HomeFront

STONELEIGH MILITARIA FAIR AND THE RE-ENACTORS 2016

Stoneleigh Militaria Fair, Warwickshire, is always a popular event, drawing crowds from all over the UK! With everything for the collector or enthusiast, it also caters for the 1940s shoppers with lots of vintage clothing stalls.

This year there were lots of costumed WWII re-enactors including the Army and Navy and the Home Front.

An interesting event and well worth a visit!

#stoneleigh2016 #militaria  #WWII  #homefront

WHY STEAM TRAINS HELPED TO WIN WWII !

The railways played a significant role during WWII.  Petrol rationing and the fact that very few people owned cars meant that train travel was the only way of travelling any distance, though this was discouraged. Posters were everywhere asking the public if their journey was really necessary.  Posters also reminded the Home Front of the importance of using the trains for war work.  It was the steam trains that evacuated children from cities to the safety of the countryside. Wagons weighing 50 tons (Warwell) were designed and built to carry Sherman tanks supplied by the U.S.A.  Troops, rescued from Dunkirk, were picked up at Dover and transported by rail to hospitals and camps. Top secret recruits travelled to Bletchley Park station to begin their work as codebreakers. Supplies of food, equipment, ammunition, coal and the movement of troops were dependant on the railway network.

The railway workers, often women, replaced the men who were away fighting, Everyone ensured that the trains kept running, despite sometimes severe weather conditions and constant bombing. It was essential that track and engines were quickly repaired. The role of the railway was essential during WWII and Britain owes it's civilian and reserved occupation workers a debt of gratitude.

Photographs are of re-enactors at 1940s Events - Severn Valley Railway, Shropshire and Worcestershire, 28th June 2015. Peak Rail Derbyshire,1st August 2015.
Source - www.marple-uk.com
www.1900s.org.uk. www.railalbum.co.uk-railway-wagons www.culture24.org.uk
#WWIIRailways  #1940sre-enactors #homefront