A ramble, treats and poignant verses

This year’s ramble was a six-mile walk from Kiveton Bridge railway station to Woodhouse railway station.

On terminating the event we were treated to festive sherry and mince pies before catching our train services home.

Participants came from far and wide, including Cleethorpes, Scunthorpe, Brighouse, Bawtry, Alfreton and Chesterfield.

A special festive thank you to all staff at the Lakeside Cafe, Aston Ponds, and the Stables Cafe, Rother Valley Country Park, who provided everyone with delicious food and drink? Not forgetting my good friend and noted Sheffield historian Graham Hague, who provided olde-worlde maps of our route. Also Denise Herring for providing sherry and mince pies.

En-route on my annual walk, I always like to stop off at an appropriate point and read out some of my written poetry; this year’s walk was no exception.

I would like to leave Star readers with one of my poems I read out at Beighton. This poem is dedicated to our Armed Forces and veterans, the pride of the nation! With very best wishes and a Happy New Year.

A Soldier Down The Line by Stephen Gay

It was a cold February night in 1942

A military train was Glasgow bound

Soldiers and sailors aboard

Then the engines whistle and brakes did sound

Just before Beighton in a nearby siding

Was stabled a wagon of steel plate

The sheet had become dislodged

Thus sealing a number of poor souls’ fate

Rescue teams were soon on the scene

Greeted with screams, groans and crying

Carriages had been sliced open

Armed forces all around injured and dying

From the Civil Defence, Miners and Home Guard

Into the dark of night rescuers fought to save

With dim lights and torches

Sadly 14 went to an early grave

The dead were taken to the waiting room

A mortuary became Beighton station

But with wartime restrictions

Little news broke across the nation

For in the subsequent inquiry

A loose wagon movement was to blame

Hump, shunt and bump

And then passed the ill-fated troop train

Today this area is supposedly haunted

Sightings of the unexplained still shine

Yes on a cold winters night

One may see a soldier down the line

Stephen Gay

Darnall, Sheffield