Beeston Oxfam venues map and a ride into the past

It's been two weeks since my last post because we went away for a week to Lowestoft in Suffolk. I was claiming a 70th birthday present from last year, which my daughter organised — a visit to the East Anglia Museum of Transport, so that I could ride on one of these...

... a old London trolleybus, aI almost certainly travelled on this actual trolleybus as a child and a teenager. I was seventeen when trolleybuses disappeared from Wembley, by which time I was travelling to work on a 662 six days a week in Harlesden. In fact, inside, beside the bench seat, the route information panel was for a 662. 

Every year, on the last Saturday in September, the Museum stays open until 10pm, so that visitors can ride on trolleybuses in the dark. Our grown-up grand-daughters (aged 27 and 24) clearly enjoyed riding on trolleybuses and the occasional tram for hours and we had several trips on this particular trolleybus during the day.

I am a great fan of trolleybuses and feel blessed to have grown up using them every week. The ride in 2015 was as smooth and quiet as in the 1940s, 50s and early-60s, before they disappeared from London's streets for ever. We rode on trolleybuses from Derby, Newcastle and Bournemouth as well. 

Our afternoon and evening at the Museum was the highlight of a very enjoyable holiday staying in Lowestoft — a place we will go to again, so that we can explore the town and its nearby neighbour, Great Yarmouth, more closely. Both are 'working' seaside towns and I enjoyed both far more than our visits to Cromer and, even, Southwold, where we holidayed for a few years until it was 'discovered' and it became too expensive.

Back home I have been putting the final touches to plans for the last Angel Row HistoryFest I am organising with Nottingham Local Studies Library, which takes place this coming Saturday (10 October) in the exhibition area on the 1st floor of Nottingham Central Library from 11am until 3pm.

Today I quickly produced a map for The Beestonian to help publicise the Beeston (music) Oxfam on Saturday 17 October. It shows all fifteen Oxfam venues:

Usual rule applies. Click on the map to enlarge.

There is plenty to write about once I get back into the swing of things and this coming Saturday marks a big milestone for me. I gave up on committees when I reached 70 last year and now just help, even if means I attend the occasional meeting. At 71 I have stopped organising things. I can do my maps, write and blog at my pace and help folks in ways I enjoy. No longer do I feel driven to do something because I believe I should.