AGM and Beamish Museam October 2010

Seaton Burn School

As we were new members, we attended the Northern Counties Annual General Meeting held at Seaton Burn School.  For us it was a chance to find out more about the club and understand the rules and meet the new committee. It was also the first time we  had a chance to same some of the fantastic Baileys cupcakes made by Karen. Those delights wont be forgotten in a hurry.  After the formal meeting during the day, the evening held a Faith supper where everyone brings a plate of food and shares it on the buffet table.  The group had organised professional entertainment and a real party atmosphere had everyone up dancing the night away.

Beamish Museum

Visits to Beamish Museum were a favourite school trip for our children but we never ventured there ourselves.  When we realised that Northern Counties were holding a rally there we went along to enjoy the historical sights and sounds of the local mining museum.  A fantastic 95 motor homes turned up and were parked on the terraced car park. The group even negotiated a discounted entry price into the museum for everyone.

Again we on the first night we arrived late after work and as we didn't feel like socialising we  just spent the Friday evening relaxing in our van after a hectic week. The next morning we headed off to the Museum to have a trip down a working mine. Learn how to make clippy mats in the traditional pit cottages and see the recreated town houses and shops filled with traditional items.  There is a sweet shop where you can watch them make the traditional pulled sweets and buy old fashioned favourites.  Even the pub has old style hand pulled beers and pickled eggs.  There were massive queues for the  fish and chip shop at lunch time.  It seemed to take ages to cook in dripping over a coal fired range.

In the late afternoon, three large coaches turned up to escort everyone to the Geist/Camper UK motor home dealer.  they had kindly offered an evening of entertainment, hot buffet and even free bar as well as discounted products in the store.  There were not many sober people who were dropped back off the coaches that evening.

Sunday coffee morning was again outside host vans and some had arranged to go off to the local carvery for Sunday lunch but we had to head off home again to get ready for work.

Brunton Vintage Traction Engine rally

The next rally was advertised as a 'free' rally at Brunton Vintage Traction Engine rally.  There was the requirement  for each van to spend an hour on the gate to take the visitors payment, sell programmes or direct visitors to the car parking.  There seemed to be lots of men at the rally, many left their wives at home as they looked through the old cars, engines and bits of old machinery.  A few ladies attended and the craft tent was popular as was the marquee with a bar and live music on the night.  We were quite surprised how much we enjoyed ourselves.